AboutTerry Casey Expertise Most experienced for Paris, Loire Valley, Provence, Dordogne, Alsace, Burgundy, Normandy and Reims/Champagne Country. Terry likes helping travelers get trip "flow and pacing" right so your adventure is neither . . . a bore, NOR a blur! Make sure your timing works, fitting your interests, tastes, personal experiences and needs. Terry has planned and done great trips to the Baltics, Russia, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Ireland, England, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Turkey and Switzerland, plus South America and Cuba. Did wonderful April, 2007, week in Paris, summer 2008 southern England trip, etc. Has visited twenty different countries in Europe.
Experience There is much post 9-11-2001 worry about travel to Europe, but all reports and experiences say things are fine, with proper care and planning. From wide travels in many parts of Europe in 2005- 2008, my personal experiences are that things are good there and reasonably behaving Americans are treated well. See, enjoy the world and experience its great diversity! I have visited 20 countries in Europe and know that there's lots there to see and do.
PROVIDE KEY BACKGROUND INFORMATION with QUESTION: To help me answer your questions better, please provide some info on your past France/Europe travel experiences, ages, general budget range, personal travel style/interests, number in your party, what you most want to enjoy and see, etc.
My wife and I are arriving in Marseilles by ship on the 22nd of September, and we plan to make our way by car to a visit with her sister near Angouleme, arriving on the 28th of September. We would like to visit Aix but other than that we do not know that part of France at all. We are senior citizens, and would prefer fairly slow travel on the "D" roads. We would be happy to eat well, but we do not require luxurious accommodations. We have lived overseas for many years, and my French is reasonable.
I would be very grateful for any suggestions you have.
Thanks!
Answer Hi . . . Greg Bathon!
For you and your wife arriving in Marseilles by ship on the 22nd of September, you have a fairly sizeable trip by car to visit her sister near Angouleme. Depending upon the routing and roads, your driving distance from Marseilles to Angouleme would be about 320 miles. You have lots and lots of travel options to get there either fast in about a day or broken up into smaller stages on the backroads. We have driven much in both southwest and the Provence areas of France. Even on the super A highways in this area, things are fairly reasonable and manageable. Nice and wonderful areas!
Am I understanding correctly that you do not need to arrive there in Angouleme until on the 28th? From Angouleme, where do you head? Back home? From what airport do you fly?
Angouleme is near the Atlantic Coast of France, just about 45 miles north of Bordeaux.
If you have six days to go from Marseilles to Angouleme, you could have many nice options, including to visit Aix and other wonderful highlights nearby to Avignon and in Provence. Below are some of the many options to consider. Then I would head toward Sarlat and some nice options in SW France. That would provide lots of fairly slow travel on the "D" and other roads.
In late September you could maybe play it by ear doing gites and/or smaller B&Bs. In most cases, you will need that many advance reservations.
MIGHT TRY FOR OUTSIDE PARIS ACCOMODATIONS OPTIONS:
www.gites-de-france.fr
Sounds like you are well prepared having lived overseas for many years and your French being reasonable.
Does this help? What are your reactions and needs for added information? Be happy to provide additional info and answer other questions after learning more from you. Be sure to complete the evaluation section so that our “bosses” on this volunteer service know we are working hard to make inquiring minds as happy as possible. ENJOY! Merci Beaucoup!
Thanks. Terry Casey in Columbus, Ohio
SOUTHWEST FRANCE HIGHLIGHTS/OPTIONS:
While there, we stayed overnight at the nearby Hotel Bônnet in Beynac overlooking the Dordogne River (hotel phone: 011-33-5-53-29-5001). The Sarlat Market on Saturday is really great with its very attractive medieval quarter! Hopefully Saturday will be one of your days there.
Among the other key options in the area are:
1. ROCAMADOUR- Perched on the side of a cliff with one of the most extraordinary sites in France, this village was one of the great pilgrimages in the Middle Ages. This site is also a must-see at night.
2. BEYNAC - Large castle overlooking the Dordogne, it was the site of many battles during the Hundred Years War.
3. LES EYZIES - Known as the Capital of Prehistory, it has a famous national museum.
4. DOMME - Walled-town with spectacular overview of the Dordogne.
5. ST-CIRQ-LAPOPIE - Village with a remarkable site perched on a rocky escarpment overlooking the Lot River valley.
There is also Cahors on River Lot, Cordes and a little farther away is the famed castle/fortress of Carcassonne;
There are other smaller castles, small town markets, wineries, etc. It depends upon what you like to do and enjoy. Just hanging out in and around Sarlat and doing nothing is fun and enjoyable!
HERE ARE SOME PLACES/OPTIONS TO CONSIDER IN THE PROVENCE AREA:
Aix-en-Provence (population of 125,000) with Cezanne's studio on the road to Entremont; university town founded 122 B.C. as first Roman settlement in Gaul, near thermal springs, dine at Gu et Fils.
Avignon is "one of the great art cities of France", old part of town has Papal Palace, seat of Popes 1309-1377, street musicians perform near palace; art museum in Place du Palais open Wednesday through Monday, population of 87,000, town on Rhone River.
Restaurants: Hiely-Lucullus, GM rating: 17/20, 10-12 rue de Mons, in former residence of town bailiff; Le Prieure, 7 pl du Chaplitre, GM rating: 15/20, "one of the most charming spots on earth", $40-50 lunch; Le Petit Bedon, 70 rue J Vermet, GM rating: 12/20, reasonable and good; Saint-Didier with chef Christian Etienne in Avignon; Other reasonable in Avignon: Au Bain Marie, Le Cintra, Le Gourmandin; Chateau de Roussan in St-Remy; Le Clos de la Violette rated best restaurant in Aix by Fodors; Brasserie Royale in Aix with glassed-in patio overlook leafy, busy boulevard.
Car travel to such nearby areas as Arles, highest priority area city with Roman ruins, including 20,000 seat arena where bull fights are held in the summer; founded 49 B.C. by Julius Caesar, population of 52,000, Van Gogh's former home; Le Vaccaves restaurant; St. Remy with Roman ruins and population of 9000; Tarascon (15th century castle); Les Baux (very neat medieval village with great views that has no major population now) dine right near there at L'Outau de Beaumaniere for ONE OF THE BEST MEALS YOU CAN HAVE IN FRANCE; and Nimes (Roman ruins and arena, settled 121 B.C., population of 140,000).
Pont du Gard (Roman aqueduct/bridge) to the west of Avignon is a must see; Saturday AM market at Uzes near Pont du Gard can be totally charming and wonderful.
Try good Provence website of:
www.provencebeyond.com
WEB-MAPPING FOR FRANCE:
Use this website to get any detailed maps you need. Scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the directions with your details on where are coming from and going to. It will give both graphic maps and written point-by-point instructions. http://goto-france.com/maps
RAIL SCHEDULES: You can go to this website
www.raileurope.com
and check all of the various train options, timings and costs on rail travel within Europe. Great, very useful site!
DINING: You didn't ask, but on dining in France, assuming you're not looking for the high-end, pricy places, the great news is that most any place will be very good to great to excellent. It's hard to have a bad meal in France! The secret is to do some asking where you are staying and/or of others you meet there for their local suggestions. Then apply the eyeball test! If it looks touristy and the people sitting there (or the staff) are bored and uninterested, then that place probably should be avoided. If it looks like there are locals there and/or they are enjoying it, then it will probably be very good. Or maybe even better!
Here's a good “balancing suggestion” for saving your dining budget. Grab your lunch at one of the many bakeries/boulangerie/patisserie shops. Most are very cute and wonderful. Great breads! Get a sandwich, pastry, drink. Maybe some cheese. Other nice fresh things. Maybe spend only $4-5-6 a person. Eat in a park area or bench in Paris or the country side. Like a little picnic! Saves money and time during a busy day. Allows a little more budget for dinner in the evening.
FINAL KEY POINT: Read up, in advance, with such books (maybe from your library) as Eyewitness France (great maps and pictures) . . . or the Michelin Green books . . . to help you target what you most want to see and enjoy to fit your needs and taste. Don't wait until you get there to decide what you want to do. And be flexible. There could be strikes, rain, etc. that will require you to be able to adjust quickly to take advantage of your best available options each day.
