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Post by GitteK on Jul 17, 2007 15:08:22 GMT -5
Here we go again...... Not one minute too early to start planning....
So here's your assignment for today:
If I want to take a ride with the TGV to the Mediterranean and do 2 nights, which town should I choose ?? I was thinking of Nice, but as I don't know the next thing about the French south coast, there might be another town much more charming. I DO NOT want "Torremolinos" - if any of you have ever been to Costa del Sol. I was also thinking about Aix-en-Provence, but that is not by the sea. Maybe one night in Aix and then on to Nice for another night and back to Paris from Nice ? It does sound like a little too much travelling, so I think I like the idea better of staying 2 nights in the same town.
Ideas, anyone ??
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 17, 2007 15:16:57 GMT -5
Hi, Gitte -- I'm not able to give a balanced view because I really didn't much care for Nice (to me, it's not very "French," plus it really reminded me of Hawaii but with lots of German and Italian tourists -- IMO, the place is just overrun with tourists of all varieties!), and I actually found it boring although I was there for only two days. But, that said, it would be within easy reach of Eze, the village mentioned in the "other destinations board," and that sounds well worth a visit.
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Post by GitteK on Jul 17, 2007 15:44:37 GMT -5
Thanks becky, for drawing my attention to Eze - and all those lovely photos ! As to Nice, I understand that there also is an old town - not just beach promenade and souvenir shops ? But maybe I am romanticizing things ? Maybe we are talking Costa del Sol, only more pricey ?
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 17, 2007 16:30:12 GMT -5
You probably need to ask someone who liked it! My recollection (this was probably 10 years ago that I was there) is there there was a somewhat older area, but I think most of the growth probably has been in the last 50-75 years and so the substantial part of the town just isn't all that old. Maybe you can find a guidebook that would be helpful? Or maybe Annette and others spent some time there before going to Eze, and can give you a sense of whether you would like it (and how long you would want to be there).
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Post by geordy on Jul 17, 2007 17:00:21 GMT -5
Gitte,
I was in Nice a few years back. I really liked it...of course I had never been to the Riviera before! Trip was marred a bit by an air traffice controllers strike that started right after we got there..leaving our flight back to Paris, and guarenteed hotel room in Paris in Jeopardy!
Yes there is an old town area , a lovely park, Beautiful Russian church, and a Matisse Museum a bit by local bus out of town in the hills, lovely olive grove and park there. A Chagall Museum too I believe that we did not get to. The Casinos and older hotels are worth a look even if you do not gamble. (we did not)
Plus we ate well! And I chose it because I thought it would be a good central spot to stay in and perhaps go to other spots. But we found enough to do there for three nights..eps. with the concern about the strike!
Wound up taking a train to Paris. Went local until Marseilles and only smoking section tickets left. Not pleasant. And the only train we could get on went to CDG not Paris central. I think it is faster these days, this was 2002, and certainly better w/o a strike! ;D
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Post by iank9 on Jul 17, 2007 17:43:33 GMT -5
Hi Gittek, Nice Nice! ;D We enjoyed a weekend break two years ago. There is an old town with nice restaurants, and a fabulous flower market (am) which turned into an antique market (pm), which gave way to tables for restaurants (evening)! All just behind the Promenade Anglais, which runs for some distance around the coast. Lovely coastal scenery! We spent an afternoon and evening in Monaco, taking a very pretty train ride along the coast, and took a romantic stroll around the roads that form the Grand Prix track!! We did not find it expensive and certainly not like the Spanish Costas, ie not crowded. Quite an elderly population, so this may be a drawback for you of course !!!! Worth a trip (IMHO) to see a different area of France! Best wishes
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Post by GitteK on Jul 17, 2007 22:59:54 GMT -5
>>Quite an elderly population, so this may be a drawback for you of course !!!!<<
Ian - you are a charmeur...... No wonder your lovely wife looks so happy.
I will buy myself a guidebook and look at some pictures. Nice is still on top of my list.
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Post by annettecinca on Jul 18, 2007 0:22:26 GMT -5
Gitte, I don't think you'd go wrong with any of the cities mentioned. I did especially enjoy Aix and Eze, but Nice and Marsailles were very nice, too. Don't think Eze would keep you busy for 2 entire days tho, unless you want to do a lot of relaxing. Aix is bigger, more to see, but as you said, it's not right on the sea (only an hour or so by train inland, however).
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Post by Anne on Jul 18, 2007 1:58:48 GMT -5
Gitte, I hate the whole Côte d'Azur and especially towns like Nice or Cannes : show-off and overrated places . So in my very personnal opinion you should skip that . But as you can see, other people's opinions can be very different . In any case, don't go there during the school holidays period of July and August (in case you plan to go there on your Summer 2008 vacations) because the whole area is then absolutely overcrowded . The arrière-pays (area away from the Coast resorts) is beautiful though, but then I think that you will have to rent a car to visit that part . Aix is a beautiful ancient University town, I am sure that you would love it .
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Post by GitteK on Jul 18, 2007 2:45:52 GMT -5
Anne - I definitely hear what you say. And yes, it is part of the plan for my summer trip 2008. I really loved the pics from Aix posted by Annette and Aix was therefore my first idea. Also it is almost a 2 hours faster ride from Paris with the TGV. But then I will not get that dip in the sea. How about the other coast towns: Toulon, St.Raphaël, Montpellier, Perpignan ? Have you ever been to the towns at the Atlantic coast ? St. Jean de Luz, Biarritz, Hendaye ? I have been looking at the map of www.idtgv.com
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Post by kasthor on Jul 18, 2007 3:05:41 GMT -5
While I totally agree with Anne about Nice and Cannes, I must say that there are some very nice places to visit. Cassis, Fréjus, Clavier is a beautiful little village, Ste Maxime is on the other side of the bay of St Tropez, St Raphael etc are very charming little places. If you decide to go as far as Perpignan, then you must know that the whole coast east of Perpignan is dreadful, places like Argeles s/ Mer are made of concrete skyscrapers facing the sea and is the home to all the August Paris tourist who love to sit on each others lap on the beach... The probably most charming village in this area is Collioure which is 50km south of Perpignan towards the Spanish border.
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Post by Anne on Jul 18, 2007 4:38:09 GMT -5
Montpellier is is a very nice (big) town, but it is not directly on the coast, and be aware that the coast there is almost as awful as Kasthor's description of the coast neat Perpignan . St Jean de Luz, Biarritz and Hendaye are very pretty little towns, with a "turn of the (19th/20th) century" feeling . I guess that you can use the train to go from town to another . They will be quite crowded too during school holidays, but much less than the Côte d'Azur resorts, you don't have this "packed" feeling there .
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Post by cybee on Jul 18, 2007 8:13:48 GMT -5
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Post by Jody on Aug 4, 2007 7:44:55 GMT -5
Sorry, Gitte,
No info at all on Cote...we always travel in Nov and so many things south of Lyon are closed!
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Post by Sarastro on Aug 4, 2007 12:59:24 GMT -5
I recommend the following towns from west to east along the Mediterranean coast:
Collioure Le Grau du Roi (port area only, not to include Port Camargue) Saintes Maries de la Mer Cassis Bandol St. Raphael
Each offers something magical and is not yet completely over run by foreign tourists. In the towns of the Camargue (Le Grau du Roi and Sts. Maries), very little English is spoken or ever even heard making them prime get away locations (my opinion of course).
All bets are off for the month of August when any French sand near the water will be covered with vacationers much like ants swarming over moist bread.
All of the above have train/bus service and are worth seeking out.
Additional note: let's keep this information to ourselves.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Aug 4, 2007 13:07:56 GMT -5
Sarastro - thanks for these (I know only the major towns and as I've expressed before, speaking strictly for myself I find Nice just flat boring!). These sound delightful, however, for a visit in a month other than August. (Never heard that expression about ants before - just "ants at a picnic")
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Post by sistereurope on Aug 6, 2007 9:01:37 GMT -5
Thanks Sarastro! My husband and I just decided that our yearly Spring Break vacation will be a trip through France in Spring of 08 and that's the area we're thinking about. And thanks to you too, Gitte, for your info. We're thinking of going south from Paris (stopping at Lyon), to Aix and Arles, then to Montpieller, moving West along the coast (thanks again Sarastro - just what I was looking for), with a quick stop by Barcelona (for my husband), then back to Paris. We'll have 2 weeks so I'm hoping that that's doable. (Any expert advice as to wheter this would be too much would be appreciated) My dear friend in Paris grew up in Montpieller and lived in Aix for a while (the stop there is to visit his mom), so I plan to get his input as well - I will be sure to pass his comments along!!!
Ooooh, now I have TWO French trips to look forward to!! Life is GOOD! ;D
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Post by Sarastro on Aug 6, 2007 10:18:08 GMT -5
Sistereurope
I recommend your making a 2 week vacation between Paris and Barcelona one way (or as close to one way as you can). You could take the TGV back to Paris from either Perpignan or Montpellier or fly home from Barcelona. One way car rentals (or leases) rarely cost more and Paris from Barcelona is nearly a full 3 day drive (confirm with mappy or viamichelin).
You could easily spend 2 weeks just driving around Provence.
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Post by sistereurope on Aug 6, 2007 10:50:21 GMT -5
I know Sarastro - the age-old problem of too little time to do all that we want to do!! If anything, we might have to skip Lyon and take the TVG straight to Montpieller, then rent a car there. I didn't think that it looked like a 3 day trip to drive from Barcelona to Paris! My husband really wants to go there so I'm going to have to do some creative planning here... Thanks again for your input.
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Post by Sarastro on Aug 6, 2007 11:17:55 GMT -5
sistereurope,
Barcelona to Paris is probably near 10 hours nonstop and yes it can be done in two days, (it can be done in one day) but I find marathon automobile trips to be overly fatiguing and downright uninteresting. The TGV from Perpignan to Paris is probably under 4 hours and if tickets (2) are purchased sufficiently in advance, they will cost less than a rental car, fuel, and tolls over the same route.
I have driven many times from Montpellier to Paris (A75) and really prefer the TGV if I can fit it into my plans. Additionally, taking the train will allow you to spend more time visiting those locations you really want to see and enjoy them longer.
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