Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Whirlwind Three-Week Tour of France by Train and Bus
This itinerary is designed for train travelers. To do this trip by train and bus, make
liberaluseofminivantoursandtaxis.You'llneed12daysoftraintraveltocomplete
this trip. Buy a France Flexipass with nine train days and buy point-to-point tickets
for days 5, 7, and 14 (short and cheap trips). Book any TGV trips as far ahead as
possible, particularly if traveling with a railpass—I have identified those trips with
an * below (TGV trains fill fast; slower trains not requiring reservations are usu-
ally possible, but can be very inconvenient). A car is especially handy for exploring
Normandy,theDordogne,andProvence.Ifyouonlyhavetwoweeks,endyourtour
in Nice and skip Honfleur.
Bonne route
and
bon courage
!
Day Plan
1
Fly into Paris.
2
Sightsee Paris.
3
More time in Paris.
4
*Train and bus to Mont St-Michel via Rennes (4 hours, arrive in Mont St-Michel about 13:00).
Afternoon and night on Mont St-Michel.
5
Train to Bayeux (2 hours, arrive by noon). Afternoon for visiting Bayeux. Sleep in Bayeux.
6
All day for D-Day beaches by minivan, taxi, bike, bus, or a combination of these. Sleep in
Bayeux.
7
*Train to Amboise via Caen and St-Pierre des Corps (5-6 hours). Sleep in Amboise.
8
All day for touring Loire châteaux (good options by bus, bike, or minivan tour). Sleep in Am-
boise.
9
Early train to Sarlat (6 hours, arrive about 13:30). Afternoon and evening in Sarlat. Sleep in
Sarlat.
10
All day for caves and canoes by train and bike or minivan/taxi tour. Sleep in Sarlat.
11
Train or bus to Carcassonne (5.5 hours). Dinner and evening wall walk. Sleep in Carcassonne.
12
Morning wall walk, then train to Arles (3 hours). Afternoon in Arles.
13
Train to Nîmes, then bus to Pont du Gard. Tour the Pont du Gard, then bus to Avignon and
spend your afternoon/evening there (consider dinner). Train back to Arles (while not TGV,
some of these trains may require reservations). Sleep in Arles.
14
Morning in Arles or Les Baux (by taxi or tour), afternoon train to Nice via Marseille (4
hours—many *trains from Marseille to Nice are TGV and require a reservation), set up in
Nice. Sleep in Nice (3 nights).
15
All day for Nice (and maybe Antibes). Sleep in Nice (3 nights).
