Advise please!

I have decided to travel to the Southwest of France this summer and now I am searching a place at the seaside which would be nice for relaxing for some days inbetween our round trip.

I have done some research, but would appreciate advise from locals or other tourists concerning where to stay.

Which of these places do you like best and why? Which are the main differences?

Biarritz

St. Jean de Luz

Hossegor

Arcachon

We would like to stay at the beach for some night, maybe enjoy the sun, go for walks, enjoy nice dinners, just inhale the atmosphere....by the way, we will be travelling by car.

Thanks alot in advance!!!

|||

All different, but all worth a visit!!

Biarritz - upmarket town with eclectic mix of Victorian and modern.Surf beaches and crowd mixed with chic Parisiens and town beaches. Good restaurant choice.

Expensive hotels

St Jean de Luz - smaller,more laid back and prettier than Biarritz. Still expensive

Hossegor- fantastic surfing beaches. Much more laid back , and less refined than either of above. Pretty small town spanning ocean and lake.

Arcachon- larger town. Not particularly attractive in parts, but amazing fine white sand beaches.

Very sheltered. Feels much more %26quot;northern%26quot; than the rest. Great walks along the beaches and nice suburbs

Biarritz ,St Jean de Luz and Hossegor are very close together. Suggest choosing one as a base and visiting the other two if you have a car.

Arcachon is a bit further north and needs an overnight stay.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:18 pm, September 21, 2009

Museum Pass for a child 10 years old

I have heard that you don%26#39;t need a pass for a child when the parents have a museum pass. I want to pre buy the passes online but I want to be certain that my 10 year old can get in with us. Thanks.

|||

No pass necessary. A 10 year old may accompany a Paris Museum Pass holder past without special considerations.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:19 pm, September 21, 2009

First trip to Nice

We are going to France for the first time in September - could someone please recommend some nice Four Star hotels in both Paris %26amp; Nice. Thank you. Hey Deb

|||

Have a look at the Hotels section right her on your left and make a serach using your criteria. Hurry up as September is still a busy period, especially the 1st 2 weeks.

For Nice you could have a nice 3 star (equivalent of 4 stars resort in Jamaica) like the Mercure Promenade des Anglais that has seaview rooms for 225 euros or so. But is was almost full for the 1st 2 weeks of September when I checked a month ago...

As for Paris, search on the Paris Forum%26#39;s Hotel section and then post your questions on the Paris Forum. But I suggest you first decide in what Arrondissement you intend to stay then you focus on your criteria.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 6:15 pm, September 21, 2009

Must see/must do places and activities

We are travelling to the Dordogne Valley in late April and have 4 days in the area (stopping at Carsac-Aillac). What are the must see/must do places and activities in the area (we know about Sarlat). Activities either free or under 60 euros per person please).

|||

I would suggest visiting Domme (bastide village), Font de Gaume (original 14,000 year old cave paintings), Rocamador, Beynac and Castelnaud (museum of medieval warfare). You should get a guidebook for the area, as there are many places that might interest you.

|||

Other good info resources for this region; www.best-of-perigord.tm.fr and if interested in some wondeful caverns or Neandertal caves , check www.leseyzies.com and www.grottes-en-france

Berkeley Traveler knows the area well, and those places are great ---- another village I found to be very memorable is; La Roque Gageac (boat and/or canoe rides in a beautiful location on the Dordogne River).

P.S. After visiting this enchanting medeivel area, I consider this to be the best kept secret in France -- the incredibly beautiful, affordable and interesting , Perigord Noir area of the Dordogne region of the Aquitane Department (I hope I listed these right). You%26#39;re going to love this trip.

|||

If you want to see the Vezere Valley that you will never forget take a look at

www.walkingdordogne.com or www.vezerevalley.info

I was lucky enough to be able to go on one of their trips ( The Valley of caves ) and I can honestly say that it was the best and most exciting trip I have ever been on.

|||

SirReginald%26#39;s recommendation for www.walkingdordogne is a good one (hadn%26#39;t seen this one before -- and it appears they could use some mention -- they offer a range of unique tour packages that befit this great area).

|||

Thanks for the ideas. We are quite excited about the Dordogne Valley - have heard so much about it - also looking to see how it compares with teh Loire Valley and the Carcassone area.

|||

Put together a picnic lunch, rent a canoe, and paddle down the river.There is a log

by the riverside across from one of the towns that you can sit on, eat your lunch, and gaze at the beauty of this river. You%26#39;re going to love this area. Maybe the most beautiful in Europe.Don%26#39;t forget to have a duck breast for dinner. These people know their duck.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 8:19 pm, September 21, 2009

Any signs of Spring?

We will be in Paris in a couple of weeks. Having never been before, I am wondering if there are any flowers or gardens starting to show any signs of spring time?

|||

Bonjour Parisbound08! We were in Paris last week. We did not visit any of the major gardens this time around (Tuileries and Luxembourg), but when we were atop the Eiffel, we could see how barren the Champs de Mars looked. The greenery around the Sacre Couer was still verdant.

We did get more sunshine than we expected and it only rained late on our last night.

I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much. You are going to fall in love with the city!

|||

Yes yes yes! The daffodils and jonquils are out! I live here, and saw them springing up this week :) So spring is coming!

|||

It seems like everything is budding WAY TOO EARLY. It%26#39;s troubling. I mean, I love seeing the flowers blooming but there%26#39;s something seriously wrong. All the bulbs we planted last year are flowering in February instead of April. Same as last year.

Don%26#39;t mean to be the buzz kill. We%26#39;re just a bit worried.

|||

It is the same here in Eastern England, Spring has sprung, must be all that Global Warming they keep jarring on about.

Could be 6 inches of snow tomorrow, never know your luck.

|||

Same here on the Loire Valley, it%26#39;s amazing to see all the daffodils out at the beginning of March!

|||

Wonderful to hear this. It makes me even more excited to see Paris with some spring flowers. I am tired of looking out the window for the past 3 months and seeing snow and grey skies.

|||

Flowers or not, dress WARM. Layers, layers, and layers. I%26#39;ve been to Paris several times in April over the years and it can be really chilly. Especially the cathedrals and museums, not to mention the top of the Eiffel Tower. Gloves, scarves, hand warmers.....

this is from a girl in New Hampshire which I think has similar Spring time weather in Paris.

Have a wonderful and exciting trip!

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 7:25 am, August 28, 2009

How much time should we allow for catacombs?

Hubby and I will be visiting Paris for the first time in April. I%26#39;d like to see the catacombs. Can those of you who have been there tell me how long should we allow to see them?

Thanks.

|||

I think one hour should be plenty of time. It%26#39;s really fascinating. You will walk quite a way in the corridor before you actually see anything interesting, so don%26#39;t give up :)

Make sure you check the opening and closing hours. I don%26#39;t think that the catacombs are open every day.

Have fun!

Vicki

|||

I thought they were closed again...

note that the entry is by place Denfert-Rochereau but the exit comes out a few streets south.

|||

Seemed like forever, LOL, actually I am claustophobic and was dragged down there by teenage son, so I suppose it only felt like forever to me. LOL

I do think it ws a bit more then an hour though, but I guess it depends on how many times you stop and look at the bones etc. I thought it was about 1 1/2 hrs, and I walked as quickly as I could since I hated being underground, but, son made us stop here and there and look at things, pure torchure for me, LOL

|||

Make sure you bring a flashlight. And watch your head. Ouch!

|||

First be sure that you can walk up and down stairs as you must descend a long spiraling staircase and then ascend another when you exit....if you spend more then 1 hr you really must enjoy looking at stacks of bones...and stacks and stacks and stacks....bring a flashlight and in april be sure to wear warm clothes as it will be damp and musty...closed mondays...entry close to Denfort metro stop exit closer to a different stop...dont have my metro map with me but I am sure you can locate same without great difficulty...some folks find it to be a bit claustrophobic but all in all it is interesting...nearby is the montparnesse cemetery which is also quite interesting and much less crowded than Per La Chaise.....have a great trip and get ready to enjoy a truly marvelous city...

|||

Thanks - that%26#39;s a big help. For some reason I thought it%26#39;d be a lot longer than that!!

|||

just saw this post puddle, they%26#39;re brilliant! we%26#39;ve been twice, 2nd time with teenage daughter. we fooled her into going down tell ing her there were shops down there! LOL really fascinating place, ive never seen anything like it.

...tom

ps. hwere in durham ru? we%26#39;re in sacriston

|||

Thanks Tom, we are in Ferryhill

|||

my wife grew up in ferryhill...........small world eh?

|||

isn%26#39;t it??!!

Fly or Train to Provence from Paris

We will be spending 4 days in Paris then want to travel down to Provence for 3 days before ending up at the beach the last 2 days of our trip. I would like to take a train from Paris to Avignon and rent a car from there to explore the small towns of Provence and the coast.

My problem is the earliest train I see leaves Paris at 11:15 AM and doesn%26#39;t get in to Avignon til 14:15. I don%26#39;t want to eat up almost all of the day traveling since we would not be able to do anything in Paris that morning and probably will have little time once we get our rental car to do much that afternoon in Provence. I checked going in to Lyon instead but still nothing that leaves early in the morning. I have considered flying down to either Marseille or Lyon instead since we can get in much earlier (leave at 7 or 9 am and get in 8-10 ish).

I would rather take the train because it would be easier, cheaper and more scenic but I don%26#39;t want to eat a whole day up to do it. Are there other options I don%26#39;t see?

|||

I am not sure where you are getting information that the first Avignon train from Paris is not until 11h15.

I find several before that leaving as early as 6h16 from Gare de Lyon and arriving 2 hours 42 minutes later.

Try this website:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com

The train is a great deal faster than taking a plane.

|||

I was looking at the Rail Europe website. I am really glad to find out there are other times! Thanks for your help.

JD

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:19 pm, September 21, 2009