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re: Month Long Italy/Southern France Trip
Posted on 8/1/22 at 5:25 pm to METAL
Posted on 8/1/22 at 5:25 pm to METAL
Did a somewhat similar trip but shorter and kids were a few years older. Into Venice then flew to provence.
You have a month so should have plenty of time to do all you want and more but a couple of thoughts.
At least as far as Provence you absolutely will need a car to get between villages. And those villages are deceptively far away from each other. So a hill town like Gordes may be visible from some other hill town but it will take an hour plus to get there.
As far as Rhone wines, these can be a great introduction to French wines without the sticker shock or Burgundy and Bordeaux. Not saying the wines are cheap, but there is tremendous range of varietals, price points, and styles.
Coastal France can also be really great depending on the time of the year. Suggest reading Everyone was So Young about Gerald and Sara Murphy.
You have a month so should have plenty of time to do all you want and more but a couple of thoughts.
At least as far as Provence you absolutely will need a car to get between villages. And those villages are deceptively far away from each other. So a hill town like Gordes may be visible from some other hill town but it will take an hour plus to get there.
As far as Rhone wines, these can be a great introduction to French wines without the sticker shock or Burgundy and Bordeaux. Not saying the wines are cheap, but there is tremendous range of varietals, price points, and styles.
Coastal France can also be really great depending on the time of the year. Suggest reading Everyone was So Young about Gerald and Sara Murphy.
1
Posted on 8/1/22 at 7:31 pm to BlackenedOut
Solid point there. Maybe I just stay in Rhône and pass on Boudreaux until the next “proper” France trip.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 10:52 am to MAROON
quote:
St Remy
Les Baux
L'Isle sur la Sorgue
Fontaine de Vacluse
Gordes
Avignon
Chateauneuf de Pape wine country
Pont du Gard (Roman aqueduct)
Did a trip late June into July of 2019 and we stayed in St Remy for 8 days at an amazing house. Had a pool, fully air conditioned(thank god because it was 112 on the hottest day), but it was a great base to go out from there to the surrounding areas.
It sounds like that's not an option for the trip in question, but for anyone that has a Provence trip idea, it's a great spot. Took the train from Paris to Avignon and got a car from there to St Remy.
Aix and Arles are two other towns to put on the list.
Les Baux is great for kids. An old medieval castle on a hill with big old weaponry and amazing views. Pont du Gard too as you can swim in the river right there at the aqueduct. That was another hot day, so it was perfect.
This post was edited on 8/2/22 at 10:54 am
Posted on 8/2/22 at 11:06 am to METAL
quote:
METAL
Have you done a long trip like this before? I would highly suggest doing the last 4-7 days in one place that is "relaxing" as in not a big city like Rome where you want to do a lot of museums and attractions you are hustling around.
I've found that I love to stay super busy to start, but its really nice to end your trip relaxing so you don't get home wanting to take a vacation from your vacation.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 1:15 pm to baldona
That’s my exact plan. Just need to finish in Rome to fly home. I want to post up somewhere like Tuscany for a week but I also want to hop every 2-3 days to be closer to the next vineyard etc.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 1:16 pm to METAL
Maybe Siena and we drive to the wine from there.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 1:31 pm to METAL
Or Greve. Right there in Chianti Classico region and it has a pretty triangular piazza.
ETA: And another fantastic enoteca.
ETA: And another fantastic enoteca.
This post was edited on 8/2/22 at 1:32 pm
Posted on 8/2/22 at 1:39 pm to VABuckeye
Sweet. Can’t decide if I want to be in the town “proper” or outside. Thinking in town for the convenience.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 2:31 pm to VABuckeye
Might do a week in Greve and a Week in Montalcino.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 5:10 pm to METAL
God Bless you. I took a 5 mos old and a 2 yr old to Italy. I will be telling stories about that plane flight and jetlag til the day I die.
Since you are traveling with a toddler, I suspect you, and the kid, will enjoy the times when you spend a week in one place more than jumping around after a few days. In Provence we rented an Airbnb in the countryside with a pool. We went to Rousillon where they had these red clay cliffs the kids spent hours digging in and sliding about. We walked into the local town for dinner and drank the rose from the cooperative across the street while the restaurant owners cooed at our kids. We went to market days in the larger towns. Lots of kid entertainment there.
Since you are traveling with a toddler, I suspect you, and the kid, will enjoy the times when you spend a week in one place more than jumping around after a few days. In Provence we rented an Airbnb in the countryside with a pool. We went to Rousillon where they had these red clay cliffs the kids spent hours digging in and sliding about. We walked into the local town for dinner and drank the rose from the cooperative across the street while the restaurant owners cooed at our kids. We went to market days in the larger towns. Lots of kid entertainment there.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 7:44 pm to vistajay
I’m dreading the flight and first 4 days. After that hopefully we’re into the swing of things.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 9:49 pm to METAL
The big enoteca just off the piazza. Best I’ve ever been in.
Posted on 8/2/22 at 9:54 pm to VABuckeye
Copy. Thanks.
Still can’t decide on staying in town or just outside.
Still can’t decide on staying in town or just outside.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 2:51 pm to vistajay
quote:
I took a 5 mos old and a 2 yr old to Italy. I will be telling stories about that plane flight and jetlag til the day I die.
Since you are traveling with a toddler, I suspect you, and the kid, will enjoy the times when you spend a week in one place more than jumping around after a few days. In Provence we rented an Airbnb in the countryside with a pool. We went to Rousillon where they had these red clay cliffs the kids spent hours digging in and sliding about. We walked into the local town for dinner and drank the rose from the cooperative across the street while the restaurant owners cooed at our kids. We went to market days in the larger towns. Lots of kid entertainment there.
Ours were 7 and not quite 3 at the time. Got on the plane for a 6 pm flight and were delayed on the runway for roughly an hour. Had to wait for the other planes to clear so we could taxi back. Then delayed another 2 hours so they could fix the AC. They said we could get off the plane if we wanted to, but couldn't get back on if we did. The 7 year old was alright, but the almost 3 year old was all over the place. We were on the Air France airbus and probably went up and down those stairs 200 times.
In the end, it actually worked out. We got in the air and ate our meal about an hour in. They fell asleep for the rest of the flight and we landed mid-morning in Paris with halfway decent sleep so jetlag was minimal.
Your comment about being in one spot with kids is right on. We had our home base in St Remy and went out on day trips from there. The market day in St Remy was great. We actually cooked most of our dinners at our house since the produce and meats were so good at local stores/markets. Had a happy hour around the pool everyday with cheese and all kinds of cured meats. Drank boatloads of local wine.
I'm keeping up with the thread because it sounds like we're gonna be going back to Italy or France next summer.
This post was edited on 8/3/22 at 2:56 pm
Posted on 8/3/22 at 7:34 pm to CharlieTiger
quote:
it actually worked out. We got in the air and ate our meal about an hour in. They fell asleep for the rest of the flight and we landed mid-morning in Paris with halfway decent sleep so jetlag was minimal.
This right here. If flying with kids, I try to take the latest departing flight I can and keep them up until about an hour into the flight. Mainly so if we land at say 12 noon european time it will be about the time they’d normally wake up. I’ll sacrifice a few hours on day one. Besides little chance room is ready.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:07 pm to BlackenedOut
If flying with adults I do the same and take the latest flight out. A few drinks, food, lay the bed down and hello Europe!
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:09 pm to METAL
quote:. I can answer that because I have been there several times and it is my favorite wine store anywhere. They invented and hold the patent on those machines that accept a debit card that you buy and it dispenses samples of the best Tuscan wines. We counted about 120 of them in there.
Which enoteca in Greve?
The name of the place is Enoteca Falorni.
The enoteca in the fort in Montalcino is another great one.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 11:10 pm to METAL
A week in Greve? I don't know about that. I like Greve and as I stated above, they have my favorite wine store anywhere, but it is far from being one of the more charming or picturesque places in Tuscany. The villa I recommended is about a 30 minute drive from there and is far more atmospheric IMO.
If I wanted to spend a week in a town, I would rather stay in Florence or Siena where there are more great restaurants and things to do and see.
While in Montalcino, be sure to visit the Abbey of San Antimo just outside of town. There is a 1000 year old church on top of a hill overlooking the vineyards. When we were there the Benedictine Monks would perform musical services and sing Gregorian chants at various times throughout the day. The sounds were beautiful.
We were last in Tuscany in 2018. We didn't go to San Antimo then but we were told that the monks are no longer there. I assumed that this was due to a worldwide monk shortage, but apparently they left in a huff after a dispute with local authorities over the issuance of building permits. At any rate, it is a scenic and historic place and worth checking out.
Montepulciano is another nice hill town with fantastic wines.
If I wanted to spend a week in a town, I would rather stay in Florence or Siena where there are more great restaurants and things to do and see.
While in Montalcino, be sure to visit the Abbey of San Antimo just outside of town. There is a 1000 year old church on top of a hill overlooking the vineyards. When we were there the Benedictine Monks would perform musical services and sing Gregorian chants at various times throughout the day. The sounds were beautiful.
We were last in Tuscany in 2018. We didn't go to San Antimo then but we were told that the monks are no longer there. I assumed that this was due to a worldwide monk shortage, but apparently they left in a huff after a dispute with local authorities over the issuance of building permits. At any rate, it is a scenic and historic place and worth checking out.
Montepulciano is another nice hill town with fantastic wines.
Posted on 8/4/22 at 7:31 am to geauxpurple
quote:
Montepulciano is another nice hill town with fantastic wines.
This
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