TIPS
Travel Tips
TRAVEL: From Paris, you can take the TGV train (fast, comfortable train) to the Avignon TGV train station. We will meet you at the Avignon TGV train station at 4:30 PM Saturday afternoon. The following Saturday we will depart from the lodging at 9:30 AM and will arrive at the Avignon TGV train station at about 10:30 AM. Tour "Tips," address and phone contacts will be provided 30 days prior to the tour. Please be advised that there are two train stations: the "Avignon TGV train station is where we'll pick you up. Do not make reservations at the train station called "Avignon Centre." We can't pick you up at the Avignon Centre train station.
What is most important is that you can walk to the village and restaurants on your free time. We have available lodging in the village of Gordes, but as spring approaches we often have to turn down guests due to lack of lodging. We recommend that you reserve in advance, and keep this in mind when looking for a tour.
The lodging we use functions as a vacation home where you have almost everything you need as you may find in your own home such as a refrigerator, oven and stove, dishwasher, coffee makers, microwave, eating & cooking utensils, etc. This provides you with the opportunity to purchase specialty foods from the local markets if you decide you don't want to go to a restaurant on your evenings off. This is a rare opportunity to enjoy local French gourmet foods that you would not normally have. French restaurants don't open their doors for dinner before 7:30 PM. so you can snack and have a cold glass of Rose wine before going out to dinner.
Most small group tours do not have village access which is important. You may end up stranded with little to do on your free time. By July or "High Season" there is no lodging available anywhere in our area and prices have gone up. Some tours may lodge you in hotel rooms in towns such as Avignon, but then you will have an extra hour or two drive time getting to the more important sites, villages and markets. Food for thought . . .
High Speed TGV train schedules: click on this "fares and schedules" icon
and enter destinations such as Paris to Avignon. Keep in mind there are two train stations: One is the Gare de Lyon (inside Paris) and one is at the CDG Airport (outside Paris). We recommend you stay an extra day or so AFTER our tour for better train/flight connections. Last time we checked it was not possible to make train reservations more than 60 days prior to departure. Travel time between Paris and Avignon is around 3 hours. See Rail Europe's home page at: Rail Europe
Also see: Special fares such as "Any 3 days unlimited train travel in a 1 month period", (Fares that offer better deals than just two-way/two-day travel for a few dollars more).
For longer tours we think our price is very competitive even somewhat lower than most when you consider the cost of 7 nights lodging with breakfast and meals with wine. See what our price includes under Price and Dates.
Many people ask us who we would recommend for travel insurance. We think Travel Guard is a good one. You can ask your travel agent to set you up with travel insurance or you can contact Travel Guard and they can help you. We highly recommend that you get travel insurance.
30 days before the first tour of the season we will be providing you with an important "TIP SHEET" with travel information which will also include contact phone numbers.
Link to our old 1995 web site very descriptive Day by Day: https://frenchvintagev.com
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