Oh and if you can afford it, take a day trip down to Pompeii from Rome (via Naples usually). Herculanium is much nicer but Pompeii is an easier trip.
Oh and if you can afford it, take a day trip down to Pompeii from Rome (via Naples usually). Herculanium is much nicer but Pompeii is an easier trip.
If you like photographing architecture, you'll love Paris. I've been there last weekend and there are so many great locations!!!!
Especially in the night the city is great!
If you don't want to go by car, the train may is a solution for you. It's pretty fast and cheap. The fuel prices in Europe are pretty high and for the French motorways you have to pay road charge.
Sorry, but there are no photo opportunities in Paris, Nice, or Rome.
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
Bill it might be time to consider a change in medication?
Again?Originally Posted by kev curry
Nice in July?
+ve to photography ,Nice rococo buildings, nice chairs (really), nice lamps
-ve Too hot,too busy, crap light in july except at 0630 and 2030.
Consequently I'm in Arles right now, then Scotland, then Ireland until September. Antibes is 10 mins from Nice.
Forget Paris in mid July. Too many tourists, and little Roma (Gypsy) pickpockets in the subways. A French friend visiting his sister in Paris was hit twice by juvenile Roma pickpockets, caught luckily after lifting his billfold from rear pocket, caught with her hand in his front pocket the second time.
Lugging LF via metro will make you a real target. If you must, hit Montmartre in the evening, find a clear elevated spot and enjoy the evening Paris skyline. Watch out for Pigalle at the base though, lots of pickpockets again. I was able to park a car there a couple years ago to spend the evening at the Moulin Rouge. Never again in a car though.
Buy a man's purse too, shoulder strap, wear it with the strap over your head, tucked under your arm, under your shirt even. All the French men carry them so you won't look out of place, unless you have a bulging billfold in your rear pocket, even front.
Being a lover of the Gard region (have a town house there), I'd rent a car at CDG (if you have lots of luggage, especially. Catch the Francielliene (ring road) around Paris near Disneyworld, then the autoroute to Lyon and on to Avignon. Before Lyon, you'll pass through Burgundy with beautiful castles on hilltops, near stops where you can catch some great shots. Stop near Avignon for so many photo ops you wont' believe it. It will be hot though, some smog around in summer.
Lug your stuff up to the walkways atop the Palace to get some nice landscapes of the town and surrounding Rhone River valley. Even a river boat trip on the Rhone will amaze you as you pass the famous Pont du Avignon where the kids have danced in song since the 15th Century.
If you'll visit the Tour of Philippe le Bel across the Rhone from Avignon in Villenueve des Avignon. Park your car nearby, and spend a couple Euro to visit the tower, climb the circular stairwell lugging your LF gear, and then be amazed at the great landscape shots you can get up there. Nice breeze too. The Pope's Palace, the Rhone River with all it's bridges, the Alpilles, just to name a few opportunities from that one spot. Then walk the streets of Villeneuve des Avignon to enjoy the reconstructed villas and old pathways.
From Avignon, head west to the Pont du Gard, then down to Nimes, on to Arles, back through Les Baux, Fontvielle (Daudet's Moulin), St Remy du Provence (Greek and Roman ruins nearby, and Van Gogh's stomping grounds for beautiful shots.
If you insist on continuing, you can catch the autoroute south to Marseilles from Avignon, on to Nice, along the beautiful coast into Italy and on to Rome. After Ercolano and Pompeii, head further south along the coast to Paestum for some of the best preserved Greek ruins in Europe. Geez, I had to live in that area when I was in the Air Force. Nice beaches too, but hot in the sun.
All the rental cars now are air conditioned, most are roomy, have trunk space, some even have GPS ( a few dollars more) Gas is nearly $9.00 a gallon for Premium, diesel about $7.50 but more economical due to the mpg increase. Take a diesel, they run very clean, smell sweet, and are powerful runners.
The autoroute toll booths won't accept our American credit cards, neither will the gas stations (at the pumps) but the cashiers inside will. Plus there are lanes for Pikepasses, cash, cash/credit/debit. It can get confusing as your "fly" up the the toll area and everyone is jockying for a lane. Stores do but special readers. Tell them "sans puce" and they will swipe the card in another slot of the card reader. European cards have an imbedded chip, and they have PIN numbers that they validate each card usage. Most are actually Debit cards.
I tried to attach a couple photos but the loader appears to be less forgiving on the new server.
Tom
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