| - France and Italy should have tourist bureaux in major cities
(such as Boston?). That's one first step.
- The other first step is the Michelin Green Guide for Italy,
and some for France. Unfortunately, since France is such a
splendid country (Michelin is a French company, after all),
it takes about a dozen Green Guides to do France justice. And
get the Michelin red maps of France and Italy (that is, covering
the whole country). Later you'll want to get down to the yellow
series, which are 1:200000 maps.
- Consider how you'll want to spend the night. In France and Italy,
I like the B&B's or small hotels. The B&B's you'll find only in
tourist/scenic regions, such as the Alps, not out in open farmland.
But inexpensive inns are ubiquitous out in the country, and even in
cities. Sure, there's camping too, if you'd like, and hostels.
You choose.
- From Paris or a Parisian airport, you can take commuter railways
(banlieu) to get you out of the city sprawl - that may be the best
way to start.
- Consider what kind of general route. You'll probably be crossing
the Alps - you'd have to go way out of your way not to! So do you
want to slice through Alsace and Switzerland, or maybe across the
Massif Central and into the French Alps and Provence, into the
Italian Piemonte? (I'd probably end up doing the latter, but I've
seen Switzerland, and have a predeliction for sparsely populated
highlands and high Alps.)
- If you're attracted to the idea of the chateaux of the Loire valley,
you could conceivably follow the Loire, up past the chateaux, to
its source in the Massif Central, then come down the other side
(Provence, more or less).
- Don't forget to apply for your French visa (now) - you do that
through a French consulate - and a travel agency may help you.
It takes about three weeks. Italy and other west European countries
don't require a visa... just your passport.
- The Michelin Green Guides are very helpful to get ideas on major
sights and cultural attractions, as well as scenic routes. The
1:200000 are excellent for spotting scenic routes, and for judging
routes that are difficult (because of traffic, altitude, or grade).
- When you get a better idea of some itinerary, don't hesitate to
ask. Good luck.
-john
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| You said in .0 that your friend is heading all the way to
Pompei - ambitious, for sure - ought to be a great trip.
I've never been south of Assisi (mid-Italy), but can highly
recommend Tuscany (Florence, Assisi, Pisa, Perugia, innumerable
other places) en route. Again, the Michelin ought to give good
pointers. My only impression is that Pompei is in The South,
which is a much more rustic place, to say the least, and not
as affluent. Supposed to be quite picturesque.
-john
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