Feedback on 18-day France + Northern Italy itinerary — is this too packed?
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Hi everyone,
My wife and I are planning an 18-day trip through France and Northern Italy from September 24 to October 11, and I’d love some feedback from people who know these areas well.
We’re trying to balance major highlights, scenic day trips, and a realistic pace without constantly feeling rushed. We like beautiful cities, historic centers, viewpoints, food, charming towns, and scenic train/day trips. We don’t need to see every museum, and we prefer quality over checking boxes.
Here’s the current itinerary:
Sept 24 — Paris
Arrive in Paris at 11:30 AM. Airbnb in Oberkampf, 11th arrondissement. Rest briefly, then Arc de Triomphe at sunset, Seine night cruise, dinner.
Sept 25 — Paris
Versailles in the morning, Eiffel Tower area at sunset.
Sept 26 — Paris
Panthéon, Sainte-Chapelle, Les Invalides, Luxembourg Gardens.
Sept 27 — Day trip option
Option A: Reims in the morning, return to Paris around 2–3 PM, then a short Louvre visit focused only on specific works.
Option B: Full-day Strasbourg instead.
Sept 28 — Paris
Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, Seine during the day, Notre Dame area, sunset around Champs-Élysées / Eiffel Tower views.
Sept 29 — Lyon
Train to Lyon. Explore the city, dinner, overnight in Lyon.
Sept 30 — Annecy
Full-day trip to Annecy from Lyon.
Oct 1 — Dijon or Pérouges
Flexible day trip from Lyon. Considering Dijon or Pérouges. Overnight in Lyon.
Oct 2 — Avignon
Train from Lyon to Avignon. Pick up rental car at the train station. Visit Palais des Papes, historic center, viewpoints, dinner.
Oct 3 — Gordes
Slow day trip to Gordes by car. Lunch there, explore the village, viewpoints, sunset, return to Avignon.
Oct 4 — Nice
Return rental car in Avignon and take train to Nice. Explore the main highlights of Nice.
Oct 5 — Èze and Monaco
Breakfast in Nice, visit Èze and Monaco, dinner in Monaco, overnight in Nice.
Oct 6 — Milan
Train from Nice to Milan, likely 5–6 hours. Arrive around 4 PM. Rest, then Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, dinner.
Oct 7 — Turin
Day trip to Turin. Breakfast there, historic center, walking around, one or two key landmarks, return to Milan at night.
Oct 8 — Lake Como
Relaxed day trip to Lake Como with some kind of boat ride/navigation.
Oct 9 — Verona / Sirmione
Day trip from Milan to Verona and Sirmione.
Oct 10 — Milan / Bergamo
Morning in Milan, then Bergamo after lunch for Città Alta and sunset.
Oct 11 — Fly home from Milan
My main questions:
Is this itinerary realistic, or are we trying to do too much?
For Sept 27, would you choose Reims + short Louvre or a full day in Strasbourg?
From Lyon, would you recommend Dijon or Pérouges for Oct 1?
Is Verona + Sirmione doable as a day trip from Milan without feeling too rushed?
Should we cut anything and add more breathing room somewhere?
Any specific tips for train logistics, rental car in Avignon, or avoiding inefficient travel days?
Thanks in advance. I’d really appreciate honest feedback, especially from people who have done similar France/Northern Italy routes.