>>>We are going to rent a car in Paris.<<

Why do that???? That's a lot of unnecessary time in the car on the road.

Take the TGV to Amboise and pick up a car there.

It is about a 7 1/2 to 8 hr drive from Nice to Dijon with stops for pottie, lunch & the inevitable road "deviations". If you leave Nice at 9 you'll get to Dijon around 5pm. Not much time to do things in Dijon. You could instead return the car in Nice and catch the 11:27 TGV that arrives in Dijon at 5:43. Or you could drive to Aix on day 17, visit Aix, & stay overnight. Next morning drive to the Aix TGV station, return the car, and take the 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 hr TGV to Dijon.

Take the TGV from Dijon to the Gare de Lyon in Paris. You don't want to be driving into Paris (I don't like driving out either). There is a very early TGV from Dijon to the CDG airport (we've used it twice on the day of our flight home).

Stu Dudley

Indeed your trip involves a lot of driving. But you'll probably love our small road and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
My point of view is that you should have a car for the Amboise/provence leg. Then catch a TGV from aix or Avignon to Nice where a car is much a hassle than anything else (traffic, parking, et) and public transport are better than in other part. Then the TGV back to Paris. Having a stop en route if you feel. Hope that helps.
If you want idea for the Provence part
http://saintremydeprovencetourism.blogspot.fr/
Hope that helps

As the guys say, don't hire the car in Paris take the train.

I think there is chance to drop a few sites from this and improve the trip.

Carcassone barely needs one night so two seems a bit over the top, I'd visit it in the evening at best. Cannes-Monaco can be dropped unless you like looking at big boats and expensive women. Could add Nimes (as in Denim e) to the Arles visit and also the Camargue. I'd head up to the Tarn river and stay in the middle of nowhere to enjoy a bit more of the real france, you also ought to see the Millau bridge, possible Roquefort cheese cavern or Le Rozier at 44.191128,3.2074

Cordes is nice but as you're there 3 nights, I recommend a half day in Najac, including lunch at Hôtel L'Oustal del Barry, just at the main entrance to the village, opposite free car park.

http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/en/najac

I would drop Nice entirely and using a central base visit the villages of the Provence--Roussillon, Lourmarin, Gordes, etc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/sets/72157624404539441/show/with/4805071299/

Having just completed a five week stay in The Luberon (we also spent 2 weeks there in October) I HIGHLY recommend spending time in this wonderful part of the country. Day trips are easy to do to all the favorites when you stay centrally located. St. Saturnin les Apt is where we stayed both trips and is the perfect location. Easy drives to Avignon, Nimes, Arles, Aix en Provence, and then short drives to all of the great little villages in every direction, including many off the beaten path.

<<We love small villages.>> But you haven't mentioned any small villages on your itinerary.

I would not pick up the car in Paris. I'd take the train to the Loire and pick up the car there.

One night is plenty in Carcassonne, if that.

I would forget Cannes and Monaco and enjoy Nice.

After reviewing your itinerary, I pretty much agree with everyone else.

I would try REAL hard to spend more time in Provence - especially since you'll be there during lavender blooming time, and your interest in small villages.

We have spent 2 weeks in a Gite near Cordes and 10 weeks in the Dordogne. Along with Provence, the Dordogne is our favorite countryside region in France - so I would spend time there & instead Cordes.

You have already visited Paris - and I think you are short-changing some of the other places you plan on visiting.

This is how I would arrange the trip

- Day 1/3 Paris visiting Giverny 3 N
- Day 4/5. On day 4. take an afternoon TGV from Paris to either Amboise or St Pierre des Corpes, rent a car. >>Amboise visiting 2 castles Chenonceaux and one more and gardens of Vilandry<<. 2N. If you only plan on visiting 2 chateaux & 1 garden - you can certainly do that in 1 1/4 days
- Day 6/10 Drive to Sarlat la Caneda and stay in the Dordogne for 5 nights
- Day 11 leave Sarlt & drive to Carcassonne & stay 1 night. Carcassonne is a 2 1/2 to 3 hr visit, IMO, and the countryside around Carcassonne is not nearly as interesting as the Dordogne, Tarn, Cote d'Azur, or Provence. 1 N
- Day 12/16 drive to Arles/St Remy & visit the small villages you want to see - Gordes, Roussillon, Uzes, etc (too many to list) 5 N
- Day 17 Drive to Aix en Provence & visit.
- Day 18 take one of the hourly TGVs from the Aix TGV station (outside of town a bit - so keep the car till then) to Dijon (1 train change) and get to Dijon 4 hrs later.
- Day 18 take the TGV (many departures) to Paris, stay at the Terminus hotel across the street from the Gare, have dinner at the Train Bleu inside the Gare (a "Must See" IMO), and then take the taxi to CDG the next morning.

Stu Dudley

Thanks everybody I'll take everything into account.

I must say that I think Nice is a fascinating city and worth at least 4 nights (including day trips along the coast and up into the hills).

Obviously everyone had differnt tastes - but if that's what you want - stick with it.

As for Monaco - have been a couple of times for dinner and the casino - pretending to be in a Bond flick - it's good for that but not much else. And big $.

>>Nice....Obviously everyone had differnt tastes - but if that's what you want - stick with it.<<

We love Nice also. We've stayed in Nice for about 4 weeks total over many trips, around Nice in St Jeannet for 4 weeks, St Paul for 1 week, and we have an apt rented near the Negresco in Nice for 2 weeks next June. However, adding Nice to the OP's itinerary means he'll either have to remove or short-change (IMO) some other destination(s). He could visit Nice & then fly out of Nice to get home - but he has stated that he wants to visit Dijon (1 day) and fly out of Paris.

Stu Dudley

According what I had read and lots of great ideas the itinerary is as follows
Paris 4 N
Amboise 3 N
Cordes-sur-ceil 2 N visiting Albi
St Remy 5 N visiting Arles, Aix, Avignon etc
Nize 3 N visiting Monaco, Cannes or small towns around the area
We have one Night left to travel to Paris to take the flight to London we can take a train
Or drive stopping in Dijon.