Summer holiday in France solo

[Scotty2209]

Hi folks,

i've just applied for my first ever passport (21 years i've been stuck in Scotland!!) so i'm in the mood for going somewhere for summer, i've got 2 weeks off in summer, at the end of July, so i was thinking of filling a backpack with a tent and my camera and going to France, and since all of my friends will be going holidaying with their better halves i'll be travelling alone, not that it bothers me!

so my plan of action was,

Week 1:

Grab a ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg
Walking along the coast to visit all of the D Day beaches and museums then continue along to Caen,
Catch a train from Caen to Paris
Hang about in Paris for a few days and go to all the touristy places,

Week 2:

Get a plane to........... somewhere! and see the sights there, then fly home,

SO thats where i'd like the help of everyone here, where would be good place to go for a first time traveller in Europe living out of a backpack?! i was thinking maybe Italy??

Also, are there any obvious things that i have to see/do while i'm in France?

Scotty

[ewenm]

I love mountains so I'd be heading for the Alps for your second week - direct train from Paris to Bourg-St-Maurice and then on to Chamonix. Loads to do there. Can then fly back on Easyjet from Geneva.

[muppetdave]

How about the TGV to the South, see Cannes, Monaco etc bit of beach fun, and maybe hire a car to head in to the hills towards Brignoles etc where there's some lovely scenery.

[The Tea Boy]

forget the plane, interrail ticket is where its at. wish i could spare the time to go interrailling again