Ok, our initial plan was to take public transportation around France - then we don't have to deal with driving at all- muchess worrying about being intoxicated and driving. However, I'm reconsidering it for one reason - while public transportation is a-plenty within the country, its a-plenty to cities/towns, not always within cities towns. So while I know how I'm getting to St. Emilion, I'm unable to find how I'm going to get around St. Emilion- from our Chateau to the town center, for example.
Well the pros with having a car is that we're in charge of our own schedule and would have no problems getting to and from where we're going without waiting on someone else. Cons are worries about knowing the driving rules, paying for insurance, high gas prices, finding parking, and of course, the doozy of worrying about drinking and driving. Without a car we have to pay for train tickets and then find and pay for transportation around within the areas we visit. Some prices aren't horribly bad - one taxi company off the St. Emilion had a half day tour advertised for 25 Euros per person, however a Chateau told me a taxi from the train station to the Chateau (which is maybe 15km away, or so I thought) is 30Euros (total).
Even with rental, insurance, and gas, I'm sure we'd spend more on doing the train/bus/taxi route, even with trying to save as much as we could. I suppose there's also a possibility of someone at our Chateaux taking us to a destination, whether it be the owner or another guest or if the owners know someone who is starting out in that business, etc, and who knows, it might end up costing less than I think. I like the idea of not driving, but I don't want to be stuck unable to get where we need to go.
See why I'm torn? What are your thoughts?
What are your thoughts?
2 comments:
If it were me, I would rent a car. That said French DUI laws are beyond stringent so you would have to be extremely careful about drinking and that might put a damper on your fun. I guess you could always get a driver. More money, but solves both problems.
Lucy - please re-read your sentence and remember who you're talking to.
"you would have to be extremely careful about drinking"... you're saying that to the LUSHs. :)
*sigh* renting a car would make getting around easier but I really, really, really don't want to have to worry about drinking too much - EVER.
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