Hi,
My wife and I are visiting France, flying into and out of Paris, from September 8th through September 22nd. First time in France for both of us and we are in our early 30s. So far we plan on spending five nights in Paris and five nights in Burgundy. We have four more nights undecided and are debating among spending more time in Paris and/or Burgundy, or exploring Normandy, Loire Valley or Alsace.
Please let me know what you might recommend. We look forward to hearing from you.
I believe you will be there at the time of the annual Journees de Patrimonie, when usually-closed buildings are open to visitors -- free! We saw the French Senate in Paris. Check it out! Should be in most cities.
Since you are in Burgundy, I'd spend the extra nights in either Alsace or Champagne. Either one makes a natural progression and keeps the travel time to a minimum. The half timbered villages of Alsace appeal more to me personally.
Yes, heritage days are everywhere in France. It's two days in mid-September. Ask at a TI and they'll tell you what is available to see. I saw the Senate (Luxembourg Palace), Commerce Supreme Court and Presidential Palace in Paris in 2016. Last year I went to the Concierge because I hadn't been there before but didn't make major plans to see specific sights. Most of the art galleries were packed like any free day.
Thank you so much for the replies.
I know it's more of a trek from Paris or Burgundy, but has anyone here visited Annecy?
I would recommend the Loire Valley. We used Amboise as a base and loved it. You could see the chateaus in the valley in that amount of time. We were going to do Beaune on our way back to Paris 2 years ago after staying in Amboise but the Seine river flood closed too many travel roads for us so we spent the extra night in Amboise. If you need a hotel rec check out Manior Les Minimes....delightful gorgeous old home and gardens in Amboise.
Have a great time!
Annecy is fine for a morning or afternoon, and it has more fans than it deserves on this forum, but if you really want a memorable experience, go to Chamonix for a couple of days and take the téléphériques to Aiguille du Midi and on to Helbronner. You will see world-class alpine glacial scenery.
That said, if you're more of a city person than an alpine scenery person, going to Lyon would be quite rewarding. I lived there for several years and there is plenty to fill your plate. Feel free to send me a message and I'd be happy to provide some details.
The European Heritage Days (les Journées européennes du patrimoine) are Sept. 15-16 this year (3rd weekend of September). Decide if you want to be in Paris then to enjoy it or if it's better to avoid Paris on those two days.
The major plus is that just about all government offices in Paris will be open to the public. To give you an idea, the official residence of the president, the Assemblee Nationale (lower house) and Senat (upper house), and the Paris City Hall are among them. These are all fabulous palaces (similar in style and elegance to Versailles) and are generally off-limits. Also all the state-owned museums are free. The major minus is that there will be lines to enter some of the venues, and Paris will be extra crowded with visitors. If this is your first time in Paris, you may want a calmer visit. If it's not, then this is a terrific opportunity.
This weekend is celebrated throughout France, so you are likely to find special openings, free days, and special exhibits wherever you are.
I didn't get to Annecy, but I loved Alsace. Will you have a car. Burgundy and Alsace are better with a car so you can explore the castles, abbeys, churches and tiny villages.
I know it's more of a trek from Paris or Burgundy, but has anyone here visited Annecy?
I've made several visits to Annecy, ranging from just one night to a week, and I think it's a fantastic small city. But it might be a little out of the way for your trip. In any event, here's a link to my travel blog containing all the entries for Annecy over the years. If nothing else, you can take a look at the photos.
Thank you again, everyone. Much appreciate your time and views.
We loved Alsace. To make the most of it, you'd really need to rent a car. We were there in September and felt that it was a fantastic time to be there. We also went to the Loire on that trip. Like Loire a lot, though enjoyed Alsace even more. Normandy is a very worthwhile trip, though I don't think it matters as much the time of year you visit. Alsace and Loire are much closer to Burgundy than Normandy.
