I have 3 nights in Provence, 4 nights in Allsace and 5 nights in Paris so far, with 3 more nights to plan. Should we spend more nights in Provence or spend them in Dijon, Beaune or Lyon. I'm not keen on big cities, although the the good and reasonably priced food, as Rick says, akes Lyon sound good. Also, possibly Dijon. Some good art galleries and grand cathedrals sound good too. We are a bit limited by no car, but could do e-bikes in Alsace. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Paris
7300 posts
3 nights in Provence is a bit tight. Make it 4, and you could spend 2 nights in Lyon between Alsace and Provence.
Posted by
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
3101 posts
Don't forget that Lyon is the home of Paul Bocuse. Expensive, but I have never forgotten my dinner there 25 years ago.
Posted by
Chicago
8550 posts
two nights in Lyon and add one to Paris so you have 5 full days -- or add all 3 to Paris and then plane on a couple of day trips -- there are literally a couple dozen great day trips an hour from Paris. It is also nice to base and not waste time moving from place to place -- every big move burns up at least half a day on logistics.
Posted by
OP
Denver, CO
303 posts
Thank you everyone. I checked again and it's actua
Posted by
OP
Denver, CO
303 posts
Thank you everyone. I checked again and I actually have 4 more nights to plan. I was thinking Isle-sur-la-Sorgne for 3 nights. One day to ebike around the Luberon, one day to unwind and do our wash. It seems like a pretty place to just relax. Then for the 4 more nights, somewhere else in Provence or Lyon? All of you say Lyon, vs Dijon. Can you tell me your thoughts on that? We could also stay in Aix-en-Provence and day trip, for 4 nights instead of sleeping in Isle-sur-la-Sorge. If we are going to ebike for a day, we would have to get up super early to get there 1st and then rent the bikes. Of course it can't take long to get there.
I sure wish it were the old days when you could play it by ear, always cheap places to sleep.
Posted by
OP
Denver, CO
303 posts
As for the suggestion to stay in Paris longer, I sort of wish we could, but I already reserved a train ticket from Strasbourg to Paris.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10621 posts
Most train tickets are changeable for a 19€ fee on SNCF.
Posted by
Washington DC
28065 posts
Dijon vs. Lyon:
Both are definitely worth visiting, but there's a great deal more to see in Lyon, which is sort of a mini-Paris in that regard. I liked Dijon (and nearby Beaune), but it's one of very many, very nice French provincial cities; I wouldn't choose it over Strasbourg, Nancy, Rouen, Nice, Toulouse... Lyon is just a cut above. Take a look at the Wikipedia entries for the two cities. Lyon's has 52 places listed under "Main Sights". The Dijon entry is structured differently, without an easy-to-compare list, but the comparatively short text suggests it wouldn't keep you busy as long.
This is not to say that every traveler should choose Lyon, but it may well explain why so many people are pushing that city--there's something there for everyone.