Part of a road trip planned for May includes the following: Arrive late afternoon in Colmar, walk around, dine and spend the night. Next day drive along the Rhine River to Strasbourg (about 2 hrs per Via Michelin), stroll around the old town and "little France", see some churches, dine on choucroute garni, and spend the night. Next day, drive to Verdun (4 1/2 hr drive). It's a long drive that day, but to be so close and not revisit would break my heart. (We are showing France to family who have never been here. I believe it is worth the drive...very emotional and touching.) Drive around
the battle area and stay the night in or near Verdun. Next day drive to Reims (2 1/4 hrs) for the cathedral and coronation history, plus champagne cellar visits. Stay the night in Reims or Epernay. Following day, drive to somewhere near CDG airport for a 1:40 p.m. flight out the day after that. We have to return the rental car at CDG, so should we return it the night before our flight out, driving from Reims/Epernay and staying in a hotel by the airport? Or can we go from Reims/Epernay to a town like Meaux, and leave by 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. to turn in the car the day of our flight> Via Michelin says the drive from Meaux to CDG is about a half-hour. I'm looking for any tips or advice on this part of our road trip, which is two weeks total). Many thanks for your input.
Judy
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
784 posts
Personally, I would drop the car the day before your flight and stay at one of the hotels at the CDG terminal (Hilton, Sheraton, Ibis, or Novotel). You will need to be at check-in at least three hours prior to boarding for a flight to the US. You don't say what day of the week it will be, but the traffic could be at a stand still, and it does take a considerable amount of time to drop the car. You can either spend more time in Reims or arrive at CDG fairly early, drop the car, and your luggage at the hotel, then take the RER into Paris for a nice dinner.
Posted by
OP
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1336 posts
Thank you. I was afraid that we would be cutting it close. We depart on a Wednesday. Leaving Reims in the early afternoon would get us to the hotel and CDG in 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hrs, maybe by 4? Say 1 1/2 to 2 hrs for check in and car return does gives us the whole evening to relax, and less rush the next day. Is the RER a quick trip into Paris?
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi,
After going to Verdun and arrving in Meaux if still early enough, ie prior to 5 pm, you might want to see the big WW1 museum. There are two big war museums in France on WWI ...Meaux and Perrone (that's in the Somme, ie away from your direction). I would recommend Meaux. There is more in that area depending on your time limit and interest in the war.
Posted by
OP
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1336 posts
Thanks everyone. If we leave Reims/Epernay early enough the day before our flight, we may see the WWI sights in Meaux, then drive on to CDG area hotel. Paris for our last night sounds great also, if we don't stop in Meaux. Also, we may be able to return our car at the Gare du Nord. We are not picking it up at CDG, rather in Paris or just outside. Haven't made those plans yet. I'm getting jazzed for the trip!
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
When flying out of CDG, we've often stayed in either Plailly or Senlis the night before. Plailly is only about 10 minutes to CDG, but there's just one B&B and one restaurant there. Senlis is about 20-25 minutes, and there are plenty of places to stay and to dine. We stayed in Senlis last May, and it was quick and easy getting to the airport in plenty of time to turn in our car and catch a 1:30 flight.
Posted by
OP
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1336 posts
Thanks for the ideas!
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12313 posts
One way to cut the issue of traffic is to keep the car when you need it and drop it when you don't. Anytime you're touring small towns and planning multiple stops in a day, a car is a big plus. Going a long way from one city to the next, a car doesn't really help (though there are other reasons it may make sense). I'm looking at similar but am thinking of dropping the car in Reims and training back into Paris for a couple of nights before flying home.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15786 posts
If you are interested in WWII history, visit the Musee de la Reddition in Reims. The basilica is beautiful, don't skip it. Reims is a better choice for the night than Epernay. See the catheral after dark, more restaurant choices.
Posted by
Ohio
171 posts
When you drive from Colmar to Strasbourg you might consider taking the Route des Vins from Colmar to Riquewihr and then heading over to the Rhine. Riquewihr is very close to Colmar and is a very pretty little town. It is one of our favorites. Here are some photos:
For the most part it is closed to car traffic but is an easy walk. You can see the whole town in about an hour.