Après-tour suggestions, please

If you haven't been to Burgundy, or want to go there again, it's not much of a detour and you have plenty of time. Beaune would be a good base with about a day's worth of sightseeing in itself (markets Wednesday and Saturday as I recall) and easy drives to villages and historic sights. Semour-en-Auxois, Fontenay, Alesia, Vezelay and/or Autun if you want to look further afield. Lots of vineyards and wine everywhere, including tasting rooms in Beaune where you wouldn't have to drive. Quaint villages in all directions. Great scenery. Dijon is a big city but worth seeing, could be a day trip by frequent fast train from Beaune. If you want to keep moving, try Reims and the champagne country on the way to Alsace.

Until I got there I hadn't realized why Burgundy is so important historically -- it's on the natural low-elevation route from Italy to the northern and western parts of France. If you were a Roman general, or a medieval pilgrim, or a merchant moving goods, it was the logical way to go before modern transportation.

Hi Chani,
From Chamonix, drive west to Lyon, north through the wine country to Beaune, then Dijon, then Colmar (you're in the Alsace by now), then Strasbourg. Lots of good food and wine on the way.
But the French police are likely to get you if you drive after more than one glass of wine, so do be careful.

Get or at least read the Micheline Greens for this route. If I were going to Lyon from Chamonix per others suggestions I would probably take the train and get my car upon leaving the city.

You do not mention from where you are returning home, but if it is deGaulle the following may be relevant. There are several early direct trains from Lyon to the airport. No stopping in Paris.

There is also one of these from Dijon, with an easy connection from Beaune, and one from Strasbourg.

This is handy if you are not going to spend time in Paris this trip.

Have a marvelous time!

Thanks for the ideas. I would take a train from Chamonix to . . . wherever, but everywhere I looked at took many hours and at least one, sometimes 2 or 3 transfers. Since I want a car anyway, it seems simpler to just take it in Chamonix.

From Strasbourg, I'm taking the TGV to Frankfurt for my flight home.

You've piqued my interest in Burgundy now. I'll be in Paris next month where I should be able to get the Green Guide.

Hi Chani,

You may enjoy this website with very detailed information regarding the Alsace Region:http://joinusinfrance.com/episode-18-strasbourg/

Enjoy your trip!

Chani, if you can get to Vezelay, I think you will love it. The main street to the basilica is uphill but not too steep a grade.