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Help Planning a Week-Long Birthday Trip for My Mom (Train Ride from Paris)

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a week-long trip in October to celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday, and I’d love your advice! Here are some key details:

My mom is a science and art enthusiast, and two activities she’s always dreamed of doing are visiting CERN and going on a hot air balloon ride.
We like to limit where we stay to two places total to avoid frequent packing and unpacking unless there's something very compelling
The trip needs to be within a train ride from Paris, as my mom will be there before the trip starts.
We’re currently considering basing ourselves in Geneva for CERN and either Annecy or Lyon for the second location. Does anyone have suggestions for:

The best location for hot air ballooning (Gruyères, Gstaad, Annecy, or elsewhere)?
Other must-visit places or experiences in the Geneva/Annecy/Lyon area?
We’re aiming for a mix of unique experiences and relaxation. If you have any tips on activities, logistics, or accommodation recommendations, I’d love to hear them!

Thanks so much for your help!

Posted by
1523 posts

I believe there are lots of balloon ride options around Burgundy. I don't know of any in the Alpine regions.

Posted by
1662 posts

If you stay in Trier you'll be close to several companies that offer balloon rides over the Mosel river valley. Trier is a 2 hour train ride from Paris. The Mosel is beautiful, but come October it starts to get rainy and the leaves quickly brown and fall off so by the end of the month it's much less attractive.