need advise for an itinerary and places to stay- leaving Amsterdam May 1(holiday), checking in to Paris 3 days later.
How will we be affected by the holiday?
What can we do and where to stay to minimize dragging luggage.?
My inclination is to avoid going through Paris by train or flying on the holiday - is that correct?
We would enjoy Giverny, or Loire Valley, or Belgium, but how to arrange it, and where to stay?
Posted by
Rockville, MD, USA
653 posts
Giverny can be done as a day trip from Paris, just buy train and garden tickets on line.
Sorry I can't comment on the May 1 holiday. My guess is that trains still run but less frequently.
"What can we do and where to stay to minimize dragging luggage.?" - pack as light as you can, plan to do laundry once every 5 or 6 days. It sounds like you're thinking of taking a train rather than driving. Either way Day 1 you leave Amsterdam, reach your destination, settle in. Day 2 you see some sights, Day 3 you check out and continue on to Paris. I'm not a big fan of two-night stops but if you write back with your interests (gardens? art? shopping? boats?) maybe someone here can suggest a stopover.
Posted by
Portland
3643 posts
Some years ago, we were in Nice on May 1. No public transport was operating. No museums were open. Therefore, I advise you to check any plans carefully. I think trains would be on holiday schedules, and planes not affected at all.
I don’t know how much things in Belgium will be affected, but I should think you could easily get to Brussels from Amsterdam. You could spend a day or two checking out that underrated city, and take a day trip to Bruges or Ghent. Brussels to Paris? Easy Peasy.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14745 posts
You can easily go to Bruges or Brussels. Just looked at the Netherlands website for a International train booking and the tickets for May 1st are for sale now. You can get hourly departures from Amsterdam Central Station to either location.
https://www.nsinternational.nl/en
My biggest question is how long are you planning to stay in Paris? I’d definitely do Giverny as a day trip from there if you’ve given yourselves adequate time to allow that.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Visit Brugge.
Add a day to Paris for a day trip to Giverney, if you haven't got enough time for it already.
Posted by
2 posts
thank you all for the helpful replies. You have clarified several situations that I wondered about.