I have a short time and I'm trying to decide between spending time in Annecy, Chamonix, Lyon or Geneva. We are thinking of either flying from Nice to Geneva or Nice to Lyon and then going off to visit one of these areas. Any suggestions? I just know we will travel on a Tuesday to one of the areas and then travel on the Friday to head to Caen. I think we want one of the days in Lyon but not positive on that either. Just looking for help and suggestions on where would be the best place to spend our time.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
It sounds like you want to see the mountains, in which case Chamonix is the place to be. If you had more time, then I'd want to spend at least one day in the interesting city of Lyon before heading there. With just 3 nights, you'd find it easier to sleep in one location and that also gives you a better chance of clear weather in the mountains.
Train connections to Caen may include several transfers and a change of train station in Paris. If you take a local shuttle bus from Chamonix to Geneva, then faster trains departing Geneva require just the one connection (and station change) in Paris. From Lyon, there's generally an evening departure that avoids Paris, such as this Friday spring schedule:
Lyon Part Dieu dep 16:30, TGV 5378/9, TGV Duplex Direction: Nantes, Subject to compulsory reservation
Le Mans arr 19:28
Transfer time 34 min.
Le Mans dep 20:02, TER53623, Train Express Regional Direction: Caen , 2nd class only
Caen arr 21:41
Posted by
OP
19 posts
Thanks so much for your help!!