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Paris and surround area in 9 days

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Hello Travelers! .My husband and I are coming to Paris in August 24 for 9 days. We wanna spend three or four days in Paris and the other days I have a few places that I want to see but I need help putting it together because they are on opposite sides of France. We have been to Loir Valley 13 years ago for a day trip but would like to go again and maybe do an overnight or a day trip depending on where will go from
there. Should we rent a car in Paris and drive to Loir Valley or take a train there and rent a car once we arrive? I also really want to do a few days in Bordeaux. The other place that I am really interested in is Colmar and Strasbourg but I know it’s on the opposite side of France. On September 2nd we have to go to Bruges in the morning to meet our friends and we will stay there for two days. I know it’s a little bit all over the place but I’m trying to find someone who can help me plan it out so that I can get the most out of the days that I am there. If I need to I can make some changes. I know that Burgundy is closer to Strasburg and Colmar but I’ve seen that Bordeaux is a much nicer place. We are not really wine drinkers but I want a beautiful city with history. While in Bordeaux or Burgundy I want to stay in a Château hotel for a few nights explore the city and the beautiful countryside of it. While in Paris I also thought of doing a day trip to Rouen and maybe a day trip to Strasburg and Colmar or just one of them . But since we need to go to Brugee on September 2nd I guess I need to be back in Paris to take a train early the next morning. Unless if there is another way of getting there without going back to Paris. I would really appreciate the suggestions to minimize travel time.

Thank you
Lana

Posted by
487 posts

It would be too much to do all. But consider a version of this. 4 nights days Paris. Assuming you arrive Aug 25. You would be able to fit in at least one day trip if you would like. Train to Bordeaux (about 2 hours) Aug 29. Rent car to stay in castle hotel near Bordeaux. Stay 4 nights Bordeaux. Or stay a couple of different places near Bordeaux. Leave Bordeaux Sept 2. Return car at airport. Fly Bordeaux to Brussels (about 1.5 hours). Train to Bruges (about 1.5 hours). Or do train all the way from Bordeaux to Bruges. A couple of transfers probably and by the time you figure in airport security lines etc. probably total transit time the same. We have done a similar trip combining Paris and Burgundy in that number of days. For route planning and choices of transport you might start with rome2rio.com. Enjoy the planning!

Posted by
10 posts

Thank you Laurie Ann. We’re actually arriving in Paris on the 24th of August. I’ll probably need to drop a city or maybe just do a day trip to Loir Valley and Colmar on separate days. Or maybe drop Bordoux and do 2 nights in L/V and day tips to other places from Paris. So frustrating when you wan to do so much in so little time.

Posted by
1194 posts

Hello from Wisconsin,
A nice over night or even just a day trip outside of Paris is Chartres. The cathedral is one of the best in the world. The city surrounding the cathedral is sweet. take the train there and back.

Don't drive in Paris. I am a very confident driver. I look in the Paris traffic as a pedestrian and think, this would be just like in NYC of Chicago. WHoops!! We got out of Paris OK, but it was luck we took the correct turn to get out.

Bordeaux is great. A mini-Paris with a nice student section and GOOD food.

wayne inWI

Posted by
10 posts

Thank you Wayne. I was looking at Chartres as well. It is very pretty. Will consider it. I’m just nervous now about France all together with a new COVID outbreak there. I hope I won’t need to cancel If it doesn’t change.

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