Paris, Normandy, Alsace route

Just got back from a whirlwind trip that included Paris and Alsace. We spent three days (two nights) exploring Alsace and would say that seeing the area is a real treat. We took the ICE train from Paris to Strasbourg which was a breeze. We rented a car and stayed in Riquewhir. If I were to do it again, I'd stay in Kaysersberg and use it as a home base to drive and explore the area. The river and the castle put it way above any of the other towns we managed to get a peek at. Riquewhir was beautiful but a little smaller than some of the other towns that didn't go to bed quite as early. There are endless cute towns and walled villages each with great names, so your days will be full of 'shall we stop or pass through to the next one?'. I would imagine it could get 'repetitive' in the best way after a while, but you could easily spend several leisurely days sipping Pinot Gris and watching the grapes grow. Colmar had a beautiful old town, but the outlying areas were very urban and did not give us the same immersive charm as being out in one of the towns.

Your first itinerary is almost exactly what I was going to suggest when I started to read your post. You might, however, consider visiting Reims as a day trip from Paris, and perhaps renting a car for one of your days in Alsace.

There's too much unnecessary driving in version no. 2.

I've never overnighted in Strasbourg, but can recommend Colmar as a base for the region.

I'd choose Bayeux over Rouen as a base for the coast, but Rouen is worth half a day.

We had a brief visit of Colmar on a Rhine river trip we took. It is a beautiful little city, well worth a visit. I would love to go back and spend more time there. Very neat, clean, friendly, and historic.

Last fall we did a 20 day trip during which we visited the Loire Brittany Normandy Champagne Alsace and Burgundy by car. Ended with five nights in Paris. We flew in and out of CDG where we picked up car. Dropped car at Orly before Paris. If you want info on nightly stops or anything else feel free to PM me otherwise I won't bore you with details.

Thanks for the replies everyone. It sounds like everyone really enjoyed Alsace so I'm pretty excited about it. It also sounds like a car in Alsace is the way to go. I'll research your posts more to pick out things to see and do there, as well as places to stay, eat, etc.

Adam: regarding Reims, what's your thoughts on why to do as a day trip vs enroute to Alsace? Also, do you agree picking up the car in Rouen/Caen is still the best place when training from Paris? In looking at the map, Bayeaux does seem more central of a place to stay- good call.

I too am planning a similar trip for 2019. (Been doing so for a year now, with Rick's help of course.) Was hoping end of April, beginning of May but Easter falls on my first weekend there,and then a week later is May 1st. Another holiday. I'll probably go later in May. But then I'm running into VE day, but that might work to my favor being in Normandy for that day. I'll know more the closer I get to the date.

I'm actually flying into London (from Miami) and spending a quick afternoon there and then taking the train (the chunnel) into Paris. Then I'll spend the night near the outgoing train station, and leave first thing the next morning to Giverny for a half day, and then on to Le Havre (Hornfleur) for the night. The next morning I'd pick up a car in Le Havre and drive through Normandy and the D-Day beaches, and stay in Bayeux or Caen. The next day I'd do more touring, taking my time driving to Mont St Michel. I plan on staying there overnight (maybe on the island!). Then next morning I'll drive to Rennes to drop the car and catch a train back to Paris.

Then I'll have 6 nights in Paris! So excited! My thought process for this was to get rid of my jet lag the first couple of days in Normandy, and be fresh ready to go for Paris.

Then I'm on to Alsace. I was planning on taking the train to Strasbourg for the night and renting a car for 2 days but the cars cost twice as much in Alsace than they do in Normandy. It would be $200 to rent a car for one night. Sheesh! My ancestors came from a little town north of Strasbourg. So I was hoping to drive there to see it but I may rethink that. My other night will be in Colmar. Then I'll take a late train back to the CDG airport, stay there for the night, and the next morning I fly out.

So yeah, I'm still in the planning stages. That car rental in Strasbourg really threw me for a loop. If I can narrow down Paris, I may take a 3rd night in Colmar. We'll see! But at least I have a plan started. I can come up with a tentative budget. Now to figure out the holidays and train schedules. I swear, planning is half the fun!

MW: My suggestion about Reims reflects my personal preference for consolidating sleeps when possible. A one-night stay poses all sorts of logistical issues, though admittedly not major ones. And too, Reims is so close to Paris.

Also, you can get from Rouen to Strasbourg in less than 4 hours if you catch the right train.

With all that said, it's sometimes the way to go. One night max at MSM, for instance. Just ask yourself what would be most congenial for you.

Rental pick up and dropoff wherever you can on your route. You may also be able to get a rental in Bayeux; if you do spend a night at MSM you might pick up a car in Rennes that day.

Blivieri, I wouldn't think VE day will be that big a deal in France/Normandy. First, the Parisians seem to celebrate the liberation of Paris more than VE day. Second, D-day is the big event in Normandy, and 2019 will be the 75th anniversary of that (and only the 74th anniversary of VE day). I plan to be in Normandy again for the 75th anniversary in 2019, and if it is anything like the 74th, it will be a big event.

Start in Paris (6)
TGV (1hr 30min) to Rennes & pick up car
Drive to Dinan (3) - visit St Malo, MSM
Drive to Bayeux (1)
Drive via Juno to Rouen (2) - visit Honfleur
Drive to Amiens (1)
Drive to Reims (2) - visit Epernay
Drive to Strasbourg (3) - visit Colmar
Return car in Strasbourg
TGV (1hr 50min) to Paris (1)
Depart from Paris

Hi djp_syd. That looks good. Have you done that route? Would going north around Paris be easier or a nicer drive than going south (Amboise/Beaune)? My husband is leaning to renting a car right from Paris & returning in Paris but in most forums, people seem to suggest taking the train (whether it be to Normandy or Alsace), then renting the car. FYI: We'd spend 1-2 nights in Paris before heading to any other region & will spend a few nights in Paris at the end.

I haven't travelled either route, no. I think the roads are better/quicker if you go around Paris to the north. Time wise, to include the Loire Valley and Burgundy, would mean dropping someplace else.

It does eat into your precious time when you pick up your car in a big city and need to negotiate your way out. Contrast that with a swift train ride to/from your most far flung (and more easily navigated smaller) locations.

I'd just like to add that Reims was the least favorite city I've been to in Paris. The cathedral is great, but when you'll be seeing Rouen and Bayeux and Strasbourg on the same trip - all those cathedrals were more beautiful to me. The inner city is fine, the outer city is a little dodgy, and there's no real trace of the "champagne capital" thing in the city center. You'd need to rent a car to drive to most of the champagne houses.

We overnighted there on a road trip from Alsace to Normandy based on RS and I wish we'd overnighted in Amiens or Rouen. twp cities with a lot more charm.

Since you won't be driving across France, it logistically just makes sense for you to go straight from Paris to Strasbourg via TGV because it's SO fast, see Strasbourg's inner city (for some reason this UNESCO world heritiage site and home to my personal favorite cathedral in the world gets a bad rap on this board) before renting a car to explore the vine villages. Colmar is a good place to base, particularly if you don't want to be on "village time" and it's still quaint and beautiful, but there's a million great little villages to stay in, too. I really liked Obernai, a bit bigger than most with a few amazing restaurants.

Man, I'm going to have to make a trip back around harvest time, I just love Alsace so much.

So herein lies the problems.
1. Fear 😁. We've never seen nor taken the transit in Paris so taking the train from Caen to Alsace via Paris worries me because we'd have an hour to an hour & a half to go from one station to another. If we spent a day or two at the front end of the trip seeing some sites in Paris (also spending days in Paris at end of trip), would it be difficult to catch on to figuring out the metro? Alternatively, we can book the trip into two segments. Rouen to Paris as one, leave 3 hours or so to get to the next station plus have lunch, then train to Alsace as a second ticket. Oddly enough, it's cheaper to break it into 2 segments than one continuous trip.
2. Extra train days means figuring out tickets vs train pass as we'd take the train on 4 days (to Normandy, back to Paris, to Alsace, back to Paris). It seems if we have a pass, we'd have to have reservations as well? Does that sound right?

Hi,

Caen to Paris.... does not sell reservations. That is a TER train, a local train, going from Caen to Paris St Lazare station, which means you need to get from ST Lazare station to Gare de l'Est (the east station) to catch the TGV to Strasbourg. Paris to Strasbourg on TGV...mandatory reservations. From the two stations you could go by Metro or by taxi. Most likely by bus too but I only that from Gare du Nord, which means you have to walk from Nord to Est, ca 10 mins.

I did a transfer from Gare de l'Est ( I think) to Gare St. Lazare earlier this summer. I'm a regular subway user at home but hadn't been on the Paris Metro in about 40 years. I was a bit concerned about how long it would take with a suitcase and chose a train departure that gave me a bit over an hour to make the transfer rather than an earlier option that I think would have given me 40-something minutes.

Because of multiple hub-and-spoke trips through Paris, I had an opportunity to buy my Metro ticket a few days ahead of time and did so. It was extremely easy; probably took less than 1 minute. I timed the ultimate station switch, for which the Metro ride itself required a transfer, and I was standing st the Departures board within about 30 minutes. There were some stairs but not a lot of them. I didn't look hard for an elevator within the Metro. If you have a great deal of luggage, you might consider a taxi; otherwise, the Metro will be fine. Going to lunch with luggage in tow will present more luggage challenges.

Figuring out the Metro is not that hard. Assuming you have a smart phone, get the free app called Next Stop Paris. It will help you plan your trips via Metro so you know where you are going. The most basic thing is to know that each line is called by the stations at the endpoint. I would recommend getting at Navigo pass if you are going to be in Paris 4+days. It makes things so much simpler than buying and keeping up with tickets. Regarding the rest of your trip, you don't say where you are coming from, so hard to know your jet lag situation, but if you are coming from the US, I would advise putting most of your time in Paris at the end of your trip when you will have adjusted to the time difference. IMO there are more things that require you to get up very early in Paris than elsewhere. If you end up going to the Champagne region (Reims area), I would suggest you stay at Manoir de la Semoigne in Villers-Agron-Aiguizy. It's a gorgeous B&B in a small village and the hosts are lovely. In Alsace, I recommend an apartment in the Tanner's District of Colmar called Rouge Cignogne.

Very helpful information everyone. We are planning a trip to this area as well so we will make notes of your suggestions. Thank you.

I keep seeing Paris is very walkable but looking at a map, i have no doubt we'll be use the metro so good to know on the app & tickets. SherrirF, we're coming from western Canada and the bulk of the Paris days are at the end; never thought of it from a jet lag perspective but that makes sense. Thanks for the suggestions everyone. There is so much information on the Web that it's nice to be able to get some help narrowing it down.

The last time we had a similar rail station transfer in Paris, it just happened to be at the time of a very brief, scheduled strike by municipal workers. So we took a cab. Things happen ... Another visit to Paris, our small hotelier warned us about a scheduled job action that affected our home trip to the airport. We were grateful because we didn't know about it. (Another benefit of not using AirBnB.)

Tim- Actually, we are debating an Air BnB in Paris. Have you used them & if so, what issues have you found with them?

I disapprove of AirBnb because I am a native New Yorker and /apartment/ dweller. There is no constitutional or moral right to sublet your dwelling. In fact, it's often against the law - as in NYC and in my rich suburb, Wyckoff NJ! AirBnb is a silicon valley "disruptor" that ignores laws and heaps all responsibilities on the rentors and renters. You asked ... ... !

Edit: I should have made clear the noise and disruption often caused by transients in a long-term multiple dwelling. Even hotels are beginning to put "No Party" signs on check-in desks. But in densly populated cities, where to put the trash and yelling in the hallways is a big issue. Those who grew up in Leave It to Beaver country don't understand apartment living.

I also failed to mention lease restrictions and unit-ownership bylaws (i.e. Indisputable printed rules) that regulate "hosts" without even local laws having to be considered. "It's not All About YOU."

Tim:. Hadn't really ever given it much thought but it's an interesting perspective!

Just back from my visit to Alsace and like others say there are loads of cute places to find there, just drive around. To be honest I didn’t really like the two big names Riquewhir and Colmar, too touristy for me, you see there one restaurant, souvenirshop and bakery next to each other and people only seems to be interested in that spoiling the character of these places. Liked Bergheim much more as there where just a few tourists and kept it’s original character much better, just 10km northwest of Riquewhir.

For a fantastic view of the Rhine valley with on the other side the mountain range of the Black Forest you can go to Haut Koenigsbourg or more north Sainte-Odile Abbey. Even Stassbourg is touristy too, it was worth the visit, the historic part is really beautiful.

If you like cars Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse is the place to go, one of the best collections of it’s kind in the world.

Thanks for the input Wil!