We are trying to plot out our itinerary for a two week trip to France. We need to begin in Paris and then would like to visit Reims/Verdun and Colmar/Strasbourg. A little background: there will be three of us, two of which are history buffs and not interested in wine. We travel frequently in Europe, usually for a month or two at a time lingering in one country. This two week trip is going to feel like a whirlwind for us slow travelers. We know we will be back someday and therefore don't need to check off every single French bucket item in this trip.
These are some questions I have about planning the trip:
1) How should I divide the time? I was thinking one week in Paris and then splitting the rest of the time between the other destinations.
2) Should we take the train for some/all of it? Perhaps to our first destination after Paris and then rent a car from there?
3) Should we plan on flying out of Strasbourg, or just return to Paris at the end to fly home?
I very much appreciate any other thoughts or advice you might have to offer!
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
How should you divide the time? There's a lot to see and do in Paris. If you have 14 nights, maybe 7 nights in Paris, 3 nights in Reims and 4 nights in Colmar. You could add nights in Alsace for a couple of stops in Germany (Heidelburg, Freiburg) if you wanted. There are sights for history buffs in Alsace too. For me, deciding how much time to stay in a place is all about the sights I want to see. You might want to start by figuring out the sights you most want to visit in Paris and see how much time that takes up. I plan two major sights a day. With a Paris Museum Pass, it's not hard to plan two major sights plus a couple of smaller sights that are withing walking distance in a day. You can also take advantage of evening access to sights (Arc de Triomphe, late museum hours, Seine cruise, etc.)
The train works well for Paris to Reims, Reims to Strasbourg, and even Strasbourg to Colmar. Reims to Verdun a car might be the best option, there may be some bus tours or other options? Getting to Alsace isn't hard by train. To see the towns/sights between Strasbourg and Colmar, I think a car is the best option.
I always try different options to see which gets me home the cheapest and most conveniently. Last trip (mostly south) I started and ended in Paris because the price to fly elsewhere was prohibitive. I closed my loop with a flight from Nice back into Paris for $50. If you are in Strasbourg there are fast trains to get you back to Paris, but you might want to price a flight as an option.
Posted by
OP
198 posts
Thanks for your fantastic advice, Brad. What activities/sites would you recommend for three nights in Reims, other than Cathedral, Champaign cave, surrender museum and battlefields? Would two nights be enough with the extra day tossed into Paris or Alsace? We love slow travel, so what would be the best place to linger longer out of the three?
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15598 posts
Just an aside about champagne cave tours and history. I took three tours, Tattinger and Martel in Reims and Mercier in Epernay. They are more about the history of the region and the founding family and less about the wine-making. Of course there is time left for tasting at the end of the tour, but this can be as short as 10-15 minutes. In Reims, I enjoyed the Saint-Remi Basilica even more than the cathedral. It is conveniently located a short walk from Tattinger and Martel.
Without going to Epernay (though the Mercier tour is the most fun), one full day in Reims for its sights is enough. If you have a car in Alsace, stay in one of the villages on the wine route. I stayed in tiny Eguisheim. If the driver doesn't drink, that's fine. If the driver wants to have wine with dinner, then it's probably better to stay in one of the larger villages like Riquewirir or Kayserberg that has more restaurants to choose from. Allow one full day for Colmar. At least 2 to explore the villages. Drop the car when you get to Strasbourg. Allow at least one full day (2 is better) for Strasbourg.
From Strasbourg, it's at least as easy to fly out of Frankfurt as Paris. There are several fast trains a day to Frankfurt and there are luggage lockers at the train station, so you could spend a few hours in this very interesting city (or even a night or two). There are frequent trains to the airport, it's a 10-15 minute ride. There is also a shuttle bus from Strasbourg straight to the Frankfurt airport.
Posted by
OP
198 posts
Great advice, Chani! I'm taking notes on your concise description of time for each destination. Thanks so much!