We have about 2-2/12 days to fill before Paris (coming from Switzerland) or after Paris. Of the two areas mentioned above, which would be best for visiting in late October? Never been to either, although we have been to Strasbourg.
Posted by
Paris
7304 posts
Coming from Switzerland and with so little time, Alsace makes the most sense to me! Provence deserves at least 4days to make the longer journey worthwhile
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
Not to discount Provence Since it is wonderful. But with your itin Riquewihrmakes sense and is a fun and interesting area to visit. Been there and Provence.
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
283 posts
We spent 4 days in Ribeauville and loved it! Walking between villages is great. The town is lovely.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
Both areas are great, so it's really a matter of what you're interested in. My advice would be to take the TGV then rent a care to enjoy either area though, you'll get more out of the trip.
Late-October is post-wine harvest in Alsace, but the colors can be beautiful. Weather may be chillier and damper than in Provence, however.
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12313 posts
I was really happy with my choice of Arles as a base for Provence. I found a very nice Airbnb on the Place du Forum (immediately next door to the "Yellow Cafe" painted by Van Gogh, top floor above Apostraphe Cafe). I felt there were a lot of sights within walking distance and it was a good base for exploring the area. I parked along the River (overnight parking was reasonable, I think about 5 euro). The only bad day for getting in and out of town was market day (Saturday?). My GPS couldn't figure out the main road was taken over by the market and kept steering me back to it. Eventually I just had to get out of town on my own before I could rely on the GPS. If you like markets, however, it would be a day to stay in town.
Avignon is somewhat notorious for traffic so I generally avoided it. I went to Fort St. Andre across the river but didn't go into Avignon itself.
As for Riquewihr or Ribeauville in the Alsace, you could flip a coin. Both towns are idyllic half timbered villages surrounded by vineyards. I'd probably decide based on the best lodging choice I could find.
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
Given that you're coming from Switzerland, I'd recommend Alsace. Riquiwihr and Ribeauville are both good choices. We spent a week in Riquewihr, and among our day trips we walked to Ribeauville, as well as Kaysersberg, Hunawihr, Zellenberg and Beblenheim. It was a great location for walking to villages.