My daughter (20) is taking a trip with her team and ends up in San Sebastián on June 6th. I am flying over to meet her with my other daughter (23) and am trying to figure out how best to plan on seeing a little of the countryside as well as Paris before flying out. Was thinking 7 days and need help mapping it out and getting the most out of the time there. Thinking if we fly into Bilbao it is 45min to San Sebastián. Thought it might be nice to stay there for the night and then head over to Biarritz the next day to either fly or train to Paris if the ride is pretty. Was hoping to spend a 3 days in Paris and maybe take a few day trips from there to Normandy (Gerberoy), or Brittany (Dinan)...OR does it makes to stop in Bordeaux or Brittany and then finish in Paris and fly out from there. Would love any suggestions, looking to balance the traditional quaint countryside cobblestone esthetic with a city. While looking I loved the images from towns like the ones mentioned above and Chevreuse. Trying to figure out if it is worthwhile renting a car and driving up from Biarritz and then having the flexibility to stop where we want along the way.
Posted by
Washington DC
28697 posts
I was quite unimpressed by Biarritz. I liked Bayonne a lot more; it has a nice medieval center. However, with as little time as you have and an apparent desire to have 3 days (that's 4 nights) in Paris, I'd spend a bit of time in San Sebastian and/or Bilbao (unless you want to totally avoid risk of duplicating what your younger daughter might already have seen) and then go to Paris. I think adding another stop might not repay the travel time involved.
Keep in mind that changing base cities takes considerably longer than the train schedule indicates by the time you pack up, check out of your old hotel, get to the train station 15 minutes before departure time, make the trip, find your way to your new hotel, check in and figure out your new environment. For covering long distances, a TGV (express train) will be much faster than driving if a TGV route happens to connect your starting and ending points.
I'm confused about your reference to taking "a few days trips from there [Paris] to Normandy (Gerberoy) or Brittany (Dinan)". I don't see how it makes sense to take multiple daytrips to the same area or even to two different places in the same direction, unless someone is providing you free lodging in Paris. Are these two trips something you're thinking of taking while you are spending three days in Paris? That would leave only one day for Paris itself.
I liked Bordeaux--though most people seem to go there in order to spend time in the Dordogne/Lot rather than primarily for the city itself. I really liked Brittany, but it is a long slog on the ground from the Basque Country, whereas the trip from Bordeaux up to Paris is on a fast TGV. I don't know what sort of flight options you'd have for Brittany; skyscanner.com is a good place to check schedules. For Normandy it might be best to route through Paris. I don't know anything about Gerberoy, but I see that it's north of Paris.
I'm curious about what others will recommend.
Posted by
2 posts
What you want to do is very ambitious and, IMHO, you will spend a lot of time driving or in trains and not enjoying much.. San Sebastián is gorgeous and is a food capital of the world so two days there would be a good stop. Biarritz is also a lovely town and also worth a visit. You can combine it with Bayonne or St Jean de Luz which is a very attractive sea side town. If you decide to be in that part of the world I would suggest you fly to Bilbao may be overnight there, a day in San Sebastián, a day in Biarritz then train to Bordeaux if you would like to visit some gorgeous wineries and enjoy local seafood ( oysters are the best there!) and then take TGV to Paris and spend few days there. Alternatively, you can fly to Paris - your daughter can fly there also from Bilbao - spend 3 days there and then take a car and spend 3 days in Normandy / Brittany. So here are few alternative for you..Cheers