Side trip from Paris - suggestions?

Amsterdam is lovely. Our last two Paris trips we did side trips for 5 days each to Brittany and the next year to Angers and Nantes -- loved both. I think we are heading to Annecy next year. Strasbourg is also a nice sidetrip destination not far by train from Paris.

I think you should base this on your interests, what you enjoy and wish to see. Personally, I LOVE Belgium and Netherlands and try to get there twice a year. We hit Prague this year for the first time and it was, well, just okay in my opinion. (Budapest far exceeded Prague in our opinion).

For me, if I have Paris sandwiching both sides of my trip, I would lean towards small to mid-sized towns to mix it up. So, Ghent (or Delft, Netherlands), while it is a decent sized university town, fits that. You mentioned Alsace, and we found Colmar to be a lovely week long base (although that was around the Xmas season). You can take the Eurostar to London, then hop over to the Cotswolds if that interests you. I suggest hitting Skyscanner and look at all the cheap flight options you will have from CDG. You have so many options but I would decide soon as the closer you wait to book flights (or high speed rail), the higher the price. Have fun.

I dislike the hassles that come with flying, so I wouldn't choose #1.

Without a car, #2 is the best option - you could easily spend a week or more in Belgium and the Netherlands - excellent rail connections, lots to enjoy, base in lovely Ghent and day trip to Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp; then in Amsterdam with the option to day trip if you choose. It's about 3.5 hours on the train between A'dam and Paris on Thalys. Book the long journeys as soon as possible to get less expensive tickets.

With a car, #3 is for francophiles. Take the TGV to Strasbourg for a couple nights and the rest with a car (more rental options here) and stay in one of the villages near Colmar. Return the car in Strasbourg and train back to Paris. There may even be trains direct to CDG. You may get the fall colors of the vineyards.

Hi from Wisconsin,

As you know 7 days isn't that much time. Flying anywhere, even a 3 hour flight, will gobble up most of the departure day and the return day. That leaves 5 days, and that is why I say 7 days isn't that much time. It can quickly become 5 days plus some hours.

A quick trip to a pleasant place is Chartres. It has a really nice cathedral set in a really nice city center. Sylvie Menard has a good Bed and Breakfast. but it is up a set of stairs if that is a problem. A couple days there enjoying the city is lovely way to vacation. Especially if you are there for the weekly market days on Wednesday and Saturday. Saturday market allows church in the cathedral on Sunday.

Or take the train to Clermont-Ferrand. Pick up a car and drive through the remote 'parcs natural'. There are three of them nearby.
One neat village after another. One spectacular vista after another. Return the car where ever there is good rail back to Paris. But if natural scenery and cow bells are not your cup of tea, look else where.

wayne iNWI

I would take a train to Reims to visit champagne cellars and the cathedral. Or head up to Rouen which is a really cool medieval city.

It's a little more than 3 hours, but I took EasyJet to Marrakech for a few days and it was wonderful. I think the flight was around $100. Stayed at a lovely Riad.

I'd say Burgundy, with a car there, but it would help if you shared where you have been already and therefore (presumably?) don't want to return this time. Of the three options you listed, I'd rule out Prague for the reasons Chani gave. But it seems like none of them are really appealing to you either.

In mid October, I'd go to Provence. Fly Air France from Paris to Avignon (Orly is the better airport, less crowded and closer to Paris). Then rent a car and explore.

Provence will be nice that time of year. I was there mid-September and it was still a little too warm. Brugges/Ghent/A'dam will be gray and dull, with a possibility of very wet and cold. Alsace will get cold sometime in October. In mid October, you could get cool but sunny fall weather or you could get wet and cold.

I have a candidate for you that you may find attractive. A few years back we wanted to do the same thing from Paris, i.e., travel to a lesser known destination in France that would be different. My wife picked a name at random (almost literally) and we took a TGV train a couple of hours to Besançon, up near the Swiss border. It was a delight. It has museums, parks, a castle on the hill with a zoo and exhibits, history, lots of really good restaurants, a good transport system, and friendly people. I heartily recommend a visit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Besan%C3%A7on

MANY thanks everyone for all of the recommendations, they are very much appreciated! FYI, we have opted to take the train from Paris to Belgium and will stay in Brugges, Ghent & Brussels. We also have a 1, maybe 2 days with a rental car to explore the region a bit more at our leisure (Flanders Field, Ypres and/or Dunkirk). Excited to see Belgium and all that it has to offer, including the chocolate, waffles, mussels, frites and beer...but not necessarily in that order ;)

Happy travels everyone!

We have enjoyed 2 trips to this area. Bruges is a great base. Rent bicycles on a nice day and ride to or towards the coast on bike trails. Have fun tasting all the beers and seeing the sites. All very walkable. Then do a stop in Ghent in the train trip to Amsterdam. No need to spend the night. May want to take fast train to Amsterdam first and work your way back. You made a fun choice.