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Suggestions for Nov/Dec visit to France

Posted by (DALTON, MA, USA) on

Hello,

We are thinking of visiting Spain for a week in mid to late November, then flying into CDG and staying in Paris for a few nights. After that, we are thinking of going somewhere on the weekend after Thanksgiving,or the following weekend, where we could visit some Christmas markets. I was thinking of Colmar/Strasbourg, but am looking for suggestions. Would it make sense to go somewhere in France, or do you think going by train to London (never been there) from Paris would be a good option to visit some Christmas markets ? Germany ? Very up in the air at this point, but open to any/all suggestions advice.

Thank you for your help and guidance.

Sue

Posted by
8889 posts

Most Christmas Markets start on the last weekend in November (Sat 29th November 2018), it would have to be very late in November to visit them.

Yes you could visit Strasbourg / Colmar, or London. Both are easy by train from Paris and plenty to see even if you are too early for Christmas, your choice.
If you chose London, flying back direct from London would be the easiest option.

Posted by
4044 posts

You will not be surprised that northern France can be chilly at the start of winter, often accompanied by damp. A little less obvious, it will be getting dark increasingly early. Lots of great stuff to do indoors. Take a warm hat and rain-resistant shoes; buy a voluptuous scarf as an ideal souvenir and study how the French (male and female) drape them.

Posted by
15582 posts

If you can move your trip a week or two later . . . Paris gets all decked out for Christmas, Alsace is wonderful (google "noel en alsace"), Colmar is a good base, but stay a night or two in Strasbourg. From Strasbourg take the train to Stuttgart (huge market) and day trip to Esslingen for the medieval market - one of the very best xmas markets. You'll probably have the best return flight options from Frankfurt.

Posted by
172 posts

Thank you to all...looking at options you have given me.

Posted by
4684 posts

Other people have danced around it, but Christmas markets are purely a phenomenon of German culture. The ones you get nowadays in England and France are just mock-Germanic crap. The only authentic ones in France are in Alsace which traditionally has a hybrid culture between France and Germany.

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