I'm flying to Paris in September for on a Monday into Paris and flying back from Munich to the states the following Saturday. That's 12 days in Europe. The plan was to land in Paris for a few days, go see the D-day beaches and related area, then travel to Munich to see Eagles Nest and surrounding area. Has anyone taken such a trip? I am looking for tips as far as how to budget my time in each area and help thinking through the travel b/c I'm going to be in multiple cities. Thanks!
Posted by
Chicago
7873 posts
Fly into Paris take the train directly to Bayeux
Bayeux 3 nights
Train to Paris
Paris 5 nights
Train to Munich
Munich 4 nights
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4882 posts
Visiting the Eagles Nest, near Berchtesgaden, from Munich would be a very long day trip. Just getting to Berchtesgaden would be 2 1/2hrs by train or 1 1/2 hrs by car (each way), then the bus up to the Eagles Nest (or the much longer hike to the top from the parking lot.). Roughly 4-6 hours spent on transportation alone. If you want to see it as well as spend time in the surrounding area, I'd recommend staying in Berchtesgaden (or Salzburg) rather than Munich. But you would want to be back in Munich the night before your flight home.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you for the advice. We just booked our hotels and followed your suggestions. We are going to stay in Bayeux for a couple of nights and Berchtesgaden for a couple of nights. Any tips on navigating the trains from Paris to Berchtesgaden is appreciated. What company should I purchase my train tickets?
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4882 posts
Book directly with the train company you will be riding. SNCF from Bayeux to Paris. Then Deutsche Bahn. https://int.bahn.de/en Don't use a 3rd party ticket seller.
A quick look at a random day next month shows a 9 1/2+ hour trip with 2 or 3 connections from Paris.
If you are unfamiliar with European trains, the Man in Seat 61 website can be a wealth of valuable information.
Posted by
7679 posts
Don't miss the Bayeux Tapestry, 900 years old that tells the story of the Norman conquest of England. You will be in Bayeux, it is amazing.
Posted by
City of Seattle
1786 posts
It's best to buy the train tickets from the national train company of the country of departure or arrival. In your case I would look first at Germany's bahn.com.
Also note that there are 10 or so direct flights everyday from Paris to Munich, costing about the same or less than the train. Of course from there you would need to take the train to Bertchesgaden. And transfer time to the airport in Paris is not inconsequential.
Also note that tourist hot spot Salzburg Austria is closer to B'gaden the Munich. It is not unreasonable to stay in Salzburg and do a day trip to the Eagle's Nest. There might even be a guided tour out of Salzburg.