Hi! We are planning a 2 week trip starting/ending in Paris (due to flight prices)--it will be my husband, me and our 12 year old daughter--we'd like to visit Annecy/Chamonix, Colmar/Strasbourg, Salzburg and Hallstatt, and possibly Vienna. Trying to decide if/where we should rent a car versus train and if this is too much for 14 days. We aren't big museum people, love exploring new places and have been to Paris previously, but my daughter loves it so will end the trip with a couple of days there. Any suggestions on the best route to hit these locations and how many days for each?
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8141 posts
You might want to look at Google Maps and see how far your itinerary will take you. Vienna and Hallstadt are pretty far to the east--and on the other side of Munich. Some distances in Europe can be deceiving--farther than they seem..
We have traveled through the Austrian Alps many times and bypassed Switzerland. The Swiss Alps are not as easy to travel through and travel there is much more expensive (than Austria.).
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11315 posts
Travel times are long to Annecy/Chamonix. You might check out www.Rome2Rio.com to look at estimates by car and train. If you go to Chamonix, you can take a convenient van shuttle service to the Geneva airport which is a good place to enter Switzerland.
Given travel times, even Paris, Chamonix, and Strasbourg seem like a lot, much less adding in Austria and/or Switzerland.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1825 posts
To minimize transfers and a wasted day/night at the beginning of your trip....fly directly to Vienna from CDG and then work your way West back to Paris.
Posted by
Minneapolis
1215 posts
We did a similar route a few years ago. Took the train from Paris to Annecy, which worked well, much faster and more pleasant than driving. No need for a car in Annecy. Then rented a car when leaving Annecy, visited a few places, and dropped car in Strasbourg. Now there is an easy, fast train from Strasbourg to Paris. Enjoy your trip!