My husband and I will be traveling in Europe the first 2 weeks in September. Our plan is to fly into Paris where we'll stay 3 days. From Paris we'll train to Brussels (1 days) Amsterdam (2 days) Cologne (1 day) Luxembourg ( 1 day) Strasbourg (1 day) second day in Strasbourg we will rent a car and drive the wine road to Colmar area where we'll stay over 1 night before heading on to the Burgundy region. The remainder of our vacation will be spent in Burgundy and the Loire Valley.
Does anyone have advice for the drive from Strasbourg to Colmar and then Colmar to Beaune (Burgundy region)? Also looking for recommended sites to see, small towns to visit along the way along with B&B accomodations for any of the locations I've mentioned. We're not huge museum people, so far we know we'll visit the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. We're really just looking for local flavor in each location. While traveling to Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne & Luxembourg we'll be traveling by train so ideally we'd like accomodations close to the train station. We've traveled Italy - Rome, Tuscany, Florence day hopping this same way but understand that for Burgundy and Loire regions a car is a necessity. Any input is greatly appreciated!
Posted by
New York, NY, 10025
392 posts
I think you will want to calculate how much time you will have to spend in transit for the first part of that itinerary, before Burgundy. Decide whether it's worthwhile to you to pick up and move almost every day, and consider that the first day spent in Paris will nearly be a loss due to jet lag. But if you say that's worked for you before and it's what you want to do, more power to you.
Posted by
2081 posts
hi, my trip this fall is more or less in the same area and places. i used booking.com to find places to stay. most of them are close to the train station or central to my travel in the city. happy trails.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4407 posts
I realize you didn't ask about this but... You may have reasons to want to stay in Brussels for 24 hours, but you could buy Thalys tickets Paris > Brussels, and Brussels > Amsterdam (about 1h30m each leg) and spend the entire day in Brussels - without all of the time to check in, then check out of, yet another hotel. Same thing for Amsterdam > Cologne > Luxembourg. There are luggage lockers in both Brussels and Cologne. Also, I'd skip Strasbourg (or make the 30m trip each way by train) and go straight to Colmar for two nights.
Posted by
OP
levittown, Pennsylvan, United States
2 posts
Thanks everyone! We've actually decided to try and streamline things a bit, so we're changed things up a bit and are thinking of doing 4 days in Paris, then taking the train to Amsterdam staying for 2 full day then taking the train to Brussels for a night and then taking the train to Tours where we'll rent a car. After renting a car we've got several days in the Loire Valley and Burgundy before we end up in Strasbourg or Colmar or maybe both. We'll leave the car on our last day and take the train back to CDG. This seems more steam lined to us.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
In answer to your original question about driving: I do not know a better resource for road touring than the guides and maps published buy the Michelin Tire Company. The green guides include suggested motor itineraries. They are also the only other guide that I know of, besides Rick Steves's, that rates sights.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15576 posts
DK Eyewitness has a relatively new series of "Back Road." I used the one for Spain and friends used the one for Italy. There's one for France. . .