2017 Trip Planning

Happy anniversary! The obvious thought is London and Paris, a week in each, especially if you haven't been there before. Fly into one, take the Eurostar to the other, and fly home from there, "open jaw." Time enough for one or two day trips from each city if you want to taste beyond the capitals.

We've done well with apartment rentals in both cities. Though I haven't used airbnb outside the US, others on this board have had good experiences. But be careful about Paris, where there's reportedly an official crackdown on short-term rentals to tourists. Rather than using airbnb or homeaway.com or vrbo.com, which simply put you in touch with a property owner, you might consider a company that actually owns the apartments and therefore presumably pays the right taxes on them. Google "Paris vacation rentals" and see what that gets you. Others will have ideas too. Here and here are some "crackdown"-related threads on this board, but I couldn't find anything more recent than a few months back. My best advice would be to inquire whether the proper taxes have been paid before you send anyone money. Homeaway and VRBO also sell low-cost insurance that I'd think would cover you if a place became unavailable. As far as I know this is a possible issue only in Paris, not elsewhere.

Visit London tourist sights. Then take the Eurostar down to Paris and take in the scenery and museums. And if you're feeling adventurous, take a 6 1/2 hr. fast train from Paris to Barcelona and fly home from there. That itinerary wouldn't be too demanding on you.

Are you thinking of purely a city trip (London and Paris) or getting out of the city in each country? Either is a good choice. Maybe 3-4 days in the city and 2-3 in the countryside in each country? I don't know about France (have only been to Paris) but the English countryside is lovely and irresistible to us.

Do pay heed to the warnings about Air B and B rentals ( and VRBO, etc.) in Paris. The local authorities have been cracking down on unauthorized private lettings. I personally would be far more comfortable with a reputable agency. We have rented from Vacation in Paris with excellent results:

http://www.vacationinparis.com/index.php

They have apartments all over Paris and are very easy to deal with ( payment, communication, check-in, etc.).

For London, you have lots of options. We just spent a week in an apartment with balcony and river view ( from the balcony, not the flat) near Tower Bridge. We loved it---very bright and modern, and good value. But we love to walk and enjoyed starting out each day with a long-ish walk on the South bank walking path--traffic-free, adorned with shops and restaurants, and gorgeous views. There is a Tube station within a few minutes' walk but we rarely used that. I can post a link if you like.

Week 1
7 nights in a London base - possible day trips to Stonehenge and Bath / Oxford and Stratford on Avon / Windsor Castle
Week 2
5 nights in Paris - day trip to Versailles
2 nights in Loire Valley visiting chateaux

Thanks to all for the suggestions and insight.

will help with my planning of this trip.

while London and Paris would be the prime objective and sound like great jumping off points we might want to include some time around Nice and Monaco during the trip.

now looking for some off the wall / out of the way places other than the big museums and tourist attractions in each area.

"now looking for some off the wall, out of the way places other than the big museums and tourist attractions in each area"

This is where I believe this forum outlives its usefulness, as when you get past the big sights with popular appeal it then becomes so much a matter of personal taste. You really have to wade in there and do your own research to find things that interest you.

"now looking for some off the wall, out of the way places other than the big museums and tourist attractions in each area"

This is where I believe this forum outlives its usefulness, as when you get past the big sights with popular appeal it then becomes so much a matter of personal taste. You really have to wade in there and do your own research to find things that interest you.

True. But if you're specific, the forum can regain its usefulness fast. So, a general question like yours is not answerable. But if you ask, "are there any stores in Paris selling used jazz CD's?" or "I've read about Beatles sights in London, but what about Rollling Stones sights?" then a forum like this can be very helpful.

And I'll put in a plug for an "off the wall, out of the way place" in Paris - the Museum of Counterfeits. It's small (four rooms) and on the western edge of the city near the Bois du Bologne. It not only has things like fake designer purses, but also more sinister items like counterfeit medicines and car parts that have caused fatalities. As a bonus, the nearest metro station is Porte Dauphine, the one with the most intact original glass and steel canopy.