Mother/Daughter Trip July 2024

For the time you have , plan only three destinations, and you already have your first one. So- pick two other destinations - what are your priorities ?
Pisa is touristy, and the Matterhorn is so weather-dependent, you could travel all that way and just see clouds. Perhaps do more research, watch u-tube videos, follow the various Facebook groups, and list priorities. You are covering many miles and don't want the inside of trains to be the majority of your experiences. Also, involve the girls in researching their interests.
Your mothrs daughters experience sounds delightful and I'm glad you all will have this wonderful adventure.
Safe travels!

Also, involve the girls in researching their interests.

Absolutely! The more they are involved the better the trip will be for all. Not that 10 yr. old girls are ever a problem.

Sounds like a memoriable trip for you and your daughter! Pisa, while good for about a hour of walking around, is a bit out of the way of your other interests. The lakes in Northern Italy are stunning for all ages and may be easier to get to in your time frame.

As for Women's soccer, the event dates/times are listed (here's the pdf: https://medias.paris2024.org/uploads/2024/02/Competition-schedule-by-sessionevents-V6.pdf or you can go to the Olympic site to find the link to this pdf: https://www.paris2024.org/en/competition-schedule-olympic-games/). We have tickets to a women's match in Bordeaux. If you are wanting to stay to the north, I'd skip games in Marseille or Bordeaux. You could easily get to Lyon or Paris (and Nice might be a good option, too as there is high speed train access to Paris) from either Switzerland or Northern Italy. Nantes may be too out of the way as it's all the way on the opposite side of France from where you will be.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Adjust the trip to only include the concert in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, soccer game in France and then Paris as 3 destinations? Eliminate Switzerland and Italy?

Thank you for the Olympic schedule. We are waiting to see which venue and time slot the US womens' team gets assigned. Scheduling is dependent on that and as I understand there are still games being played to determine that.

Ah yes, they are still playing matches to determine the final list. I believe all the tournaments are done in May so schedule placement should be soon after. We bought tickets based on location (Bordeaux). Crossing our fingers that we will get to see one USA match (mens or womens.) You could keep a couple days in Switzerland though, as another posted mentioned, you may or may not see the Matterhorn due to weather. If the soccer match is more of a priority then I suggest using that as your guide. Pick somewhere easily accessible in France so that you can get to the match whereever it may be. There are high speed trains from all of the soccer venues back to Paris for your trip home.

There would be a very high international drop charge, I think, if you rented a car in Germany and dropped it off in France. I suspect you won't end up needing a car at all.

I'm afraid you're going to find lodging a challenge to arrange in Paris and the Italian lakes for the month of July.

I think the "thought" of this trip - mothers and daughters headed to a TS concert in Germany and then Zermatt and Italy - is really fun, but I also think it's a LOT of travel from the concert to those other places.

When I look at the map - with a starting point (FRA) and an ending point (CDG), I think Belgium and then five days or more in Paris. Of course, with the Olympics kicking off on July 26 (I think) that's not likely in the cards if not planned already. Still, I personally would be challenged to come up with a "tight" 10 days where I was on a train (or in a car) for much of it. Distances are "shorter" in Europe, but they are still travel days (or overnights), so often forgoing those big leaps lets you concentrate more on a couple/three logical points from A (FRA) to Z (CDG). There is lots to see and do from that part of Germany and radiating out into The Netherlands, Belgium, Northern France, etc.. And just to be sure, though, I wouldn't classify Marseilles, Lyon, or Nantes as "northern" France, but maybe you mean something else by that.

Northern Italy has Milan which also has day trips out from there. It's a good city in itself, but also being able to take a train to somewhere like Lake Como for the day is nice. And to me, if Pisa, then better yet, Florence. Nearly the same distance.

Of course, so much also depends on where you've already been and why neat places (but not must see locations) like Zermatt and Pisa made your list but not the dozens of castles in Germany, the nearby attractions in places like The Netherlands and Belgium, or other highlights between Gelsenkirchen and Paris.

Enjoy the trip! No matter what you end up planning, it will likely be a great time!

We are super flexible people. Want to do what's enjoyable. We've just started the planning so were taking a stab in the dark with naming a few locations. We aren't married to any of it (aside from the concert) and open to all suggestions. So thank you everyone for the feedback. Since we've already committed with airfare and are flying home through Paris we have to go there for at least departure. We certainly don't have to venture in other then leaving if lodging will be that complicated. Same for the lakes regions of Italy. Happy to not do it if it will be a hassle. We'd love less touristy towns and villages. I do not want to rent a car so my concern with the smaller cities was convenience of getting there via train.

Is there anything on this trajectory that we can’t miss? (Frankfurt, Zermatt, Paris) Would love some off the beaten path recommendations. Something outside of the major cities I have listed.

If you want a choice of reasonably priced lodging, you really need to develop an itinerary asap. I understand this is pressure, but it's the reality post-covid.
Good luck!

Thanks! I am working to developing an itinerary, hence asking for advice. I guess we will deal with what we get when it comes to lodging. I'm not super stressed about that but I guess since we really aren't married to any idea and pretty laid back the trip will evolve however it evolves. I could see a more stressed person wanting to plan, plan, plan... we are kind of more go with the flow.

Being flexible is good. It will be a great trip. I think logistics is what you will deal with and will force you to make some decisions. Those decisions - what is worth it to you and your group - isn’t something we can help with.

But here’s a bit more food for thought. If Switzerland is where you want to go, then do it. It is a gorgeous country and you have many options for places to see! You could catch a short 1 hr flight from Frankfurt to Zurich on the 20th. Spend your week seeing Zermatt and maybe the Berner Oberland area - 2-3 nights in each. If you wind up in Lauterbrunnen, it’s a full day (but less than 7 hours) back to Paris on July 27 for your flight home the next day.

That leaves out a lot of your wishlist, but gives you free days there and gorgeous scenery.

But definitely look at short budget flights from Frankfurt. Something might jump out at you.

"More scenery people (castles, mountains, lakes, activities)"

Here's a train itinerary to the best of the Swiss Alps - with intermediate stops that address your interests to break up the journeys.

July 20: train from Gelsenkirchen to Cochem (9:14-12:14) and some fairytale castles.

Castle Eltz
Reichsburg Castle

To bed early...

July 21: Train 7:15-15:56 to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland for 3 nights

July 24: Train 8:32-12:49 to Gengenbach (old-world film set for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Gutach:

Black Forest outdoor cultural museum
Summer Bobsled

July 26, 27: Train (40 minutes) to Strasbourg, FR

July 27: Train (2 hours) to Paris.

July 28: Fly home.

I think with that overnight flight, you might want to think about staying the night in Frankfurt. Those 10 year old girls are going to be exhausted. Book your train for early the next morning, and then you have no stress with train delays, etc.