I’d appreciate any insights into our upcoming 3 week driving trip in May:
1. Flight Vancouver to Paris
2. Paris to Freiburg (train)
3. Pick up car in Freiburg, stay 3 nights to see sights, perhaps Colmar
5. Drive to Bern, stay 3 nights and perhaps see Interlaken and Basel
6. Drive to Zurich and stay 3+ nights and various day trips
7. Drive to Fussen - 3 nights - see castles
8. Drive to Munich - 3+ nights
9. Fly back to Paris
We don’t have a limited budget, are open to suggestions of places to visit and hotels. Because we have a car, we are flexible to stay in hotels outside of the cities. We could stay longer in some cites, less time in others, but don’t want to ‘unpack’ more than 5 times.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you
Posted by
11133 posts
- 'perhaps see Colmar'. Consider Strasbourg instead with visits to the charming wine villages.
Posted by
Chicago
2661 posts
Have you been to Switzerland before? If not, wouldn’t you rather spend time in the mountains? I’d consider Lucerne and/or the berner oberland instead of Zurich and Bern.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32709 posts
as you will be driving a German car into Switzerland you will need to buy (at the border or at an Autobahn service station near the border) a Swiss motorway Vignette which must be stuck in the appropriate place on the windscreen (self adhesive) which will cost CHF 40 (about 40€). The car is unlikely to have one when you get it. If you buy it at the border you will be directed into the appropriate queue and the officer will apply it for you.
As you will be driving a German car into France you will likely be unable to drive into city centres because you won't have a French Crit-Air sticker on the windscreen. Because of pollution laws cars are required to have that - watch out for signs designating the border of these zones.
Because you will have a German car it will come with a green Umweltplakette which allows you (similar pollution laws) to drive into the centre of German towns, if in fact it is a green one. Germany has red, yellow and green. Likely a recent rental will have a green one.
You need an IDP - available at AAA stores or CAA north of the border.
Posted by
Sweden
6344 posts
When you write Freiburg, I'm assuming you mean Freiburg im Breisgau. It certainly can be done, but since you only mention towns and cities, I don't see the point of renting a car for this trip. It would be easier to do by train, and maybe rent a car for a day or two if and when you need it.
Also, don't fly to Paris from Munich, take the train.