Help please! I have posted here with past trips and again need help. I will be going to Europe for a little over 3 weeks starting the last week in May. The first week will be spend in Poland where My ancestors were from. The part of my trip that I need help with is where to land in France. I want see Giverny and pretty places in that area and North. I am not going to Paris to visit. That being the case, what would you suggest for a week North of Paris? I am not interested in the war stuff. My love is photography and will be traveling by train. I have 7 days for this portion of my trip. The last 7ish days will be spent in Southern France near Nice where I have visited for the past two years. Suggestions for the Northern part of my trip and is the train feasible for getting to the South of France?
Should I base in one place in the North or in a couple places? All and any help would be most appreciated. I thank you in advance
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Well its easy to use Paris as a base to visit all the smaller towns since all rail lines will run to Paris. Why not stay in Paris for a few days and daytrip to some places Vernon( for Giverny) Oise, Chantilly, Pierrefonds( not a town really just a village built around the base of the restored Chateau). Train to Nice makes sense, I plan on using it myself.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
1068 posts
It can be a little challenging to AVOID the WWII stuff if you're anywhere near the coast in Northern France. :D That siad, you might want to check out the "Opal Coast" (a name I didn't hear while I was there, but which I discovered when I got back to the States). The coastline is wonderful - and it made me wish I could take good photographs, so it might be perfect for you! Some highlights: Boulogne-sur-Mer. There's plenty of old stuff to see, including an 11th century belfry that's a UNESCO Word Heritage site, a castle, a Gothic church, and of course you are sur mer! Beaches, salt breezes... it's lovely, and very photogenic. Audresselles is GORGEOUS, and has wonderful seaside bluffs with great views. There are rock pools - tidal, I think - with all kinds of critters living in them. Again, I would think a photographer's dream. We liked Wimereux, which is a sort of faded resort town with plenty of lovely old houses and public buildings and hotels. I thought it was totally charming for a stroll around and a meal. Ambleteuse is lovely! It's between Calais and Boulogne, and is a great little seaside town with a wonderful beach and a cool old fort. But then I love cool old stuff - belfries, forts.... Anyway, I think you can easily spend 7 days exploring Northern France without too much WWII stuff, and without resorting to leaving the country.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10629 posts
For a week north of Paris, I'd suggest going up to Belgium: Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels.
Posted by
OP
Portland, Maine, USA
171 posts
Bloomington
Posts: 701 I have been to Belgium and the places you noted. I want to stay in France
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, Northern France is one of my favourite areas in France. If you want to see the cities north of Paris, I suggest two for sure...Amiens and Arras. There are several 2 and 3 star hotels in the Arras train station area, including a Holiday Inn, which used to be a Mercure. From Arras you could take a day trip to Lille or Cambrai, or southwards to Amiens. Both Arras and Amiens with its cathedral are well worth a visit. (The war stuff from both wars is there too, which was what I was after.) Arras is also a TGV station from which you can go to Paris, ca. 40 mins or Strasbourg. That could serve as a base in the North since the TGV and regional trains both stop there. From Poland if you decide to fly on a discount airline to Northern France, my suggestion is to land in Beauvais, a town south of Amiens which I have yet to visit. (I know your time is limited, but as for me, I would take that 10 hr. day train from south Poland to Berlin, then the night train Berlin-Paris Est, there transfer at Paris Nord TGV to Arras...two days ride total) For photo reasons alone, I heartily suggest Amiens, Arras, Beauvais, Cambrais, and the chateau at Chantilly.