We are 50 and going to Europe for the first time. Our son is studying abroad in Metz, France and we are spending our anniversary going to see him. We're so excited! We are spending 3 days in Paris, 2 days in Normandy, and 3 days staying in Metz in the Alsace area. We love history. I need help deciding how to spend our 3 days. We want to take day trips that are reasonable but there are so many enticing options: Reims, Verdun, Colmar, Strasbourg, Brussels, Luxembourg, Triers....help! I've read such great advice on this community that I would appreciate any suggestions. We don't mind renting a car or taking the train. I've even thought about going to Loire area but I don't think we can cram that in for a day trip. Thanks
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
When we visiting our son who was studying abroad. He planned everything for everyday. He was a terrific tour guide and we saw things that we probably would have seen or thought about. Turn it over to your son. He is now a semi-local.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
Sounds like a great trip! I think a day trip to Strasbourg is in order. The old city is the only old city that is recognized in it's entirety as an UNSECO world heritage site. If you like history, Strasbourg won't disappoint. It was founded by the Romans and was a bisphoric and a major city of the Holy Roman Empire before it became part of France, and then was hotly contested between France and Germany, so you have a lot of Franco-Prussian, WWI, and WWII history right there. The cathedral is absolutely stunning, one of if not the best examples of high Gothic architecture anywhere in Europe. If you go, I'd try to go on any day but Tuesday, as a lot of the museums are closed that day. The museum for the cathedral (Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame) has a great audioguide and some real masterpieces of scuplture and puts the cathedreal in context, it's well worth it. The museums at the Palais next door look fantastic, unfortunately I've always been there on a day when they're closed, but it was formerly the Prince-Bishop's palace and then re purposed by Napoleon for his headquarters in Eastern France. There are many memorials to WWI and WII, quaint medieval alleys, beautiful gardens, and fantastic restaurants. For Strasbourg I would certainly take a train, having a car is no advantage as the city center is mostly pedestrianized.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32352 posts
Susan, As this is your first trip to Europe, I'd highly recommend reading Europe Through The Back Door prior to departure. It provides a lot of good information on "how" to travel well in Europe. If you're going to be staying in the Alsace area for a few nights, I'd suggest staying in Colmar with a day trip to Strasbourg. Colmar is a beautiful smaller town and the Unterlinden museum is well worth a visit. A visit to Strasbourg is also worthwhile, if only to see the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral and the "unusual" clock. You could also take one of the boat tours and see "the other" E.U. Parliament from the water. If you need a suggestion for a hotel in Colmar, post another note. Happy travels!
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
First of all Metz is in Lorraine rather than Alsace. I would go to Nancy if you're at all interested in early-20th-century art - it has some remarkable art nouveau buildings and museum collections. Brussels is too long a trip for a day trip as the trains are relatively slow on that route. Trier is, as far as I'm concerned, only really worth visiting if you're big fans of ancient Rome or Karl Marx (if you decide to go there, note that the French call it Treves when you're booking tickets).