My parents, husband and I will be in France and briefly into Germany from Sept. 12-22. Below is our itinerary. We'll be picking a car up in Strasbourg, after taking the train from Paris. Most of our hotels are set, but we did leave a few days open so that we can play a few cities/hotels by ear. I have been to France numerous times, particularly Paris, and I spent two months studying French in Chambery during college. My parents have been to Paris once and my husband has never been to France. My question: Does anyone have any recommended, out-of-the way, unique sightseeing suggestions for the cities we'll be in? Do you have specific cities you would recommend for those open days? We prefer smaller, quaint towns whenever possible. We enjoy a good mix of culture, history, museums, tours, and eating and drinking (particularly beer, as my husband is a homebrewer). My husband and I enjoy outdoor activites (running, biking, hiking), but not so much my parents. Thanks for any insight you can provide! Thursday, 9/12: Paris Friday, 9/13: Paris Saturday, 9/14: Paris Sunday, 9/15: Strasbourg Monday, 9/16: open (likely staying somewhere in Germany in the Black Forest) Tuesday, 9/17: open (likely staying somewhere near the Germany/Swiss border in France) Wednesday, 9/18: Chambery Thursday, 9/19: Chambery Friday, 9/20: open (likely staying somewhere along the Route Napoleon) Saturday, 9/21: Nice
Sunday, 9/22: Depart Nice for Chicago
Posted by
Columbus, USA
332 posts
Hi Nicole, We just got back from a trip to German. My suggestions might be a bit out of the way (aka too far) from what you are thinking, but I wanted to throw it out just in case. We really really really did I mention really enjoyed the Porsche and Mercedes Museums in Stuttgart Germany. It took us 4 hours to go through the Merceded Museum, but it was so well done. It was one of the highlights of our trip. We also really enjoyed Tubingen Germany. It is a cute medieval university town. The old town is so cool. It might be a good stop of place while going somewhere else. Down along lake constance aka the Bodensee, you have the Rhein Falls, which I saw in high school and was really neat. My high school trip also included a tour of Mainau, a botanical island. The flowers were so pretty. Have a fantastic trip!
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
It's not small or quaint, but Nancy is wonderful. And in Strasbourg, my favorite thing was the Museum of Alsatian Life.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3049 posts
Stuttgart from Strasbourg is only a 90 minute drive, so it's not that far out of the way. Nearby Tubingen and Esslingen are beautiful old German towns. You can take a scenic Black Forest drive to get to any of these locations (although it will add a couple hours to your driving time). That said, this trip sounds like a lot of driving already, so I'd also consider skipping Germany and just enjoying Alsace for a few days. Colmar is wonderful. Riquewher is tourist but magical, far more impressive than the much-touted Rothenburg OdT in my book. There are so many quaint and interesting towns to discover in Alsace. Souffelheim for pottery, in Eugesheim we ran into a great market and saw the famous storks...it's hard to go wrong in that area. And if it's German culture you're craving, it's worth remembering that Alsace was "German" far longer than it's been French, as is evidenced in the culture, traditions, and food found in the region.
Posted by
San Francisco
14575 posts
Hi, From Strasbourg as day trip r/t I heartily suggest Obernai, a small, quaint, charming place, smaller and nearer to Strasbourg than Colmar. You'll see the signs/menus on blackboards given in both German and French. There will be people in the service industry speaking both languages.
Posted by
Oregon
11 posts
We love Colmar near Strasbourg. It has lovely canals and colored buildings full of Alsacian charm.
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
483 posts
Another thing for Colmar is the Isenheim Altarpiece at the Unterlinden. One of my wife's favorite pieces.
Posted by
Paradise
6663 posts
Sunday, 9/15: Strasbourg Monday, 9/16: open (likely staying somewhere in Germany in the Black Forest) Tuesday, 9/17: open (likely staying somewhere near the Germany/Swiss border in France) Suggest you reverse these overnight stops. 9/15: Don't stop in Strasbourg. It's only about 45 minutes longer to ride the train from Strasbourg to the Black Forest town of Gengenbach, a fabulous little old walled town near Offenburg on the scenic Black Forest Railway. Spend 2 nights here. You don't need a car to visit BF villages like Schiltach, Triberg, Villingen, Haslach, and Gutach - your hosts in G'bach will give you a guest card called the "Konus Karte" which allows free travel throughout your stay on the scenic BF railway line and all other rail lines (and bus lines too) in the Black Forest. KONUS Karte details: www.dreisamtal.de/en/service/konus.php?lang=en GENGENBACH BLACK FOREST RAILWAY AND TOWNS HASLACH SCHILTACH 9/17: By train you can be in Strasbourg in 45 minutes.
The Konus Karte will get you to the French border, so you'll pay only for the border - Strasbourg segment. Spend your day, and maybe the night, there. Then get your car and drive to some town closer to the Swiss border if you wish, but Strasbourg is already pretty close to the Swiss border.