Hi, we are traveling from Zurich to Paris and have 2 days to spend in France before we start our apartment rental in Paris. We will not have a car so the "stopover" must be on the train route. What town would you suggest and why? Thank you for your response.
Posted by
Huntington, WV
160 posts
Personally, I would give serious consideration to the Alsace region of northeastern France. The city of Strasbourg is beautiful and historic. You can visit the magnificent sandstone Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady with its famous astronomical clock, the incredible medieval streets with shops galore and wonderful restaurants (great wine and beer with tempting cuisine). Walking the streets and particularly the Place Kleber is an architectural delight. The city boasts a great variety of museums as well, particularly the Musee des Beaux Arts with paintings by El Greco, Rubens, van Dyke, Goya,...you get the picture. The old city center has a very laid-back, fun feel to it. I know that you'd enjoy it, especially if you appreciate wine and Alsacian cuisine. Have a great trip.
Posted by
Ojai, CA
591 posts
Agree that Strasbourg is a good choice. Another option could be Dijon (switch trains at Lausanne) if you're into wine and want to visit some Burgundy vinyards. Direct train service from both cities to Paris.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Another suggestion if you have two days is Colmar, between Basel and Strasbourg. A lot of people here find it more concentratedly attractive than Strasbourg and the number of attractions is just about right for two days. (It's possible that the through train from Zurich might not stop at Colmar, so you might have to change trains at Basel.)