Stopover between Normandy and Rothenberg ab de tauber

Were you planning to drop your car off in Germany and fly home from either Munich or Frankfurt? If so, be aware that there is a stiff fee for picking up a car in one country and dropping it off in another. It might be cheaper to drop off your first car in France close to the German border, take public transportation into Germany, and pick up another car there.

Linda,

Just so you don't get confused a Bayern ticket is the same thing as a Lander ticket. Bavaria in German is den Bayern, Lander (should have an umlaut over the A) translates to state or province.

As others have pointed out, Normandy to Rothenberg is a rather long car trip to only stop for one night, although it can be done. Based on your route, Strasborg is a reasonable half-way point.

Your chances of hitting a snowstorm are not that great, unless you drive through the Alps (which is not on your route). More likely, the northwest Europe can get quite foggy at this time of year. Also, be aware that the hours of daylight are greatly reduced at this time of year at that latitude, very different from Houston. Expect to do a lot of nightime driving. Roads in France are well lit, but the Germans use minimal outdoor lighting at night, and it can be difficult to see road signs and turn-offs. I suggest you put everyone in that car on the look-out!

A Bayern-Ticket belongs to the set, Länder-Tickets, but I wouldn't say that makes it the same thing. A Baden-Württemberg-Ticket is also a Länder-Ticket, but it is not a Bayern-Ticket.

Every German state has a Länder-Ticket. Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Thuringen actually share a ticket that is valid for use in all three states.

Land translates to state or province; Länder is the plural. So, when they say Länder-Tickets they are literally saying "States tickets". In English we would say "State tickets", but that's how they say it in German.

I would agree that you would be better off to drop the car in France and use public transportation to Munich. If you book early through German Rail, you can get some really good discounted fares.

Regardless, if you cross into Germany, Karlsruhe or Stuttgart might be good large towns in which to spend the night, but I would prefer a place called Freudenstadt, in the Black Forest. It on the way from Baden-Baden to Stuttgart.

If you cross at Freiburg, then somewhere on the Bodensee (Lk Constanz) would be nice.

For ease of finding it on maps or in searches, use "Rothenburg ob der Tauber". First, Rothenburg is a fortified town, Burg (pronounced almost as "bourk"), not a mountain, Berg (Beark). Ob comes from "Ober" (Ober der Tauber = over the Tauber river).

When traveling with 4 children, driving will be the cheapest alternative although the train is less work (for the driver and navigator). Drop off charges exist but aren't the end of the world depending on where you want to drive and drop off. I would price it both ways and decide what works best for you.

For rentals, make sure you get a big enough car. We went with five (one carry-on each) and leased a seven-passenger car. It was perfect for us but would have been too small if we had another person or more luggage. We picked up a French car in Amsterdam and dropped in Rome, even with the extra charges it was a great deal.

Normandy to Rhothenburg is not a small drive. I usually try to only be in the car for a total of three to four hours on a travel day. By the time you get packed, out of your hotel, moving, stop for lunch and/or sites, arrive at your destination, find your hotel, get checked in and settled it has become a full day.

The way I would choose (through Belgium, Netherlands, Koln, Rhine and Rhotenburg) wouldn't be a good two-day, one-night drive. Instead Normandy is almost straight West of Rhotenburg so go East in France, stop in either Nancy or Strasbourg for the night. If the car drop off charge is prohibitive, you can drop your car there and train to Rhotenburg and then in to Munich.

Once in Germany, you can use the Lander tickets on local trains (Strasbourg may be included in your German ticket but I don't know for sure). They are cheap and perfect for vacationing families. The local trains are somewhat slower, but for two relatively short hops (Strasbourg to Rhotenburg and there to Munich) should work pretty nicely.

If you get a chance you really should try to see Salzburg too. It's one of the most beautiful small cities anywhere, great views and very compact for walking. I especially like the view back into the town center from the river at night.

Hope that helps a little, have a great trip!

Another thought would be to do Normandy first then back into Paris. The trip from Normandy back past Paris makes the trip toward Rothenburg an hour or so longer, depending on where you will be.

You won't want a rental car while in Paris, so if you decide to train to Munich, you would only use a rental car for your time in Normandy.

As for travel to sights I would recommend around Bavaria - most, if not all, of the places: Füssen, Garmisch, Salzburg, Rothenburg, and a host of others, are accessible easily by regional (sometimes only by regional) trains. You can buy a Bayern-Ticket (five people) and a Bayern-Ticket-Single (one more) for €46. I don't think you can rent a 6 (or more) passenger vehicle for a day for that (gas might even be more than that).

The Bayern tickets are valid for unlimited rides on all regional trains in Bavaria all day long (from 9 AM weekdays) until 3 AM the next morning. They are also valid for travel on all conveyances (U-/S-Bahn, trams, and buses) of the Verkehrverbünde (like Munich metro)

If you were to spend the night in Strasbourg and drop off your car there, you could get Dauer-Spezial Frankreich fares at www.bahn.de for trains all the way to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Leave Strasbourg at 09:45; change in Stuttgart, Ansbach, and Steinach; and arrive in Rothenburg at 14:52. The cheapest fare (€29) is already gone, but the €39 fare is still available for 30 December.

Great ideas and suggestions! Thank you all for your advice.