Sue4

I'll be in Alsace for a week in October, staying in Strasbourg for first 2 nights, then in a village along the Route des Vins for 4 nights, ending up in the Colmar area to return car. Will probably stay in Kaysersberg those last 2 nights, not Colmar.

Now, my decision for the next 4 nights! Either 2 nights in Nancy and 2 nights in Reims - or train to Lyon for the last 4 nights before taking TGV back to CDG for trip home. I've checked the train schedules for both these plans and everything is feasible. I'm leaning towards Lyon, but would love to see Nancy and Reims, too. I'm going nuts trying to decide - please help!!

Christina

I've been to all those places and found them all enjoyable, so I don't know how to choose. I probably would choose 2 in Nancy and 2 in Reims, because I don't know that I would find Lyon that fascinating for 4 days. You will get to see two places that way, also, rather than one, and two very different places. I only spent one day in each of these cities, but could have easily filled two days in Reims and Nancy. I could have spent another day in Lyon, but would have had no desire to spend four days there. However, I was there in summer when nothing was going on in terms of performing arts, and in October, you probably can go to the opera or ballet, which are very good in Lyon. Nancy also has a good performing arts scene. If you aren't interested in that, I wouldn't choose Lyon myself.

indytravel

From a logistical standpoint, I'd pick Lyon for 4 nights. Otherwise you'll do 3 2-night stays in a row.

I find that checking out of a hotel and traveling to a new city can easily consume most of a day. You'll really only have a late afternoon & evening then the next day in Reims and the same for Nancy. Whereas with Lyon you'll arrive and have an afternoon & evening then 3 full days to relax and explore.

Last April I spent 3 days in Lyon. I went back for 3 more this spring. I still haven't seen all I want to. The views from the Fourviere Basilica are beautiful. I climbed the north tower this time. I like walking along the Presqu'Ile side of the Saône River at dusk and watching the lights come on in Old Lyon ? a UNESCO world heritage site. There's a boat tour of the river too. That was a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours with my Dad.

The art museum is very nice. So are the decorative arts and textile museums. People watching at Place Terreaux is excellent. The Roman archeology museum is interesting and so are the two Roman coliseums. One is still used today for outdoor music venues. I'm not much of a shopper, but I will get sucked into window shopping for antiques. The stores along r Auguste-Comte north of Place Carnot are very nice.

I have yet to see any theater in Lyon: opera, ballet or symphony. I still haven't seen the WWII Resistance Museum, Printing Museum, Gadagne Museum, Maison des Canuts (weavers) or the Jardin des Plantes in the Croix Rousse area with its Roman amphitheater

I keep getting distracted by the dining. Lyon is THE place to eat in France. I had a wonderful meal at a Jean-Paul Lacombe restaurant this spring. The little bouchons (like bistrots) are excellent too. I've eaten at 3 along r Marronniers. Brasserie Georges founded in 1836 is huge, has great food and live jazz on Saturday nights.

DAX

I also have made two trips to Lyon but I have to tell you it is a rambling old city. There's a lot to do but a bit hectic not relaxing. I would combine it with Dijon, Beaunne or Bourg en Bresse. Burgundy will probably suit you very well unless you're a champagne person.

Sue4

Thanks for the replies! From a logistics viewpoint,as Indytravel says, Lyon would be better. That's one reason I was leaning towards it. I spent 12 days in Burgundy last October, and just loved it, but never made it to Lyon.
I am considering extending my stay in Strasbourg to 3 nights, and taking a daytrip to Nancy from there - it looks like an easy train ride. I saw on a previous thread of mine that Christina did that. I've also been trying to figure out how to go to Nancy from Colmar for 1 or 2 nights, then to Lyon from there. Unfortunately, my full day in Nancy would be on a Tuesday, and all the museums are closed!

I'll still ponder this some more. It's fun, even if it gives me a headache. I know I can do Reims someday from Paris, and Lyons is such an easy trip direct from CDG. But I may never see Nancy if I don't do it this time. Any other opinions still appreciated!

Christina

well, I think you can't go wrong whatever you do. You see, I'm not remotely a "foodie", so don't really care about dining scenes and the fact that Lyon is known for its cuisine, that's of no important to me at all. I'm not that crazy about Roman ruins, either, I admit. I do love classical music and ballet, which is why that would be important to me in Lyon -- their opera house was designed by Jean Nouvel and I have several CDs of the Lyon Opera Orchestra because they are wellknown (Kent Nagano used to be conductor, but isn't any more).

Well, you can do Nancy as a day trip from Strasbourg, that is true, and you could see it. YOu can see the highlights of Nancy in a day.

There is a train from COlmar to Nancy, but I think you have to go through Strasbourg--it's basically going from Colmar to Strasbourg and then to Nancy. I don't think there's a very direct train route from Nancy to Lyon, you are right. I only have a rudimentary train route map, but it looks fairly possible. The main line going down to Dijon and then to Lyon runs just a short distance west of Nancy. It's possible there is some station that would be not that hard to get to by taxi, even.

I just looked at the SNCF site and it's not that hard by train -- you take a 20 min short train ride from Nancy to Toul (which is a small town to the west). Toul is on the main line to Dijon and Lyon. YOu can take a regular train (Corail) from Toul to Lyon, which takes about 4 hrs (eg, there is one around 1 pm from Toul which arrives in Lyon around 5 pm, on Sat). Or, you take the local train to Dijon from Toul and then catch the TGV from Dijon to Lyon. That is not quicker, though, at least not in the afternoon, as the transfer and wait for the TGV takes more time than continuing on the Corail directly.

Christina

I just noticed you said you would be in Nancy on Tuesday and all museums are closed. I probably wouldn't go then, as they were some of the main reasons I liked it so much -- espec. the Lorraine regional historical museum (Musee Lorraine) and the Art Nouveau Ecole de Nancy museum. It is a lovely town and parts, and there is the Joan of Arc connection and I think their main "place" (Stanislas) is about the most perfect one I've seen -- but I wouldn't go if the museums were closed. I know the Ecole de Nancy museum is only open Wed-Sun and the other main museums are closed Tuesdays.

Sue4

Thanks, Christina, for the train information. I'm still going to try to figure all this out. The extra day in Strasbourg to take a daytrip to Nancy may be the answer. I agree, I definitely don't want to go on a Tuesday. The museums in Strasbourg and Lyon are also closed on Tuesdays. I want Tuesday to be my "traveling day". While in Lyon, I would like to go to Perrouges for a daytrip, but probably can't, since I won't have a car. Maybe there is some kind of a bus trip there -
anybody know?

indytravel

I really, really respect Christina's advice. She's one of the few along with StCirq, cigalechanta, klondike, grasshopper, Btilke, hanl, and Underhill who regularly give great advice if you're interested in traveling outside of Paris.

From reading the forum for a few years I know that Christina is not a foodie. That's why I mentioned food in my earlier post. One of Lyon's main draws is the food. Are you a foodie? If so Lyon is at one point or another a must visit. If you aren't then it may not be for you.

You can get to Pérouges by public transportation from Lyon. The train goes to Meximieux. From what I understand it's a small town at the base of Pérouges. Just a couple of hundred yards and 10 minutes on foot up the hill to Pérouges.

Christina

gee thanks, Indytravel, I always really like your advice, also. It's good to get different perspectives on these things so you can decide. I did win a Betty Crocker contest when I was 17 yrs old and got my picture in the paper, but it's been downhill from there.

Anyway, I would definitely go to Perouges. I was thinking of that, but figured you'd know about it. I myself would have wanted something outside of Lyon to do if I were there 4 days, I think. Of course, I never was, so I could be wrong. I also have a degree in Clothing and Textiles so did really like Lyon for that reason -- it was heaven as their Textiles Museum is one of the best in the world. I will have to go back someday for that. I did not have time to visit the silk museum or silk factory you can visit a little on the north side of town, and I was sorry about that.

If you haven't seen it, Perouges has a good website with info. I've always wanted to go there since they had the G7 summit there in 1996
http://www.perouges.org/

I figured there would be a bus or something as it's only about 20 miles away from Lyon, so the train sounds possible. Even a taxi wouldn't probably cost that much, not sure if there are two of you or not.

Sue4

Thanks Christina and Indytravel for the info on Perouges. I had no idea there would be a train nearby, so that is great to know. I agree, both of you give wonderful information on this forum! Even if I don't make Lyon this trip, I certainly will later. By the way, I'm not really what you would call a "foodie", but my mouth waters when I read descriptions of the food in Lyon. So I know I would enjoy that aspect. But one of my favorite things in France is buying goodies at the boulangeries and picniking in the parks.

annetti

Hi. I just spent 5 wks in Lyon, and while I've spent 2 or 3 days in Reims, I would bypass it in favor of Lyon. Besides the Beaux Arts (michelin gives it 3 stars), the Gallo Roman, Resistance Museum, Textile Museums, and Decorative Arts Museum are excellent. Food is great. Lots of places to walk; Unesco site. Beautiful Renaissance bldgs. The fouviere. The list goes on and on. You can easily keep yourself entertained for 4 days. We did it for 5 weeks, though we took a lot of side trips in between when we tired of big city life. Perouges is close, pretty, but not much to recommend it when you have such a short amount of time in Lyon. It will take you longer to get there than to visit it.

scheraulei

Sue4 -- I've heard Nancy is drop dead gorgeous. Go with Nancy. Lyon is too "big city".