ladylyn915

My daughter and I leave for Paris in a few weeks. We are staying at the Muguet flat for one week. I have made some reservations for dinner at Le P'tit Troquet, Carmine's, Bistrot de Breteuil and Le Souffle. We are not going overborad on food and will probably eat in the rest of the week.
I am trying to decide about Giverney, and a day trip to the Loire Valley. The cost of a tour for two is very high considering the euro exchange, but it seems complicated to try to go on our own. Someone suggested we rent a car for a day or two. Does anyone here recommend this? I've driven a bit in Europe ( the South of France, Italian Riveria etc, but never in big cities)
Or, should we just forget the day trips. I really would like to see Givenery. This is my 4th trip to Paris and have never been able to get there.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Linda

Christina

I would never recommend anyone rent a car for a day or two just to see a few areas close to Paris. France has excellent public transporation, particularly around major cities, and there isn't any reason to do that. Giverny is easy to see on your own, just take a short train trip to Vernon (the station only a few miles from Giverny) and then a taxi or bus to the site. It's easy and cheap. Just check if Giverny is really open when you are there (I am not sure they are open in March, if that's when you'll be there), as well as hours and schedules.

The Loire is kind of a different story if you want to roam the countryside, as that can be best by car or a bus day tour company. There are train stations at a few of the major sites (eg, Blois, Amboise, etc.). But logistics and distance make that more difficult for a day trip. You could still do a day trip on your own by train if you only wanted to see one (maybe two) accessible by train. There are many other day trips you could do from Paris that would be easier than touring the Loire Valley, and no problem without a car.

frogoutofwater

If you are very keen to see Giverny, you should also make time to visit the Musee Marmottan in Paris. It has the largest collection of Monets in the world (the paintings at Giverny are mostly reproductions) - see the real garden at Giverny - and then see the real paintings at the Marmottan. It's in the 16th arrondissement.

For an easy (but long) day trip from Paris, I would highly recommend a trip to Reims (in Champagne) on the high speed TGV train. I would prefer it to the Loire (a longer trip). You could book a tour or two the big champagne houses, vist the Surrender Museum (where the Germans surrendered in WWII - in a schoolhouse - with the war room perfectly preserved), see the cathedral with Marc Chagall's stained glass windows and go on an Art Deco walking tour.

Viajero2

I recommend a daytrip to Bourges, a wonderful town about an hour by train from Paris and home of the Cathedral of Saint Ettienne. I found the cathedral far more spectacular and interesting (to me!) than Notre Dame (and a UNESCO Heritage Site no less!).

kerouac

Reims is hardly a "long" day trip, since the TGV only takes 45 minutes to get there. That's barely more time than I spend getting to work on the metro every morning.

ira

Hi L,

>it seems complicated to try to go on our own.

Go to http://giverny.org/transpor/

You take the train from Gare St-Lazare to Vernon. A cab to Monet's house is about 12E.

You might want to consider a daytrip to Auxerre. About 1:30 hr by train from Paris.

Enjoy your visit.

jay

Fontainbleu is also a very nice day trip.

ladylyn915

As usual, thank you all for your speedy replies! The Fodor boards are my #1 reference when planning a trip!

Christina, We will be in Paris 4/18 - 4/26. Giverney will be open and a train ride and taxi are fine, but how about getting back to the train? I thought I read something about having difficulty getting a taxi to take you back to the station. Not so?
Frog out of water, I love the idea of Reims. The Reims website listed many Champagne houses, but I am not sure how to get to them. Would we take a taxi from the station? And, yes we plan to go to both Marmottan and the Orangerie this trip.
Ira, thanks for the Giverney info and suggestion of Auxerre. But, I think, two "out of town" excursions are enough for one trip.
Viajero2, I'll save Bourges for my next trip thanks.
Kerouac, I agree 45 minutes is not long at all. I spend 1 1/2 hours in each direction to get to work each day from NJ to NY!

Christina

You might want to buy the excellent book "Day Trips in France" by Earl Steinbicker who describes many day trips, itineraries, maps for your walking tour, and transportation details.

I didn't take a taxi from Giverny so am not sure how difficult it is. It really wouldn't be difficult at all, it's just that you'd have to make some prior arrangement with a driver, possibly (to meet you at a certain time) or call up a taxi. I suppose you'd have to have their number and your own cellphone or there is probably a way to have them called at Giverny. I just took the public bus and didn't fool with that. You can't just walk out in front of Giverny with no plans and hail a taxi, no.

Reims is included in that book I recommended, and there are various ways. It is a big city so you can catch taxis around town in major areas with no problem, as well as at the station, of course. I'm not interested in champagne so didn't go to their establishments, but one is somewhat within walking distance of the train station (not a couple blocks, though). You would probably need a taxi to get to the others. Reims is a nice city to visit for a day trip, I greatly enjoyed it.

frogoutofwater

Thanks, kerouac - I didn't realize that the TGV had shortened the trip so much. I'll be back in Paris later this spring for work and I'm debating whether or not to make a weekend trip to Reims to replenish our rapidly dwindling supply of champagne. Mr frogoutofwater and I developed quite a taste for the independent vignerons' champagne when we lived in Paris. I don't suppose you know a wine merchant in Paris who stocks any reasonably priced champagne from the smaller houses?

seafox

Chartres is also a nice day trip by train. The cathedral is amazing and the town is a sweet place to spend a relaxing day.

ladylyn915

Thanks Christina, I will try to get that book. Perhaps it will be at Barnes and Noble.
We have definitely decide on Giverney by train and taxi/or bus.
Reims seems like a good choice as well.

Thanks Seafox. If I can't figure out how to get to Reims, I will keep Chartres in mind.

Thanks everyone.

On another note, has anyone ever attended the Friday afternoon fashion show at Galeries Lafayette? I wrote for tickets and got a reply for admittance for two. Just wondering if anyone has any first hand info to share. For example, do they expect you to purchase something from the show?

stormbird

Hi Ladylyn,

We did the Galleries Lafayette Fashion Show last November. We really enjoyed it. We had front row seats and felt very spesh!!

We hung around after and had some photos taken with the gorgeous male Canadian model.

There is no pressure to buy anything at all and I was glad we saw it.

We also did a day trip to Reims and had a blast!!! We walked to Piper Heidsig winery from the railway station - it will depend on the day what is actually open but the tourist office should be able to help you there.

Askar

For a visit of champagne cellars in Reims I would highly recommend the Pommery estate.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/2766368.jpg
It's open to visitors everyday, week end included, from 10am to 6pm. Guided tours of the cellars are available in French, English and German.
There is a bus stop just outside the train station on the left. For the Pommery estate it's the line F "Farman". You buy the ticket from the driver (1€ or so). It takes about 20 mn on weekdays. Get off the bus at the “Droits de l’Homme” stop. Pommery is just across the street. You can’t miss it.
Two major sites to visit in Reims are the cathedral – you will find Notre Dame of Paris very ordinary in comparison – and the St Remi basilica, both sites being on the same bus line.
Avoid to come on a sunday if you can. The city can be pretty dead in winter, especially during the winter months

ladylyn915

Stormbird, thanks!

So the tourist office is near the train station? If so, we will definitely be adventurous and do this one of the days we are there.

Thanks for the info.

Askar

Oops! "The city can be pretty dead, especially during the winter months"

frogoutofwater

We visited the Pieper Heidsieck (sp?) cellar when we were in Reims and found the tour to be quite entertaining. This house also has very good champagne. Although it's not always necessary to book a tour in advance, doing so can reduce the risk that the tour will be full and you'll be turned away - you might consider doing this with Pommery and Pieper Heidsieck.

The other scheduling issue you might want to consider is the various opening and closing times of the cathedral, the champagne houses and the surrender museum (which is worth a visit, even if you're not a WWII buff). When we were in Reims on a Sunday a few years ago, we organized our day as follows: a) champagne tour at 9:15 (a decadent way to start the day); b) then surrender museum (which closed at 11:45 am for lunch); and c) then the cathedral (which had been closed up until noon for Sunday service.

When you visit the champagne houses, it is worth paying extra to be permitted to taste more than one champagne - you'll get to try the more interesting (and expensive) stuff if you pay for a tasting, e.g. of 3 champagnes.

Askar

Piper Heidsieck is moving to the outskirt of town. The last visit of the cellars took place last November.

http://tiny.cc/gZ7sc

Christina

I also would suggest that one go to the surrender museum in Reims -- I really enjoyed that a lot, and I am not a war buff, just history buff. They had some great historic film clips, though, and just seeing the actual map room was something. It's called the Musee de la Reddition in French. It is the location of Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims and the site of the German surrender.

The tourist office is not near the train station, it's right next to the cathedral. It's very possible they have a branch in the train station, though, I don't recall. Their website gives you all kinds of info you can get ahead of time, anyway, including visiting champagne houses.

ladylyn915

This is great! I think we will try to go on Sunday. We'll try to get there for mass. I'll look up the time on the website and then go Pommeroy Estate if the train times work that is.

Thanks