malvarez730

My friend and I will be in Paris in Sept 09. After a week in Paris, we plan to rent a car just outside Paris and would like to see Dijon and Lyon.
We have 7 nights before our return flight from Frankfurt. Thought we'd train from Lyon to Strasbourg then to Mainz for the night just before our flight.
Looking for advice on:
B&Bs in Dijon/Lyon - how many nights in each? As well as any B&B suggestions for Strasbourg and/or Mainz. Have searched tripadvisor and the fodors site but not too many inns for Dijon - we need 2 beds ;-) Wish we could do Coco's place.
Should we keep the car and drive to Strasbourg - or leave the car at Lyon Gare? Lyon-Strasbourg is 5 hours on train - then 2 train connections to get to Mainz. Our flight isn't til 2p out of Frankfurt.
We really like to drive and meander through areas - I drive, she navigates - and are hoping to stumble across little gems. Is this region of France scenic - Lyon to Strasbourg - or is it best done by train?
Oh, we aren't wine drinkers. We both live in wine country of California and aren't interested in much of the "wine" stuff in France.
Any and all comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Megan

altamiro

Dijon and Lyon from Paris and you rent a car? Why? Paris-Lyon is THE TGV line, with many trains stopping at Dijon. Paris-Lyon on the train is roughly 2 h, as opposed to 4-5 h by car.

ira

Hi M,

I think that I would take the TGV to Lyon, pick up the car there and drop it in Strasbourg.

The Europcar office is just across the street from the train station.

It's about 2 hr from Lyon to Dijon, and 3 hr to Strasbourg. 3hr and 6hr, respectively on the "sightseeing" route at www.viamichelin.com.

The Dijon/Strasbourg drive is very scenic.

See my trip report for more details:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35014078

You have 6 nights for your road trip.

I suggest 2 nights in Lyon, 2 in Strasbourg and 2 in one of the small towns in Alsace.

What is your budget for lodging?

DalaiLlama

You say "... really like to drive and meander through areas - I drive, she navigates - and are hoping to stumble across little gems."

So a car makes a lot of sense for you. One of those gems you should not bypass (there is no train to get there anyway) is Vézelay (google it), and along the way from Paris to Lyon you could also swing by places like Germigny-des-Prés, Bourges, Fontenay, Saint-Révérien, Saint-Andoche in Saulieu (goes back to the elevenhundreds), famous Cluny, and lots of others.

Nothing wrong with the TGV, but it is at the opposite end of "meandering".

PalenQ

Search Fodor's for a great flat rental in Dijon - www.myhomeindijon.com - a unique experience - read about it on several recent threads where many Fodorites rave about this place and Coco who runs it and gives a person touch to your visit. Smack in center of town.

malvarez730

altamiro: We rented a car in Paris in '07 and really enjoy driving around the countryside. Wanted to break it up between trains and car.

Ira: lodging budget is up to 200US. We are mostly doing B&B lodging - we're starting in Amsterdam and ending in Paris after two weeks, then meandering for the last week.

So train to Lyon and then drive to Dijon? or is it better to stop via train, explore Dijon, then go to Lyon? Thanks for your trip report link - wow!

Are you familiar with the trains from either Alsace or Strasbourg to Mainz? We really like the idea of dropping the car in France and avoiding the drop off fee - as well as staying the night in Mainz before our flight out of Frankfurt to avoid the expensive hotels near the airport.

Based on our dates, we're leaving Paris on a Friday - should I be concerned with the "market" days?

Again, thank you so much for your help - I can't wait to get home tonight to be able to read your entire trip report!

malvarez730

DalaiLlama: Thanks for your reply. Exact opposite of meandering ;-) Can we explore the towns you've mentioned in a day, two days? Thanks so much for the towns to add to our info.

PalenQ - yes, wish Coco's place would work - we've read all about it and although we're great friends, we really like to have our own separate beds.

Can anyone recommend a B&B in the Dijon/Lyon area? We usually do apartments but for this trip we're excited about staying with new people, both the hosts and the other guests.

malvarez730

Still hoping for some lodging ideas from Lyon-Dijon to Strasbourg preferring B&Bs - Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

DalaiLlama

“Can we explore the towns you've mentioned in a day, two days? ”

Google them and see how much you want to do in each place or nearby. Vézelay and Germigny-des-Prés and St. Révérien each is a church out in the country. Bourges and Saulieu are towns where the main attraction is the cathedral. Fontenay and Cluny are abbeys. None of these take forever to see, but you have to get there (use www.viamichelin.com), and you have to stop and eat somewhere, and time flies...

malvarez730

Thanks DaliLama for your response. Were you driving when you visited these areas? Where did you stay the nights?

DalaiLlama

"Thanks DaliLama for your response. Were you driving when you visited these areas? Where did you stay the nights?"

I visited all these but not all on the same trip. Yes, by car. Stayed with private.

I would just pull into small towns and even villages - there are always lodgings to be had in September when everybody is back at work and in school. Some restaurants just have two or three rooms for guests, they may not even be on the internet, and in older country-style buildings the plumbing may be a bit adventurous, but - hey - it's all in good fun, no?

If you get there in time and there is a local syndicat d'initiative still open, ask, or ask at any restaurant or bar or post office, people will point you in the right direction. In small towns and villages everybody knows somebody who rents out a room for the night - they may not speak much English, but that, too, can be fun. You'll have a little dictionary and phrasebook I trust?

Enjoy!

malvarez730

Thanks Dali - I'm thrilled to hear you were in a car. Sometimes I feel a bit silly wanting a car since the trains are so great. Oh, lord, travel without a plan??? Sounds so fun and spontaneous, just might have to throw caution to the wind ;-)

Thanks again. Have you driven the eastern direction towards Strasbourg before? Wondering how that drive is as well