Need Help with France Itinerary for Alsace and Champagne Region
Jul 23rd, 2015, 02:36 PM
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Need Help with France Itinerary for Alsace and Champagne Region
We are traveling to France for a Walk and Wine Tour in the upper Burgundy/lower Champagne region. Unfortunately, we have had many interruptions trying to plan this trip so now I need some help and suggestions since it is getting closer to the departure date.
We are flying into Paris arriving the morning of Aug.29th and departing from Paris on Sept. 20th. We will be there for 3 weeks. This first week we will be on the Walk and Wine Tour (actually walking through small villages). We start our walk in Les Riceys on Aug 30th and finish in Chablis on Sept. 4th.
The 2nd and 3rd weeks we are on our own. We are thinking of renting a car at the Paris CDG airport for 3 weeks. We will be bringing along our GPS. If we don't rent a car at the airport, we are looking at Auxerre for car rentals. It iseems to be very difficult to find good transportation from Troyes to Les Riceys. I think there is a bus availability - not sure. I can't seem to find any information on it.
We would like to spend time in the Alsace region using Colmar as a home base and then in the Champagne area using Reims as home base. What towns would be best for visiting near Colmar and Reims?
Driving toward Alsace we thought maybe we might see Vézelay and spend a night or two in Beaune. (We have been to Beaune before.) We are looking to take a wine class in Beaune if possible. Another thought was to spend an extra night in Chablis (?), then on to Beaune for a night.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
We are flying into Paris arriving the morning of Aug.29th and departing from Paris on Sept. 20th. We will be there for 3 weeks. This first week we will be on the Walk and Wine Tour (actually walking through small villages). We start our walk in Les Riceys on Aug 30th and finish in Chablis on Sept. 4th.
The 2nd and 3rd weeks we are on our own. We are thinking of renting a car at the Paris CDG airport for 3 weeks. We will be bringing along our GPS. If we don't rent a car at the airport, we are looking at Auxerre for car rentals. It iseems to be very difficult to find good transportation from Troyes to Les Riceys. I think there is a bus availability - not sure. I can't seem to find any information on it.
We would like to spend time in the Alsace region using Colmar as a home base and then in the Champagne area using Reims as home base. What towns would be best for visiting near Colmar and Reims?
Driving toward Alsace we thought maybe we might see Vézelay and spend a night or two in Beaune. (We have been to Beaune before.) We are looking to take a wine class in Beaune if possible. Another thought was to spend an extra night in Chablis (?), then on to Beaune for a night.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Jul 23rd, 2015, 05:25 PM
#2
Random comments...
We dropped an Avis car at Auxerre. The office is within walking distance of the train station.
If you have any interest in classic/antique cars, one of the great auto museums in the world is located in Mulhouse, south of Colmar. The Schlumpf Collection at Cite de l'Automobile.
http://citedelautomobile.com/en/home
We explored World War I (Meuse-Argonne) sights while staying at a chateau south of Verdun that was used as a hospital during the war. Not sure whether it has A/C if that's important to you. It has a great restaurant.
http://www.chateaudesmonthairons.fr/com/
In Reims, we stayed at the Best Western which is within walking distance of the train station and an Avis office, as well as the main sights within the town. The hotel was nothing special, but the rate was very reasonable, the room was spacious and comfortable and included an outdoor terrace area. The breakfast was very good.
We had a very good lunch at Cheval Blanc in Vezelay.
A local recommended we drive through Vallee du Cousin south of Avallon. Route D427. It was a lovely detour.
We dropped an Avis car at Auxerre. The office is within walking distance of the train station.
If you have any interest in classic/antique cars, one of the great auto museums in the world is located in Mulhouse, south of Colmar. The Schlumpf Collection at Cite de l'Automobile.
http://citedelautomobile.com/en/home
We explored World War I (Meuse-Argonne) sights while staying at a chateau south of Verdun that was used as a hospital during the war. Not sure whether it has A/C if that's important to you. It has a great restaurant.
http://www.chateaudesmonthairons.fr/com/
In Reims, we stayed at the Best Western which is within walking distance of the train station and an Avis office, as well as the main sights within the town. The hotel was nothing special, but the rate was very reasonable, the room was spacious and comfortable and included an outdoor terrace area. The breakfast was very good.
We had a very good lunch at Cheval Blanc in Vezelay.
A local recommended we drive through Vallee du Cousin south of Avallon. Route D427. It was a lovely detour.
Jul 24th, 2015, 05:29 AM
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I second the best western ( hotel de la paix ) in Reims, great location and good rates.
If you want to visit the more popular champagne houses book in advance ( we went to Vuevue Cliquot in Reims which I highly recommend and Moët in Epernay, again recommended. Mumm was ok. Pommery is meant to be very good too.)
They have a great light show at the cathedral in Reims at night.....
If you want to visit the more popular champagne houses book in advance ( we went to Vuevue Cliquot in Reims which I highly recommend and Moët in Epernay, again recommended. Mumm was ok. Pommery is meant to be very good too.)
They have a great light show at the cathedral in Reims at night.....
Jul 24th, 2015, 06:13 AM
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Alsace : Riquewihr is a must imho.
Kayserberg is a very nice castle too.
Strassbourg of course.
Close to Beaune : every town there is nice and full of wine cellars...
You been in Paris before, don't want to spend 3-4 days before departure ?
Kayserberg is a very nice castle too.
Strassbourg of course.
Close to Beaune : every town there is nice and full of wine cellars...
You been in Paris before, don't want to spend 3-4 days before departure ?
Jul 24th, 2015, 08:58 AM
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Les Riceys is a very small village of less than 2000, I doubt if there is bus service there. I also doubt if you can drop off a car rental there, if that's what you want to do. There aren't any car rental companies located there.
I don't really understand fully what you are doing, but I'd be curious how they expect people to get to that location if you then are just walking for five days and don't want to rent a car and just leave it for that time unattended (and you'll end up in a different place, anyway).
You might just try to arrange a flat rate taxi from Troyes to Les Riceys, a car service. It's less than 50 km, even a taxi isn't out of the question, I've taken taxis as far as 25 miles in the US, after all. Between two people, that isn't a bad expense. HEre are 2 companies, for example
http://www.taxis-troyens.fr/
http://www.taxidutertre.com/
I don't really understand fully what you are doing, but I'd be curious how they expect people to get to that location if you then are just walking for five days and don't want to rent a car and just leave it for that time unattended (and you'll end up in a different place, anyway).
You might just try to arrange a flat rate taxi from Troyes to Les Riceys, a car service. It's less than 50 km, even a taxi isn't out of the question, I've taken taxis as far as 25 miles in the US, after all. Between two people, that isn't a bad expense. HEre are 2 companies, for example
http://www.taxis-troyens.fr/
http://www.taxidutertre.com/
Jul 24th, 2015, 09:30 AM
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Thank you to those that commented. This is our fifth walk on the Walk and Wine Tour. We were not able to be there last year.
pariswat - We usually allow 3 weeks for vacation time in France. In the beginning, we used to spend a couple of days in Paris before the walk, but that also meant leaving mid-week. We love Paris. My DH is still working which limits us on vacation time and we still need time for the holidays. If there is time at the end of trip, I would definitely plan on staying in Paris for a couple of days to R&R and to get reacclimated to the city.
I guess the issue is that I don't know how much time to allow for the Colmar and Reims regions. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
pariswat - We usually allow 3 weeks for vacation time in France. In the beginning, we used to spend a couple of days in Paris before the walk, but that also meant leaving mid-week. We love Paris. My DH is still working which limits us on vacation time and we still need time for the holidays. If there is time at the end of trip, I would definitely plan on staying in Paris for a couple of days to R&R and to get reacclimated to the city.
I guess the issue is that I don't know how much time to allow for the Colmar and Reims regions. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Jul 24th, 2015, 10:11 AM
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Christina - Thank you for the information. In the beginning, I couldn't find any information on transportation to Ricey-Bas or LesRicey. With some small towns and villages, not all transportation is daily. I haven't checked into the taxis yet. The tour couple did offer to pick us up in Troyes or help us get a car rental in Auxerre after the walk. She said it would be cheaper to rent one for 3 weeks than for two. When we checked into it, we found that it was much cheaper and also quicker to get to Troyes. It would take 2 train stops from the CDG airport to get to Gare de l’Est where you would pick up another train to Troyes. Another option was to take a taxi straight to Gare de l’Est then catch a train to Troyes. All of this takes a quite a few hours. Driving time is approximately 1-1/2 hours.
We have a few British people joining us on the tour this year. Most of the British people that join us on the tour bring their cars along (to bring wine back). They usually transfer their own luggage between hotels since we move about every couple of days. Yes, there is an issue that it will sit idle for a couple of the days. It will also give freedom if you want to drive to a restaurant at night or anywhere else - not that may happen. We are on our own for dinner for 4 nights during the walk. Just thoughts. CherB
We have a few British people joining us on the tour this year. Most of the British people that join us on the tour bring their cars along (to bring wine back). They usually transfer their own luggage between hotels since we move about every couple of days. Yes, there is an issue that it will sit idle for a couple of the days. It will also give freedom if you want to drive to a restaurant at night or anywhere else - not that may happen. We are on our own for dinner for 4 nights during the walk. Just thoughts. CherB
Jul 24th, 2015, 12:28 PM
#8
"I guess the issue is that I don't know how much time to allow for the Colmar and Reims regions. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated."
You have to figure out what you want to do in each region. You can 'see' Reims in a day, but there are any number of excursions you can make in all directions. We spent 2 nights in Reims and 5 nights near Verdun, but our interests were mostly WWI events and locations and not much about food and champagne.
You have to figure out what you want to do in each region. You can 'see' Reims in a day, but there are any number of excursions you can make in all directions. We spent 2 nights in Reims and 5 nights near Verdun, but our interests were mostly WWI events and locations and not much about food and champagne.
