smilinsnoboarder

Going to Paris for 5 days, and considering making a short trip to Strasbourg...looks gorgeous, but I'm not sure if it's worth $105 by train or plane (same price)...If I do go, any suggestions as far as which is better? Would the train be worth the time spent (4 hours) just to see the scenery, etc? Or get there in an hour by plane... What all do you do or see in Strasbourg, besides admire the beauty of the town?

StCirq

If this is your first trip to Paris, absolutely not...5 days in Paris alone will seem too few.

And even if it's your second or third or fourth trip to Paris, Strasbourg, while an attractive and interesting destination, wouldn't figure high on the places I'd want to leave Paris for, unless you wanted to experience a radically different side of French culture.

indytravel

In an hour by plane to Strasbourg? You haven't flown in awhile.

About an hour out to the airport, about an hour and a half ahead of the flight to clear security, about an half hour flight, about an hour to get from the airplane into Strasbourg. I'd take the train if you go.

I agree with StCirq. If this is your first time to Paris, don't bother to leave it during a 5 day stay.

smilinsnoboarder

THis will be my 2nd time to Paris. So, from mid-Paris to ORLY or Charles D'Galle by metro??? half hour? come to airport an hour early? hour flight. how far from the airport down into Strasbourg, and any suggestions on doing that?

Thanks so much! : )

susanna

I think that you really want to try Strasbourg so I will try to help. I think that the airport is about 20 minutes away, but IMHO, planes are late and trains aren't in France. I would also suggest that you take the train because it goes from the center of Paris to the center of Strasbourg.

We were just there in September, it was a wonderful place, very different from Paris. The architecture is half timbered houses which are beautiful, in Strasbourg they were mostly cream colored but in Colmar they were many many bright colors. We wandered around, Strasbourg has a great Cathedral, a palace and museum a small Alsatian museum, wonderful restaurants. It is very flat and we rode bikes for a whole day, took the train to Colmar which is very interesting and went on the wine rode to the smaller villages for a day. Sometimes you just want to go see something different and Strasbourg is a nice change, I will definately go back.

smilinsnoboarder

So the train is a good route, I understand. Do you think it would be a pretty ride as far as the view/countryside? And the train goes into the center of town? How far should I expect to walk to get to a hostel/cheap hotel, or is there some other cheap means of transport? (I'm a budget traveler and student, going alone.) Any other tips on the area? Thanks a lot!! = )

LunaBella

Hi smilinsnoboarder - As far as I remember (I took that trip last February), it was a pretty train ride: lots of snowy countryside at that time of year. You don't pass through very many towns but you do pass through Nancy which was a thrill for me because I'm a big art nouveau fan. (You can see many art nouveau buildings as you pass through town.)

Also the train station is indeed in the center of Strasbourg. I stayed at the Hotel Gutenberg which I can highly recommend. It was probably a 10-15 minute walk from the station and it was in the very center of town. Here's their website:
http://www.hotel-gutenberg.com/

I stayed there with a friend of mine who came over from Freiburg, Germany and although it was freezing cold we had a great time! Strasbourg is an adorable and a really enjoyable town. I loved the palace/museum! I had it almost all to myself while I visited and had a great day there (after my German friend went home). Also the cathedral is lovely. I was touched to find a sweet little sign inside it written in English, thanking Americans for the part they played in keeping Strasbourg in the hands of the French. (Yes my German friend and I had a fun discussion on this topic! And I also highly recommend the river tour, it was definitely a highlight. There are so many different architectural styles in Strasbourg and there's no better way to take it all in than a river tour.

Well either way, Bon Voyage! In my opinion you can't lose either way: stay in Paris or visit Strasbourg...

valtor

Strasbourg is very nice indeed. But to take one day from only 5 you have for Paris...no!! 5 dyas are not enough in Paris, and you will spend time by train to / from Strasbourg.
If you want a day out of Paris, go to Fontainbleu,or to Chantilly, or to Versailles, all of them are closer.

adeben

Save the trip to Strasbourg for another time. It's a city well-worth visiting, but the TGV line under construction should be finished soon. Then it WILL be an easy day excursion from Paris.

missypie

No, you need all five days for Paris. Include Strasbourg in a later trip to Germany/Black Forest/Bavaria.

AnthonyGA

You should spend all five days in Paris. Strasbourg would be a huge waste of time on such a short trip.

Also, there's no such thing as a plane trip that lasts less than five hours these days, no matter how small the distance between departure and destination points. For trips of less than a thousand kilometres in particular, high-speed trains are dramatically faster than aircraft.

smilinsnoboarder

So a trip to Strasbourg...a pretty ride on the train ~4 hrs... Stay one night or 2? I was in Paris this past summer. Really, how much can you really keep doing after 3 full days there? Last summer, I did all non-touristy things and hung out with locals. So, I guess that leaves the museums for this round and some more relaxing, browsing, etc.

suze

"how much can you really keep doing after 3 days there"

IN PARIS????????????????

That is a truly amazing statement. But since you keep posting about Strasbourg and seem you don't want to accept the unanimous vote that 5 days would be great in Paris... I think you should do whatever you want.

Seems like YOU want to go to Strasbourg real bad (for whatever reason) so you should go...

Spend 2 days in Paris, take the train and spend 2 nights in Strasbourg, train back stay 1 night Paris and go home. Voila.

Peteralan

Is Strasbourg worth it ? In my opinion it is definitely worth it as a destination as it is lovely but in terms of the time you have available I would say too much out of your Paris time. That said, I know you really want to go there and seem to feel you will have seen all of Paris you need to . So in that case I'd say go and enjoy but make it two days to fully enjoy it. Have fun!

smilinsnoboarder

So, I think the unanimity of the choice to go to Strasbourg has geared me toward staying in Paris and if anything going somewhere about an hour away for a day maybe... Chartres recommendations?

cls2paris

Chartres is a great day trip - the cathedral is awesome and the town is charming. Also, Monet's Gardens in Giverny is a fun trip for a 1/2 day or so. Have fun!

suze

I respect all the posters here and think a forum like this is a great resource for planning trips. but one thing we canNOT do, no one can, is tell you what you want to do on your vacation! so don't blame us if you are bored in paris and wished you'd gone to strasbourg instead -lol.

Zeus

Folks - I think you are overlooking one important fact, with a moniker like "Smilinsnoboarder" we are probably talking to a teenager or young adult. I remember when I was that age, (a long, long time ago) I could pretty much see EVERYTHING I wanted to see in 3-4 days. Youth is not patient or leisurely. I don't remember wanting to sit around for hours enjoying a great French meal - but now I would. I didn't care to go shopping at fashionable, over-priced Parisian boutiques - and I still don't but wifey makes me. I zipped through the Louvre in an hour just catching the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo - now I saunter through appreciating the depth and breath of the various collections.

My point is, Snowboarder very well could thoroughly enjoy Paris in "only" 3 days racing around at the pace a youngster finds natural. All the advice given in this thread is right-on for us mature adults, but consider the question asker.

I agree that going to Strasbourg is an awfully long, time consuming trip by train or plain. Although Strasbourg is well worth a visit, perhaps it would be better enjoyed on another trip. To be honest, I think a kid would get bored to death being confined so many hours on a cramped train. I think he/she would get more out of a day at Versailles or Chartres. It might be a good idea to pick up a copy of "Let's Go France" to get other ideas for day trips a little closer to Paris.

smilinsnoboarder

Yes, I am a young adult in my early 20's, but am an avid traveler and actually do many things the "typical young traveler" might not do.

I made a trip to Versailles last summer alone, (only to meet an awesome French family on the train, spent the whole evening and next 2 days with them....) just to see the evening fountain show (which was the last of the summer) that my fellow "young adult travel" companions opted not to as they just wanted to see the inside of the palace another day...

I do take interest in enjoying the food, cafes, fine art, etc. In fact, I spent one leisurely afternoon hanging out at a brasserie in Montmartre, met Argentinians (who live in France)there, spent the entire afternoon eating awesome food there and enjoying numerous great french wines at various places.

Thanks for the responses!

francophile03

Strasbourg is a beautiful city, no doubt. I agree, however, with those who say that you should devote all of your time to seeing more of Paris. There never is enough time to me.