Paris and where else?
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Paris and where else?
Mom,daughter and 12 year old grandaughter are planning a week in Europe.We will be flying into and out of Paris.We would like to stay 4 days in Paris but are looking for suggestions for another town to spend 2-3 nights that is easily accessible by train.
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Personally with only one week I wouldn't think of leaving Paris( there is plenty to do ,, and many, many daytrips you could easily take.. or even an overnight in Loire Valley to see the Chateau) but London is an easy trip on the Eurostar.. its city center to city center( so no airport commuting or hassles) in only 2 hours 15 minutes.. and tickets can be cheap if booked well in advance.
Or, Amsterdam.. taking the Thaly,, 3 hours.
Remember with only a week any extra travel uses minimally another 1/2 day to get to another city.. then you still have to find hotel and check in.. using up time ..
Weather and time of year would factor in for me too.. Brugges is fine for an overnight.. but really the charm of Brugges is in walking around.. so in rainy winter weather I wouldn't choose to spend days there.. whereas Amsterdam and London do have many indoor sites to visit if weather is yucky.
Nice is nice.. but not in winter, and it almost 6 hours by train, so uses almost a full day getting settled in there,, for only a three day visit.. you will only be left with one full non travel day there)
It would have been better if you had booked flying into Paris and out of another city so you didn't have to waste time backtracking.
Or, Amsterdam.. taking the Thaly,, 3 hours.
Remember with only a week any extra travel uses minimally another 1/2 day to get to another city.. then you still have to find hotel and check in.. using up time ..
Weather and time of year would factor in for me too.. Brugges is fine for an overnight.. but really the charm of Brugges is in walking around.. so in rainy winter weather I wouldn't choose to spend days there.. whereas Amsterdam and London do have many indoor sites to visit if weather is yucky.
Nice is nice.. but not in winter, and it almost 6 hours by train, so uses almost a full day getting settled in there,, for only a three day visit.. you will only be left with one full non travel day there)
It would have been better if you had booked flying into Paris and out of another city so you didn't have to waste time backtracking.
#10
The question seems to infer, to me, that you haven't spent a lot of time in the area. Correct me if I'm wrong, but with such an open request, I agree with justineparis. Rent an apartment in Paris, tuck in and imagine it's your home for a week and take a couple of day trips by train out of the city.
Indeed, the season might very well make some places better than others but the list is endless. When is your trip?
Indeed, the season might very well make some places better than others but the list is endless. When is your trip?
#11
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We are going June and have been to London.
We thought we do a overnight trip and spend 2 days.
Is a day trip along the Rhine to see castles possible?
Saw Strasbourg and annecy on another post that sounded good but not sure of distance or is there somewhere close by across the border.
We thought we do a overnight trip and spend 2 days.
Is a day trip along the Rhine to see castles possible?
Saw Strasbourg and annecy on another post that sounded good but not sure of distance or is there somewhere close by across the border.
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A lot of people don't want to spend an entire week in a city, I usually don't. Because if you don't get to travel to Europe very often, you want to see some different things.
I suggested on another thread Switzerland, you can get to Lausanne in only about 4:30 hrs from Paris by direct train, and Montreux on the lake is just a little beyond that. There is a chateau there, actually, which is quite interesting.
http://www.chillon.ch/en/index.cfm
I suggested on another thread Switzerland, you can get to Lausanne in only about 4:30 hrs from Paris by direct train, and Montreux on the lake is just a little beyond that. There is a chateau there, actually, which is quite interesting.
http://www.chillon.ch/en/index.cfm
#13
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if you just want to stay in France, there are many places you could go as the high-speed train can take you even down to Avignon and Marseille in only a few hours. Or Aix. In June, Provence could be pleasant.
#14
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Strasbourg is a short train trip from Paris and the city is lovely and quite different from paris. The Alsace region itself is lovely.
You can see our pics here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7644953485474/
You may also want to consider Dijon in Burgundy.
You can see our pics here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7644953485474/
You may also want to consider Dijon in Burgundy.
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No, the Rhine isn't "reasonable". Stay in Paris and take day trips. Go to Versailles (can't believe I am actually recommending this, 'cause I am not a fan) because you have your DGD and it will be of interest to her. You will have more than you will WANT to do and see in Paris and will be "sorry" if you are leaving to go somewhere.
If you really MUST go somewhere else, I would suggest Amsterdam.
If you really MUST go somewhere else, I would suggest Amsterdam.
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The granddaughter might like Giverney, but maybe not. Might be the same for Chartres. I, of course, LOVE them both. Versailles has a 'wow' factor--and history. Amsterdam has a LOT going for it, to me.
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There are 2 or 3 dozen (and actually more) places that are easy to get to by train from Paris where you could spend a few days so although the suggestions given here are good they are really a very limited selection of all the places available to you. I would get a few guidebooks and spend some time googling on the internet and learn about some of the other options not mentioned to get an idea of what might interest you and not leave your choice up to strangers (although they are quite knowledgeable strangers) who know nothing about what might interest you.
That being said, if your trip is only a week long and you have to start and end in Paris then you need to consider that your first day and last day are days you'll need to be in Paris, which leaves you five full days. The idea to spend all the time in Paris is a good suggestion but I also understand that you'd like to see somewhere else, which isn't unreasonable. If you want to leave Paris then consider flying into Paris and going direct to your other destination and then come back and spend your remaining time in Paris.
That being said, if your trip is only a week long and you have to start and end in Paris then you need to consider that your first day and last day are days you'll need to be in Paris, which leaves you five full days. The idea to spend all the time in Paris is a good suggestion but I also understand that you'd like to see somewhere else, which isn't unreasonable. If you want to leave Paris then consider flying into Paris and going direct to your other destination and then come back and spend your remaining time in Paris.