Paris day trips August

Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 07:28 AM
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Paris day trips August

We are staying in Paris for 10 days. We want to do a couple of day trips and a possible overnight? Suggestions for Loire Valley or Bordeaux region? If we do Loire Valley should we attach wine country as well? We will see Chartres, Versailles for sure. Any thoughts about Lyon vs Avignon???
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Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 08:00 AM
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It's a fairly long day to visit the Loire Valley from Paris, and the Loire IS wine country - what area were you referring to? Burgundy?

Bordeaux is definitely not a day trip. Even an overnighter would be pushing it. Avignon is also not a daytrip, nor would a single night there be worth it to me. Lyon is closer, and that is wine country, but you still could only get a glimpse of it in a day. Lyon and Avignon are completely different from each other - you need to read up on it.

You haven't mentioned Alsace, which is great wine country and only about 2 hours from Paris by train. Same with the Champagne region - Reims or Epernay can make a nice day trip.

Sounds like you have a fair bit of reading to do and examining maps for distances. And don't shortchange yourself in Paris itself. Paris for 10 days with 2 daytrips would work very well for many people.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 08:57 AM
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I've done Lyon in a day from Paris, that is a great day trip as it's only 2 hrs away by TGV. You can have an entire day there (from about 10:30-5 or 6 pm, depends what you want, even later if you don't mind getting back into Paris very late), as much as many people do sightseeing even if they are not doing a day trip. Besides, the main sites for first-timers are very close together in the center area (the old town, the funicular up to the basilica on the hill, Place Bellecour, and the square around City Hall.

I do think Bordeaux is too far as it takes 3:20 minumum by TGV, many trains are longer. Avignon is a toss-up, as it is under 3 hrs. I generally will go 2 hrs or less for a day trip without any concerned, and I have done 2.5 or a bit more if it were a place I really wanted to see and didn't know if I'd have another good chance. If you have been dying to see the Palais des Papes for years and are very interested in that history, you can do it, of course. Again, the main sites of Avignon are fairly close together -- the palace, the Petit Palais (excellent art museum), the bridge, and the Rocher des Doms nearby, I'd say. The main square is close and lively and fun with a lot of outdoor cafes.

Lyon is closer so if you can't choose between Lyon and Avignon, do Lyon.

As for the Loire, I think that is better with an overnight as it isn't as far as these others (you can get to Tours in only 1:15 hrs), but you are going to want to see more than just Tours city itself, I imagine, that's why people go there (to see some chateaux or whatever). And those are in the country and the logistics take longer. If you don't have a car, you really can only go to 1-2 due to schedules, and then you probably also need an overnight). Some tour that you might pick up in Tours that does a couple chateaux would probably be the most efficient. To add on wine country, you definitely need 2-3 days.

Of the ones you name, I'd do Lyon. But I'm just not that interested in chateaux, you may be. And I also do find Alsace or Reims good choices, also. There are more day trips from Paris you could do that are closer -- like Giverny, Fontainebleau, Auvers-sur-Oise, and the chateaux Vaux le Vicomte or Chantilly, also.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 09:41 AM
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You can take a TGV train to Tours and hook up with minibus tours from there that take you to some of the most popular castles in a day or half-day.

I would say rather than staying 10 days in Paris you consider doing say 7 and 3 in the Loire, Bordeaux, Avignon, etc.

Book train tickets well in advance www.voyages-sncf.com to get sweet discounts- for lots on French trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
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Normandy and its D-day beaches via train to Beaune and mini-bus tours to the top sights and Mont-Saint-Michel are other possible day trips from Paris or longer stays.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 11:44 AM
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I hope you're planning to visit Giverny.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 12:18 PM
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Three days in the Loire, Bordeaux, and Avignon (if that's what you meant, Pal) would be a logistical nightmare. From Bordeaux you'd either have to go all the way back to Parisf, then all the way south to Avignon. If you meant 3 days in any one of those, yes, that would be a good plan. I don't think of Avignon as wine country, though there are of course good wines all around.
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