bluepeewee

Hi. We are taking our two boys,aged 21 and 19 to England and France over their college break this Christmas. We will stay for two weeks and want to get in as much site seeing as possible, with some specific excursions. My son is a huge Fulham Soccer fan and we will want to attend a game at Craven Cottage. We will also want to make a trip to Bedford to show them where I grew up. Also to Stonehenge. In Paris, obviously The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, but really not anything really specific because we have been there before.

We would like to do the Chunnel but I'm not familiar with it. Should we rent a car or simply take Chunnel all the way from London to Paris? I would like to fly into London and leave from Paris when we go back to Texas if not too expensive so we have enough time to see as much as possible. This will probably be the last trip we all take as a family with just our sons as they are growing up and doing things on their own.

My question is whether we have enough time to realistically do everything? I would love to be able to rent a car in Paris and just grand see some of the countryside.

Any recommendations with respect to any aspect of our trip, including best airlines, passes for Chunnel, etc would be very much appreciated.

RM67

You are better off taking Eurostar from London to Paris if you are already based in or near London. Driving down and putting a car onto the Eurotunnel service or going by ferry is unnecessary if you are planning on staying in Paris and its environs and not exploring France more widely (or if you plan on using the train for onward travel in France).

A week in each city with the odd side trip should work well. I think Stonehenge might be a bit grim in winter, but your call

Be mindful of the fact that transport options will be busy and expensive around the festive period and that some attractions will be closed on Christmas Day itself, particularly in the UK.

RM67

PS Boxing Day might be a good day to watch the football as there is usually a full programme then. I can't guarantee you will be able to get tickets but its not impossible.

janisj

I'd arrange the trip w/ Paris ON Christmas and London either before or after depending on your actual dates. London closes down more from about mid afternoon Christmas Eve through Christmas Day. There is no public transport on the 25th. Plus all tourist attractions are closed (and some are also closed on Boxing Day - the 26th). So while London is lovely then - over the specific Christmas Holiday, Paris is a bit easier.

There is no need for a car at all. The Eurostar train goes city center to city center in a little over 2 hours -- a total no brainer.

Bedford by train.

Stonehenge either by commercial tour or train to Salisbury and local bus or taxi out to the Stones. Salisbury itself and its wonderful Cathedral are worth a look see as well.

Yes, open jaw into one and home from the other



(One particular Fodorite will now come on and say "Yeah!! Told you so! They used 'Chunnel'" -- but it is really the Channel Tunnel and the train is called the Eurostar )

Hooameye

http://www.eurostar.com/

Rubicund

As far as the Fulham visit is concerned, the fixtures for Christmas 2015 won't be released until June/July of this year. As Fulham are no longer in the Premier League and are unlikely to get back there this season, you should have fewer problems in getting tickets. Fulham are currently 20th out of 24 teams in the Championship and are in danger of a further relegation.

The best you can hope for is that they are drawn away during your visit.

RM67

It will like as not be a London derby as Boxing Day fixtures are usually set up to minimise travel - probably Millwall or Watford (assuming they stay in the Championship too)