Hi AliceMiami,

You can find discounted train fares between Paris and Montreux for around 30-50 Euro if you buy them in advance. These discounted fares go on sale about 92 days early. They do sell out, leaving only the more expensive tickets, so mark your calendar and be ready to buy. You can find them at

www.tgv-europe.com

After you select your country do NOT let them bump you to Raileurope where fares are higher. Make SURE you choose "continue with tgv-europe."

In Montreux, a car will be a huge problem. June and July are high season, and the small streets will be jam-packed and the parking will be very competetive (and never free).

It's much (MUCH) easier in Montreux to use the town busses. Your hotel will give you a card making the busses free. They run every 10 minutes, and they run all the way from Villenuve (other side of Chillon) to and through Montreux and to and through Vevey. It is so much easier to just walk out of your hotel and hop on a bus, then hop off the bus at your destination. No worries about traffic or parking.

BTW, did you know that the huge Montreux Jazz Fest is taking place 5-20 July? Unless you want to see some of the musicians, I would avoid Montreux on those dates.

For the rest of your time in Switzerland, you should take advantage of some kind of a Swiss pass or discount card to reduce the cost of the trains. The one that always works best for me is the Half Fare Card, which costs 120 chf and gives me half off practically everything that moves for one month. You can see all the passes and discount cards at

www.swisstravelsystem.com

Have fun as you plan!

s

I am not sure how you computed the cost estimates. For Paris part, according to www.viamichelin.com, the one-way Montreux-Paris is showing as Toll 28.30 € + Petrol 62.68 € = 121.10€ and 6 hrs 30min plus car rental plus parking unless you have access to free parking.

For the train, it is 56.20€/person for train * 2 = 112.40€ and 4 hrs 30min according to www.voyages-sncf.com.

However, you mentioned "visiting relatives and touring around" without specifying what this meant, so it is not possible to give any further guidance on car vs. train.

Thank you both! It's great to know what to expect in Montreux and the pricing for gas and tolls is clearer to me now. We will be leaving Montreux before the beginning of July so will be avoiding the jazz fest (we love jazz but not huge crowds).

Family is in Berne area, near Zurich and also St. Gallen so we should be fine taking the train. We will be staying with relatives in those areas.

Any suggestions for reasonable hotels, restaurants in Montreux and in Paris? Is it worthwhile stopping in Dijon or any other interesting stops along the way?

Alice

We are going to Switzerland early September and are using 8-day Swiss Pass -- totally relaxing for both of us and no parking hassles & high costs. Swiss trains seem to cover every city. We also have been to France 5 times, so will address particular questions:

Montreux - Hotel Masson, recommended by friends whose daughter lived in Switzerland and took them all around. We are paying $230/nt w/ breakfast and are told location is prime for walking town. We are planning to see Lausanne, Gruyere and possibly take the Chocolate Train which fare will be included in our Swiss Pass. You can continue to Lake Annecy if driving, we will have to miss it as we return from Geneva.

Bern - We plan a day trip here from Interlaken especially if weather is less than sunny & clear in mtns. and plan to see the Klee museum.

Paris restaurants, no particular order of faves:
1. Les Papilles (discovered by accident 6 years ago, now #19 on Trip Advisor in all of Paris - marvelous) $
2. Les Bouquinistes (@ Seine Left Bank)$$$
3. Bofinger $$
4. L'Ami Jean $$
5. Polidor (near Sorbonne) $
6. Grand Vefour ( Palais Royal) $$$$ but unforgettable lunch and service
7. Angelina (right bank near Louvre) -- must: Chocolat l'Africain + pastries or lunch - ambience sublime Belle Epoque

Paris Hotel - Hotel les Jardins du Luxembourg (on tiny alley)


Dijon - Hotel du Nord - Wonderful burgundian city; the escargots, jambon persille are memorable in my mind since 1997; extremely convenient and near train stn.

Chenonceaux - Auberge du Bon Laboureur - outstanding inn stopover from which to walk across the street and visit this Chateau, our favorite in all of Loire Valley.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the wonderful recommendations! Love the Klee museum, we were there during our last trip.

Hi everyone, thanks to your great advice I just booked tix on the TGV Lausanne-Paris...and they happened to be on sale. Thanks so much for saving me beaucoups de euros. Now on to the Switzerland arrangements. I have been on the Swiss Rail site and considering a Flexi Pass or 1/2 price card. We will be there 6 nonconsecutive days. (2 days, then 4 days after the French leg of our journey)

Thoughts? Thanks again so much!