iregeo2

Greetings. Today I am starting to plan a 12 day trip for late this July with my 91 year old very spry father. We plan to start with 4 nights in Paris, then dad has his heart set on 3 days leisurely driving in the French countryside on our way to spending 3 nights in Switzerland, (for now, say Bern with day trips.) I am not really interested in driving in the Alps, as I suspect it is difficult driving but please, correct me if I am wrong.

Can you please suggest a leisurely driving itinerary for us? We are willing to stay in different towns each of those nights, or one place and do day trips. Also, I would be more comfortable with reservations at that time of year, rather than just trying to catch a room when we get tired. Agree? Disagree?

As for Switzerland, we will be visiting friends in Ligerz for at least a hot air balloon ride and dinner. I'm thinking that Bern would be a good hub for day trips to Ligerz, Grindewald and Interlaken. Your thoughts?

As always, thanks for all suggestions.

kerouac

Take a look at www.viamichelin.com which can suggest scenic driving itineraries.

iregeo2

Thanks kerouac. Will do.

Michael

Here are some places in eastern France that would be on your way to Switzerland, using secondary roads:

https://flic.kr/p/8w9Bqb
https://flic.kr/p/8pwk9n https://flic.kr/p/8pzwbj
https://flic.kr/p/8pwpz8
These are all geo-tagged so that you can locate them on a map and see if they would fit your idea of an itinerary to get to Switzerland.

iregeo2

kerouac, I don't see an option for scenic driving itineraries on viamichelin. Can you tell me how to access that function? Thanks.

Michael

I think that they changed their layout and eliminated that function. It was called the discovery itinerary.

However, Michelin does have a map of France giving the location of all the plus beaux villages, and one could plan an itinerary just by going from one village to the next.

FNAC in Paris should have this map:

https://www.themapcentre.com/micheli...29-25635-p.asp

Michael

I checked on line fir the plus beaux villages and it is only be bending south that you would hit any of them. I found Saint Amand in Michael Busselle's Discovering the Villages of France.

iregeo2

Thank you so much Michael!

shelemm

There are so many possibilities. I would be tempted to do this route:
Paris / Sens / Auxerre / Chablis / Semur-en-Auxois / Saulieu / Meursault / Beaune / Chalons -sur-Saone / Bern

iregeo2

Thank you shelemm. Can't wait to have a look!

kerouac

Just on instinct, I would drive to Alsace and then through the Jura region into Switzerland. One place to which I hope to return is La Chaux-de-Fonds, the watch making capital of Switzerland where I fell in love with the Musée de l'Horlogerie.

iregeo2

La Chaux-de-Fonds sounds interesting, and right up my father's alley. Thanks.