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1 week flying in and out of CDG

My daughter (24 yo) and I (47 yo) are flying into CDG May 18 and back to Maryland on May 26. We have been to Paris and prefer southern France. We will not be renting a car and are open to any ideas of travel to nearby areas (easily and cheap) or a week in Paris perhaps with easy day trips; or just staying a week in Paris. My daughter has been to Normandy and Mont St. Michel and Monet's house and gardens and we have no desire to see Versailles. We have seen Musée de l'Orangerie and Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre

We are on a budget. I would love any itineraries and or ideas. We may even stay in youth hostels but would love any inexpensive ideas for places to stay. We love the Latin Quarter area. (this was supposed to be a proposal trip with her boyfriend until they broke up)We both love Shakespeare and company book store. I would like to have hot cocoa at Angelina's again and see Luxembourg garden again. I loved the Louvre so may try to see it Friday from 6-9:15 pm while its free for my daughter's entrance and will purchase my ticket in advance. We love walking. We both have not seen the catacombs or Sainte Chapelle.

We are both also really open to a train ride anywhere or spending the entire week in another country. We are in good shape and can walk a lot. We prefer to get to know an area and would prefer an easy itinerary travel wise (since we don't speak French and my husband is usually our navigator).

Thanks you all for any all ideas.

You are so all over the place and have tagged the thread for half of western Europe. Not sure how anyone can help you much - without at least a little more focus on your part. Otherwise it would be us just throwing ideas against a wall and seeing what sticks. You have 7 days free (not counting your arrival and departure days). What ever you decide/wherever you go, you will want be IN Paris the evening of the 25th.

You are leaving in one month so what ever you decide - you need to decide quickly.

Two options (out of hundreds of options) -- on arrival in Paris immediately fly to London, stay in London 4 nights, take the Eurostar to Paris and stay the rest of the time there . . . Or . . . take the train from CDG to Lyon, stay 3 days, then train back to Paris.

Hi mjduncan, if you prefer southern France then maybe you can work on refining your ideas in that regard. Maybe a couple of days in Avignon or Aix-en-Provence?

I think with just a week you don't have a lot of time to see many of your proposed destinations and you would be wise to stick to somewhere that is a short train ride away. What about a trip on the Thalys to Lille or Brussels? The Eurostar to London? Or a weekend in Reims, which is full of history? The French kings were crowned there and it is the epicentre of champagne country.

All those destinations are close in to Paris so you can maximise your time. I agree with janisj, a couple of days in Paris and a couple of days in your other destination.

Lavandula

Paris - Brussels, Paris - Antwerp could be daytrips or an overnight and Paris - Rotterdam and/or Paris - Amsterdam could be overnight trips.

Especially Brussels has a great vibe these days if you get beyond the waffles, Manneken Pis and Frites.

I would suggest taking the TGV to Avignon or Thalys to Amsterdam for three nights immediately on arrival at CDG. Spend 3-4 nights there, then back to Paris for the last few days before flying back.

Consider le Parc des Butte Chaumont.
It's smack dab IN Paris, in the middle of a Parisian neighborhood maybe 3/4 mile north of the Seine, yet within its boundaries it's a world apart.
Quite rolling hills, a lake, etc. Google will tell you more. It's easy and quick to get there. Nice place for a stroll. Buy food at a nearby boulangerie to eat on a park bench.

London is a few-hour train ride too. So many options so few days. Paris - Paris-Bruges-Amsterdam could work for a week. Anyway trains are great - for lots of info on them check www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.