Author: mileagemaven
Date: 11/28/2005, 08:36 pm
Help! I have reservations all over the place! I know I love Paris, but it's my husband's first time there. Leaving this Saturday. Will arrive 9:30 a.m. and do Rodin Museum and Seine cruise; Monday and Tues., the hop-on, hop-off bus. Now the question: Spend Wednesday and Thursday in Paris, going back to the neighborhoods we like (no museums for us; he can't walk) or take the Tues. 9pm train to Monaco (or Marseilles/Nice/ or what?) and arrive early in the morning. Stay overnight, and take the train back. Or: use the Railpass (2-days for $99) to go to Nancy and/or Strasbourg? The weather forecast, by the way, is rainy every day, everywhere, highs of 50 (Paris), 60 (Provence) and 40 (Strasbourg). Please help!

What about 5 years instead? Actually if you can spend as much time in Paris, all the better. As you know, there is alot to see and do.

Once your hubby gets a load of Paree, you may not be able to drag him away! IMO, the time the two days you'd spend rushing to and from another destination could be better spent in Paris. Even five days is little enough with so much to do there. If your husband has mobility problems, what could be nicer than cafe-sitting over a nice chaud chocolat?

There are never "enough" days in Paris!

I vote do three days in Paris and then take the train to Strasbourg. It will give you a feel of both places with Paris being more active, and Strasbourg a more relaxed pace.

I've only taken one trip to France. While I adored the thought of a week in Paris, I also wanted to see more of the countryside. I stayed four days in Paris and then took the TGV to another destination. Two days later I caught the train back to CDG. I found the train ride facinating.

Best of luck to you in your travels.

Spend all your time in Paris. The south of France will consume too many precious hours in traveling, and with only 5 days you'll be able to see Paris without too much rushing around.

I'd just stay in Paris, also, but I think your alternatives would be workable if you really want a change from Paris and can't think of anything you want to do for a couple more days. I definitely would NOT go to Marseille or Nice, though. I assume you know how far Nice is from Paris by train, and Marseille wouldn't be much of an attraction to me. If I went anywhere down there, it would be Avignon perhaps, which is the closest stop and a pleasant place to spend a couple days. Strasbourg would be okay, also, although I think it is actually longer to get there than Avignon as there is no TGV to Strasbourg. It would also be pleasant for a couple days, though, and probably in the Alsace/German Christmas-y mode.

I liked Nancy, but would choose Strasbourg if you haven't been there. YOu could even go to Reims, actually, and that isn't far. They have a couple very nice museums, the cathedral, and some champagne houses.

I don't know if that Railpass would be worthwhile for Strasbourg (although it's not bad for two days unlimited train travel, if that's what that means), but you could check. I think it might be cheaper just to buy a regular ticket. If that included TGVs, it would be worth it for flexibility as you wouldn't need to buy tickets way in advance for a particular time, as you usually do for TGVs. A regular fare RT Paris-Avignon TGV would be more than US$99, I think.

Hi Mileagmaven

I was just in Paris this past week. The cold really gets to you. I was expecting cold but still found myself doing less because. ...and I am a person that will ski all day in 10 below weather.

Missed the Seine cruise and regret it but we did notice only light passenger volume on most boats.

I would think it is worth it to cut down to Nice for the duration of the trip....and I would not have said that 2 weeks ago. Its not impossible to do Paris in this weather, just find yourself doing less.

If hubby can't walk, I'm kind of mystified that you'd be contemplating taking a train trip to somewhere outside Paris for two days - or even how you're going to manage the Hop-on Hop-off bus.

Can he really not walk? Is he in a wheelchair or something? Even if he were mobile, I'd suggest you stay in Paris the whole 5 days. If he really is incapacitated, all the more reason to simplify the trip.

I too would stay 5 days in paris, but if you want to see more, how about a day trip to Versailles or Fountainbleau? You can decide thsi when you are there and sign up for a bus tour which will take you there. I assume a bus works for you husband. There are many day tours from Paris so any decision can happen when you are there. I certainly wouldn't bother going to Nice etc unless you want to spend much of two days in transit.
Not my business, but I am confused about why you can't go to museums. If your husband has trouble walking, I would think museums using a wheelchair would be the best way to spend time, and I am relatively sure that the Louvre and Orsay are handicap accessible.