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Alsace, Chamonix and Valle d'Aosta - does my plan make sense

Alsace, Chamonix and Valle d'Aosta - does my plan make sense

Old Feb 8th, 2018, 10:02 PM
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Alsace, Chamonix and Valle d'Aosta - does my plan make sense

I am looking to book a summer family trip. Fares out of NJ look quite reasonable for travel in June so I'd like to book soon. Unfortunately I haven't fully flushed out my plans and would appreciate your feedback. We are thinking of Alsace for this trip but would like to add an alpine destination in the mix if feasible. A little about us - we have done a reasonable amount of travel in recent years to Europe. Our favorite places to date have been the Dolomites, Bernese Oberland valley, Slovenia (Julian Alps and Logarska Dolina), Marvao (little hilltop village in Portugal), Douro valley and Skye (Scotland). We usually rent a car and travel at a fairly fast pace. Love our wines!

The rough plan I came up with is -
Fly from Newark to Frankfurt
Train from Frankfurt to Strasbourg
2 nights in Strasbourg. Rent car.
2 nights in Colmar. I have seen recent post with excellent recommendations from Stududley and others on villages to visit and other details. Thank you!
Drive to Chamonix. 4 nights in Chamonix - Chair lifts/hikes etc. To clarify our definition is of hiking is 3 hours or so max per day.
Does it make sense to add Valle d'Aosta - I am intrigued and the area/national park looks beautiful and fairly close. I also saw a bus service between Chamonix and Aosta.
Logistically does it make sense to drive or take the bus? Do I add a couple of nights or would you recommend that I skip it entirely because we will get our fill of scenery in Chamonix.
Lastly, return car in Chamonix and take train to Geneva for flight back to NJ.

My research is quite preliminary so feel free to point out any glaring mistakes as well as your thoughts regarding Aosta. Your feedback is much appreciated.
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Old Feb 8th, 2018, 10:30 PM
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Considering the toll fee through the Mont Blanc tunnel, you would probably be better off taking a bus to Aosta if you just want a short look. However, you might also considering going through the tunnel one way and then returning to France through the Petit Saint Bernard pass which is spectacular if a bit challenging. In June, the pass might not be open yet, so you would have to check that. The road would take you to Bourg Saint Maurice and on to Albertville. After that, it would be up to you -- the roads go on the Annecy, Chambéry or Grenoble...
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 03:16 AM
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I suppose you checked the fares to the Alsacian airports BSL and SXB too.
You could also check direct RT flights from NYC to Paris CDG (Primera Air, XL; fares start at less than 700 USD with 23 kgs of checked in luggage) , go by TGV from CDG to Strasbourg resp Lyon (both journeys last about 2 hrs) and rent your car there.

Aosta Valley is a gem: Tourism | Aosta Valley
You can reach it by car from Alsace along the Colmar - Basel - Berne - Montreux - Martigny - Aosta motorway and then go on to Chamonix - Geneva or Lyon.

You may drop off French cars on the French side of Basel or Geneva airport.
Public transport in the Chamoniy Valley and in the Aosta Valley is excellent. You wouldn't need a car for that.
Trains between Colmar - Mulhouse - Basel and Chamonix run every hr.
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 05:34 AM
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Kerouac - thanks for the tips. I did not realize Annecy was so close....will have to make a stop
Neckervd - yes BSL is more. I found direct round trip to Paris for $550. That is approx $300pp cheaper than Frankfurt/Geneva combination. Are there frequent TGV trains from Paris to Strasbourg and Lyon to Strasbourg to make it work? Or should I stick to the first plan? Seems like I would have to add an extra travel day to be safe using the Lyon route.
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 07:39 AM
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Paris CDG airport - Strasbourg (direct trains only, actual timetable, 1 hr 50 min - 2 hrs 03 min journey):
CDG dp 8.59, 11.21, 14.58, 17.43, 18.55
Discounted web fares around 50-70 EUR/pax, standard fare 115 EUR

Paris CDG airport - Lyon (direct trains only, actual timetable, 2 hrs 03 min journey):
CDG dp 6.57, 8.27, 9.58, 11.57, 13.58, 16.55, 17.58, 19.27, 21.16
Discounted web fares around 40 EUR/pax, standard fare 105 EUR

Lyon - Annecy: 2 hrs journey, trains resp railway company buses about every hr, standard fare 26 EUR/pax
Annecy - Chamonix: 2 hrs journey, trains about every 1-2 hrs, standard fare 25 EUR/pax

If your flight back starts in the morning, you could sleep at Paris (or Villepinte Parc des Expositions or at the airport) the night before and reach Paris (city centre) by direct TGV from Annecy (3 3/4 hrs journey), Annecy dp 7.31, 9.31, 12.31, 15.31, 17.31, 18.31
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 07:55 AM
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Good plan, although you could drive back to Geneva and return the car in the French section to avoid the cross-border fee on your rental. Check that out with Autoeurope.com.

Going from Alsace to the Alps, you might take a small tour of the Jura. Here are photos from my trips in the area: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7624529919999/ and subsequent photos.

The first part of this trip report would be relevant to your travels: Trip Report: Basel, Jura, Dordogne, La Rochelle, Paris
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 08:07 AM
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Book trains online yourself for France at www.oui.sncf - weeks/months early to get best discounts. Only applies to long-distance trains not locals. www.seat61.com has oodles of info on doing that - general info BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

If you want a thrilling way to go over the Alps from Chamonix to Aosta valley consider taking the Aiguille-du-Midi to Aosta area gondolas - long but thrilling ride - expensive and probably slower than bus but so so awesome.
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 09:49 AM
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Thank you all for the excellent suggestions/insights. Neckervd very helpful. Michael I've added Jura to the list to research more - with all these sights I am running out of time.
Palenq - ahhh that gondola looks amazing!
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 10:41 AM
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If just wanting to experience those thrilling gondolas but not go down to Italy just take them to Pte Heilbronner - just across the sea of ice and come back to Chamonix. Otherwise carrying bags is possible but a hassle - anyway one of the most thrilling not for Nervous Nellies gondola rides anywhere - especially when the small cabins stop to let folks on and off at each end - leaving you dangling high above the sea of ice far below - relief comes when the line starts back up!
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Old Feb 9th, 2018, 01:39 PM
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So true. I remember being in a Gondola in First (Grindenwald) and being 'stuck' for 5 or 7 min way way above the tree line and trying not to let the panic set in!
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Old Feb 10th, 2018, 02:57 AM
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" If just wanting to experience those thrilling gondolas but not go down to Italy just take them to Pte Heilbronner - just across the sea of ice and come back to Chamonix "
Leave your luggage at the Chamonix hotel and do the 2-3 days gondola trip up to Courmayeur (and then by bus to Aosta and back via tunnel) with some hand luggage (daypack)
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Old Feb 10th, 2018, 11:09 AM
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Though one could spend 4 days easily in Chamonix area the idea to take the gondolas sans baggage to Italy and Aosta is great idea - easy bus ride back.
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Old Feb 10th, 2018, 02:55 PM
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If money has any meaning to you, don't forget to compare the price of the bus from Chamonix to Courmayeur (15 euros) to the fare of the skyway.
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Old Feb 10th, 2018, 03:04 PM
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All excellent info. Thank you.
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Old Feb 11th, 2018, 08:26 AM
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Yes godolas on that route are awesomely expensive - but also something you'll remember forever.
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