Alsace or Loire Valley?
Mar 21st, 2003, 04:18 AM
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Alsace or Loire Valley?
I am planning a trip to France for 3 days at the beginning of May and am trying to decide between Alsace or Loire Valley regions. Which one? Any opinions/recommendations?
Mar 21st, 2003, 05:28 AM
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That is a hard choice. Both are great places to visit, and it depends on what you are looking for. Alsace has a nice mix of French and German influences, really interesting food, lots of good wine areas, old castles, and great drives along the Rhine river. You can also easily cross over into Germany and spend time in the Black Forest. The cities and towns are very attractive and tend to resemble German more than French style. It is a wonderful area. A really neat thing to see is the great castle on top of a mountain called Haut Koenigsberg Castle, south of Strasbourg.
If you are interested in the historic country houses of the French nobility then the Loire Valley is the place to go. Many interesting châteaux to see. A good place to base yourself is Amboise, a nice smaller town with good hotels and dining. It also is centrally located for visits to the châteaux.
In either area you will most likely want a car to really be able to explore. I can not say one is better than the other since they are different. Each is equally appealing to me. If I was forced to choose I would probably select Alsace but only because I like the mix of French and German cultures and the hillier terrain.
Hotels I have used in both areas if you are intersted:
In Strasbourg, the Regent Contades, great hotel.
In Amboise, Le Manior Minimes, very nice old manor hours converted to hotel.
If you are interested in the historic country houses of the French nobility then the Loire Valley is the place to go. Many interesting châteaux to see. A good place to base yourself is Amboise, a nice smaller town with good hotels and dining. It also is centrally located for visits to the châteaux.
In either area you will most likely want a car to really be able to explore. I can not say one is better than the other since they are different. Each is equally appealing to me. If I was forced to choose I would probably select Alsace but only because I like the mix of French and German cultures and the hillier terrain.
Hotels I have used in both areas if you are intersted:
In Strasbourg, the Regent Contades, great hotel.
In Amboise, Le Manior Minimes, very nice old manor hours converted to hotel.
Mar 21st, 2003, 05:28 AM
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That is a hard choice. Both are great places to visit, and it depends on what you are looking for. Alsace has a nice mix of French and German influences, really interesting food, lots of good wine areas, old castles, and great drives along the Rhine river. You can also easily cross over into Germany and spend time in the Black Forest. The cities and towns are very attractive and tend to resemble German more than French style. It is a wonderful area. A really neat thing to see is the great castle on top of a mountain called Haut Koenigsberg Castle, south of Strasbourg.
If you are interested in the historic country houses of the French nobility then the Loire Valley is the place to go. Many interesting châteaux to see. A good place to base yourself is Amboise, a nice smaller town with good hotels and dining. It also is centrally located for visits to the châteaux.
In either area you will most likely want a car to really be able to explore. I can not say one is better than the other since they are different. Each is equally appealing to me. If I was forced to choose I would probably select Alsace but only because I like the mix of French and German cultures and the hillier terrain.
Hotels I have used in both areas if you are intersted:
In Strasbourg, the Regent Contades, great hotel.
In Amboise, Le Manior Minimes, very nice old manor house converted to hotel.
If you are interested in the historic country houses of the French nobility then the Loire Valley is the place to go. Many interesting châteaux to see. A good place to base yourself is Amboise, a nice smaller town with good hotels and dining. It also is centrally located for visits to the châteaux.
In either area you will most likely want a car to really be able to explore. I can not say one is better than the other since they are different. Each is equally appealing to me. If I was forced to choose I would probably select Alsace but only because I like the mix of French and German cultures and the hillier terrain.
Hotels I have used in both areas if you are intersted:
In Strasbourg, the Regent Contades, great hotel.
In Amboise, Le Manior Minimes, very nice old manor house converted to hotel.
Mar 21st, 2003, 09:14 AM
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Curt did an excellent job in describing these places. I think it does depend on your interests and tastes.
I'd choose the Loire because I am not crazy about Alsace, dislike the cuisine, and it's too German. If I wanted a German trip, I'd go there. There are tons of German tourists in Strasbourg, also. The seem a little cranky around there, maybe because they don't know who they are.
I'd choose the Loire because I am not crazy about Alsace, dislike the cuisine, and it's too German. If I wanted a German trip, I'd go there. There are tons of German tourists in Strasbourg, also. The seem a little cranky around there, maybe because they don't know who they are.
Mar 21st, 2003, 11:16 AM
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If this were my first experience, I too would choose the Loire. I'm not a big fan of Alsace OR its food, though I've been several times and have appreciated some of the small villages and pretty vineyards and architecture, as well as some of the historic aspects of Strasbourg and Colmar. But it IS Germanic, and when I visit France I'm not looking to have a Germanic experience. The Loire is very unlikely to disappoint you in any way; it is quintessentially French, and the food is a lot better than Alsatian fare IMO.
Mar 21st, 2003, 08:29 PM
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Juli
We enjoyed both, but I recommend Loire Valley, home base Amboise. We stayed at a Rick Steves recommended B&B.
" Le Vieux Manor is a better (than Le Manoir des Minimes) high-end splurge. American ex-pat Gloria Bellnap (a wealth of info) has completely restored this secluded but central manor home with an attention to detail that Martha Stewart would appreciate. The lovely breakfast room opens to immaculate gardins, the public spaces are American cozy, and the six bedrooms would make an antique collector drool.....hearty breakfast, easy parking....tel. 02 47 30 41 27, www.le-vieux-manoir.com"
Gloria helped with daily activity planning, dinner reservations( included tire star experience),and good conversation. A great experience.
Gary
We enjoyed both, but I recommend Loire Valley, home base Amboise. We stayed at a Rick Steves recommended B&B.
" Le Vieux Manor is a better (than Le Manoir des Minimes) high-end splurge. American ex-pat Gloria Bellnap (a wealth of info) has completely restored this secluded but central manor home with an attention to detail that Martha Stewart would appreciate. The lovely breakfast room opens to immaculate gardins, the public spaces are American cozy, and the six bedrooms would make an antique collector drool.....hearty breakfast, easy parking....tel. 02 47 30 41 27, www.le-vieux-manoir.com"
Gloria helped with daily activity planning, dinner reservations( included tire star experience),and good conversation. A great experience.
Gary
Mar 22nd, 2003, 07:10 AM
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The Loire valley of course. I've been in the Alsace several times...always rain or dense fog.
Why wouldn't you stay in a château yourself? I can recommend you the "Câteau des Marais"**** located in Muides sur Loire. Great park, superb swimming pool and neighbourcastle of Chambord.
Why wouldn't you stay in a château yourself? I can recommend you the "Câteau des Marais"**** located in Muides sur Loire. Great park, superb swimming pool and neighbourcastle of Chambord.
Mar 22nd, 2003, 12:49 PM
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Juliekl - both are delightful areas, but I, like Curt, really enjoyed the mixing of culures in Alsace. The joy of Alsace is not the Cathedral in Strasbourg, but the smaller towns. I didn't know they copied them from Disney - shame on them. The Alsatians are proud and delightful people who have been bounced between Germany and France for centuries. If they are too Germanic to the French then maybe France should give Alsace back to Germany - but probably too Gallic for the Germans. If you want purely a "French" experience - then the Loire, but if you seek cultural diversity, a delightful countryside, and quaint although Disney like villages you will enjoy Alsace!
Mar 22nd, 2003, 07:18 PM
#14
Like cristina, I was not crazy for the food. I also found the Germans at my hotel while there, very noisy and because they were allowed to eat and drink afer hours on the dining deck(below our room)we had to check out in spite of the hospitality and the great location in "little Venice"in Colmar. I loved the flowers everywhere and everyone was friendly, but I didn't pick up any French.
Mar 25th, 2003, 12:43 PM
#16
I've been to both (I think we'll go to Colmar as part of our Fall vacation), and I think I'd choose Loire Valey. We stayed at a nice place in Amboise, Chateau de Pray.
http://praycastel.online.fr/gb/index_gb.htm
It runs about 120 - 180 euros, I believe. They have a nice restaurant, as well. Pretty centrally located to go to the big ticket item chateaus. Amboise also has a castle and Leonardo Da Vinci's home, which was interesting. The only down side was, at Da Vinci's home, my wife bought a rug for our entryway, and we had to lug it throughout our entire trip. I think people thought we were carrying around a dead body. It was heavy enough. We loved all the chateaus except the one at Usse (too Disneyesque for me). However, I had a great Belgian beer across the street and all was forgiven.
http://praycastel.online.fr/gb/index_gb.htm
It runs about 120 - 180 euros, I believe. They have a nice restaurant, as well. Pretty centrally located to go to the big ticket item chateaus. Amboise also has a castle and Leonardo Da Vinci's home, which was interesting. The only down side was, at Da Vinci's home, my wife bought a rug for our entryway, and we had to lug it throughout our entire trip. I think people thought we were carrying around a dead body. It was heavy enough. We loved all the chateaus except the one at Usse (too Disneyesque for me). However, I had a great Belgian beer across the street and all was forgiven.
Mar 25th, 2003, 06:40 PM
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I've visited both places and they are both different from the other, both very nice places. In regards to Alsace I actually enjoyed it and did not think it was Disneylandish. I second Curt's rec. about the Hotel Regent Contades-we walked past it and it was nice. We stayed at the Hotel de l'Europe instead-half-timbered room was not that great but they've got modern rooms as well and the breakfast was good.
Mar 26th, 2003, 08:06 PM
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You are planning a trip for 3 days? Are you flying into Paris or will you be taking the train from somewhere?
Three days isn't nearly enough. If flying into Paris you might do better to stay there and take one of those whirlwind bus trips of the Loire and spend the rest of the time in Paris. I think Alsace is even further.
If taking the train, where are you coming from and where is your next destination?
Three days isn't nearly enough. If flying into Paris you might do better to stay there and take one of those whirlwind bus trips of the Loire and spend the rest of the time in Paris. I think Alsace is even further.
If taking the train, where are you coming from and where is your next destination?
