We will be going to France in the middle of October 2007. We have something like 7 days (short but better than not at all). We are basing this trip on wine and cheese. So I figured 3 days in Dijon and then 3 days in Strasbourg? (please forgive spelling errors--first visit to France) DH loves Alsatian wines and the village seem awesome--but what about weather at that time of year? Is Strasbourg (France) more in the valley or in the mountains? I love Beaujolais but have seen posts here that Lyon is not so wonderful. Where is the better cheese?

I am assuming we will train to Dijon and rent a car there so we have mobility.

Any and all ideas appreciated.

Fly into Paris and home from BSL or GVA or Lyon - no point racing back to Paris just to go catch a plane home. Use the MultiCity option on airline sites and on www.kayak.com.

Don't pass up Beaune, the wine and food capital of Burgundy, before heading over to the Alsace region or south to Lyon.

Lyon is a big busy city, not a picturesque country town, but Lyon has its share of super chefs and expensive top-notch restaurants, probably more so than Strasbourg (I think - that sort of multi-star establishment is not where I spend my money...) - have you looked up the red Michelin guide?

Hi SH,

May I suggest staying in one of the smaller towns in Alsace?

Check out Colmar, Riquewhir, Kientzheim, Kaysersberg, Ribeauville, Obernai.

Also see http://tinyurl.com/ybk4lf for Alsace and www.route-des-grands-crus-de-bourgogne.com

In Strasbourg, try the restaurant La Cloche à Fromages:

http://www.fra.webcity.fr/restaurant...93/Profil-Lieu

Strasbourg is a lovely small, walkable city. You can access all the wine towns easily from it. It is in the Rhine Valley - there is a bridge which takes you into Germany, but you are close to the Vosges mountains. We spent a very happy three days there on a short city trip.

Thank you for the wine route links! So I am leaning to Alsace--but what about weather in mid October? How likely to have a bad snow storm? I am from the US Rockies and we can get some interesting weather that time of year--same for Strasbourg?

It is unlikely that you will get snowstorms in October, but it might be cold and rainy,