Europe Sojurn on Way to India - Paris..PLUS
 

We - Family of five, three kids -14-8 will go to visit family in India (BLR) this Summer (our 3rd trip in 6 years). We want to stop for 1 week in Europe this time. As usual Delta flyers we often route through Paris and oldest daughter would love to see Paris, and who doesn't......

Kids have seen little in Europe so everything is an option.

We'll only have a week so seems a shame to spend too much traveling. Husband wants Spain but I am saying that is too far off routing to India. He'd like Barcelona/Costa Brava or San Sebastian. I'm inclined to save that for another trip. I went to Netherlands alone a few years ago and would enjoy sharing some of that....and could work with routing.

I think Paris might make most sense but I am not sure if I want a full week in Urban setting. India will have that crazy urban chaos and so for the vacation - just our family part it would be nice to have some or our time in a smaller quiet place. But not sure if worth it. We also don't speak French so feel a bit wary of smaller French towns..... Spanish can get by in, no one speaks dutch.

Looking for ideas. Also we're deciding between routings in June and July. I understand June could be less busy and good be a bonus but July might work a bit better for us.... Is it worth it to push for June?

Thanks for any thoughts as we think through Summer.

We're likely to try to stop in London on the way back to see friends..... in case that influences any thinking at all.

Dutch isn't a problem. No one will expect you to speak it, and will be happy to speak English with you so don't let that put you off.
If you are travelling on Indian passports remember you will need visas for the Schengen zone.

I guess that's what I meant - Few expect folks to speak dutch! So it's easy to travel without an expectation of dutch. We are on US passports.

Paris has lots of green spaces and quiet areas. I hardly think of it as a city once away from the more popular tourist spots and the Champs Elysees.

Yes good point - one full week in Paris would certainly be easy to spend. BUT if we want to take a train somewhere - to a smaller town, ride some bikes, stay at some quaint inn and just have a different vibe - maybe even just one night..... any ideas? We are dreaming of a sabbatical few months trip to Europe in a couple of years so part of the fun will just be checking out what it means to take a train... how the scale of europe is just so different than US (we in Atlanta).

Thanks for any thoughts.

I think even writing this out I'm confirming that we should focus on Paris for Travel ease given India and likely Delta as our path (no Spain, no Italy,) but still thinking of one other addition to the trip.

There are a million day trips or one night overnight you can do from Paris. The fast trains can ge tyou many places in only a couple of hours.

You might want to explore Normandy for a couple of days - good in the summer. Or you could go to Strasbourg and bke down the wine road from there. I think the train is only 2.5 hours from Paris.

I wouldn't bother to move twice just to spend one night in some town near Paris, have you really thought that through? You'd have to all pack up from wherever you are staying in Paris, move to this place, stay one night, and then do the reverse. I can understand your point more about the big city issue if you stay somewhere else than Paris for more than one day. Barcelona sure isn't it (I love Barcelona, but it's a big city, also). Costa Brava is crazy in summer, again, not a good idea.

Netherlands isn't a bad idea but if you are really serious, there are plenty of places closer to the Paris airport for your departure that would make more sense. But I am not big on people going places just because someone told them to when they themselves have no interest in it and don't speak the language.

Your husband seems to want beach, you could go to some beach town on the north of France which isn't that far from Paris by train. Somewhere in Normandy. I was at one last summer, actually, not too far from Bayeux or Caen. Those are smaller towns, you could go there. Most people go for the WWII sites, but it would work for you even if you have no interest in that. Some popular Normandy beaches for tourists are Calvados, Manche (which is more west) and Seine-Maritime. see

http://www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/e.../the-coast.php
http://www.frenchentree.com/holidays...seinemaritime/
http://www.manche-tourism.com/en

Honfleur is a charming small town in that area, also, but has no rail station like Caen and Bayeux.

Well if you are going to talk about a sojourn then you should not be talking about moving within your one week at all. Otherwise it is not in fact a 'sojourn'.

I would suggest staying in a smaller village outside of Paris from which you can easily day trip in on as many days as you want to satisfy your Daughter's interests.

Somewhere like Crecy la Chapelle for example but there are countless lovely villages near Paris that most tourists ignore thinking they must stay IN Paris.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=crecy...2&ved=0CCoQsAQ

I have refine our plans a bit.

I was keen to fly into Amsterdam for just 2 nights as all want just to see the city (canals, bikes) no necessarily the museums etc. Then take a train to paris... taking the train is part of what we want to do in Europe. Like I said it shows this difference in scale of europe and is fun. 5 nights in Paris before traveling to India.

Yay great plan right..... well

Unfortunately now the open jaw is coming out almost $300 per person more expensive. Which is $1500 more for our family. Doesn't make sense for just a little taste of Amsterdam. I considered train straight from CDG after landing but I don't think we'd have the fun of the train that way.

I'm also under pressure to finalize lodging as June of course is booking up fast (much already booked) for flats that accommodate family of five. I've got a great option lined up with Frenchy Rentals.

I'm thinking to just book the full week of our Paris travel dates and worry about something with bikes, trains.....a canal???? Later.

So, I guess mostly just sharing and then still seeking ideas for how to get a tiny bit of that canal, CRAZY bike feeling.

Consider a day trip from Paris to Strasbourg by train where you could get a TINY bit of that canal feeling.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=stras...2&ved=0CEgQsAQ

Just booked Paris Apt. for 6 nights. Will do only day trips.

I think that is a good plan. Enjoy!