stewartdowdall6464

Hello from Canada!

My wife and I will be visiting France and Switzerland during the first 2 weeks of August this year. Would love some feedback on our itinerary

Planned itinerary

Day 1: [Staying in Paris] Flight + Checkin + Sleep + Explore in evening

Day 2: [Staying in Paris] Eiffel Tower + Louvre + Champs-Elysees + Arc De Triomphe

Day 3: [Staying in Paris] La Sienne + Sacre-Cour + Montmartre

Day 4: [Staying in Paris] Versailles + Montparnasse

Day 5: [Staying in Colmar] Train to Colmar. Open to specific tips, expect to explore the small town

Day 6: [Staying: Lauterbrunnen] We plan to leave Colmar around lunch. Will explore the town around our hotel in afternoon.

Day 7: [Staying: Lauterbrunnen] Jungfraujoch Eiger Trail or Panorama Trail (Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg).

Day 8: [Staying: Lauterbrunnen] Schilthorn via Murren + Allmendhubel Funicular + Harder Kulum

Day 9: [Staying: Lauterbrunnen] Grindelwald + Schynige Platte Panorama Trail

Day 10: [Staying: Lyon] We plan to leave for Lyon after Breakfast. Anything scenic to stop off along the way of should we take the most direct route?

Day 11: [Staying in Marseille] Leave lyon after breakfast, stop off for lunch in Avignon and explore the town on our way to Marseille

Day 12: [Staying in Marseille] Calanques National Park + Cassis

Day 13: [Staying in Nice] Explore town of Nice (Open to suggestions )

Day 14: [Staying in Nice] Monaco Day Trip via Train (Open to suggestions on specifics)

Day 15: [Staying in Nice] Cannes Day Trip via Train (Open to suggestions on specifics)

Day 16: [Flight home]

We are currently renting a car from Colmar to Lyon as we figure its best to have the car in Switzerland (while avoiding fees to pick up in once country and drop off in another). If this is unnecessary and we could do the whole thing by train easily, we are open to that suggestion if someone has detailed tips.

1. Should we take the most direct route between Colmar, Lauterbrunnen, Lyon, Marseille or are there interesting stops along the way (besides what was listed?
   
2. Any specific spots in Colmar to visit?
   
3. What is easiest way to get from Marseille to Cassis?
   
4. I list some generic spots but open to tips to make the most of it (food, other small attractions, etc.)
   

Thank you!

BAHItaly

I’m working on Swiss/ France trip as well.
After leaving-Lauterbrunnen-Thun looks fascinating.
For me, I prefer quaint towns but looks like you plan to stay in cities while in France.
Marseille is a large port city.

bilboburgler

HIgh season for tourism, going to be busy, probably hot

If you go on the motorways in Switzerland you need a carnet which a French car may not have. Ask you supplier or buy at the border

Colmar is not where I would stay. Choose a village and stay there like Eguishiem and taste the wines, eat there. Both are going to be crowded at that time, but Colmar has little of interest where as the villages at least let you walk through the vines and taste the wines from the nearby vinyards. Alternatively, stay in the centre of Strasbourg which is pretty impressive, but get a car park sorted first.

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