Paris and where else in August of 2019?
Oct 29th, 2018, 02:06 PM
#1
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Paris and where else in August of 2019?
We are traveling to Paris in late July. We have an opportunity to explore that area for two weeks, so the question is: should we just stay in Paris and explore all it has to offer or add another destination? Should we factor in an open-jaw ticket? Or do 2-day trips to Normandy?
August is non-negotiable, so I understand that there are better months to travel to Paris, but that's the only one that works for us. Thank you!
August is non-negotiable, so I understand that there are better months to travel to Paris, but that's the only one that works for us. Thank you!
Oct 29th, 2018, 02:23 PM
#2
Other than Paris, August and 2 weeks, you haven't provided enough info to base any advice on. If you want to go to Normandy, go to Normandy. But if your trip is two weeks total, I'd spend more than a couple of days there. Unless you've been to Paris before, you could easily spend a week there.
For an open-jaw/multi-city airline ticket to make sense, you have to pick an easily-reached destination from which you can also fly home. And a destination that appeals to YOU. London would be a logical choice, but only if you're interested in going there.
For an open-jaw/multi-city airline ticket to make sense, you have to pick an easily-reached destination from which you can also fly home. And a destination that appeals to YOU. London would be a logical choice, but only if you're interested in going there.
Oct 29th, 2018, 03:05 PM
#3
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Jean, you are correct. I didn't provide enough information. I have been to Paris 2 times before. Once in November, once in August. London is not an option, we went there last year. I am exploring whether two weeks is too much time for Paris alone. Last time, we stayed there for about 6 days and it wasn't enough at all. Normandy was just an idea. I haven't researched it enough. I am just seeking input on where to focus my research. Thank you!
Oct 29th, 2018, 03:27 PM
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some folks do Bruges, Belgium and/or Amsterdam along with Paris - few hours apart now by high-speed train.
Could do Loire Valley - rent car at St-Pierre-des-Corp train station after train from Paris
Normandy D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel
Go south - about 3 hours via TGV train to Avignon - rfent car or use public transit to visit many neat sights in a compact area
Fly into Paris and out of Switzerland, spending some days in the Interlaken area - an awesome Alpine wonderland - about 5 hours by train from Paris.
Day trips from Paris- Reims for Champagne tours and stunning cathedral and Chartres for nice regional town and super famous cathedral and many more
Trains are great - for lots on them check www.ricksteves.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.oui.sncf - French Railways site and www.trainline.eu - book own tickets on latter two.
If want more details on any of above options just say so.
Could do Loire Valley - rent car at St-Pierre-des-Corp train station after train from Paris
Normandy D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel
Go south - about 3 hours via TGV train to Avignon - rfent car or use public transit to visit many neat sights in a compact area
Fly into Paris and out of Switzerland, spending some days in the Interlaken area - an awesome Alpine wonderland - about 5 hours by train from Paris.
Day trips from Paris- Reims for Champagne tours and stunning cathedral and Chartres for nice regional town and super famous cathedral and many more
Trains are great - for lots on them check www.ricksteves.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.oui.sncf - French Railways site and www.trainline.eu - book own tickets on latter two.
If want more details on any of above options just say so.
Oct 29th, 2018, 03:30 PM
#5
Two weeks in Paris would be heaven for me. Do you care about Normandy? (since you mentioned it)
If you want another city/country, Venice pairs nicely. I connected by overnight train between the two.
If you want another city/country, Venice pairs nicely. I connected by overnight train between the two.
Oct 29th, 2018, 03:54 PM
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What do you want to see outside of Paris???
- Quiet countryside with small hill villages
- Large famous cities in France
- Large famous cities outside of France
- Beautiful not-too-crowded coast
- Beautiful crowded coast
- Pre-historic cave paintings
- Mountains
- lots of chateaux
- Vineyards & wineries
- Religious sites
- WW I sites
- WW II sites
- cute little villages
- Rock climbing
- River rafting
We just returned from 3 weeks in Paris. We've visited Paris for about 25 weeks on prior trips - so 2 full weeks there would be "not enough time" for us. We were in southern Brittany for 4 weeks this past June/July.
Stu Dudley
- Quiet countryside with small hill villages
- Large famous cities in France
- Large famous cities outside of France
- Beautiful not-too-crowded coast
- Beautiful crowded coast
- Pre-historic cave paintings
- Mountains
- lots of chateaux
- Vineyards & wineries
- Religious sites
- WW I sites
- WW II sites
- cute little villages
- Rock climbing
- River rafting
We just returned from 3 weeks in Paris. We've visited Paris for about 25 weeks on prior trips - so 2 full weeks there would be "not enough time" for us. We were in southern Brittany for 4 weeks this past June/July.
Stu Dudley
Oct 30th, 2018, 10:36 AM
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Thank you for your input. I use this forum as a sounding board, before I research a destination. I know some people do it the other way, but I guess I am looking for a shortcut. Riviera is out of the question. Dijon, though, is an intriguing prospect. I am looking for destinations within 2 hours of Paris. Have been to Belgium (Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges) and Amsterdam. Not going to revisit this time. If anything, we may explore the Northwest coastal France. Thanks again!
Oct 30th, 2018, 10:40 AM
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I am just your typical uneducated American, so I am throwing names of places I have heard as destinations. That's where Normandy came from. My educated friends are recommending Brittany as an added stop.
Oct 30th, 2018, 11:32 AM
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Would you prefer another city, or a smaller town/village for your second stop? Interested in getting out in nature (hiking? swimming? beach?) or more into museums, dining, shopping etc.? Historical sites? Do you want to split up your trip and stay for awhile at your second location, or are you interested in just doing day trips from Paris?
Let us know and we can help narrow down which places might be most well-suited for you! (Seconding Stu Dudley's post - maybe take a look at some of the options he's outlined and let us know which of those types of locations you're most interested in)
Let us know and we can help narrow down which places might be most well-suited for you! (Seconding Stu Dudley's post - maybe take a look at some of the options he's outlined and let us know which of those types of locations you're most interested in)
Oct 30th, 2018, 01:00 PM
#17
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I recommend the Dordogne for a week. For me, personally, a week in Paris and a week in the Dordogne would be a fabulous trip. You have a major city (Paris), and then lovely countryside, the Dordogne, where you can visit caves, castles, gardens, take a boat trip on the Dordogne, etc. You can stay in Sarlat, a small city, and take scenic road trips to visit small villages.
Oct 30th, 2018, 04:20 PM
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Dijon is a nice large city but I would recommend staying in smaller Beaune nearby and the Burgundy wine capital in many ways. A string of wine villages with names famous to wine afficanadoes lie along the Route de vins de Bourgogne or Burgundy Wine Road either way from town so great place with car. Dijon is again a really nice city but staying perhaps in one of those famous wine villages or Beaune would be more romantic.
