dcd

My wife and I will be in Paris for 8 nights late next month. She's never been and I was last there more than 20 years ago. We'd like to do a couple of trips outside of Paris. It looks like Paris Visions has some minibus excursions which would be of interest. We'd appreciated your comments on their itineraries and any recommendations you may have.

We'd like to do one of the two all day trips they're offering to the countryside. We're interested in history, neat buildings, and wine. One is the "A Historic Day in the Champagne" where we'd see the Castle of Conde, visit a vineyard near Epernay, have lunch at Cumieres, and then spend the afternoon in Reims with a vist to the Mumm champagne house and a short visit of the Cathedral.

The other is the "Castles and Wines of Loire Valley" which starts at the Chateau d'Amboise, moves to a visit of Clos Luce, stops for lunch in the Chateau de Chenonceau followed by a tour there and then has a stop in Montrichard for a visit of the Monmousseau cellars for some wine tasting.

Don't know if some of these castles have a wow factor and others don't, etc. Which would you pick and why?

Also, we'd like to visit Giverny and Versailles and there's a Paris Vision tour that hits both in one day (9 hours). That sounds like a practical way to kill 2 birds with one stone. Giverny includes Monet's house and the American Art Museum. The Versailles tour looks to be about half a day and includes a visit of the Palace of Versailles, an exterior view of the Trianons with free time to explore the Royal Apts (and hopefully the gardens). Would those tours cover the highlights?

My thinking is that, if we spend 2 days outside of Paris, we'd still have the better part of 6 full days to see Paris and for 3 of those, Michael Osmond will show us around which should speed up the learning curve.

Thanks, Dave

ira

Dear Dave,

With all due respect, and in the friendliest way possible, I strongly urge you to take just one tour and spend the rest of your time in Paris.

You are missing the whole point.

>Michael Osmond will show us around which should speed up the learning curve.<

You will not have to take a quiz upon returning home from Paris.

Enjoy your visit.

Christina

I think your idea is just fine and don't agree with Ira. Some people on this board (and you know who you are, and some names being with a lighbulb) are always telling people they should spend all their time in Paris for days on end.

I don't agree, lots of people want to see different things when they travel, and all of them do not lie within Paris' city limits. You have plenty of time for two day trips, I agree. Those bus excursions make it very easy to plan and see other things. I think people want a variety, I always do day trips when I am in a city for that length of time.

I've only been on the Vaux le Vicomte one, and that was Cityrama. It was excellent for the quality and guide, I just didn't think that site was so extrordinary that I would recommend it to others. I might if they had already done all the dozen or so more common day trips.

Anyway, I suggest you look at Cityrama's web site, also, for comparison.

One thing I might drop (myself) is three days being led around by a guide. !!!!!! Okay, that just isn't me just as doing day trips from Paris aren't Ira, I guess. Everybody to his own taste. Isn't a lot of traveling the joy of finding and exploring things on your own rather than being escorted around -- you are more of a "viewer" or outsider that way, rather than participant. Just my opinion, but that would drive me nuts, and I know a lot of people do like personal guides and like Michael Osmond, so that could be good for you and I'm sure you'll like it. I do realize for some people, they might neeed help more for various reasons, also.

Now I haven't done Parisvision but that Loire Valley tour looks fine to me. Chenonceau was probably my favorite, and Amboise is very interesting and more in a town, so you might see other things. And, you have the wine visit, so that seems good.

I'm not big on champagne, but that tour sounds okay also. Touring countrysides is something those tours can do well rather than you, as you'd need to rent a car (although you can visit the cathedral and Mumms probably on your own, as they are in town). That tour sounds good to me, also, as I've been to Reims and really enjoyed it.

Christina

oh, sorry, I guess you wanted a choice between the Loire and Reims/Epernay tour. Gee, I dunno, kind of depends on you. Reims if you are really interested in winemaking and champage, although I did enjoy seeing the cathedral there. Loire if you are more interested in the chateau thing, Leonardo da Vinci, etc. I think it is prettier in the Loire than to/from Reims (countryside views).

I guess I'd do the Loire in your shoes, but it's hard to say. Reims is probably more historic, but I would be annoyed iof you weren't visiting the Recapitulation Museum in Reims (Eisenhower's headquarters) which I really liked and is a very important part of history. They have several terrific museums in Reims, also, but I know you can't do everything in one day.

I'm not so excited about visiting vineyards per se. They are just plants, I've seen plenty.

Underhill

What I wouldn't do is hit both Giverny and Versailles in one day--the latter demands an entire day if you're going to have time to at least hit the highlights. You don't need tours for either place; you can just take the train to Vernon, then a taxi or bus to Giverny; for Versailles you take the RER and have only a few blocks to walk. If you get an audio-guide that's all you'll need.

Of the two day trips I think I'd opt for the tour to the Loire Valley. The Château de Chenonceau is the pick of the lot there, but Amboise is also interesting. But if wine is your primary interest, then Rheims by all means. Actually, the cathedral there--if Gothic architecture interests you--is worth the trip.

Tim_and_Liz

I *completely* agree with Christina. If you want to take day tours, go for it. We only had 3.5 days in Paris last week. I wanted to go to Versailles while people on this forum kept saying to stay in Paris. Our day in Versailles was fabulous and I have no regrets.
Combining Versailles with Giverny may be too long of a day though.
We used Fat Tire Bike Tours which I would recommend for anyone semi-active.
Good luck with your choice!

dcd

Thanks for the replies. Looks like Loire Valley is the winner. And we won't be doing Versailles and Giverny on the same day, if at all. We'll probably wing that. If the weather is nice and we feel like taking a break from Paris, we may venture to one or both places. Dave