zeta

Hi There!

I could use some help planning travel! I will be traveling solo and I will arrive in Paris Beauvais airport on Friday, September 2nd at 2:30 PM and depart from CDG on Tuesday, September 6 at 1:30pm. I will not be jet lagged upon arrival as I will have been in Europe one week prior to my arrival in Paris! I will have a good portion of the day when I arrive on Friday and then three full days and Tuesday is pretty much a wash... breakfast and then off to the airport.

I have been to Paris many, many times before and I love it, but I have done the typical tourist stuff and many non-typical tourist stuffs so I am looking for something a little different.

One thought is to stay in Paris the entire time and do two day tours outside of the city. I am interested in a biking and champagne tour I found in Reimes. Also, I would be interested in going to Beaches of Normandy, Mont St. Michel, Tours, Strasbourg, train to Switzerland for the day. I realize staying in Paris the entire time I can't do all of these things, but would love recommendations or what is more feasible time was, what would be more of a wow factor, etc. I like a little bit of everything... culture, beautiful architecture, big cities, small towns, beaches, activity (hiking, biking, etc) wine/champagne tasting, food, cheese, and chocolate. You name it chances are it will sound fun to me. In addition, I am looking for some different ideas for the day I do spend in Paris.

Another thought was to skip Paris altogether and perhaps rent a car or take a train and do northwest France (Normandy, Mont St. Michel, Tours, etc. Or rent car/train to the east, champagne, Strasbourg, etc. Or train to Lausanne and train/drive around Switzerland (Zermatt, Gruyere, etc.). I love the thought of the beautiful mountains and crisp air in Switzerland, but I'm also thinking save it for another time and see parts of France I haven't seen since I must fly in and out of France.

Please help... any and all recommendations would be helpful, even if it is something I haven't mentioned!

Thank you!
Z

TDudette

Hi zeta, How lucky you are to be visiting once again. Please see my recent TR for side and day trip possibilities.

Or, as you say, go to another place--like Lake Como!

StCirq

You have three days plus the evening of your arrival. There's only so much you can do, so be realistic. I can't imagine including Switzerland in such a short trip, as once you get there and back you'll have no time to enjoy it. Save it for another trip, or fly into Switzerland, not Beauvais. Even Normandy and le MSM or Reims and Strasbourg will be a stretch.

Christina

You can't take a train to Switzerland for the day, it's too far.

<< I am interested in a biking and champagne tour I found in Reimes. Also, I would be interested in going to Beaches of Normandy, Mont St. Michel, Tours, Strasbourg, train to Switzerland for the day. I realize staying in Paris the entire time I can't do all of these things, but would love recommendations or what is more feasible time was>>

For a day trip, you can go to Reims, Strasbourg, Tours, and Normandy beaches from Bayeux (for the latter, I'd suggest booking a half day tour from either Overlord or Normandy Sightseeing Tours, you can't easily do the logistics on your own otherwise for a day trip). Mont St Michel is really too far. It is possible to do it but that's really far away. There are certainly other places you could go, also, like Rouen, AUxerre, Chartres and Troyes to name just a few that are not in the immediate area.

FOr wow factors, it's hard to say as people have different tastes and interests. FOr me, it would be Reims (but not anything to do with champagne), Normandy beaches and then Strasbourg.

I think people have to sort of make their own interests when they ask what they should do in a city that is a little different. You should be able to find something that interests you in particular just be reading some basic guidebooks with information on Paris, and websites. Besides, who knows what you've done already, a lot of people don't like to wrack their brains and make suggestions about things like that when the person hasn't mentioned what they've already done.

travelhorizons

Four nights in Paris ... 3 full days. There's so much to see and do in this city. I would not do any day trips unless you're really interested in Gothic architecture (Chartres) or French royalty (Versailles). Those can be done by RER trains.

Mont St Michel feels like a tourist trap. It's a great sight from a distance ... but once you get into the city, it's a Disney-like experience with crowds walking up the walkway lined with tourist shops.

Normandy is worth more than one day - so save it for another time!

Train to Geneva and back the same day is a lot of time on a train and a little bit of time in another (less interesting) city.

I'd plan three full days in Paris!

DebbieDoesDulles

I don't see any reason to base yourself in Paris if everything that you really want to do is elsewhere. On arrival, take the 2 hr train to Tours and go from there....

Whathello

Forget Ch
Forget the car.
Look at capitainetrain.com to reach Strasbourg Orleans Reims or Bruxelles in less than 2 hours.

Book your seat on the Ryanair shuttle. You'll need one hour to reach Porte maillot. From there metro to hotel.

Gretchen

Rent a car and strike out for Normandy. You can have a nice tour in your3-4 days. Get the Michelin Green Guide. you could drive north toward Rouen for your first night. Head to Bayeux the next day, maybe doing some of the cideries and fromageries on the way.