Planning a trip to Paris
 

We are planning a trip to France. We will fly into Paris and take the train to Reims for 2 nights. We are considering driving down to Dijon for a night and then taking the train back to Paris for 7 nights. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hi CP,

>We are planning a trip to France.

No you are not. You are visiting Paris. It's a different country.

>Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yes. Skip Reims and Dijon this visit.

If you get bored with Paris, you can take 2-3 daytrips without having to change hotels.

Alternatively, choose either Reims or Dijon, but not both.

When are you going?

((I))

Do you need a hotel in Reims? Are you going for the Champagne?

Hi Cposey,

I think you will find that many people here recommend that on a first trip to Paris, to minimize the number of side trips, when the trip is of a shorter duration. I'm assuming that this is your first trip to France/Paris?

I've been to Paris quite a few times, and it really is a city you could visit every year and not feel like you've seen all it has to offer. I still have a never shrinking list of places, restaurants, and events I want to see there.

But there is something to be said about the french contryside also! If I were you, I'd plan a trip based on being in Paris for the duration, allow for a day trip to Versailles (sort-of the countryside) or Reims, and play it by ear. If you find that Paris is not enough, take a day trip. I've been to Versailles a couple of times and Reims once. Both can fill a day. The gardens at Versailles are immense, the city of Reims has a great cathedral, a nice city centre, and champagne cellar(s) easy walking distance from the centre (I visited Taitinger). And both are short train rides, with multiple departure times. Never been to Dijon, a search here has much info since one of our Fodorites has a link to the city.

When you look at the totality of your trip, factor in that the first day is a bit of a bust, due to jet lag and getting from airport to hotel. And the last day you will probably lose most of it getting to airport early. And of course,travelling from city to city, finding hotel, etc...uses up time to tour your final destination.
So maybe put down a schedule and factor in the time in each location.

So, it's an idea to visit three places in 10 days, but I'd go to Paris and let things unfold for you. Now...if you feel you can't travel without having reservations (hotels) ahead of time, then that could change things quite a bit.

In the end, it's a tough call. Maybe the french countryside has been a dream of your all your life, and us telling you to stay near Paris is not the right answer. Perhaps an idea of itinerary or interests might help flesh out a possible plan?

How do you know this will be a first trip to Paris? The OP is stating that she or he is planning to visit Reims. So why would someone then tell the OP, in the VERY NEXT POST, to "skip Reims???"

And I, <b>The Lone Dissenter</b>, think that staying in Paris to see &quot;more&quot; narrows one's view of France as a whole. Plan as many day trips as you like, no matter how long you're in town. Hell, I recommend taking in Versailles on a three-day Paris stay.

Here is Robespierre's Rule of Choosing Sights: <i>There is nothing intrinsically more &quot;important&quot; or &quot;sightseeable&quot; in the big city than there is in the small towns</i>. A day trip to the end of an RER line can be just as interesting and informative as a morning at the Orsay - especially when there's historic or scenic interest where you wind up.

There are high-speed trains that will take you to provincial regions - all different - in an hour or so. Mix it up. Tour France, as ira said, not Paris. Book the whole stay in a single apartment that you can rent for the entire period. Think about spending a day in Dijon, Bayeux, or even London!

Thank you for your posts.

We do have specific reasons for visiting Reims and Dijon. We have resevations in all cities and plan on picking up our rental car in Reims. I have been to Paris, but my partner has not. We will arive March 27 and leave on April 6, 2008. We both enjpy food and wine.

Thanks,
Cyn

Hi ek,

&gt;How do you know this will be a first trip to Paris?

Please don't shout.

If you click on the OP's name you will see that he/she also wants to take daytrips from Reims.

It was not unreasonable to conclude that this is a first visit.

Since OP's partner has not been to Paris, MP and are are each 1/2 right.

That adds up to being right. :)

((I))

What kind of suggestions are you looking for?

I also think there is more to France than just Paris regardless of whether it is a 1st time visit or 100th.

I've done this itinerary and found it quite relaxing:
-arrive in Paris: Stay 2 nights
-pick up car, drive to Beaune, stay 2 nights.
-drive to Avignon, stay 4 nights
-day trip to Orange, wineries while in Avignon
-drive back to Paris via Reimes, stay 4 nights, fly home.

That is a 10 night trip that wasn't a rush around trip at all. Most of the time was spent relaxing, taking in cafes.

I know everyone is obsessed with Paris, but for some, spending more time outside of the capital, a major city, is more pleasant. Especially if one lives in a major city.

As far as suggestions, I'd highly recommend Avignon over Dijon, then again, different strokes. Otherwise your itinerary seems fine.

well, in any case, I am not on this bandwagon of telling everyone who visits Paris they should not go elsewhere even if they have a trip of 10 days or so planned. I don't agree with that at all, and I liked Reims a lot, so thinks it's well worth seeing. I rarely want to stay in any city that length of time on a vacation. I mean, it would be nice in some cases if you had all the time in the world to vacation endlessly, but few people do.

I find some of the postings peculiar.

Yes, there is more (and different) to France than just Paris, but . . .

there is more to Paris than just arrondissements 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 (or even 1 through 6), and

there is more to Europe than just France, and

there is more to the world than just Europe, etc.

Doesn't the scope of the visit depend on what the person/people want/s to do and see?

d_claude_bear: yes, yes and yes!

finally a voice of reason.