My boyfriend and I are taking a trip to Ireland with a quick 5 day side trip to Paris. I would like to focus on really seeing one place (Paris) but my boyfriend wants to travel and see a little of France, Switzerland, and Germany. Can we do that in five days and not spend the whole time driving? What would people recommend seeing that would give us a taste of European culture? What route would anyone recommend? Thanks for any thoughts. Kay

You're going to see a huge difference between Ireland and Paris. You can spend 5 days in Paris and barely scratch the surface there. I doubt there's anything you can do to hope between three countries in 5 days and spend any worthwhile amount of time doing anything but going from one to the other. Paris and surrounds is pretty "European" by many standards.

Karen: You could, literally, "see a little bit of" France, Switzerland, and Germany in five days (that's probably more like four, given that you're coming from Ireland, right?), but no, as a practical matter you'd never set foot out of the car. It would be like watching a video of those countries, certainly not "experiencing" much of anything. Paris alone could absorb a few months of most people's time, and there are plenty of excursions you can take outside the city if you want to get a sense of "the provinces" or "rural life." But a five-day spin through three countries? I think you'd deeply regret that decision.

Well, I'll dissent - - kinda... of course you can see some of France, Germany and Switzerland in five days. You just need to cut out Paris. Actually I'd recommend cutting out Switzerland too - - - because the best parts are not necessarily those closest to the three-country "drei-ecke" at Basel/Alsace/Schwarzwald.<BR><BR>Don't want to cut out Paris? then you could still take in two days at Strasbourg and Oberkirch (though you will lose time getting from Paris to the Franco-German border and back). And even if you did do it by driving, the car rental is either uneconomical (two days will cost you the same as three) - - or if you spend two in Paris and three away - - then you're better off to just forget Paris.<BR><BR>I'd say Paris and environs only... <BR><BR>OR<BR><BR>fly to Belgium, and head straight to Maastricht, Aachen, Cologne. From there you can come up with any number of itineraries to take you through a little bit of French, German (and Dutch-) speaking cultures. And still forget Paris.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

up<BR>

I'm confused. I'm interested in something like this. But where is Maastricht? in Belgium? or Germany? I can't find it.<BR>

Maastricht is in the bit of the Netherlands that sticks out to the south, between Belgium and Germany.

Thank you.<BR><BR>So obvious now that I look at a map. I was trying to just find it searching the internet.<BR>

Karen, while you've had some good suggestions here on how you could possibly accommodate your boyfriend's side of this little debate, I want to say that I side with your view. It would be easy enough to work in a day trip to Brussels or an overnight to Brugges (I'm not confident of my spelling on that one...). Beyond that, I would stick to your guns, enjoy Paris and skip the hopscotch. It is a destination that is worthy of all the time you can spend there. Happy Contrails!

I heartily second Jim's suggestion - Bruges - as a place you should get to. Compared with Paris, Bruges is so charming, so well-preserved, so romantic (give me an outdoor cafe on Bruges' canals anyday over Paris' noisy boulevards), and so much more "manageable" in terms of getting around within the city with limited time to see things of interest, that I think you'll wish you'd spent the whole time there. After 3 trips to Paris, its "charm" still eludes me. But I know - you must go there - so spend a couple of nights there, then take a train (only 2.5 hours) to Bruges for 2 days, then return to Paris for a final day/evening. You'll be glad to have experienced something else to put Paris into perspective.

5 Days is barely enough time for Paris...don't try to cram anymore in. Mary

<BR>Another possibility -<BR><BR>Spend two or three days in Paris, then rent a car and spend two or three days driving Alsace's Wine Road. Start at Colmar and end at Strasbourg. The Route du Vin villages are well-preserved and cute as can be. This region is also an interesting blend of French and German culture. The food, architecture, customs, traditional clothing are more reminscent of Germany than France. You could also slip across the border for a quick visit to Karlsruhe or some other German town.

topping<BR>

Thanks everyone, helpful thoughts. Not sure I can change his mind but maybe once we get there he will feel differently.

PLEASE try to convince him to stay put in Paris, 5 days in absolutely Nothing in Paris. You'll be so sorry if you try and cram it all in 2 or 3 days! Why does he insist on being on a marathon, this is suppose to be a vacation! Denise

One thing you can do is to plan a driving trip and in doing so you will be able to show that all you will be doing is driving. You will still not see the best of Switzerland or Germany. All you will be doing is driving in and turning around and coming back. One more item you say 5 days, is that 5 days 4 nights or 5 nights 6 days. check on this because you will spend a day going to Paris and a day returning so 5 days becomes only 3 days of free time.

to the top<BR>

Consider an overnight to the Loire Valley. Not spending all your time on the move. Chambord, Chennoceau, Blois,<BR>and stay the night. Catch the Son et Luminaire at one of the Castles. Perhaps stay in one. Sophie

You're going to have make an active plan to keep him from showing you a whole lot of highway. Coming up with three full days of Paris stuff will be easy. Lay out a specific plan for days two and four to go to Chartres, or Versailles, or the Loire valley, or Giverny or Les Andelys or countless other NEARBY places.<BR><BR>Take the lead. Tell him he is in charge of things in Ireland, and you have the plans nailed down in France.<BR>