Need help planning a seven day itinerary from US to Paris to Strasbourg, Heidelberg, then back to Paris in late August 2012. We're a couple in our sixties.

What are you hoping to see in your 7 days?

does that mean 7 actual days on the ground or does it include travel from and to the US? [surely not!]

even so, it's a very short time to be trying to see 3 different places. the only way it could possibly work is to go straight from Paris to Strasbourg on arrival, then Heidelberg [why?] then finish your trip in Paris. That will mean that you don't split up your time in Paris and you are in the right place for going home.

that would give you this:

Day 1. arrive Paris. travel to Strasbourg.
Day 2 strasbourg.
Day 3 travel to Heidelberg
Day 4 Heidelberg
Day 5 travel to Paris
Day 6 Paris
Day 7 Paris
Day 8 home.

See what I mean? you have very little time in any of your destinations.

you could easily spend all 7 days in Paris and have a terrific time.

I agree with annhig, you could easily spend 4-7 days in Paris and not run out of interesting things to see. Perhaps just choose two cities (Paris and Stasbourg, Paris and Heidelberg), to visit. More information about your priorities/what you want to see would be helpful.

If you insist on seeing those 3 places at eas avoid wasting a day getting back to Paris - and fly open jaws into Paris and out of Frankfurt.

(But if it were me and I had never been to Paris I would spend the whole time there - with possibly a day trip to Versailles and definitely a day trip to Strasbourg.)

We will only be using Paris as a starting and stopping point since we toured Paris a few years ago. We really want to visit Strasbourg and surrounding areas, Heidelberg and western Germany.

<<We really want to visit Strasbourg and surrounding areas, Heidelberg and western Germany.>>

I think you need more than 7 days if you really want to get the most out of what you say you would like to see. Strasbourg and surrounding areas sounds like a few days on its own without even crossing the border into Germany. Also, are planning on renting a car or getting around by public transport?

Perhaps flying into and out of Frankfurt would be a better option than Paris.

So why don't you just fly into Frankfurt instead of Paris?

Paris to Heidelburg is under 1 hrs drive. Heidelberg to Strasbourg is 1 1/2 hrs drive. There is so much to see and do in this between that I, personally, would cut out Paris (and I love Paris) or extend my time.

Heidelberg is OK but isn't tops in my book. In many ways it's just another city. Wherever you fly into, I'd suggest staying in the handsome old-world village of Gengenbach, not far from Strasbourg, for a few nights and do outings from there. Gengenbach is full of cobblestones, towers, and half-timbered buildings at the edge of the Black Forest. It's just east of Strasbourg and the French border on the Black Forest railway line, a scenic route of twists and turns that takes you to high-elevation towns.

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/877263.jpg
http://www.stadt-gengenbach.de/en/tourism/

BF railway and BF towns along it: http://www.black-forest-travel.com/p...t-railway.html

You can use this train to visit Freiburg and the BF towns and to the French border for FREE if you stay in Gengenbach - all inn and hotel hosts there participate in the Konus program:

http://www.blackforest-tourism.com/konus

The Konus Card won't cover France, but you can get a daypass for 12€ for a family (or a couple) to cover Gengenbach to Strasbourg (sorry, link is in French and German only):

http://www.ortenaulinie.de/tgo_datei...11%20final.pdf

Thanks to you all. Your responses have been very helpful.

I think Klon means that Frankfurt to Heidelberg is an hour's drive (not from Paris - that's wrong).

I don't think you will have time for much of western Germany - but for the day or two you have, Heidelberg isn't bad - small old town pedestrian area below the castle. Direct train connection from Franfurt airport (or buses). There might be better places to go, but this is certainly easy and convenient. United has a "hub" in Frankfurt so it is easy to arrive there as suggested. If you need a round trip ticket to and from Frankfurt, this will work well.

Hberg to Strasbourg isn't too far either as noted. You can train or drive.

Too bad you don't have more time but I take what I can get too. Good luck!

By flying in and out of Paris you are wasting 2 of yuor very limited numer of days. Fly into Frankfurt instead and the trip becomes more doable. Jus pick up a car when you land, head for Heidelerg, then to Strabourg/Colmar and back to FF.