PalenQ

ttt

kerouac

Frankly, if you are travelling out of high season, there is no need to obsess about buying tickets exactly 90 days ahead of time. Even for the summer months, I rarely buy tickets more than 2 months in advance.

PalenQ

I bought a Thalys ticket Paris to Brussels for 22 euros recently for only three weeks out - maybe it was a slack day but yeh not necessarily have to book 90 days out though if you are sure then that is the only way to be sure.

PalenQ

I got first class PREMs from Paris to Avignon for 40 euro/pp, Avignon to Strasbourg for 50, and then Strasbourg to Paris for 38>

Yes when first class only costs a few euros more it is a no-brainer to pay the extra - first-class has significant benefits over 2nd class - check fares in both classes - at times first class could even be cheaper than what is available in 2nd class if all the discounted tickets in that class were exhausted!

foolforfrance

TAW, I would love to hear your itinerary for your Paris-Strasbourg trip. My husband wants to do this as a side trip from Paris, but I am not sure this is our best choice during a 10 day trip to France with 6-7 of that in Paris and a day trip to Champagne. You have the luxury of 3 weeks in France, what a treat! We are planning to go straight from an 8:10a arrival at CDG to our train and countryside side trip.

I have not researched the train part of our trip yet, but keep stumbling upon bits of info I need for planning our trip whilst researching a hotel! Hence, here I have found so much helpful info re: booking train travel. I love the Fodors Forum!

PalenQ

TAW, I would love to hear your itinerary for your Paris-Strasbourg trip>

Metz and especially Nancy are great stops en route as can be Verdun if into battlefields of sheer misery. Hit Colmar and the Alsace Wine Road before Strasbourg which to me is one of Europe most unheralded cities by tourists.

TAW

foolforfrance,
We decided to do the Paris part of trip first b/c that's when we have the most energy & ambition. Staying 7 nts Paris, then train to Strasbourg where we have 2 nts before getting rental car (this idea from folks on this forum). If we think we'll need a car there we'll cross that bridge then. After getting rental car we're staying in Riquewihr for 4 nts and will explore the Alsace area doing day trip to various places. Then we take train from Colmar to Avignon where we stay at the final place before going home from CDG. Plan to O/N near CDG on last night. Have not yet nailed down exact itinerary for the daily trips but we always prefer to stay flexible.

PalenQ, we're hitting Colmar & Alsace Wine Rd after Strasbourg but looking forward to both!

foolforfrance

TAW..where are you catching the train in Paris to Strasbourg? How long is the trip?

kerouac

Gare de l'Est is the only station that serves Strasbourg from Paris. Travel time is generally about 2h25.

Mimar

TAW, you might well want a car for Provence. It's the best way to visit that area -- though I don't recommend Avignon as a base for day trips by car. St. Remy is good or one of the Luberon towns, depending on what specifically you want to see.

TAW

We will have a car in Provence and we already have a B&B reserved in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt. We are only using trains between the 3 areas we are visiting to cut down on the driving.