Trip itinerary...comments please.
 

Okay, after going back and forth between a dozen itineraries I'm narrowing it down and would appreciate a critique:

Day 1 - fly from FL to Amsterdam
Day 2 - Amsterdam
Day 3 - Amsterdam
Day 4 - Train to Brussels/sightsee/spend night in brussels
Day 5 - Train to Paris
Day 6 - Paris
Day 7 - Paris
Day 8 - Paris
Day 9 - Travel to family in Ostricourt (near Belgium border, near Lille or Duoai I believe)
Day 10 - Ostricourt
Day 11 - Ostricourt
Day 12 - travel to Chamonix by train (possibly car part of it to sightsee along way)
Day 13 - Chamonix
Day 14 - Chamonix
Day 15 - Chamonix
Day 16 - possibly travel to nice to catch back up with my mom who isn't going to Chamonix
Day 17 - Day in Nice
Day 18 - Fly home to Florida from Nice

I know the first response will be that it is a lot to do, but I am up for it and am used to it in my travels. Also, we are passing up Ostricourt when we go to Paris from Brussels. I am aware of that, but my mother wants to visit family on the weekend when everyone will be off work. Also, I realize we're only spending 1 day in Brussels, but we just wanted to see it since we traveling through there, we'd rather spend more time elsewhere.

Here are some questions I still have:
1 - I'd like to visit at least one winery. Does anyone know if Champagne is at least a day's trip when I'm spending time with family in Oustricourt (which is near Lille)?
2 - When visiting Paris, is it possible to see Loire valley too, or is it too far to see within a day trip from Paris?
3 - Will their be skiing in Chamonix around Dec 6-10th?

I am thinking of getting a 2 day rail/2 day car rental package from raileurope to complete the travels. Might need to add one extra day of rail, but I like having the rental car option on there to sightsee on my own...I'm a very independent traveler :o)

Appreciate your help! I know this is quite a bit to comment on, but any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!

I would skip Brussels and go straight to Paris. It might turn out that your family might consider a day's outing to Brussels as something to do anyway.

Hi g,

Have you entered your itinerary at www.railsaver.com to see if a pass will save you money?

Have you looked at car rental rates at www.novarentacar.com and www.autoeurope.com?

((I))

This June we took the train from Amsterdam to Paris, and it passed through Brussels. Frankly, it didn't look like a place that would require a night's stay. I, too, would go directly to Paris.

We LOVED Amsterdam, and personally I'd add another night to Amsterdam and skip Brussels.

If you click on my screen name above, you will find my travel report of London-Paris-Amsterdam, with specifics on hotels and restaurants we liked there.

Have fun!

P.S. I have forgotten the name of the service we used for purchasing rail tickets, but they were very helpful and only a small service fee was charged in addition to the face value of our tickets. If you need to know, I can find their site and phone number again.

P.P.S. It must be my dyslexia-- we traveled from Paris to Amsterdam, not the reverse. Oh, well, same point re: Brussels.

I don't think one can tell what Brussels or any city is like from a train window. I liked Brussels, just as much as Amsterdam (which I am not crazy about). I think your itinerary makes sense as it is on your way, in any case. I would do that as an alternative to another day in Amsterdam. I don't know if I'd want to spend a long time there, but one day is fine.

I don't know about Champagne from Lille, but I thought you wanted wineries. I don't know the rail routes, but I think geographically it is close enough that is possible, of course. YOu can take the train from Lille to Reims, and I'd guess it's a couple hours as it's about the same distance as Reims from Paris (although I don't think a direct rail route). If you really want to visit a champagne house, that could work. Perhaps there are some wineries in that region, I just don't think of it as a wine region and don't know of them. Besides, often you need to rent a car for that kind of thing. If you have a car to drive, that might be possible.

I don't know if you've been to Paris before, but I wouldn't try to visit the Loire as a day trip from there when you only have 3-4 days in Paris. It's not too far exactly, but not well done by train, so gets more complicated for a day trip, as well as expensive, if you rent a car.