Paris In December
Nov 18th, 2016, 03:52 PM
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Paris In December
Hello Travelers!
My Fiance and I are taking a trip to Paris (with a couple of deviants) from Dec 2-11, 2016. We have quite a few things planned but wanted to buckle down on one choice that I am having a terrible time making. I've laid out a rough draft of our itinerary below but my main concern is choosing whether or not we take a day trip to Reims or to Strasbourg.
Dec 3 - Arrive in Paris mid afternoon
Dec 4 - EasyJet to Rome for AS Roma - Rome Derby (huge Serie A fan, found out about it last minute, dream come true!)
Dec 5 - Early flight back to Paris, check into hotel for the week (Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador)
Dec 5 - 8th: Notre Dame, Galleries Lafayette, Sacre Couer, Seine night tour (no food), Champ-Elysees and Arc, The Little Prince store, Shakespeare and Co, Sainte-Chapelle, The Louvre (just for Mona Lisa), Pantheon (yay or nay?), and Per Lachaise Cemetery. (I have a much longer list of possibilities but these are at the top of our priorities)
Dec 9 - Train to Amsterdam early in the morning, meeting up with lifelong friend from Denmark and his spouse for a fun night.
Dec 10 - late train back to Paris, sleep/pack
Dec 11 - Home
So, one of the days between Dec 5-8, we want to make it to either THE Christmas market in Strasbourg or venturing to Reims. I should first say that I am an Enology student here in Washington State and anything related to wine is amazing for me. So the idea of Reims and Champagne tours is incredible. I cannot, however, get over the beautiful photos and things I've read about the Strasbourg markets. Thoughts or tips? I think I've read all the topics I could on this forum, at least from within the past few years.
Thanks in advanced for any input or advice. Also, if I'm writing this too late (two weeks till trip), so sorry!
- T
My Fiance and I are taking a trip to Paris (with a couple of deviants) from Dec 2-11, 2016. We have quite a few things planned but wanted to buckle down on one choice that I am having a terrible time making. I've laid out a rough draft of our itinerary below but my main concern is choosing whether or not we take a day trip to Reims or to Strasbourg.
Dec 3 - Arrive in Paris mid afternoon
Dec 4 - EasyJet to Rome for AS Roma - Rome Derby (huge Serie A fan, found out about it last minute, dream come true!)
Dec 5 - Early flight back to Paris, check into hotel for the week (Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador)
Dec 5 - 8th: Notre Dame, Galleries Lafayette, Sacre Couer, Seine night tour (no food), Champ-Elysees and Arc, The Little Prince store, Shakespeare and Co, Sainte-Chapelle, The Louvre (just for Mona Lisa), Pantheon (yay or nay?), and Per Lachaise Cemetery. (I have a much longer list of possibilities but these are at the top of our priorities)
Dec 9 - Train to Amsterdam early in the morning, meeting up with lifelong friend from Denmark and his spouse for a fun night.
Dec 10 - late train back to Paris, sleep/pack
Dec 11 - Home
So, one of the days between Dec 5-8, we want to make it to either THE Christmas market in Strasbourg or venturing to Reims. I should first say that I am an Enology student here in Washington State and anything related to wine is amazing for me. So the idea of Reims and Champagne tours is incredible. I cannot, however, get over the beautiful photos and things I've read about the Strasbourg markets. Thoughts or tips? I think I've read all the topics I could on this forum, at least from within the past few years.
Thanks in advanced for any input or advice. Also, if I'm writing this too late (two weeks till trip), so sorry!
- T
Nov 18th, 2016, 04:08 PM
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http://www.hugel.com/en/pionniers.php
Great vinery in the Alsace region. I so want to visit the Christmas market there.
If you look at DeniseA's Paris trip reports they went one year.
My family owns a wine store and wine bar so Pol Roger gave them an invite to visit and it was the highlight of the trip. Their distributor set it up. I don't think they normally do tours but the cellars were amazing in the pictures.
You have great wine in Washington State, Milbrandt Vineyards, have you been there?
Buy a book and have it stamped at Shakespeare and company. I love Pere Lachaise and Montparnasse cemetery. Don't forget to check out the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for the beautiful Christmas decorations.
Great vinery in the Alsace region. I so want to visit the Christmas market there.
If you look at DeniseA's Paris trip reports they went one year.
My family owns a wine store and wine bar so Pol Roger gave them an invite to visit and it was the highlight of the trip. Their distributor set it up. I don't think they normally do tours but the cellars were amazing in the pictures.
You have great wine in Washington State, Milbrandt Vineyards, have you been there?
Buy a book and have it stamped at Shakespeare and company. I love Pere Lachaise and Montparnasse cemetery. Don't forget to check out the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for the beautiful Christmas decorations.
Nov 18th, 2016, 11:03 PM
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You can go to Reims in the morning from Paris - takes about 1 hour, including walking the short distance to the champagne houses for tours.
The rest of the stuff you want to do - probably would skip the Pantheon - is easy to manage in the rest of the time you have left.
The rest of the stuff you want to do - probably would skip the Pantheon - is easy to manage in the rest of the time you have left.
Nov 19th, 2016, 01:42 AM
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I recommend you to go to Reims other than Strasbourg. Several reasons:
- Champagne tours in Reims is excellent! I took one just last week, I'm not even an enology person but the beauty of the champagne cave and the history of the champagne making hooked me up. I'm not sure all champagne caves are as beautiful as the one I visited (Tattinger, it might not be in the Top 3 champagnes but its antique roman cave is beyond words).
- Reims' Christmas market is very good too, you can look it up. Of course the Strasbourg one is more renown, but the Reims' Xmas market is one of the best in France.
- Reims is very close to Paris, it takes only 45 mins of express train (TGV) from Paris. It makes for a relaxing day trip. When I was there, I could visit the champagne cave, the Cathedral and the Basilic and the Museum, had a leisure lunch in the city center, roaming around and shopping, and still return to Paris before dinner time
Strasbourg is much farther. You don't have much time in Paris, a relaxing day trip would be better for you.
The Louvre is much more than Mona Lisa, it has plenty of gorgeous paintings and statues, you only need to read any Louvre guide on internet and you'll see.
- Champagne tours in Reims is excellent! I took one just last week, I'm not even an enology person but the beauty of the champagne cave and the history of the champagne making hooked me up. I'm not sure all champagne caves are as beautiful as the one I visited (Tattinger, it might not be in the Top 3 champagnes but its antique roman cave is beyond words).
- Reims' Christmas market is very good too, you can look it up. Of course the Strasbourg one is more renown, but the Reims' Xmas market is one of the best in France.
- Reims is very close to Paris, it takes only 45 mins of express train (TGV) from Paris. It makes for a relaxing day trip. When I was there, I could visit the champagne cave, the Cathedral and the Basilic and the Museum, had a leisure lunch in the city center, roaming around and shopping, and still return to Paris before dinner time
Strasbourg is much farther. You don't have much time in Paris, a relaxing day trip would be better for you.
The Louvre is much more than Mona Lisa, it has plenty of gorgeous paintings and statues, you only need to read any Louvre guide on internet and you'll see.
Nov 19th, 2016, 07:14 AM
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If it is for a day, go to Reims. The cathedral there is majestic. Just check on which Champagne houses are open when you will be there. It is closer to Paris and you will feel less rushed.
We went to Strasbourg during Christmas week for a day and were slightly disappointed. We should have at least stayed overnight to see more without feeling rushed. It is slightly over two hours from Paris, so four hours on a train made for a long day. Strasbourg was pretty but for us, it was a mistake to go as a day trip. I want to go back and use Strasbourg as a base for a few day trips to Colmar and other towns in Alsace.
We went to Strasbourg during Christmas week for a day and were slightly disappointed. We should have at least stayed overnight to see more without feeling rushed. It is slightly over two hours from Paris, so four hours on a train made for a long day. Strasbourg was pretty but for us, it was a mistake to go as a day trip. I want to go back and use Strasbourg as a base for a few day trips to Colmar and other towns in Alsace.
Nov 20th, 2016, 03:42 AM
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We love Paris in December. We spend the first weekend in Dec in Paris every year for our anniversary.
It looks like you are already spending a lot of time outside of Paris, I would probably not spend more time travelling around to spend a few hours in Strasbourg or Champagne...but that's just me.
To give you an idea of Paris in Dec here are our photos
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...57636716043473
Enjoy your trip!
It looks like you are already spending a lot of time outside of Paris, I would probably not spend more time travelling around to spend a few hours in Strasbourg or Champagne...but that's just me.
To give you an idea of Paris in Dec here are our photos
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...57636716043473
Enjoy your trip!
Nov 20th, 2016, 05:11 AM
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I know I am very much in the minority, but neither champagne itself nor the Champagne country grabs my interest at all. And I agree that Strasbourg, for me, is too far for a daytrip, especially in mid-winter when the days are so short and it's cold.
I'd stay right in Paris. There are plenty of short daytrips you can take (you're already moving about a LOT, IMO), and maybe places like Fontainebleau would have holiday lights or events (you can easily research that on the internet).
I'd stay right in Paris. There are plenty of short daytrips you can take (you're already moving about a LOT, IMO), and maybe places like Fontainebleau would have holiday lights or events (you can easily research that on the internet).
Nov 20th, 2016, 06:32 AM
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You're more than welcome to it, jamikins! My husband doesn't like it either, so a double share for you and Bikerscott! We're OK with a glass of prosecco to start, though, but you can have the good stuff!
Nov 20th, 2016, 11:52 AM
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Macross, I apologize...I missed your comments when I posted. To the OP, here is the link to that TR.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-fantastic.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-fantastic.cfm
Nov 20th, 2016, 12:51 PM
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Thanks everyone so far for your tips! I think I knew when posting that I really preferred and wanted to do Reims, but I just wanted to get some backing from my choice. We have plans already to be back in France in the spring of 2018, so I'm not terribly worried about moving around too much or not including something. We both love staying busy as travelers and I think what we have loaded in our itinerary will be perfect.
FuryFluffy - Thanks for your enthusiasm on the champagne caves, that's sorta exactly the assurance I wanted.
denisea - I was sorta feeling the same way about Strasbourg just looking at everything I wanted to do around that area. I think we will save that for next time and do an early day trip to Reims and make it back way before dinner in Paris. Thanks for the TR, I can't wait to read it.
jamikins - Beautiful pictures!
FuryFluffy - Thanks for your enthusiasm on the champagne caves, that's sorta exactly the assurance I wanted.
denisea - I was sorta feeling the same way about Strasbourg just looking at everything I wanted to do around that area. I think we will save that for next time and do an early day trip to Reims and make it back way before dinner in Paris. Thanks for the TR, I can't wait to read it.
jamikins - Beautiful pictures!
Nov 20th, 2016, 02:17 PM
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I have zero interest in champagne, also, I don't like it at all. Wine shouldn't be fizzy IMO. I did a day trip to Reims for other reasons, there is plenty to see there other than champagne businesses.
I enjoyed Strasbourg, also, but I stayed there a couple days. However, I don't consider it too far at all for a day trip, the TGV goes there in only 1:45 or so, you have all day there. YOu could easily spend 6 hrs there and still leave late afternoon and be back in Paris before dinnertime (my dinnertime, anyway, I never eat before 8). I've gone to Brussels for a day trip. that's plenty of time to see the highlights of Strasbourg.
I was mainly interested in the cathedral and Musee de la Reddition in Reims, but I'm a big history buff. They had some fantastic film footage of WWII in that museum which I'd never seen, and Eisenhower's original map room.
I enjoyed Strasbourg, also, but I stayed there a couple days. However, I don't consider it too far at all for a day trip, the TGV goes there in only 1:45 or so, you have all day there. YOu could easily spend 6 hrs there and still leave late afternoon and be back in Paris before dinnertime (my dinnertime, anyway, I never eat before 8). I've gone to Brussels for a day trip. that's plenty of time to see the highlights of Strasbourg.
I was mainly interested in the cathedral and Musee de la Reddition in Reims, but I'm a big history buff. They had some fantastic film footage of WWII in that museum which I'd never seen, and Eisenhower's original map room.
Nov 20th, 2016, 05:02 PM
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I don't like champagne anymore either. I did the mistake to celebrate the end of each chemo session with a bottle. But like a god host I have just put 24 bottles in the cellar.
Reims however is gorgeous and I find it a better day trip than Strasbourg which has much more to offer.
Reims however is gorgeous and I find it a better day trip than Strasbourg which has much more to offer.
Nov 22nd, 2016, 01:56 PM
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I think you can skip Shakespeare and Co. I don't get the hype, honestly. Just a bunch of books and a couple of writers-wannabe hipsters. And I wouldn't wanna be among the dead in Winter. So maybe drop LaChaise?
Strasbourg is supposedly the capital of Christmas, so skip it at your peril. Personally, I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Strasbourg is supposedly the capital of Christmas, so skip it at your peril. Personally, I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Nov 22nd, 2016, 02:54 PM
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Trista...you might look at Paris to the Past by Ina Caro and her itinerary for Reims. The book is all about day trips by train from Paris. I enjoyed Reims and the cathedral there is my favorite of the ones I have been to in France. The book will give some historical perspective without having to read massive volumes for your trip. Have a great time.
Nov 22nd, 2016, 02:57 PM
#20
No need to make too many plans ahead of time. Weather conditions may alter your desires. Nothing is going to be too crowded to need advance reservations.
I myself will be in Strasbourg on 7-8 December to see the "capital of Christmas" again at the proper time. I went there many times in the past when I had friends living there (and was even in charge of decorating their Christmas tree for two years), but this is my first return in quite a few years...
I myself will be in Strasbourg on 7-8 December to see the "capital of Christmas" again at the proper time. I went there many times in the past when I had friends living there (and was even in charge of decorating their Christmas tree for two years), but this is my first return in quite a few years...
