Where to go for a long weekend after several days in Paris - Please help!
 

Hi All,

I'm looking for some ideas of places we could go for 3 nights after Paris. Here's our itinerary:

Arrive London on April 24
Take Eurostar from London to Paris on April 27
Paris for 3 or 4 nights (we've been to both London & Paris many times so we're not short changing ourselves).
Our flight home departs from CDG on Monday, May 4 at 1pm. My plan was to travel to Provence for the weekend and go to my favorite market but, I'm finding that rail is really cost prohibitive that weekend. This is probably due to the holiday weekend that I forgot about. :-( Air is also a bit pricey into either Marsaille, Monpellier & Toulon but it is cheaper than rail. Let's just say, I'm not ruling it out all together. My thought is, maybe there's somewhere else we can go from Paris without having to stress about a flight and whether that flight will depart & arrive on time for our flight home!

We don't mind driving at all so I'm not opposed to picking up a car either in or just outside of Paris. In fact, I'm much better with a car than I am with rail.
We have been to Normandy, Mont St Michel, the Loire, Giverney, Alsace and Reims which all seem like logical choices. I'm not opposed to going back to these places but, maybe I'm missing something? We haven't been to Brittney or Bordeaux and I'd consider either of these. I know Bordeaux is pretty far just like Provence. I love antique and brocante markets, DH & I both love photography, DH loves WWII history so if anyone has some thoughts on where to go, I'd love to hear them.


Thank you SO much!

Sorry for the 2nd post but, I felt I should mention that we both really LOVED Honfleur!

Honfleur wasn't even part of our itinerary when we went to Normandy. We sort of stumbled upon it. During that trip we were mostly focused on WWII sites in Normandy. The day we went to Honfleur was an absolute picture perfect day so, we spent the entire day doing nothing but taking pictures. It was one of those days that you just don't forget. I just wanted to mention it because I'm sure there are other picturesque seaside villages in France that I don't know about! If you do, please post!

Hi Iluv; You didn't mention Burgundy, that is only a few hours from CDG. Beaune probably three hours. Check it out. www.burgundyeye.com iris1745/dick

I too am a big fan of seaside villages. I'd like someone to do a big coffee table book like those in the Most Beautiful Villages series, only all about fishing port villages.

When you say you've been to Normandy, did you go mostly west from Honfleur on your way to Mont St. Michel? If so, there's still a lot more to see going north and east--Etretat, Fecamp, St. Valery en Caux, Varengeville sur Mer, Dieppe, Le Treport, and the Seine valley. Or you could go to Rennes by train or car, and then spend time in St. Malo, Dinard, , St. Brieuc and the Cote du Granite Rose in Brittany--or take off south and west from Rennes instead and spend time in the Morlaix area around Vannes. The first suggestion has the added advantage of giving you the opportunity to Honfleur. One of the best of the fishing port villages IMO.

How about Dijon, Lyon, or even Annecy, a beautiful town on the lake with gorgeous views of the foothills of the Alps?

If seaside villages are your thing, I would go to La Rochelle and explore that area, including Saintes and Ile de Ré. If you drove from Paris, you could enjoy either a bit of the eastern Loire and Poitiers, or Angers and Nantes along the way.

Oh, yes. La Rochelle and Ile de Re are wonderful. Lots of ports and fishing villages. You'd love it. Great idea St. Cirq.

Wow, La Rochelle is over a 5 hour drive from Paris. Wouldn't flying be a better option? Do carriers such as Easyjet or Ryanair fly to any airport that's nearby?

Well, you can get there on a train in about 2 hours.

Not likin' my options here. It seems train travel is real pricey that weekend no matter where you go. I guess that's what happens everyone on holidays, huh? ;-) Again, it would have been over $400RT for the two of us. It looks like most trains are in the mid-priced bracket. I know I've never paid this much before to travel by train but, we've also never traveled over a holiday weekend. I thought this would be easy but, clearly it's not.

Oh, that holiday weekend thing. That being the case Ile de Re would be wall to wall people. we were there once for some minor long holiday weekend and you could barely move in the main squares of the main towns--let alone stand in lines for hours for an ice cream cone. Maybe not such a good idea.

I know you are doing a France trip, but have you considered Bruges in Belgium? From Paris it is a little less than 3 hr train ride or little more than 3hr drive by car and it is like Honfleur in that the town itself is its greatest attraction.

Train fare was $120 RT

I think it just happens with your timing. I checked with my friends who have lovely places in Vallee du Mrne along with gorgeous places in Alsace. They are booked solid.

You may just have to enjoy Paris! I know I will be staying in Paris at that time. I am running down to Provence for 3 days on 4/20. R/T TGV, 1st class 120 euros!

Joan

Consider Strasbourg; not the sea but a charming city with a world class cathedral and many interesting, unique sites. Now there is TGV service, so you can zip there from Paris and if you like, rent a car and visit the surrounding area of Alsatian wine villages or cross the Rhine and be in the Black Forest area of Germany.

You might still be able to get some TGV prems to Strasbourg. Check it out.

I spent some time there a few years ago..aot to see there..and if you rent a car there is agreat deal to see. I have close French friends who have beautiful rental places in Alsace where I went with them.

Keep looking..you will find something....getting lots of help from people....

Joan

Could you perhaps do your time outside Paris first, leaving as soon as you arrive from London on the 27th and returning to Paris on the 30th? I see what I would consider some reasonable Prem's for those dates to either Strasbourg or Avignon(40-50€ pp each way).

I had thought about doing Paris and out of Paris first, but then thought better of suggesting it and making her change her whole trip. She probably has all her London and Eurostar reservations..but, maybe not. Yes, I too checked for prems and there were some to Strasbourg for "her" weekend...

We are trying!!!!

Joan

What I am suggesting would not affect her London or Eurostar reservations, just her time in France. Even if she already has hotel reservations in Paris, those could probably be changed. Is it worth it? Only ILP can say.

Bruges in Belgium is a train ride away. Loved the boat ride down the canal in Bruges.

Get a cheap flight to Prague.

I agree with Iris1745 - if you haven't been to Burgundy - that would be the ideal weekend trip. You wouldn't need to take the train - just rent a car and drive. It's not very far. There's so much to see - Vezelay, Beaune, Dijon, Abbey of Fonteney. We love Burgundy - the most scenic part of France (in our opinion). We have been to most all of the different areas - and this is the only area (besides Paris, of course) that we repeatedly return to. Not that we don't like the other areas - we love them all - but Burgundy is one of our favorites. I highly recommend it!