Hi all: Planning next year's trip, and Sunday is usually a bad day in places outside of Paris due to restaurant and other closings. Mondays are almost as bad.

Tentatively thinking of Bourges on Sunday, and Dijon Monday & Tuesday.

But I can change around and have Bourges on Saturday and Dijon Sunday and Monday. Maybe add a day to Dijon if enough Fodorites think it makes sense.

After Dijon we go to Bescancon for a night.

We will be using the train this year, no cars, so think we'd pretty much be locked in town - i.e. no little villages x km away.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Steve

OK: specifically, on Sunday will the "Sound & Light Walking Tour" be presented in Bourges. Their web site is in French, and I could not see how many days a week it is.

I would imagine that being the larger place, Dijon will have more things opened. But will Dijon be deserted on Sunday or will it be more like a family day with everybody outside?

Thanks
Steve

When are you going? The light show in Bourges is open differing days of the week, depending on the time of year.
Here's a link to the Bourges' website in English for the light show: http://tinyurl.com/5zo5se

Another possibility: I spent a Sunday in June in Troyes and had a great time. A lot of the stores and restaurants were closed (although I did have a tasty meal at a creperie), but I very much enjoyed listening to the organ at the cathedral, visited a couple other churchs, the covered market (well, I got there just as it was closing) and a very nice modern art museum.

Shanti, Thank you for the reply and the link. We would be there in June, so (unless changed), we should plan for Saturday night, not Sunday.

Have seen Troyes mentioned on Fodors before, will have to look more into it.

This next trip is like trying to catch many of the places that we were near to on prior trips, but somehow never got to, if you know what I mean.

Thanks again,
Steve

You're welcome.

Bourges is also on my get back to list. I stopped there in June (wasn't able to be there on a day with the light tour) but was only able to spend a few hours there. It definitely is worth more time.

I can only speak for Sunday morning and early afternoon in Bourges. There's a bustling food market till 12 or 1 and nearby a lovely park where you could take your lunch. There's also a big brocante but I don't know how late in the day it goes on; we just saw it in the morning. The cathedral is a popular spot, with gardens in the French municipal garden style. It was packed with tour buses in the afternoon.

Like I've stated many times here, on Sunday most shops will be closed in the cities you mentioned - even in Paris (except for the Marais, and a few other spots). It's French law that dictates stores must be closed - with a few exceptions. But you already know that.

Don't visit Dijon on a Sunday or a Monday morning (when many shops close also). We were in Dijon on a Sunday in Sept for Partrimonie weekend, and shops were closed & the area was quite dead, except the sites that were open for Patrimonie. We've visited Dijon about 4 other days, and it's our favorite city in France behind Paris.

We visited Bourges & Troyes within 2 weeks of each other, and we enjoyed Troyes a lot more than Bourges. We're big architecture fans, and thought Troyes's architecture was very interesting. Of course, you can see architecture on a Sunday. I don't remember my wife sticking her head into any shops, so I'm not sure Troyes is that great of a shopping city.

We were a little underwhealmed with Bourges - mainly because the Michelin Guide rates it very high & so my expectations were high.

I don't know what your entire itinerary is, but if you leave Paris on a Sunday by car, you could perhaps visit Provins (interesting village), then Troyes on a Sunday & stay overnight in Troyes. Provins might be the type of town (lots of tourist stuff) that has shops & cafes open on Sundays.

On Monday, visit Tanlay Chateau or Ancy le Franc and then arrive in Dijon on Monday afternoon for 2 nights there.

Stu Dudley

Thanks Coquelicot & Stu:

So getting into Bourges Saturday afternoon, wandering around, eating, seeing the Light show, and then waking up to a Sunday market sounds like a pleasant visit.

This will be our first trip without a car. Any ideas of another pleasant place within 1 1/2 hours by train? That would take care of Sunday PM and some of Monday. It is hard to go to voyages-SNCF and play with the schedule when I don't really know where I'm going

We would then plan to be in Dijon Tuesday.

Thanks in advance.
Steve

Train schedules are often reduced on a Sunday. Also, I think you'll find this site much more usable that the SNCF site:
http://www.reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Most cities will have shops closed on Sunday - and trains don't really service the castles/ruins/gardens etc you'll find out in the countryside.

Beaune has some stuff going on Sun & Monday morning - but again - much less than other times.

In the Loire, you could visit Blois & its chateau, and also Ambois.

Stu Dudley

<We would then plan to be in Dijon Tuesday.> Perfect to go to the food market!
Keep in mind that except Magnin museum, all the museums close on Tuesdays (everywhere in France, not only in Dijon).
Sundays can be pleasant if you don't like crowds, but as Stu said it can be quite dead in the centre(although in June most of the cafés open their terrace...)
The Dijonnais like to go to the parks (Parc de la Colombière, jardin Darcy, carrières Bacquin, parc de la Toison d'Or or Kir lake)

Welcome!
coco

"Also, I think you'll find this site much more usable that the SNCF site: http://www.reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en"

Stu: what a wonderful change from Voyages-sncf, etc. So easy to use, may go hog-wild this weekend rethinking the trip. Definately added to "my favorites"

A million thanks!

Steve