absthegal

Hello Fodorites,

I have read the past Alsace discussions, and have found them quite useful. However, I am still at quite a loss with how to spend MY time in Alsace.

I will be travelling with two 15 year old girls. We will be in France for a week. We thought to spend the first four days (Monday -- Thursday nights) in Paris. '

On Friday I was planning to take the TGV to Strasbourg (arriving mid-day) returning via TGV to DG Airport on Sunday night -- so two nights in Alsace. (We fly out of DG on Monday morning, and plan to stay at the DG Sheraton on Sunday night.) We were planning to rent a car in Strasbourg. The time of year is early April (yes, THIS early April!)

So I sound all organized and all, but once we're in Strasbourg I don't know what to do! We are getting out of Paris because the teen girls are more interested in countryside than city so we won't stay in Strasbourg. But do we drive the entire route du vin, or do we choose one village to spend two nights, and explore it? Can we rent bikes in a village, and if so, where we would ride to? Isn't the terrain quite hilly? Can we walk or ride to the next village? How many villages should we realistically and enjoyably visit? If we drive the route du vin towards Colmar, do we do the same route back to Strasbourg, or something else?

Can you recommend an itinerary for two nights in Alsace? Lastly, is there an alternative to Alsace that you would recommend? Our desire is to see more "country" than city, and our limitations are predominately ones of time.

Thanks in advance!

nytraveler

The towns on the route du vin are tiny - and so early in the year the countryside will be pretty but not at it's best - since vines will be very small yet. Yes, you can rent bikes - don;t know where but I would google in advance. yes, it is hilly - but not mountainous. We drove - so took the main road - where you would definitely not want to bike - for that you wold need a local map and the smaller roads between the towns.

I love Alsace - but what I liked best were the cathedrals and museums in Strasbourg and Colmar. the wine towns were cute - but not a whole lot to do (but I'm a city person). And for me, countryside si to drive through.

I would check out the various towns to see what there is - since I presume you won;t be wine-tasting.

AtlTravelr

We were in Alsace 2 years ago in late March - not sure what the weather difference would be from early April but wanted to warn you that it was COLD when we were there (we've also been to Paris the first week of April when it snowed at the Eiffel Tower...). Anyway, keeping in mind that the renting bikes, walking to the next village thing might not work for you because of weather - we loved our stay in Alsace. My daughter was studying there so we stayed for 4 nights in Strasbourg, rented a car and used that as our base for exploring the area. We did drive many of the Route de Vin villages as well as visited Mt. St. Odile - places that my daughter had visited and enjoyed. Her favorite little city (besides Stras of course) was Colmar and we spent 1/2 day there and wished we had had more time. It was so lovely, so charming. We had a great time exploring Stras, taking the canal cruise, exploring Petite France, going to the cathedral, seeing the EU buildings, eating great food.

So, to answer your questions - Colmar would be the cutest of the towns we saw in which to stay, but the other towns are smaller and might be easier to get in and out of if you want to only use it as a base. We were able to see 3 small sites/towns on our two sightseeing days and still return to Stras for early evening. My daughter really loved the region and we enjoyed visiting there and would definitely return.

jgwagner4

My wife and I tried to visit Strasbourg last April but I failed to heed my fellow Fodorites’ advice not to drive, although it probably had more to do with the vehicle we were driving than the difficulty of driving in Strasbourg. In the end we visited a small town nearby called Obernai. It was very nice, although I do not have much to compare it against as far as villages in the Alsace are concerned.

My advice to you would be to consider spending the two days enjoying Strasbourg without a car.

If you are intent on getting out of the city you might consider crossing into Germany and doing a bit of driving around the Black Forest.

You might be interested in my travelogue from that trip:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...travelogue.cfm

michele_d

We stayed in Obernai during our five days in the Alsace region and really enjoyed the location. We had a lease car and visited nearby villages by driving through the rolling vineyard covered hills. It was harvest season when we went and it was fun to see the workers harvesting the grapes. Very small town atmosphere. We also really enjoyed Haut Konigsberg castle. It was a very foggy day when we went and it just added to the atmosphere of the place. We very much enjoyed the Alsace region.

AZKathy

I loved the Alsace region but with 2 teenage girls I would consider going somewhere else, like Provence? Do the girls have an opinion? If they love history then Normandy might be a good choice. But I was thinking that Arles might really appeal to them.

absthegal

Thanks you guys for the quick responses! You have definitely given me alot to think about, including the weather (which I hadn't thought about at all!) to staying in Strasbourg or Colmar, or even someplace all together different, like Arles, which I will research.

jgwagner4 -- do you think there's a "Carl" book about Strasbourg?

bilboburgler

I'd vote for Eguisheim as a base just because it is easy to get to and is so old. its on the wine route and at the prettiest end, best wine and if your girls are very fit close to the Ballon de Alsace with a fantastic view of Mont Blanc.

I've just set up this non-commercial web site which may be of interest and if you look at the Alsace section offers you some contacts. Let me know if it was any use please.

www.mybikeguide.co.uk

ira

Hi ab,

Are you sure that you folks are going to be so stultified by Paris that you are willing to invest the time and expense to spend 1 1/2 days in Alsace?

Aren't there bikes for rent somewhere in the city?

How about a couple of runs in the Luxembourg Gardens?

Check out the Promenade plantée at wiki.

A walk in the Bois du Boulogne?

etc

jgwagner4

absthegal,

If there isn't already one, there should be.

Maybe you can find something with Schnitzel and Pretzel the dachshunds (by Hans Wilhelm).

absthegal

ha ha won't be stultified by Paris in only 4 days -- I'm sure it must take 5 days for that! [JOKE] Yes there are bikes to rent in the city - there's even the velib!

The teenagers I'm taking thought it would be cool to see some of the countryside, and, since they preferred that to seeing Disneyland, made me think that (1) i'm travelling with unusual and wonderful teenagers and (2)it was worth trying to meet their desires!

It's not a bad thing for Angelino teens to see how cultures meet and mesh at the borders of Europe I think! It's an experience they cannot get at home that is for sure!

Thanks everyone for your input!

NanBug

I'm with Ira. I'd stay in Paris and take daytrips from there. Less schlepping, less time lost in transit...

kerouac

Strasbourg is the #1 bike riding city of France. Is that of interest to the potential visitors?

HappyTrvlr

I would stay in Paris as four days is not enought time to go elsewhere; all of my teen granddaughters loved Paris. We were in Strasbourg and Alsacian villages in mid April and froze. The vineyards did not have any green in them yet. I liked the villages but only can imagine how lovely it must be when everything is in bloom there.