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Feedback appreciated for 1 week France Itinerary

Feedback appreciated for 1 week France Itinerary

Old Sep 28th, 2017, 04:43 PM
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bck
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Feedback appreciated for 1 week France Itinerary

My wife and I (both 30) are visiting France for the first time from the US in early October. We do not speak French. We made reservations to stay at Paris, Beaune and Lyon and for train to Dijon and CDG. Given below our plan, please let me know if you recommend me to add or remove anything. Also, any tips such as places to eat or checkout and any warnings will be highly appreciated. I have received amazing advice from this forum in the past and very thankful for that.
Day 0 - Arrive Paris 11pm (Stay near Eiffel)
Day 1 - Paris - Historic Paris Walk Featuring Ile de la Cité, Notre-Dame, the Latin Quarter, and Sainte-Chapelle. Louver Museum in the afternoon (Read Sunday entry is free). Eiffel Tower in the evening.
Day 2 - Paris - Self-guided Champs-Elysées Walk from the Arc de Triomphe down the Grand Avenue des Champs-Elysées to the Tuileries Garden. Cross the pedestrian bridge from the Tuileries Garden, then tour the Orsay Museum. Afternoon#160; Tour the Rodin Museum, or the Army Museum and Napoleon's Tomb. Evening#160; Take the 2CV car tour.
Day 3 - Train to Beaune (connecting at Dijon), Hospices De beaune, Museum of the wine of the burgundy, local market, some place to eat?
Day 4 - Beaune - Rent and bike to small wine villages, wine tasting and eat at Cafe on the way (Recommendations?)
Day 5 - Lyon - Train to Lyon, Vieux Lyon walking tour, Traboules Architectural Passageway, Evening: Place des Terreaux, Eat at a restaurant in rue Neuve
Day 6 - Day Trip to Annecy - Rent bike, go to beach (Plage la Brune), Palais de l’Île, Pont Des Amoure
Day 7 - Lyon - Notre Dame de Fourviere, Visit Silk Workshops at Croix-Rousse, Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, Les Halles de Lyon, walk along the banks of the two rivers in the evening
Day 8 - Lyon to CDG Train and return

Thanks again!
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 05:01 PM
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That's a lot of moving around for one week, especially for your first time in France. I think many would recommend more time in Paris. I haven't been to Lyon, but it's not a small town. Have you considered doing some smaller areas near Paris instead of moving around so much?

Too late to fly home out of Lyon instead of CDG?

Your first day is very packed. FYI, the Louvre is HUGE, and if it's free Sunday while you are there, I would expect the place to be absolutely packed. I think it's pretty busy even when not free, but I haven't been there in years. I do remember how much my feet hurt after spending hours walking around the Louvre - already pretty sore from all of the walking I had done outside in beautiful Paris.

When in the Latin Quarter, try to add a stop in the beautiful Luxembourg Garden (Jardin du Luxembourg) - one of my favorite spots in Paris, very beautiful. I would certainly go there vs. the long-since-past-its-prime Champs-Elysées. But you already have limited time as it is.

FYI, I don't speak any French either. I haven't had trouble traveling in France - most people speak some English especially the younger people.
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 05:12 PM
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Thanks for the feedback. I would be going back to Paris some other time next year. I wanted to enjoy/explore other parts of France. So, decided with Lyon and Beaune is on the way and we love biking. In Louvre, you are right about the crowd, probably we will be covering one of the parts such as Egyptian.
Do you recommend any metro pass for Paris?
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 05:23 PM
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You can just buy a carnet of tickets for a discounted price. We have been to Paris 9 times and have never used a metro pass. The carnets are just way more convenient.

If you are going back to Paris in the future, I would skip the Louvre until another time. If you're going to the Eiffel Tower in the evening, consider a Bateau Mouche (river cruise) either before or after you go to the tower. The buildings along the Seine are illuminated at night, and you get a different perspective than during the day. The boat tours begin on the river not far from the Eiffel Tower.

You may also want to group sites/destinations by location, such as going to the Latin Quarter, Orsay, Les Invalides, and Eiffel Tour on the same day. Those are easily walkable, and if done in that order, cuts down a great deal on backtracking.
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 05:30 PM
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The carnet works better for people traveling together, I think. I've tried using a carnet a few times as a solo traveler, but I still find a Mobilis pass (unlimited one day on buses and trains) easier - I don't like counting tickets or trying to guess whether a bus or metro ride is worth one more ticket. I like knowing I can ride as often as I like on the single day pass.

Paris along the Seine is indeed lovely at night.
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 07:53 PM
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You're counting the museums light. Louvre in the afternoon, on a free Sunday, will absolutely be a huge queue, it'll take you more than 1h just for queuing. Believe me, I go there every now and then. Same with Orsay Museum: you can't simply "tour" it, the queue is always long, and once you get inside, it's a huge collection. Do it together with another museum in the same day might be unpleasant, and even unrealistic. No way you could pack Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Historic Paris Walk into one day.

For metro pass, I recommend the Mobilis pass for 1 day in Paris, 7.5 euros for zone 1-2 (Paris), subway bus and RER train included. Ticket carnet (set of 10) works fine but I think Mobilis is still more convenient and at 7.5 euros it's a deal.
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 09:36 PM
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I think your days will be too full of things to do.

Carnet tickets are a set of 10 tickets that anyone can use for one trip on the Metro or Bus. Keep your tickets until you reach street level or you will risk a fine.
Mobilis might be practical, since it's one ticket - but you have to be home by midnight.

I would only consider going to Sainte Chapelle if it's a sunny day - otherwise, the effect of the stained glass will be lost on you.

Even if you just want to see the Egyptian wing, you will have to queue up, or get the Museum Pass. Same for the d'Orsay museum, which is entered by Museum Pass at Entrance C.

The Tuileries is large, and there aren't many trees with leaves on them now. I'd go to the Luxembourg gardens, if you can swing it - the trees are magnificent.

The Champs-Elysees is worth about 30 minutes of your time - it's mostly American stores, with some luxury shops, like Louis Vuitton. I would skip it.

I've been twice on the 2CV tour - if you are tall or slightly overweight, you will be miserable. There are no shock absorbers in the back seat. You will have to climb out to take photos. Frankly, I would just walk around - it's easier.
Instead, I would take the night cruise on the Seine from the dock at the Eiffel Tower.

Some people like to visit Rodin's museum, others prefer the gardens. If you go, get the Museum Pass for all museums.

If you just want to see Napoleon's Tomb, it is under the dome, in a sort of pit. Les Invalides is a vast military museum - lots to see.

I can see biking in Beaune and Dijon, but I don't know how you would fit in biking in Lyon. Sounds like you will be walking.
For Beaune, why not just pick up a picnic at the market?

In Dijon, Le Chateau Bourgogne at 22 boulevard de la Marne is where I go. Have your hotel make reservations for you.

In Lyon, Le Vivarais on 1 place Gailleton is an authentic "bouchon". That's where I go. Again, have your hotel make reservations for you.
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Old Sep 28th, 2017, 10:58 PM
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If you keep Lyon in the itinerary, you should spend some more time there. It's a lovely city with lots to do. I would make day 6 a second full day in Lyon.

We were just in Lyon in June and enjoyed the city very much. Here is the link to the web page I wrote about that trip.

http://www.travel.stv77.com/lyon/lyon.html

Maybe it can help you in your planning, at least for the Lyon part.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 05:51 AM
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Save yourself some time (which is already short in Paaris) and just take the buss from Arc to Pl Concorde. The Champs is pretty boring and you can see all you need at 15MPH.
Have you considered biking in the Loire instead of the others? Chateaux and wineries.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 06:01 AM
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Train tickets are booked - probably discounted and thus in stone - itinerary can't be changed without losing tickets perhaps? Anyway I think it is a splendid if active (you're babes compared to most Fodorites!) itinerary -keep that bike trip in flux as weather in October in northern Europe can be cool and wet (or sunny and brilliant)-there are trains and buses also Dijon to famous wine towns.

Very well planned and researched!
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 06:12 AM
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Do you fly out of CDG the day you take the train from Lyon?
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 06:19 AM
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I don't think you packed on too much because you are young and active. Plus once you are there, you can adjust your itinerary and activities accordingly. You will decide what your must see are and probably will drop a few sights.

I am surprise that you chose Lyon as a city to visit on your first time in France. Personally, I don't think it measures up to Paris or other splendid destinations in France.

Annecy is wonderful in the summer. The swimming, the bicycling, the hiking. My only concern is the weather in October. It might be glorious or it could be rainy and cold. Maybe have a hotel in Annecy that you can cancel if the forecast is looking dreary?
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 06:50 AM
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I like Lyon for it's history and the food and wine. It's a fascinating city.
You can't go wrong in Lyon - even in October - best time to be there.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 06:51 AM
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If it was me - and it isn't - I'd stay the whole week in Paris with one or two day trips if you can tear yourselves away. Your itinerary wastes way too much time in transit for my taste.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 11:28 AM
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Thanks everyone. Very helpful. A few questions if you can answer please:

How to get to my stay near Eiffel (Boulevard Pasteur and Rue Lecourbe) from CDG at 10PM on Saturday? Google Maps suggest RER B and a bus/metro. Is there a shuttle thats a better alternative?

When we go from Paris to Beaune, we have a connection at Dijon. We will have our cabin bags and back pack. Though we are bit active, is it worth going somewhere in Dijon for a quick trip, or I should rather spend that time in Beaune?


"fuzzbucket" Recommend to use hotel to reserve restaurants in Dijon and Lyon, but I am staying in Airbnbs everywhere. Is there an alternative?
I am not a big fan of spending $50+ of a meal. Any recommendations on good authentic restaurants that are not breaking the bank is good. Is Yelp helpful in France?

Judy - Yes I am flying out at noon, taking the 8am train from Lyon to CDG.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 11:42 AM
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The best option to arrive in Paris (any point) from the airport is taxi with fixed price: 50 euros for right-side of the Seine, and 55 euros for left-side of the Seine. At 11 pm, RER B is not really trustworthy, you might miss the train. Plus, RER B+metro/bus will be inconvenient if you have luggage, and the price for 2 people is not necessarily much cheaper than taxi.

Of course, take a taxi from the official stand and confirm the price before you continue.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 12:54 PM
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Most airlines recommend arriving at CDG at least 3 hours before international flight. Taking the train that morning may be cutting it close (too close for me!)
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 01:01 PM
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Judy - Yes I am flying out at noon, taking the 8am train from Lyon to CDG.>

Very BAD idea IMO too - train strikes pop up in France quite a bit - just had some or threats of some last week or so and there could be other things - like my son recently on a train from Paris to Orleans said it stopped in its tracks for two hours and no trains were moving - the train had run over a person in a station (suicide perhaps) and all trains were stopped until the cops and ambulance came and found all remains and did measurements, etc.

These things always happen at the times you need them most. Take a train to CDG the night before IMO and stay in one of many hotels in and around the airport. Or else look a non-refundable ticket and if the train does stop as no uncommon you'll be biting your nails until it starts rolling again.

A perfectly planned trip except for that major detail.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 02:40 PM
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Are you aware that apartments listed on AirBnB in Paris are almost certainly illegal rentals? For a first trip, you have made it unnecessarily complicated by using AirBnB. You will need to make special arrangements to be met at the apartment in Paris if you are arriving so late. And, of course, you need to make arrangements to meet the owner/agent at each AirBnB. AT a hotel, you can bop in and drop off your luggage at any time, even if your room is not ready.

In Paris, you can make restaurant reservations via La Fourchette. I expect you can also make reservations for Lyon.
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Old Sep 29th, 2017, 03:16 PM
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For the Louvre, choose a wing to "do" and also an alternative, since that wing might be closed. Look at the Michelin Green Guide to choose what to possibly see.
Same thing with the orsay--choose an area to tour--you aren't going to "see" the Louvre or Orsay in an afternoon.
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