My husband and I are booked on an Austin, TX to London flight October 14, arriving the 15th and returning the 24th. We are looking to take a flight directly from LHR to Paris once we land at Heathrow.

Day 1 - October 15 - arrival day, proceed to flight to Paris (one night in Paris). Have been numerous times so this time is it more of a stopover to get our bearings.
Day 2 - October 16 - Train to Reims (champagne tastings/tours) - stay two nights
Day 3 - October 17 - Anything else we should do on this last day in Reims?
Day 4 - October 18 - Train to Strasbourg; discovering Petit France - stay two nights
Day 5 - October 19 - Wine route in Strasbourg via a tour on a VW Kombi (worth it? or do on our own?)
Day 6 - October 20 - Train to Colmar and do a river cruise of the canals? Our 30th anniversary... so want something special to see and wonderful foods to indulge in - stay two nights (too long?)
Day 7 - October 21 - Villages of Alsace Tour
Day 8 - October 22 - Train back to Paris and then fly back to London. Hopefully see some friends.
Day 9 - October 23 - Find a hotel near LHR - day in London (used to live there so don't need to sightsee on this trip)
Day 10 - October 24 - Fly home to Austin

What y'all think? What would you expand or what would you skip?
Train travel all the way ok or would you recommend us getting a car once we are in the Strasbourg/Alsace area?
What about Basel? Should I add?

Thank you in advance. Your help with our Switzerland trip was so amazing and helpful.

Just very quick -- I wouldn't fly back to London on Oct. 22. I'd take the Eurostar and stay at a hotel anywhere along the Elizabeth Line (specifically Farringdon, Tottenham Court Rd, Bond Street, or Paddington).

Thanks, that is a great idea.

From my visit quite a few years ago so opening days and times, prices, etc. may differ now.

Excellent info, joannyc!

Ina Caro’s Paris to the Past: Traveling through French History by Train includes a chapter on the coronations of the kings of France and the cathedral at Reims. I intend to reread it before our visit in November. That background, plus the audioguide from the TI, will give us the foundation I would like for our visit. (I might look, too, for the Great Courses series on French cathedrals.)

We have also arranged a day from Reims with Terres de Memoire on the battle of Verdun. A few days before, while in Paris, we intend to explore the World War I museum at Meaux.war because of the amount of shells and bombs still there, you will discover the silent witnesses of the battle: from the forts, the trenches, memorials to the Douaumont ossuary. We won’t miss a visit to the Verdun Memorial Museum, which has been completely renewed recently to offer an excellent understanding of this tragedy. is nothing more sacred in France than the battlefields of Verdun, one of the longest and bloodiest battle in history. For more than ten month the French and the German troops struggled around Verdun. Driving through the « Zone Rouge » (Red Zone), an area where nothing could be built or grown after the war because of the amount of shells and bombs still there, you will discover the silent witnesses of the battle: from the forts, the trenches, memorials to the Douaumont ossuary. We won’t miss a visit to the Verdun Memorial Museum, which has been completely renewed recently to offer an excellent understanding of this tragedy.

Thanks very much, k-Marie!

I've tried to track down the VW Kampo wine tour, google suggests this is run by Paul at VinoVarlot and may have closed. The Viator version of this, (may be the same thing) is £140 for the tour, three tastings and three village visits. I'm guessing you will be allowed an hour for lunch. 8 people max in the van.

So lets assume 4 people on average. Income £560. 25% to Viator.. £420. Fuel out lays etc £100. £320 sort of works for the guy.
I suspect the tastings will be at the usual high volume places, which are normally fine with maybe one smaller one to take advantage of smallness of the van.

Most of the towns this visits are to the north of the area. Makes sense as you don't want to sit all the time in a bus. But the better wines are in the south though some of the prettier towns are in the middle.

I'd prefer more information before I can advise. But the price looks about right for 8 hours work.

If you haven't already book the Eurostar now - it will only get more expensive.

joannyc, thanks for sharing this great list of resources in Reims. My sister and I are visiting for 2 nights in September and this will be a great resource.

You're very welcome! Have a wonderful trip!

Note: A few posts offering suggestions to the OP were deleted. charlottebrohi3590's thrip was last year.