Need Suggestions for 4 days outside of Paris
May 19th, 2022, 01:18 PM
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Need Suggestions for 4 days outside of Paris
Had planned to take my brother and SiL for 4 days in Paris in early June.. Due to family health issues, they cancelled. My wife and I will arrive in France on Eurostar from London about noon on a Monday and fly out of CDG Friday morning. Having been to Paris and Versailles before, we'd like to drive/train places around Paris. We've been to the Honfleur/Normandy area before. Would greatly appreciate a suggested itinerary, including best place to base. We like history and local culture, but are not "foodies". We are both active 70 year olds.
May 19th, 2022, 03:43 PM
#2
Have you seen everything in Paris that you want to see? There are an enormous numbers of sights and activities which would take an nature lifetime, so you might consider mixing your time between the two, perhaps the first two days in Paris, then hiring a car and going say to Rouen and Giverny to see Monet's garden
Depending on the time of you flight out of CDG, if you liked that idea I would suggest going to Rouen first - about 2 hours from Paris, spend a night there, and then go back to Giverny as it's closer to CDG. If you decided not to bother with Paris at all, you could add Honfleur into the mix and go onto there from Rouen coming back to Giverny on your way back to CDG.
Depending on the time of you flight out of CDG, if you liked that idea I would suggest going to Rouen first - about 2 hours from Paris, spend a night there, and then go back to Giverny as it's closer to CDG. If you decided not to bother with Paris at all, you could add Honfleur into the mix and go onto there from Rouen coming back to Giverny on your way back to CDG.
May 19th, 2022, 04:42 PM
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An easy visit which is nice is St Germain-en-Laye. It is only around 35 minute by RER A and is a nice day visit. But I also might be tempted to go to Bordeaux for an overnight visit. Now that the trip is only just over 2 hours from Montparnasse, it makes it feasible. And it is a lovely walking city.
May 19th, 2022, 06:14 PM
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Have you seen everything in Paris that you want to see? There are an enormous numbers of sights and activities which would take an nature lifetime, so you might consider mixing your time between the two, perhaps the first two days in Paris, then hiring a car and going say to Rouen and Giverny to see Monet's garden
Depending on the time of you flight out of CDG, if you liked that idea I would suggest going to Rouen first - about 2 hours from Paris, spend a night there, and then go back to Giverny as it's closer to CDG. If you decided not to bother with Paris at all, you could add Honfleur into the mix and go onto there from Rouen coming back to Giverny on your way back to CDG.
Depending on the time of you flight out of CDG, if you liked that idea I would suggest going to Rouen first - about 2 hours from Paris, spend a night there, and then go back to Giverny as it's closer to CDG. If you decided not to bother with Paris at all, you could add Honfleur into the mix and go onto there from Rouen coming back to Giverny on your way back to CDG.
May 20th, 2022, 09:28 AM
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I wouldn't go to places you've already been like Honfleur . You only have about 3 days, I would not rent a car and deal with that hassle. If you haven't seen much of anything, I would visit places by train where it is easy to get back to CDG. Dijon is a good idea, from there you could take the train to/from Beaune for one of those days, also. I did, it is easy.
Or visit Strasbourg/Reims In fact, I have visited Nancy by train for a day trip from Strasbourg, also. Actually, I believe the TGV from Paris (Gare de l'Est which is right by Gare du Nord) to Strasbourg goes through/stops in Nancy. And the TGV to/from CDG and Strasbourg stops at Champagne-Ardenne which is the stop for Reims.
So you could go to Gare du Nord and take TGV to Nancy, spend a couple days, take the TER to Strasbourg, then take the TGV back to CDG. Or do Strasbourg/Reims instead as you wish.
Or you could just go to Lyon easily and/or Dijon. There is a TER between Dijon and Lyon, and I know there is a TGV between Lyon and CDG.
Your call but given you have to leave out of CDG, I would not go to places to the west of Paris not on a direct rail line to CDG. but rather east/south. o Surprisingly, I recently found out one TGV line from CDG does go west towards Brittany, though. I think it goes to Rennes.
Or visit Strasbourg/Reims In fact, I have visited Nancy by train for a day trip from Strasbourg, also. Actually, I believe the TGV from Paris (Gare de l'Est which is right by Gare du Nord) to Strasbourg goes through/stops in Nancy. And the TGV to/from CDG and Strasbourg stops at Champagne-Ardenne which is the stop for Reims.
So you could go to Gare du Nord and take TGV to Nancy, spend a couple days, take the TER to Strasbourg, then take the TGV back to CDG. Or do Strasbourg/Reims instead as you wish.
Or you could just go to Lyon easily and/or Dijon. There is a TER between Dijon and Lyon, and I know there is a TGV between Lyon and CDG.
Your call but given you have to leave out of CDG, I would not go to places to the west of Paris not on a direct rail line to CDG. but rather east/south. o Surprisingly, I recently found out one TGV line from CDG does go west towards Brittany, though. I think it goes to Rennes.
Last edited by Christina; May 20th, 2022 at 09:31 AM.
May 21st, 2022, 01:28 PM
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Would it be logistically feasible to base in Nancy but have a day trip to Luxembourg City and a day trip to Strasbourg? If Strasbourg is too Out of the way, what would be another good day trip out of Nancy?
Is there a station between Nancy and Metz that one can take the train north to Luxembourg, south to Nancy, and east to Strasbourg?
Is there a station between Nancy and Metz that one can take the train north to Luxembourg, south to Nancy, and east to Strasbourg?
Last edited by jerrytmiller2731; May 21st, 2022 at 02:01 PM.
May 22nd, 2022, 12:17 AM
#12
probably easiet to use bahn.de (yes I know it is the german train website) as it is most friendly in terms of non-European typos. Or perhaps Rome2rio which is a more general travel site.
seat61 offers advice on how to use the different levels of trains
seat61 offers advice on how to use the different levels of trains
Last edited by bilboburgler; May 22nd, 2022 at 12:21 AM.
May 22nd, 2022, 05:08 AM
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I agree with Reims and Strasbourg. The cathedral in Reims is still my favorite in France and it's a lovely town (even better if you like Champagne but not a prerequisite for enjoying Reims). The chalk cellars at Ruinart are pretty fantastic. Strasbourg gives you so many options for towns in and around Alsace (and all the tarte flambee you can eat)/
You might consider day trips out of Paris---love Giverny as a day trip and so beautiful.You could still do Reims as a day trip, as well. Chartres might also be an option. Paris to the Past is a great book full of day trip suggestions (from Paris) that also provides the historical significance of the destinations.
You might consider day trips out of Paris---love Giverny as a day trip and so beautiful.You could still do Reims as a day trip, as well. Chartres might also be an option. Paris to the Past is a great book full of day trip suggestions (from Paris) that also provides the historical significance of the destinations.
May 23rd, 2022, 12:34 PM
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QUOTE Is there a station between Nancy and Metz that one can take the train north to Luxembourg, south to Nancy, and east to Strasbourg? QUOTE
The TER train between Nancy and Luxembourg stops in Metz. Metz is in-between those two cities on the rail line, almost due north of Nancy. There is nothing in-between Nancy and Metz that is any big rail juncture or anywhere you'd want to stay that I know of.
I am not clear on your concerns. Nancy and Luxembourg are only about a 1.5 hr train trip apart. Metz is about 45 minutes from Nancy, then Luxembourg is about 45 minutes after that.
Strasbourg is SE of Nancy, there is a TER train between the two that only takes about 1.5 hrs, also. It is a different train and doesn't go through Metz, which is to the north. You can go to all those places by direct train from Nancy.
YOu can also take a TGV from Luxembourg to Metz (which then goes to Paris) and then transfer to a TER to Nancy, but you don't have to, there are direct TER trains between Luxembourg and Nancy.
The TER train between Nancy and Luxembourg stops in Metz. Metz is in-between those two cities on the rail line, almost due north of Nancy. There is nothing in-between Nancy and Metz that is any big rail juncture or anywhere you'd want to stay that I know of.
I am not clear on your concerns. Nancy and Luxembourg are only about a 1.5 hr train trip apart. Metz is about 45 minutes from Nancy, then Luxembourg is about 45 minutes after that.
Strasbourg is SE of Nancy, there is a TER train between the two that only takes about 1.5 hrs, also. It is a different train and doesn't go through Metz, which is to the north. You can go to all those places by direct train from Nancy.
YOu can also take a TGV from Luxembourg to Metz (which then goes to Paris) and then transfer to a TER to Nancy, but you don't have to, there are direct TER trains between Luxembourg and Nancy.
May 29th, 2022, 10:32 AM
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Was in Paris in November. How about Vincennes--end of the metro line. Or Domaine Chantilly, easy to get to as well. Loved, loved, loved medieval Provins and medieval Moret-sur-Loring. This also from a 70+.
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