PARIS and surroundings ????

[whtdog]

We have a week in Paris and would like to go out of the city for a few days by car. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

[cberge]

We have a week in Paris and would like to go out of the city for a few days by car. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

There is so much to see and do outside of Paris it would be hard to pick one.I suggest you get a guide book and check out some area's that may be of interest to you.So much to see...so little time I say:D

[Earl Rosebery]

We have a week in Paris and would like to go out of the city for a few days by car. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

 

Drive to Bayeux and visit the American cemetery at Omaha beach. You won't forget it.

[Hlitner]

A day trip to Versailles is always fun but you can easily do this with a train. For driving trips we can suggest several ideas but most make more sense if you spend a night outside of Paris. A very nice route is to drive over to Mt St Michel and then circle around to the D-Day beaches and perhaps over to Caen to visit the very interesting Peace Museum. It is also nice to work it out so you can enjoy a nice lunch at one of the harbor cafes in charming Honfleur. And then on your way back to Paris you can stop at Giverny and visit Monet's home. We have spent many days doing these kind of drives but, as I said earlier, it is better if you spend at least one night outside of Paris somewhere in Normandy.

 

Hank

[cberge]

I like the Chateau country or even driving and staying in Bordeaux for a few days.

[Keith1010]

I would visit Bordeaux. A beautiful city.

 

Keith

[Morgans]

To visit Bordeaux would mean 2 days travelling in a car (at least - there and back). What about something nearer such as the Chateaux (Loire) with the towns of Angers or Tours as a base, the Champagne region with the towns of Reims or Epernay, Normandy's rolling countryside, Orleans, Bourges (for lovers of Le Grand Meaulnes & the Cher region). There are so many places it's almost impossible to choose. You could even include a trip into Luxembourg!

[Alpine Climber]

Good Morning

 

There are so many wonderful places that you could visit but some of them depend on what time of year you will be visiting Paris, whether you prefer day trips or overnight stops, whether your holiday coincides with a holiday weekend in France, whereabouts in Paris you will be based, what type of things you love to do on holiday etc. If you could let us know a few more details, I am sure that CC members will be only too happy to advise you on amazing places to visit and interesting things to do when you get here!

 

Regards and have a wonderful holiday.

[whtdog]

We will start in Paris mid May and spend a few days there then rent a car and drive over to Normandy. We plan about 3 nights in that area? The next destination is where I have a problem. Where to go for 2 to 3 nights? We will end back in paris 1 night before the flight home.

 

I would consider a nice wine tasting? We also thought about strasbough but it looks like it will be too far.

 

More ideas welcome!

 

Thank you!

Sunny:rolleyes:

[Hlitner]

We will start in Paris mid May and spend a few days there then rent a car and drive over to Normandy. We plan about 3 nights in that area? The next destination is where I have a problem. Where to go for 2 to 3 nights? We will end back in paris 1 night before the flight home.

 

I would consider a nice wine tasting? We also thought about strasbough but it looks like it will be too far.

 

More ideas welcome!

 

Thank you!

Sunny:rolleyes:

 

We could write a book with suggestions (we are currently trying to plan our own 6 week driving trip starting in France). Keep in mind that long distances do not always take long to drive if you are using the Autostrade routes. If you like Champagne you might want to drive over to Reims. The Champagne houses have interesting tours and the surrounding region is full of various wineries. Reims also has one of the best restaurants in France called Boyer Les Crayers we had the 2nd best meal of our lives. Although Chef Boyer has since retired his son (I guess another Chef Boyer) apparently has maintained the quality of this wonderful restaurant...not to mention the inn (beyond our price range).

 

Hank

P.S. If you would want to dine in a restaurant such as Boyer les Crayers you usually need to make reservations weeks (or even months) in advance.

[Alpine Climber]

Thanks for posting more information about your trip to France. I would agree that Strasbourg is too far. I would also totally recommend

the previous great suggestions that if you like wine tasting then the Champagne region would be great, as would the beautiful Loire region with so many Chateaux and vineyards to visit. Both are reasonably easy to get to from Paris.

 

Apologies in advance if you know all this information already, but just in case, May is a month full of public holidays in France and 2013 has 4 that fall on a weekday. Wed 1 May (Labour Day), Wed 8 May (VE Day), Thurs 9 May (Ascension) and Mon 20 May (Pentecost). I only mention these because the roads may be pretty busy as Parisians (and others:)) may take long weekends in Normandy and Brittany. Forewarned is forearmed as they say.

 

As look would have it I am having lunch at Chateau Les Crayeres next weekend, so I may post a little note to say how it went.

 

Have a wonderful trip.

[Earl Rosebery]

We will start in Paris mid May and spend a few days there then rent a car and drive over to Normandy. We plan about 3 nights in that area? The next destination is where I have a problem. Where to go for 2 to 3 nights? We will end back in paris 1 night before the flight home.

 

I would consider a nice wine tasting? We also thought about strasbough but it looks like it will be too far.

 

More ideas welcome!

 

Thank you!

Sunny:rolleyes:

 

St. Malo, Dinan, Chartres and dozens of delightful small towns in between.

[whtdog]

I love all your ideas. Too bad I don't drink champagne, But I like all other dry wines :D

 

We hope to fly over around the 15th of May. I will research the holidays once we have commited to dates. Our trip will only be 2 weeks and Normandy is definate!

 

Please add any ideas.

 

Thanks,

Sunny

[Hlitner]

We will start in Paris mid May and spend a few days there then rent a car and drive over to Normandy. We plan about 3 nights in that area? The next destination is where I have a problem. Where to go for 2 to 3 nights? We will end back in paris 1 night before the flight home.

 

I would consider a nice wine tasting? We also thought about strasbough but it looks like it will be too far.

 

More ideas welcome!

 

Thank you!

Sunny:rolleyes:

 

Just was thinking about your post and thought we would give you an itinerary we did a few years ago. From Paris we drove directly to Mt St Michel and spent a couple of hours in that picturesque city. When we did this we spent one night just outside Mt St Michel (the lighting makes this place look magical after dark) and then we drove straight up to Normandy but not sure we would recommend spending this much time there unless you have a few extra days. We then drove directly up to the Normandy beach area. You have quite a few option for staying in Normandy. Besides the beaches and American Cemetery we really enjoyed visiting the Peace Museum in Caen. On the way back to Paris we stopped at Giverny to visit Monte's home and gardens.

 

Hank

[Alpine Climber]

Just a couple of ideas to add to the excellent suggestions provided already. Again, apologies in advance if you are already au fait with all things French. In some towns museums may be closed on Tuesdays. The long lunch hour is generally alive and well throughout France (12-2pm ish) and Mondays tend to be half or full day closing, which can make bustling little towns look quiet and sleepy. Tourist areas may differ though!

 

I have just been looking at The Daily Telegraph website for expert ideas on my forthcoming Adriatic (Venice-Venice) cruise, and noticed that there is a very good feature on Normandy on the welcome page at the moment. It looked very helpful when I had a quick look. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/

 

A quick aside, I am very happy to report that lunch at Chateau Les Crayeres in Reims was absolutely splendid! A marvellous experience.

 

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday in France in 2013.

[whtdog]

looking at options and places to stay, I think reims or loire valley will be our destination along with Normandy....If there are any special wine tastings you have enjoyed please post the information. Also, in Reims can we do a NON CHAMPAGNE tasting or is it always included????

 

Thanks,

Sunny

[Nigella]

If you are wine drinkers who don't much like Champagne, I would suggest the Loire for you. Assuming that you like white wine !

Reims is a fantastic city, as are the surrounding areas, but that's the Champagne region. You would of course get wine in restaurants but for tastings you would be pretty mucn limited to Champagne.

 

Geographically too, I think the Loire fits better with Paris and Normandy. It's the only region of France that I don't know well so I can't give any advice. If you weren't already set on Normandy I'd suggest Burgundy region to you...best wines in the whole of France in my opinion, but I'm biased!