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Post by NewTraveller on Apr 21, 2007 10:38:06 GMT -5
Hello everyone! So I've booked my trip to Ireland and France! I will be in Paris for a little over a week in Sepetember with 2 freinds and we're hoping to visit 1-2 other cities in France while there. Two of us have been in Paris before.
Any recommendations of cities not to be missed? And what would be the best way to get there...renting a car and driving or taking some form of train in France??
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Post by Eagle on Apr 21, 2007 13:51:45 GMT -5
NewTraveller, as far as other cities in France to visit, I'd suggest cities which are reasonably close to Paris. If you're only going to be there for one week, it wouldn't make sense to spend a lot of travel time getting to the far-flung corners of France. You might consider Versailles (day trip from Paris - use RER), the Normandy area (you choose which towns might interest you the most - trains leave from Gare St. Lazare) OR you could perhaps check out some one-day guided tours.
Regarding transportation options, IMO the most efficient and usually fastest method is via rail. Car rentals are usually somewhat "restrictive" for those under 25, the costs of the rental and CDW often a bit high (this is more manageable if the costs are being shared with 2-4 people), and cars tend to be a bit of a nuisance in the large cities. There's also the issue of driving in an environment where one might not be familiar with the road signs or traffic regulations. I have driven in France, and it's not too difficult in the country, but there's no way I'll be driving in Paris! An International Driver's Permit would be a good idea, as a small booklet is provided which shows the road signs used in different countries. The IDP is NOT a Driver's License, but must be used in conjunction with your home license (any restrictions on your home license also apply). Check with your local AAA office for more information on the IDP.
Good luck and happy travels!!!
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Post by jennifer on Apr 21, 2007 17:51:51 GMT -5
I'd really recommend seeing Strasbourg if you are out that way (east near Germany). It can give you a taste of what old historical towns look like in parts of GErmany but it has a french feel to it.
If you go down south, Pau, St-Jean-de-Luz, Bayonne and Biarritz are great places!
Jen
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Post by googleygoo on Apr 22, 2007 11:36:37 GMT -5
If you have any interest in going to the Loire Valley, Tours is nice. Its about 2 or 3 hours south of Paris by train. You can stay a couple of nights and take a day trip to Chenonceau to see the chateau. When I was there 2 years ago, they offered the audioguide on iPods! (I didn't get one though) There's actually a moat surrounding the chateau... sort of fairy-tale like. Although, I think after seeing Versailles, no other palace can really compare :-)
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Post by madamtrashheap on Apr 22, 2007 18:53:42 GMT -5
NewTraveller, a few pages back in this section we were discussing this very topic: pretravel.proboards1.com/index.cgi?board=CCadvice&action=display&n=1&thread=3790 so hopefully this list gives you some inspiration too. If you plan to stay in Paris, then perhaps the suggestion of day trips might work best. To add to Versailles and Normamdy, you could also visit Fontainebleau, Lyon (on the TGV is super quick), Macon, Dijon, Giverny (Monet's gardens) or Epernay (champagne region), just to name a few. If you want to stay overnight somewhere, then look through the list, grab a map and see what grabs your interest.
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