Well, it’s finally really going to happen. I’m going to France for a week on vacation!
My girlfriend and I will be spending 7 nights in Paris, and we’ve allocated ourselves 1 night in the middle of the trip to spend overnight somewhere that’s not Paris. The idea is to head to a destination that could be a reasonable day trip from Paris, but stay overnight trip so we can do something somewhat more in-depth than a day trip. No rushing through dinner and all that.
The question is, where to go and what to see on this overnight trip? We both love history and music, and I love architecture. I’d love to see the chateaux in the Loire Valley or really any of the significant medieval cathedrals. Maybe overnight in a small city with some remnant of its medieval architecture? For example, when in Austria several years back, I loved the Wachau region along the Danube. Durnstein was gorgeous. That’s more or less what I’m looking for…
We thought we might go to Tours, in the Loire valley. But the more I see of it, it just looks like visiting a small US city overnight… is this impression true?
We’d rather take the train to our destination, and we’d rather the trip not take more than about two hours one way. (After all, we’re not going on vacation to drive for hours on the French highway system in an underpowered economy car.) It would be nice to go someplace where we don’t need the car to get around, though I realize that may be impossible.
If it makes any difference, the overnight date will be Sept. 1, 2004. Also, I’m reasonably conversant in French. It’s not our first trip to Europe, but neither of us have ever been to France.
Suggestions, please! (I’m sure that at least a dozen dopers must have done this before…)
I agree with E. Thorp.
There is also Normandy and Mont St Michel.
Cathedral and champagne cellars in Reims.
There is also Rouen (cathedral, Joan of Arc.)
I love gothic architecture, so I would wholeheartedly agree with the suggestions to visit Chartres and Rouen. If you decide to go to Chartres, you can throw in a side trip to Versailles, too.
Mrs Zebra and I did this two years ago. The only difference is that we spent two night outside of Paris.
We stayed here.
It’s a bit out from Paris and is a little south of Angers near Cholet.
But as you drive out you can stop at a good number of other castles/chataux.
We found the chatau to be very romantic and the viscount and viscountess were so nice. She speaks english very well and they will chart out a day trip for you to see the various castles and points of interest. There was a large church built over Roman ruins nearby.
I highly recomend it if you are willing to spend two night outside Paris. That way you can drive out and stay south of the Loire River and view stuff there on the way out. One day driving around the area near your castle, and then as you dirve back hit Angers, Chartres.
Rouen seems to be a leading candidate now. Though I just spoke with my mother, who traveled France fairly extensively back when she was about my age, and she’s very big on Chartres… I think I’ve done a fair amount of Internet research now; I think we need to talk to a few more people, buy a book, and make a decision. Doesn’t look like we can go wrong, really.
Zebra, Chateau de la Flocelliere looks amazing! Also quite out of our budget.
carimwc, it never even occurred to me to stay at Mont-St-Michel. Is that really big enough to stay at overnight? In the pictures I’ve seen, it pretty much looks like a cathedral on a rock in the ocean, but there must be more to it than that. I bet that would be a really charming place to stay…
We’ve already made hotel arrangements for Paris and we have one night “out of town”. Basically the overnight is meant to extend a day trip so it’s more relaxed, not be a huge deal. Paris itself is definitely the focus of the visit.
Wow. I haven’t been this excited about something in a while!
Hmm, I hadn’t thought about it that way. It’s not as though I must stick to the highways or anything. As for dealing with Parisian traffic… I’m sure I’m up to it, as a born and raised Massachusetts driver. (Actually, having driven a fair amount in the NYC metro area and Manhattan itself, I’d say NY drivers are at least as agressive as around Boston… but here I am, hijacking my own thread… )
Anyway, driving is definitely back in consideration…
Contrabass- You can indeed stay on the Mont. It’s actually a small town with one winding street and a monastary built on the rock. I know the hotels aren’t dirt cheap though, but from what I’ve heard it’s worth the overnight stay. I know they used to do a light show at night. If you do happen to get out there, even just for a day, take the English language tour that comes with the price of admission. It’s worth it!
I wish I could remember the name of the hotel I stayed at in Rouen. It was inexpensive and the owner was friendly and very helpful. He was rather old though and as it was three years ago, he may have retired or died. But it’s a town definitely worth an overnight. Don’t miss the bone courtyard at the art school!
