scdreamer

This is a VERY preliminary itinerary for a trip my husband and I will be taking next August/September. I have already found wonderful advice here (StCirq. PalenQ, bilboburgler, Christina and more - *thank you!*), and am incorporating some wonderful suggestions for places that weren't even on my radar when I started planning this three-to-four-week trip.

We are in our 60s, active, fairly well-traveled and accustomed to traveling on our own . We enjoy walking and hiking. Unexpected adventures are almost always the highlight of our travel experiences, but I do like to plan ahead for accommodations. We like good wine and good food, but also appreciate the opportunity to have a kitchen and shop in local markets. Have driven in UK, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, so we feel confident in that aspect.

Some of this is still a little sketchy - especially the final week or so, which is way more than a "little" sketchy. Overall, though: Too much time in Strasbourg? Do you think this gives us enough time in Luxumbourg? Any ideas as to filling the final days of our trip will be greatly appreciated - I don't know much about the Verdun area, whether there is much to do or see other than the WWI history, which we would like to see - it will be the centennial of the armistice next fall. If there is another route that would be more interesting, I'm open. Adding or subtracting days from any destinations?

Here goes ...

Day 1 Arrive in Paris from west coast US (Not our first visit to Paris, so only four days)
Day 2 Paris (suggestions for hotel or legal self-catering hotel/apt welcome)
Day 3 Paris
Day 4 Paris
Day 5 Train to Strasbourg
Day 6 Strasbourg (River cruise around the city)
Day 7 Strasbourg
Day 8 pick up rental car - drive to Alsace (Ribeauville)
Day 9 Self catering apt in Ribeauville
Day 10 Ribeauville (use this as a base from which to explore other villages, wineries)
Day 11 Ribeauville (explore other villages, hike, walk, etc.)
Day 12 Ribeauville " "
Day 13 Ribeauville " "
Day 14 Ribeauville " "
Day 15 Drive to Mosel River Valley, Germany (Perhaps stay in Ellen-Poltersdorf or ???)
Day 16 Mosel River Valley self-catering apt.
Day 17 Mosel River Valley " "
Day 18 Mosel River Valley " "
Day 19 Drive to Luxumbourg (not sure where to stay - or for how long)
Day 20 Luxumbourg (we don't have to stay in the same place as the previous day - suggestions?)
Day 21 Drive to Nancy (Two days there enough- too much?)
Day 22 Nancy
Day 23 Drive to Verdun (We would like to see WWI memorials, etc.)
Day 24 Verdun area - tour battlefields, memorials (Is this worth two days?)
Day 25 ?
Day 26 Reims for overnight
Day 27 CDG - return car and fly home

scdreamer

I realize I have spelled "Luxembourg" incorrectly throughout my initial post. Ugh!

bilboburgler

Hi Scdreamer, I'm just back from taking 12 people around the Mosel drinking wine. Life stops me from writing it up but we used Urzig as a base. The "terroir" is amazing, the cliff behind the town is a bit tough but lots of walking routes and some nice little restaurants in town. We stayed at Weinegut Derkhum where a tough little 84 year old lady runs a tight ship of a B&B but you might like to stay with "CH Berres", who have fantastic appartments at the posh end of the village. Herr Berres is a nice 35 year old with very good English and a fine winery. I'll let you google it but there are three "Berres" in town and the CH one is the one we recommend.

The ship up and down the river is good fun, we like Trier (Treves in French) and have been tasting there for 30 years or so, but you might also like the Saar river paths (so many walking places you will not believe), if you look back at my recent threads it will give you some ideas.

I've even done a walk from Trier station to the University and then back up the Ruwer to the main road and caught a bus back to the station. Perhaps not one for the un-initiated but very interesting. Rome2rio will show you the basic trains and buses though only use bahn.de for the real timetables

Must fly will touch base as this thread goes along

PalenQ

Great itinerary - you have only one train trip - Paris to Strasbourg and as probably mentioned before book ASAP - up to 3 months ususally - in advance for deep discounted but non-changeable non-refundable tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com - check www.seat61.com for insights on doing that; general info on your car routes and train also www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

With car Beilstein has a hotel everyone here raves about -Haus Lipmann - http://www.hotel-haus-lipmann.com/

But Zimmer frei abound - B&Bs some of which offer self-catering digs.

Nancy deserves just a full day IME but the drive there from Luxembourg could be leisurely - check out perhps remains of the Maginot Line:https://www.tourisme-alsace.com/en/m.../maginot-line/

PalenQ

Day 25 ?>

If you want to stay in hotel at CDG night before then you could spend the day in either Compeignie or Chantilly - nice low-key towns with outstanding chateaus. Compeignie also has the restored rail car on a siding in the forest where both WW 1 capitulation by Germany to France was signed and Hitler famously had France capitulate to Germany during WW2 (and then blew up the rail car I think!)

lavandula

Hi scdreamer, I would pick one base in Luxembourg and do small trips out from there - Luxembourg is small enough that you don't need more than one base. Trier could be one of those trips. Also Echternach and Bourscheid Castle. Fabulous food in Luxembourg. Also consider a trip to Mettlach near Saarbrücken, which is the home of the Villeroy and Boch factory. Factory tours and seconds shop which is just wonderful. You have factored in enough time for Luxembourg unless you want to count Trier as one of those days - in that case, add a day.

Lavandula

PalenQ

If you want to 'visit' three countries at once go to Schengen! (Also a popular wine district.) right where Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg meet.

dugi_otok

This itinerary works best in reverse order. Also I would substitute Dijon for Nancy.Drop a night in Strasbourg.See Verdun Battlefields en route Reims to Luxembourg.

Here goes.....
Day 1 Arrive in Paris from west coast US. Train to Reims.
Day 2 Reims. Rent a car.
Day 3 Drive to Luxembourg City or Vianden. Verdun Battlefields en route.
Day 4 Luxembourg City or Vianden.
Day 5 Drive to Mosel River Valley. Trier en route.
Day 6 Mosel River Valley
Day 7 Mosel River Valley
Day 8 Mosel River Valley
Day 9 Drive to Strasbourg.
Day 10 Strasbourg.
Day 11 Drive to Ribeauville.Obernai en route.
Day 12 Ribeauville (explore other villages-Kayserberg, Riquwihr, Equisheim, Hunawihr, etc.,midsize city of Colmar, Haut-Koenigsbourg castle, hike, walk, cycle etc.)
Day 13 Ribeauville " "
Day 14 Ribeauville " "
Day 15 Ribeauville " "
Day 16 Ribeauville " "
Day 17 Ribeauville " "
Day 18 Drive to Dijon, Burgundy.
Day 19 Dijon and day trips(Beaune, Fontenay Abbey, Vezelay, Castles,Small Towns, Vineyards-Wine Tasting etc.)
Day 20 Dijon and day trips
Day 21 Dijon and day trips
Day 22 Dijon and day trips- Turn in car.
Day 23 Train to Paris
Day 24 Paris
Day 25 Paris
Day 26 Paris
Day 27 Fly home

dugi_otok

Proposed Route
https://goo.gl/maps/WCGkRXHuaRQ2

bilboburgler

These might interest you

https://www.visitsaarland.co.uk/
https://www.mosellandtouristik.de/en...istance-trail/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...hts-Trail.html

Trier has a bunch of original Roman building (some a bit restored)

scdreamer

Wow, dugi! Thank you so much for this reverse itinerary. You've given me a lot to consider, and I am very much leaning toward following your lead. I especially like that the new itinerary appears to involve fewer hours of driving, as it avoids the backtracking I had on my initial plan. Also - it gives us another part of France to explore - Burgundy - which is new to us.

Bilbo - I love the Panorama Perl path hike - it looks perfect for us. As far as the distance trail, I would love to try some parts of it - we're usually up for about 5 to 8 miles in a single day, depending on the terrain. And we try not to hike back-to-back days, as there are always other places off trail we want to visit. I'm going to see if there are trailheads where we might be able to join and leave the trail (and get back to our car).

Can't express how much I love the Fodor forums - this isn't the first time I've received great ideas and information from fellow travelers. Thank you!

Swabian

France, Germany and Luxembourg meet at Schengen.

PalenQ

France, Germany and Luxembourg meet at Schengen.>

Belgium ain't far but yes I got mixed up. Thanks for catching that.