7 days between landing in CDG and leaving from FRA - suggestions?

[Simsy85]

As indicated, my wife and I have 7 days between landing in CDG and flying out of FRA - looking for suggestions on what are must do's in the general area. She speaks German and I butcher French. Not super fussed about cost.

open to past experience members have had?

Cheers

 

[Forg]

Geez … how about “all of it”?!

What have the two of you done, in France & Germany, and various places between Paris & Frankfurt?

 

[FlyingFiona]

Obviously there are a million different choose your own adventure options here but I'll just throw out one fairly obvious (but good) one:

If you haven't been to Paris before, or not for a long time, I'd spend the bulk of the week there, then train to Strasbourg for a day or so and onto Frankfurt by train (not a great deal to see there by comparison, so no need to spend more than half a day there IMO.)

 

[Human]

What interests you?

I would tend to agree with @FlyingFiona that you couldn't go wrong simply hanging around Paris. I love visiting Paris for its galleries and museums, which I could easily spend several days visiting. Apart from the sites and architecture of Paris, you could also visit Versailles or Vaux le Vicomte, which I visited when I was last there.

If you're into history, a day tour of the Somme or other WWI sites would also be a good idea.

 

[Mattg]

There are so many possibilities here - hard to just pick one or two!

As a starting point, have you been to Schloss Neuschwanstein? A beautiful part of the world in the south of Germany. You could also visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen and take the train/cable car up to Zugspitze. Amazing scenery.

If wanting to stay closer to Frankfurt, Heidelberg is a nice little town to spend a day or two en-route.

 

[SYD]

Taking the north route it would be an easy arc through Belgium onto Cologne and down to FRA. All well connected by train.

 

[jcwhizz]

Go straight to Burgundy or Champagne and don’t leave…..

 

[jase05]

Hire a car and drive!
Plenty of great spots along the way

 

[VPS]

Strasbourg for a couple of days then Alsace villages around Colmar. Stunning

 

[lovestotravel]

tripadvisor.com.au

 

[Scr77]

Go straight to Burgundy or Champagne and don’t leave…..

I concur. Or go to Ehingen Germany and visit the Liebherr Cranes factory for me. I never seem to get there!

 

[docjames]

I think it depends on what you have done already / what you like to do?

Scenery - hire a car and drive
Eating - there'd be a million reccomendations
A Rhine cruise?
Mooch around Paris and live the Parisian lifestyle?
Time of year (weather, events) probably factors in too.


Need more baseline info to make useful recommendations.

 

[aspro2]

CDG and flying out of FRA - looking for suggestions on what are must do's in the general area. She speaks German and I butcher French.

Seven days is not a lot, realistically. Given the question, I would assume you've not spent much/any time in that part of Europe. Keep It Simple. Paris is fantastic on so many levels (and you can see suggestions and enthusiasm above), but I meet lots of people who somehow aren't prepared for the reality of heavily touristy cities (and the associated petty crime).

If Paris is a bit too busy/heavy then venture to calmer places. Strasbourg is nice, though maybe not interesting enough for some. Lyon is very pleasant and interesting, without the bustle of Paris. Luxembourg city is nice for a day or two. Heidelberg is not quite as convenient but is indeed a pretty tourist-magnet. Cologne (Köln) is good for museums and a bit of scenery and atmosphere. Frankfurt can be a bit challenging, but if you go accepting some roughness there is stuff to see. And you could easily base yourself in Frankfurt and do daytrips. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is great.

But yeah, seven days is not much, AND it depends on WHEN. The straighter (or faster) the line between start and finish, the more you'll get to enjoy. An important note for train travel in Germany: there are some major routes, especially between Mannheim and Frankfurt which are subject to significant construction-related disruptions for an extended period. Make sure you read relevant information when planning and booking tickets.

 

[vetrade]

Surprised that anyone would need to ask about what to do in Paris but..................
Buy a Paris Pass - Eiffel T, Arc de Triomphe, walk along the Seine, The Louvre & Tuileries Gardens, Moulin Rouge - huge number of places to see - cafe's, restaurants.
Take the high speed train to Nice /Monaco and venture down to Cannes for a night
Train from Paris to Tours where you can start a day long minibus tour of various chateaus like Amboise and Chenonceau in the area (we did the Touraine Evasion half day tour)
Take 40min train to see the Palace of Versailles and its magnificent gardens just south of Paris
Grab a hire car and drive north from Paris to Amiens and then go east to see the war memorial at Villers Bretonneux then jump on the motorway and head south to the Reims and the Champagne District to check out the champers stored underground

 

[Forg]

I’ve not travelled that much, but all the local food/produce tours by locals we’ve tried have been great fun. Even in places you don’t think of as being great for food (eg. the Glasgow tour was great). I think it might also be a way to do something that cuts through the touristy-ness in Paris as well as being directed by someone who knows the good places to go … the best meal I had there with my 2 friends was at a little family place on a back-street (don’t ask me where), they were effectively shut for Auntie Someone’s birthday but were still happy to serve a “What do you recommend?” meal to the confused-looking Australians who probably missed the “family event” sign which we couldn‘t find in hindsight either …

… oh, while on food, the Rhine doesn’t run super far from Frankfurt (the Main runs into it I think under 50km away) & some of those stunning deep-valley wine areas are nearby, so if the styles of wines they do there floats your boat it may be worth a visit. Depending on your mode of transport of course, it’s a lot more out-of-the-way if catching the train than if you’re already renting a car.

 

[oznflfan]

Hire a car at CDG, drive to Bayeaux, spend 5 nights there looking around Normandy (I did this last year as interested in WW2), drive back to CDG, fly to FRA for you flight.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I would recommend driving to the Champagne region, visit Éparnay, Riems and Troyes.
Then south to Dijon and perhaps Chalons-sur Saone, then Besançon and Colmar, finishing in Strasbourg before driving to Frankfurt.
I wouldn't try to go west, or any further south, in 7 days, as much as I love Lyon, the French Alps, and Provence.
They are a bit far.

 

[Simsy85]

Geez … how about “all of it”?!

What have the two of you done, in France & Germany, and various places between Paris & Frankfurt?

I've spent time in the south of France, but other than that, we've done nothing - hence after the must see.

 

[Simsy85]

Thanks all, some great ideas. We haven't spent much time there at all.
Interests are food, wine, history and probably driving (thinking of the Nürburgring). Timing (apologies, I thought I put that in there) is Early April this year. Happy to drive (we go to the US a lot and I drive there, so it's not an issue).
The trains, I have to say confuse me, i don't quite get them but i appreciate the point.

 

[Michenny]

As indicated, my wife and I have 7 days between landing in CDG and flying out of FRA - looking for suggestions on what are must do's in the general area. She speaks German and I butcher French. Not super fussed about cost.

open to past experience members have had?

Cheers

Visit the WW1 sites of The Somme, fabulous Cities To see and or Base yourself, Arras and Amiens to name a few. The Australian Cemetery and Monash Museum at Villiers Bretonneux are a must see. I have visited them about 7 times and as an Australian it is mind blowing the conditions that our brave Men and women fought under. The New Monash museum is at least a half day visit and then you have the Memorial and VB village. Also not far away is Ypres and the Menin gate.