3 nights - Eastern France

[Swervin_Mervin]

Plotting a route back from our holiday in France this summer and we've got 3 nights to fill after leaving Lyon before getting the Chunnel. Would like to see the eastern side of France up the border and all I can think of is Strasbourg.

Worth seeing or are there other places we should consider? Doesn't have to be France, perfectly happy to drop in Germany, Luxembourg etc

[magooagain]

Here is the Alsace tourisim web site. The schlumph collection is vast and interesting. Afterwards you could take the Alsace wine trail and take in some wine tasting. Very nice area.
http://www.tourisme-alsace.com/en/269000029-Cite-d...

[g3org3y]

Reims and Dijon are worth a look imo.

[Hackney]

Try Chateau-Chalon, South of Dijon in the Jura region.
Not far from Geneva and some great roads, a lovely village though.

We stayed at a place called here:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g2208191...

Lovely couple run the place and will cook dinner inc wine for 25euro

[JONSCZ]

Definitely 1st night in Annecy ( http://www.francethisway.com/places/annecy.php ). Not too far from Lyon and one of the most picturesque towns in Eastern France (but like anywhere worth seeing, it can be a bit touristy). We stayed in the Novotel - which is convenient for the old town and has secure parking.

[g3org3y]

JONSCZ said:

Definitely 1st night in Annecy

If that's an option, whole heartedly recommend. Really really nice place.

[5potTurbo]

Come to the 'Bourg, not that I'm biased.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Interesting suggestions, cheers guys. Must admit my thinking was more to plod back taking in a different place each night. So I had Strasbourg > Reims > Amiens as a possibility.

I just can decide if that's going to be a ball-ache or not and whether we'd be better off staying a couple of nights somewhere. Ultimately don't want too far to travel from on the last day as we've got to get back up North once we hit the UK.

[Amateurish]

I did a similar trip and stayed in Colmar. Lovely old town and there are plenty of picturesque villages in the area.

[oblio]

Great area of France we have been there loads. The Vosges is a lovely place which seems to be less 'discovered' than many others we have been to. Have to agree regarding Schlumpf Museum: a must see for any PH'er.

Also in no particular order...

- We love the town of Gerardmer (and the Bear restaurant do this 18 inch spike of flaming meat on a skewer thing which is the mutts nuts ).

- For a real original rustic experience try

http://www.chateaudalteville.com/#

looking at their website they have done it up a bit since we stayed there a few years ago. The place was/is run by a French chap called David and his Polish fiancee Anushka. We stayed there and ate with them in the night: you can basically order whatever you want that is available locally, they cook it, serve it and eat with you. They were the nicest people we have ever met in France (e.g. we had some car trouble and David offered to lend us his car for the week for sightseeing...really )

- On the way back, about an hour from Calais is La Chatreuse:

http://www.lachartreuse.com/index-UK.htm

or

http://www.hotel-lametairie.com/

A choise of 2 hotels (the original chateau and a Best Western) and 3 restaurants all on the same site...but very quiet and peaceful. We always aim to eat in La Distillerie when we are there (our preference out of the 3 restaurants)and you could stop in Bethune on the way to Calais first, to stock up on any goodies you want to bring back.

Epernay is great for champagne tasting also (nicer than Rheims, we think) but quite expensive.

Enjoy - I'm feeling a little jealous just thinking about it

[Swervin_Mervin]

Well, Colmar is looking likely. Chances are we'll do 2 nights there instead and then pitch up somewhere around the Amiens area the last night to ensure a short hop in the morning to Calais.

Colmar appears to have everything we were looking for.

Cheers for the tips all