Home > Plan Your Trip > Graffiti Wall > Travelers' Helpline > To the West
Sign In | Register

Visiting Europe in Dec

Hi,

We are planning to visit Europe around Christmas & New Years. We have about 8-9 days. Can someone suggest if the following options are possible (we are landing in frankfurt):

1. Frankfurt - Vienna - Salzburg - Munich - Frankfurt. Is it ok to drive on these routes during winter? 2. Frankfurt - Zurich - Geneva - Lyon - Frankfurt. 3. Frankfurt - Lyon - Marseille - Nice - Frankfurt. 4. Frankfurt - Paris - local tours/countryside/Versaille.

Is it ok to drive during winter during the above routes? Would it be very cold? Any other recommendations? How about Italy - Rome/venice?

thanks rajeev


rajeev
bangalore 11/5/09
Send Private Message


  
11/5/09 9:37 AM
Steve
wishing I was in Europe
Posts: 1331
Send Private Message

Driving, sure, its mostly freeway, but it depends on the weather how fun it will be.

The alp crossings on the major routes are open year round, again severe weather would slow you down, however.

Recommendation is to take the train for long distances if possible, you'll enjoy the trip more than behind the wheel. Get a good guidebook, like Rick Steves'.

And cut way down on the cities you want to visit. For a week or so, you'll only really get to enjoy three, perhaps four. Not five.

Fly into one city, like Frankfurt, and fly home from Paris or Milan or Rome to get more in with less backtrack.


11/5/09 12:15 PM
Kent
Pacific Northwest
Posts: 4934
Send Private Message

Very few travelers choose to have a rental car while in Paris.

For weather, click here


11/6/09 12:18 AM
rajeev
bangalore
Posts: 1
Send Private Message

Thanks for the responses. we seem to have decided on going frm Frankfurt to Paris & then seeing places in & around Paris. Couple of questions:

1. What could be the road conditions to drive from frankfurt to paris around Dec 25th? We would like to stop by Saarbrucken & Reims if possible.

2. Other option wrt train - What is the best place to get train fares for frankfurt to paris? I checked on RS & other websites. wondering if others have any recommendations? We saw 2 country passes for $340 on http://www.railpass.com/GContent/BRPE/Others-Brand2_Eurail

Any other recommendations?

thanks rajeev


11/6/09 4:28 PM
Lee
Denver, CO USA
Posts: 3411
Send Private Message

You can get rail fares from Paris to Germany on the French Rail website, but it is very user hostile. It tends to push you off to RailEurope (which is owned by French Rail) where the fares are higher. Use the German Rail website.


11/9/09 8:09 PM
Jeffrey
Ft. Worth, Texas US
Posts: 11
Send Private Message

I have driven from Frankfurt to Paris a few times, following different routes. It is an easy drive and I would recommend, if you want to take the route through Saarbrucken, that you can easily make a stop in Metz, France where there is a beautiful cathedral, then head toward Reims and see the cathedral there. Drop your rental car off in Paris and use the metro and trains to get around.