Day Trip to Alps?

I did a search, but I didn%26#39;t really find what I was looking for.

Our month-long stay in Paris is all at an end. We%26#39;re a large-ish group of girls. We really want to go somewhere else for a day or two, and we have limited means.

There was talk of going to the south of France, or to the Alps. Especially the Alps. Both of those are 3 day trips, I would assume. We have class Monday - Wednesday, and we usually have a lot of homework. So, I guess there%26#39;s no hope for that....? I wouldn%26#39;t even know where to go, or what to do. I don%26#39;t know how far away the Alps are.

Honestly, we really want to go somewhere else, we%26#39;re just stuck as to where. I could use some suggestions. I know there are little towns right outside of Paris, but we%26#39;ve been to some of those. We want to see something a little different.

Maybe it%26#39;s too late to plan this?

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If I were you, I would take this 3 day trip to the ALps, if only to escape the current heat in Paris, even if it needs you bring some homework along. At least you%26#39;ll be able to breathe!

%26quot;The Alps%26quot; is a generic term, but you should count on a 4-5 hour TGV journey + maybe 30 mn by bus to get to your final destination. DON%26#39;T go to Chamonix, a tourist trap invaded by Anglo-Saxons and Japanese tourists, polluted by 3,000 trucks a day going through the Mont Blanc tunnel. You could try Les Arcs, easily accessible by cable car from Bourg Saint Maurice. Or if you don%26#39;t want to go all the way to an 1,800m resort, you could stop at Annecy.

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I would definitely do it too!

If you want a place without much other tourists (except French on vacation), and which is also beautiful, take the night train to Briancon (as a party of girls, it can be funny, and it%26#39;s _not_ unsafe).

The Jura is also easy to access. Why not go to Besancon, which is a lovely little town ?

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I would suggest Annecy, which is only 3 hours via TGV. It is gorgeous right now - I just returned. You can swim in the beautiful clear lake and there is also a fun (albeit touristy town) which has lots of cute restaurants and even a little nightlife. You can rent kayaks and bikes by the lake. I took the train to Chamonix one day and was stunned by Mont Blanc and the beauty of the higher elevations. I didn%26#39;t think the crowded-ness was much of a factor either. If you like hiking and ski towns you will love it. Have fun.

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Would two days be realistic? I might even go alone.... my friends don%26#39;t have much money. Then again, I have no proper hiking shoes, or even tennis shoes. Would I get to see the countryside through the window on the train? How would I get a train ticket? Sorry for all the questions..... I am not very travel-savvy.

Thanks so much for your advice. We only have 11 days left in Paris.... suddenly, it%26#39;s not enough time! I feel like I haven%26#39;t seen enough of Paris, and I haven%26#39;t seen any of France.

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I studied in the Alps most of the year many years ago.

It gets hot up there in the summer as well.

Perhaps the best way to see the Alps for a quick trip from Paris is to hop on a budget airline to Switzerland, Austria or Slovenia. Switzerland really isn%26#39;t a budget destination though!

Don%26#39;t forget, Monaco is part of the Alps too, where it drops into the Sea.

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Since your means and time are limited, how about going to someplace closer like Champagne. (especially good if you have a fondness for the bubbly) We spent 2 nights there after our 8 night stay in Paris in May. Pretty countryside. The village of Hautviller where Dom Perignon is from is adorable. See my trip reports: Trip Report - Day 9, May 24 and Trip Report - Day 10, May 25 which I posted back in June. I think the Alps and the south of France are awfully far to go for a couple of days.

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I was in the Alps yesterday afternoon... the temps were sweltering!

I also vote for an easier option, how about a train trip to Deauville.Trouville on the shore. The beaches are great and it makes for a very easy over night. The temp may be high, but the breeze off teh water should make it a bit more bearable.