Here is my 9-day itinerary for our visit to France and Switzerland! My husband and I enjoy exploring both cities and nature and try to incorporate both into our trips. When my mom asked if we would be interested in watching her choir perform in Paris, we couldn't say no! (We previously traveled to Italy and watched her there as well.) My dad was joining her this time and we wanted to extend our trip together as a family a bit after her choir travel, so I suggested Switzerland: a new location for all of us, and one of expansive natural beauty.
In 2015, I had the privilege of studying abroad in Lille, France, for about 4 months; in that time I had traveled to Paris twice, but both times were in the winter. My mom's choir performance was on 8 July 2024; we still wanted to go, but were honestly dreading the hot weather, the peak summer crowds, and the looming Olympics later that month in Paris. I am so glad that ultimately did not deter us! We had unusually amazing weather in Paris (lower 70s the whole time), less crowds due to people actually staying away from the Olympics, and although some slight inconveniences with Olympics prep, it was overall very manageable. Our travel dates were 5-13 July 2024. I definitely do not think this is the norm when traveling in July. We saw more tourists in Switzerland, but it was not bad and we often had hikes to ourselves. But we purposely did not do "touristy" things like the "Top of Europe," etc. Switzerland weather also ended up being amazing despite the forecast predicting rain all day everyday, which maybe made people stay away.
This trip was somewhat unique for us as we only had 2 accommodations, spending 4 nights in each. This let us explore each place at a more leisurely place--though I would always wish for more time. My parents, as a part of their choir group, traveled to France 3 days before us and visited Rouen, Normandy/D-Day Beaches, and Mont St. Michel. I had previously been to most of these locations during my time studying abroad, so we opted out. They are great sites worth seeing, though! In Switzerland, we were based in the Jungfrau region around Interlaken and I did buy all of us the 3-day Jungfrau Travel Pass. While it is expensive, I consider it extremely worth it for the ease of travel in the area and with the cost of cable car tickets, we definitely would have spent more without the passes. There are a couple of pass options, but this is the one that worked the best for us.
Tips:
People in France will tend to treat you better if you attempt some basic French, it's polite!
Always say "Bonjour" (morning/afternoon) or "Bonsoir" (evening/night) as a greeting
In France, grocery stores Carrefour and Monoprix--along with their smaller concept Monop'--are all over Paris and a great spot to pick up snacks and drinks
Switzerland's currency is the Swiss Franc (CHF); despite this, most places did accept Euros (usually not coins, though)
Day 1: Arrive to Paris
We actually departed for Paris at 2245 on 4 July from the East Coast, but landed at 1230 on Day 1. I chose these flight times (vs others that would have gotten us there earlier in the morning) mostly because I wanted to be able to check-in to the hotel straight away at 1430 to drop off our bags and take a quick nap. I also hoped a later flight would help us sleep more on the plane--it did! After landing, we easily followed signs for the RER train, bought a ticket at the station, and hopped on the next one bound for Paris. I knew I wanted to stay in the St. Germain/Latin Quarter area of Paris this time around to experience something new, and because of some last minute deals I changed our reservation to Hôtel Parc Saint-Séverin, an Esprit de France property. RER stop St. Michel is a 4-minute walk from here.
I cannot say enough good things about our hotel! The property was so nice and clean with very good A/C. They had full size amenities in the bathroom for our use and a complimentary fridge with a few drinks that were restocked every day. The bed was very comfortable and the bathroom had plenty of space for all our toiletries. The staff was also so friendly and helpful. They have a series of hotels throughout Paris and I cannot wait to try out others in the future! The area around this hotel was great: we were minutes from Notre-Dame but also surrounded by tons of restaurants, beautiful churches, and the Abbey Bookstore (tiny and cute that primarily sells books in English!). It was also very quiet at night.
After refreshing a bit, we opted to take a chill walk around our neighborhood and check out the sights like Notre-Dame (still closed from the 2019 fire) and the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore. I also love grabbing a bench in Square René Viviani and people-watching for a bit. I had a reservation at Petit Pontoise for 8pm that night, but we actually showed up maybe 40 minutes early and they could easily take us. The food here was delicious classic French cuisine, with the star of the show for me being the heirloom tomato salad with burrata.
Since we were only about a 10-15 minute walk from Luxembourg Gardens, we wandered up there after dinner. We didn't realize it had a closing time--which seemed to be 2100 during our visit--so we arrived 30 or so minutes before closing and the park was not crowded at all, making it a magical time to explore. We were shocked how late the sun set in Paris, which was close to 2145/2200! We had light to see every night close to 2245. It felt crazy to us when in the summer on the East Coast it sets closer to 2030.
Day 2: Paris
For our second day in Paris, we mostly focused on the 1st and 2nd arrondissements (arr., district). The 1st arr. starts in the area around the Louvre and then numbering works up, then right, and continues to wind around like a snail shell. We started our day with a cappuccino and an amazing raspberry croissant from the...uniquely...named Paris Baguette (Rue Jean Lantier). It was a pretty average cafe, but I was very happy with the croissant!
Afterwards, we explored Jardin du Carrousel and a bit of Jardin de Tuileries (a lot was closed off for Olympics) before deciding we needed a more substantial meal before our tour of the Louvre. We looked for something nearby that had good reviews and stumbled on Bistrot Richelieu which was outstanding. We ate outside and had drinks, French onion soup (the best of our time in France), and shared a huge chicken Caesar salad. A great spot!
I had previously been to the Louvre but had only done an audio tour and at the time, I felt extremely overwhelmed. The Louvre is vast and full of so many special pieces, it is hard to wrap your head around. This time, I booked the Closing Time at the Louvre: Mona Lisa at Her Most Peaceful through Walks--a company I had never used before--based on the very positive reviews. It was such a great tour! Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about virtually any piece of art we asked about and our group was limited to only 6 adults, making it very intimate. They provided an ear piece and radio so we could hear him throughout all the exhibits, even amongst the crowds. We truly learned so much! The crowds were not horrible and the tour ended in the Mona Lisa gallery right before closing.
Afterwards, we continued our exploration of the 1st arr. and up to the 2nd arr. via Little Tokyo (mostly around Rue Sainte-Anne). My husband is a big fan of mochi so we stopped at Aki Boulangerie, and it was the best mochi we have ever had! The fruit flavors were our favorite. We also tried a variety of their breads and desserts and all were outstanding. We tried to have dinner at Brasserie Dubillot but it was pretty busy and we were without a reservation and were therefore virtually ignored by the hostesses. So we wandered down a quiet street and had a great meal at Restaurant Edgar & Achille. It may be shocking, but we still wanted some more sweets so we stopped by the very delicious Gelateria La Romana near our hotel on the way back. We walked over 10 miles, so we deserved it. While we often chose to walk, there were tons of electric bikes to rent, the metro is super easy, and Uber is abundant.
Day 3: Paris
This morning, my dad had some free time so we met up with him and my parents' local friend for a pre-booked 1000 entry to Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. This church requires a ticket and makes you pass through security because it is actually on the same property as the French Judiciary. It was definitely worth it! The 13th-century gothic chapel has the most stunning stained glass display I have ever seen. The Conciergerie next door is a 14th-century palace and French Revolution prison that held Marie Antoinette before her beheading. You get to see her cell and the rest of the space along with an iPad-guided virtual tour. I thought the virtual tour was cool and interactive, showing you how the spaces would look throughout time while even incorporating some games. My husband found it cheesy and an excuse not to pay to decorate the palace. Either way, it was still cool to see.
My parents, as a part of their choir group, were staying in a hotel in the Parisian suburb of Courbevoie at Hôtel Mercure Paris La Defense. The hotel was very nice and had easy access to Metro Line 1, but was pretty far. Definitely a good budget option if needed, though. My dad, husband, and our local friend ventured out here via Uber to meet up with my mom and have some lunch. The views from the hotel were great!
After lunch, we took the metro to the Franklin Roosevelt stop on the Champs-Élysées; this road is actually closed to all car traffic one Sunday a month and it happened to be the day we were there. It was fun to wander the street and get that perfect picture of the Arc de Triomphe! We also stopped by one of the larger official Olympics stores temporarily set up here and attempted to walk to the Jardin de Tuileries to visit the Orangerie museum. This was very difficult due to all the closures for the Olympics and took way longer than expected; upon getting there, we were told that the museum was sold out for the day and not letting anyone in. I thought this was a more underrated museum we could slip into without a pre-booked ticket, but we were there on the first Sunday of the month which is a designated free admission day. You might luck out if you try, but it may be worth securing tickets if you want to see Monet's water lilies, among the other great 20th-century art at this museum.
After saying goodbye to my parents and their friend, my husband and I wandered back to the Left Bank and through the 6th and 7th arr. towards Luxembourg Gardens; we considered exploring Rue Cler and gathering some picnic supplies for a snack at Champs-de-Mars to see the Eiffel Tower, but with Olympic prep we opted to stay away. During our walk towards the gardens, we passed by the famed Citypharma and I wanted to stop in for some French skincare but it was insane. There was no line to get in, which I had been warned could be a thing, but the inside was swamped with people, shelves were ransacked, and it was too overwhelming; after a step in the door I said no and turned right back around. Instead, we picked up macarons from the Ladurée location next to Luxembourg Garden and had a nice time people-watching in the park.
We had a delicious dinner at the restaurant steps from our hotel: Rocaille Bistrot. This was hands-down the best meal I had in Paris! The wine was divine, the bread warm, and the beef bourguignon (a favorite of mine!) came in its own little Dutch oven when served. It was mouth-wateringly good! Afterwards, we walked to the Pont Neuf bridge for our 9pm Dark History walking tour through City Wonders. The tour was around an hour and a half, does not take you too far from the Île de la Cité, and it was spectacular! We loved our similar tour via City Wonders in Rome and this one was no different. Our guide had engaging stories for every stop filled with interesting, fun, and morbid facts. We could not (and have not) stopped talking about everything we learned on this tour.
Day 4: Paris
For our last full day in Paris, my husband and I met up with my parents near La Madeleine Church and took the metro up to Abbesses for an afternoon in Montmartre. I have never had issues with the metro; it can get hot, but the signage is good and easy to figure out. I usually buy single tickets (about 2 euros) since we generally prefer walking. After exiting the metro (+ climbing 176 steps just to get out!) we were hungry and grabbed some brunch food at nearby Kozy.
Afterwards, we ventured up to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. There are several staircases to get here as it is a very hilly neighborhood. As long as you pace yourself within your means, you should be fine. If you are concerned about the steps, there is a little tram you can take to the top; there are signs at Abbesses metro that will direct you to it. Once at the Basilica, we enjoyed the expansive view that it offers of Paris before going inside (no ticket required and admission is free). I am always impressed by this church!
Once finished, we wandered up to one of Paris's prettiest streets: Rue de l'Abreuvoir. Home to the famous La Petite Maison Rose that was once frequented by Picasso, it has lovely colors, a view of the Basilica, and often blooming flowers (though not at the time we were there). Before saying goodbye to my parents, we made our way back down to Rue des Abbesses via Moustache gelato. Their fruit flavors were divine! My husband and I then bid our parents adieu and gathered more snacks for a little people watching at the park by the metro stop (also home to the Je t'aime wall). We picked up the best croissants and baguettes we had this trip from Le Grenier a Pain Abbesses Bodian and then some fruit from a next door shop. We loved watching the fashion and dogs that belong to this unique neighborhood! I also took this opportunity to stop in Monop'beauty and the nearby pharmacy for some French skincare.
We had to be back at La Madeleine for my mom's concert that night, so we opted to meander through the 9th arr. on our way back down. Believe it or not, my husband still had room for sweets so before we left Montmartre, we stopped by Copains. This was a gluten-free bakery with lots of delicious options; he chose a peanut butter pastry that was very good! We wandered down fun streets, stopped at a cafe for some wine and to use the restroom, and ended up back in the 2nd arr. Having already visited Aki Boulangerie, we stopped by Aki Cafe (nearby) to relax and grab some more mochi as well as some onigiri. Since my mom's concert started at 8pm, my husband wanted a little something more for dinner. We spotted a beautiful covered passageway--Passage Choiseul--and ducked inside and were enticed by Yatai Ramen Pyramides. We walked in and were able to be seated without a reservation despite the restaurant being quite small. We got some gyoza and a bowl of ramen and it was by far the best ramen either of us have ever had!
We ended the night checking out Place Vendôme and all of its upscale shopping before heading to my mom's concert.
Day 5: Travel to Switzerland via Strasbourg
This turned out to be a way more hectic (+ expensive) day than intended! Our base in Switzerland was Lauterbrunnen, so we needed to get from Paris to Interlaken to then take a quick 20 minute train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen. There are two main routes: one via Strasbourg, and one via Geneva. We took the former because my mom had always wanted to see a Beauty and the Beast-esque town. So, we scheduled a 4 hour layover in Strasbourg to explore a bit. I booked our train tickets via Trainline, which was easy to use.
Our first train of the day was scheduled to leave at 1007 from Gare de l'Est in Paris and arrive to Strasbourg at 1154. This train was operated by Ouigo and was delayed (we arrived around 1230 instead), but was downsized at the last minute due to the delay. 15 minutes before boarding this new, smaller train, I had received updated tickets with our new seat assignments but when boarding began, the staff was just telling people to sit wherever. Luckily, my mom was able to get a seat but my father, husband, and I were forced to lean/sit against luggage in the luggage rack the entire trip. There were others sitting in the stairwells, in the hallways, or standing the entire time. While I appreciate that they did not outright cancel the train, the trip was crowded, hot, and uncomfortable. A conductor did walk around and take our names in order to refund us (only) 50% of the tickets, but we actually only received a Ouigo voucher for that cost. I would likely never take a Ouigo train again in the future if I can avoid it! SCNF trains in France are better in my experience.
After arriving in Strasbourg, I had a reservation via Bounce to store our bags at Hotel Graffalgar--a super short walk from the station. It was a very easy and safe space to leave our bags. For lunch, we went to La Corde a Linge--a recommendation from a fellow train rider. It was delicious and had a huge outdoor area with lovely views of Petite-France! Post-lunch, we wandered more through Petite-France and visited the stunning Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg.
Our train to Basel was scheduled to depart at 1651, and once in Basel we would have transferred to another train to Interlaken. Our train departed 5 minutes late and not too long into our trip we were told that we were too late to get to Basel. That meant the train was stopping in Mulhouse where we would all have to disembark and hop on the next available train. Right after this announcement, we were at a standstill on the tracks for around 30 minutes. By the time we pulled into Mulhouse and were able to get on the next train towards Basel, we had missed any trains that would ultimately get us to Interlaken before 2200 (2207 was the last train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen). So instead of paying for two hotel rooms, we opted to call Hertz at the Basel airport and secure a last minute 24-hour booking for a car to return in Interlaken--this was $500! To get to the airport, we hopped on the next train bound towards Basel and a very nice train passenger told us to get off at Saint-Louis instead and take a bus to the airport. The bus was easy to find right next to the station and cost $10 for 4 people.
The Basel airport is a bit weird. Basel the town is fully in Switzerland, but the Basel airport is fully in France. Despite this, the airport is divided into French and Swiss sides. The bus (from French Saint-Louis) dropped us off on the French side, which had its own car rentals. We had to go upstairs, cross the "border" (a line on the floor with no security, lol), and go down to the Swiss car rentals. We then drove two hours to our Airbnb in Lauterbrunnen. Our Airbnb was nice and comfortable for 4 adults and was a great location. The hosts were wonderful!
Day 6: Switzerland
For our time in Switzerland, I had 3 days of tentative plans to explore the gorgeous Jungfrau region (with our 3-day travel pass). For two weeks prior to the trip, the weather was forecasted as 70% rain all day everyday, but our third day was looking to be the worst. We decided day of which plans to do based on weather. Despite the bad forecast, it only rained a little in the early morning most days and then some more in the evening, leaving our afternoons beautifully clear. I did find out that for this region, Accuweather was way more accurate hour-by-hour than Weather Channel.
Lauterbrunnen is a picturesque small town known for its huge Staubbach Waterfall. The valley the town is in has 72 waterfalls in total! (For any Lord of the Rings fans, this area was the inspiration for Rivendell after JRR Tolkien hiked through Switzerland) From this valley, it is easy to reach a variety of mountain towns on both sides via trains and cable cars. The town has a small Coop grocery store and several restaurants, but things are not open too late here. The Coop closes at 1830 and most restaurants close by 2100, with the latest one at 2200.
After a slow morning getting settled, we took a short train from Lauterbrunnen station to the small car-free town of Wengen. From here, we had to transfer to a cable car but first walked to Kirche Wengen for an amazing viewpoint of Lauterbrunnen and the valley. It is also labeled on Google maps as Wengen Aussichtspunkt. We mostly had it to ourselves! After picking up snacks, we took the cable car up to Männlichen. The cable car stop has a nice restaurant, store, and great playground for kids with a huge cow structure. From here, we picked up the popular Panorama Trail that finishes in Kleine Scheidegg. It is an easy trail, about 2.9 miles and flat, with absolutely stunning views of the mountains and glaciers. We ended the hike with a late lunch at Restaurant Grindelwaldblick, which is situated right at the end of the trail. Like almost everything in this region, the views were amazing! The food was also very good here. From Kleine Scheidegg, we were able to take the train back down to Lauterbrunnen.
While my parents took an afternoon nap, my husband and I had to return the rental car in Interlaken. The Hertz there is pretty centrally located so after dropping it off, we walked about 20 minutes to the train station (there are two in Interlaken, but Interlaken Ost is the one we needed). It did pour on us for maybe ten minutes where we had to find some cover, but then it was beautiful and a rainbow appeared! We enjoyed walking one of the main streets in Interlaken--Höheweg--that had a ton of shops, restaurants, and grand hotels. The train back to Lauterbrunnen takes about 20 minutes, and also departs every 20 minutes. We had a later dinner in Lauterbrunnen at Hotel Restaurant Schutzen and the food was pretty average. I must say, German/Swiss food is not my favorite! We had tried to go to Restaurant Weidstubli but this was right next to a huge camping area and was packed--they were only letting in people with reservations. If possible, I would try to make reservations at the better restaurants ahead of time.
Day 7: Switzerland
This was supposed to be our best weather day in Switzerland, so we set out for Grindelwald. From Lauterbrunnen, we took the train towards Interlaken but got out at Zweilütschinen. Here, you transfer to another train up to Grindelwald the town (last stop). We explored the town a bit and had a surprisingly delicious lunch at BaseCamp Restaurant before taking the cable car up to First. This is a longer cable car, about 20 minutes, but the views are (of course) stunning. This area is known for its adventure activities, situated all along the mountain, like ziplining, biking, and mountain carts. These activities are pricey and sell out in advance. The person we spoke to that did ziplining had to wait in line for hours despite having a ticket. I personally don't think these activities would be worth it when you can soak up the views for free* (*after paying to get up there). The only thing my husband and I wish we did was paragliding!
Up at First, there is a typical mountain hut with a restaurant and store. There is also a lovely viewpoint area and a fun cliff walk. The cliff walk is free and suspends you over the mountains while offering beautiful views of the valley. Some people were a bit frightened, but it was not bad. My husband and I split off from my parents to hike to Bachalpsee Lake, a 3.7 mile roundtrip hike. This hike was steep at the beginning, but it did finally even out and proceeded to be mostly flat. The lakes were gorgeous! My parents did the Marmot Walk, also accessible from First, but did not see any marmots. They then headed back down to Grindelwald to do some shopping while waiting for us.
We headed back towards Lauterbrunnen via the same route, but since we were craving something other than Swiss food we actually opted to go to Interlaken for dinner. We ate at Ristorante e Pizzeria Sapori, which is inside a strikingly beautiful old hotel and the food was pretty good. We did get some rain around dinner time, but after returning to Lauterbrunnen it had stopped and my husband and I wandered around the town at dusk.
Day 8: Switzerland
This was supposed to be the worst rain day, but it did clear up around lunch. My husband and I wanted to do another bigger hike, so we split up from my parents. My parents ended up visiting the cute mountain town of Murren by taking a cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp, and then the train to Murren. Some other options we considered for the day:
Accompany my parents to Murren, do the 4.6 mile North Face Trail (a moderate to challenging hike), and possibly walk to car-free Gimmelwald
Trümmelbach Waterfall (good for a rainy day, too!)
Schynige Platte: take the train towards Interlaken but get off at Wilderswill and transfer to the cog train. This train takes about an hour to get up, but there are fun attractions and a 3.7 mile Panorama Trail loop with gorgeous views at the top
Instead, my husband and I went to Interlaken while it was still rainy to pick up our pre-booked (and therefore way cheaper) rental car from Hertz for travel to the airport the following day. We then drove to Zweilutschinen and parked it there for 6 hours (which was only 3CHF) and hopped on the train towards Grindelwald. This time we got off at Grindelwald Terminal stop, which is the second to last stop. The terminal is huge and has a lot of nice amenities, to include restaurants and a Coop grocery store. From here, we took the cable car to Eigergletscher to start a portion of the Eiger trail. We hiked from here to Apiglen, which took 2 hours and was about 3.7 miles.
This hike was spectacular! For our direction, it was mostly flat or really downhill--my calves were sore for a couple days. We felt sorry for the few people we passed hiking the opposite direction, which was the more commonly advertised route on AllTrails, etc for some reason. We mostly had the trail to ourselves! We were able to cross several little glacial streams and see plenty of waterfalls. We did get rained on pretty badly the last 20 minutes of our hike, but we didn't mind. At Apiglen, there is a small station with an indoor waiting area and we took the train back to Grindelwald and down to Zweilutschinen to pick up our car, though you could also go the opposite direction and get back to Lauterbrunnen via Kleine Scheidegg.
We did not make it back down in time for the 1800 reservation I had at Hotel Oberland, but my parents were able to go. They said it was an amazing meal, the best they had in Switzerland! They enjoyed some local rostis, goulash, and delicious bread. By the time we got to Hotel Oberland at 1900, my parents were done and the restaurant could not accommodate my husband and I at another table. Instead, we went to Hotel Silberhorn and enjoyed a very good dinner.
Day 9: Return home
Our flights out of Zurich were earlier in the morning (parents' flight around 0900, my husband and I around 1130), so we opted to drive to the airport in two hours versus take public transportation which would have been closer to 3 hours. Ideally, we would have spent this day taking the train to Zurich, exploring Zurich a bit, then flying out the following day. But that unfortunately did not work out for us this time. The drive to the airport was easy and let us take in some final lovely sights of Switzerland. After dropping my parents off, returning the car was easy and connected directly to the airport (no bus or tram needed). The airport was nice and clean and we enjoyed a nice breakfast before taking off.
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