Balancing Bike Transport and Sightseeing. Our Trip Ends in Paris

France is the second leg of our journey to move bicycles from Germany to Paris, but it’s not all logistics. We’re also sightseeing, so after loading our bikes on the back of a Flixbus in Munich, we leave Germany behind, cross the Rhine River into France, and head for Strasbourg.

Strasbourg

We have experienced Strasbourg a couple of times before, but it continues to be a city we love to visit. It’s part of the famous Alsace region in eastern France known for its high quality white wines and where the Rhine River forms France’s border with Germany. Both countries have claimed the area in its long sometimes tumultuous history. It’s definitely a French city, but there is a strong German flavor in the language, food and culture as well as a robust Middle Eastern influence.

Alsace wine class — We take a class to learn more about Alsace wine.

Strasbourg Cathedral is one of the city’s main attractions. It had the tallest spire in the world until the late 19th century and was originally designed to have two identical towers. The second one was never built.

Strasbourg bike ride — We have some free time so we reprise part of our 2023 ride to Strasbourg.

Paris

Parisians are rude. That stereotype is as old as intercontinental travel, but from our experiences, it’s simply not true. Whether it’s the clerk at the hotel, the parking garage attendant, or the passerby offering to help when they see us frantically consulting Google maps to figure out which Metro line to take next, we have generally found Parisians, and, indeed, most French people, to be both helpful and kind. Yes, they jump in with English as soon as they realize we barely speak French, but they are cordial and patient with none of the haughtiness and snark they’re reputed to have. As one of our tour guides described it, most people who think Parisians are rude either did or said something rude first or have never actually been to Paris. Another tour guide was less charitable. He said Parisians are nice in September because they’ve just come back from the annual August vacation most French people take and are still in a good mood. He claims their mood declines until Christmas when it perks up for the holidays, and then declines again until the next August vacation.

During our stay we do several touristy things including a day trip to the beaches at Normandy, a guided tour of the newly renovated Notre Dame Cathedral, and of course, plenty of food and wine tasting.