Eastern France Rail Grand Route: Reims to Lyon
Connect the historic cities of Champagne, Lorraine, Alsace, and Burgundy by rail, from Paris to Lyon.
Explore Eastern France without driving: start from Paris to Reims, then pass through Metz and Nancy to Strasbourg and Colmar, transfer to Burgundy, and arrive in Lyon. Stay one to two nights in each place on a one-way, no-backtracking route, perfect for first-time in-depth travelers to the east who do not want to drive. Wine villages are selected only where accessible by public transport, and sightseeing is reduced accordingly on transfer days.
Train schedules vary by date; check on SNCF Connect, especially after the timetable change in December.
Day by day
Day 1 · Paris Arrival to Reims
Reims & Champagne（Reims Cathedral、Basilica of Saint-Remi、Taittinger）
Take the high-speed train from Paris Est to Reims (approx. 45m). Walk within the city, and take a bus or taxi to the Saint-Remi district.
The Palace of Tau is closed for renovation with no set reopening date; cellars must be booked in advance.
Stay: Reims Station & Boulingrin
Day 2 · Épernay Day Trip
Reims & Champagne（Avenue de Champagne, Épernay、Moët & Chandon、Mercier）
Take a regional train from Reims to Épernay (approx. 35m, running roughly hourly). Walk along the Avenue.
Book your return train in advance as intervals can be long; cellars must be booked in advance.
Stay: Reims Station & Boulingrin
Day 3 · Transfer to Metz Old Town
Metz（Metz-Ville Station & Quartier Impérial、Centre Pompidou-Metz、Metz Cathedral）
Take a regional train from Reims to Champagne-Ardenne TGV station, then transfer to a high-speed train to Metz (approx. 1h 15m if smooth, but connections are infrequent).
Centre Pompidou-Metz is closed on Tuesdays; travel time increases significantly if connections are poor.
Stay: Metz-Ville Station and Imperial Quarter
Day 4 · Metz to Art Nouveau in Nancy
Metz（Marché Couvert de Metz、Porte des Allemands） → Nancy（Villa Majorelle、Musée de l'École de Nancy、Place Stanislas）
Explore Metz in the morning, take a regional train to Nancy (approx. 1h), and take a bus or walk to the École de Nancy district in the afternoon.
Villa Majorelle is open Wednesday to Sunday afternoons and requires booking; the ground floor is under renovation until autumn 2027.
Stay: Place Stanislas Area
Day 5 · Nancy Old Town to Strasbourg
Nancy（Place de la Carrière、Porte de la Craffe、Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy） → Strasbourg & Colmar (Alsace)（Place Kléber）
Walk around Nancy's Old Town in the morning, and take a train to Strasbourg in the afternoon (approx. 1 to 1.5h).
The exhibition halls of the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine are closed long-term for renovation; no need to plan an indoor visit.
Stay: Grande Île
Day 6 · Full Day in Strasbourg
Strasbourg & Colmar (Alsace)（Strasbourg Cathedral、Palais Rohan、La Petite France、Batorama Boat Tour、Musée Alsacien）
Walk within the Old Town, take a 1-hour boat cruise on the river, and take the tram to and from the Neustadt district.
Stay: Grande Île
Day 7 · Strasbourg to Colmar
Strasbourg & Colmar (Alsace)（Colmar Old Town & Unterlinden Museum、Maison Pfister, Colmar、Petite Venise, Colmar）
Take a regional train to Colmar in the morning (approx. 30m), drop off your luggage, and explore the Old Town on foot.
The Unterlinden Museum is closed on Tuesdays; this can be swapped with the next day's itinerary.
Stay: Colmar Old Town
Day 8 · Explore Wine Villages by Bus
Strasbourg & Colmar (Alsace)（Riquewihr、Ribeauvillé）
Take bus line R16 from Colmar Station to Riquewihr (approx. 30m), continue on the same line to Ribeauvillé, and then return.
Services are limited on Sundays; note the return schedule before getting off.
Stay: Colmar Old Town
Day 9 · Colmar Transfer to Dijon
Dijon & Beaune（Owl's Trail、Church of Notre-Dame of Dijon、Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy）
Take a train from Colmar to Dijon (from approx. 2h, usually transferring at Mulhouse). Walk within the Old Town.
Stay: Dijon Old Town
Day 10 · Dijon South to Beaune
Dijon & Beaune（Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu)、Moutarderie Fallot、Musée du Vin de Bourgogne、Marché aux Vins）
Take a regional train from Dijon to Beaune (approx. 20 to 35m), then walk about 15 minutes from the station to the Old Town.
The Hospices de Beaune closes at midday from mid-November to March, and ticket sales close early.
Stay: Beaune Old Town
Day 11 · South to Lyon and Departure
Lyon（Vieux Lyon、Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière）
Take a direct regional train from Beaune to Lyon Part-Dieu (approx. 1h 40m), then take the metro to the Old Town.
Luggage can be stored at the station, or you can choose a late departure from Lyon.