I will be in paris in a few days, and want to go to ronchamp finally but by considering french people do not like speaking english, how can I find my way to get there?
thanx
you could get to basel and then find helpful people. you'll already be closer.
and parisians will speak english. you just have to make friends first. they're not as cantankerous as their reputation suggests - but they aren't real keen on americans who are too presumptuous. spend time chatting/being friendly before lurching into what you want from them.
Careful. Switzerland does require proper visas for non-us, non-eu citizens. They will give you trouble at the train station. I second going to Basel first.
There is a ton in Paris, especially new work, and Villa Savoye.
I drove through Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, and Italy.
I am not an EU citizen. The only border I had to cross and stop was Czech Republic and Switzerland. Czech republic checked passports, and Switzerland I had to purchase a driving permit with a nine person van.
Look at Galinsky or other architecture quide websites to see on paths to get to Ronchamp or whatever your looking for. Ronchamp is pretty much the only thing in that town, so I am sure there are multiple ways online to get there.
I took the train from Basel, not sure how to get there from Paris, I know the train barely stopped it just sort of slooowed down and I had to jump out. Only 2 people got off the entire train at the ronchamp stop. You can walk from the train station, but it is a HIKE up that hill if you're carrying a pack.
there was something sort of ritualistic about hiking the path though, making the pilgrimage the way it was meant to be experienced. i caught a ride back down though...
------
from Galinsky:
How to visit
The chapel is open to the public. Opening hours are 9.30 am to 6.30 pm from April to September, and 10 am to 4 pm. Major pilgrimage services are on 15 August and 8 September.
For more information please call +33 3 84 20 65 13 or fax
+33 3 84 20 67 51.
Ronchamp is a little over an hour's drive west of Basel-Mulhouse, the airport near the French/Swiss/German border. From Mulhouse follow the A36 southwest to Belfort, then the N19 west to Ronchamp. A steep windy road to the North is signposted to the chapel from the center of Ronchamp village.
Other architectural sites within striking distance are Jean Nouvel's theater extension in Belfort, Renzo Piano's Beyeler Foundation over the Swiss border in Basel, and various architects' buildings at Vitra, just over the German border.
when i went there were two french cities on either side of ronchamp which had more regular train stops (local of course) one was where you had to go to get a train (there were only 2 stops a day one early in the morning and one late in the evening.) the other you could get a bus. there are also cabs that would take you there for about $20...but this was all 10yrs ago. but since no one had mentioned it... i thought i would share.
by the way...basel is a beautiful city with incredible architecture....if you can go there.
go to la tourette and stay the night...it was worth the visit. (easier to get to...just a lot farther from paris!) there is just something amazing about staying there, attending a service there in all of the different chapels...and wandering around in the middle of the night!
you could train or fly to mulhouse actually and then still remain in france. drive an hour west or there to ronchamp.
but if you can, go to basel for sure... vitra, zumthor, h+dm all have stuff there. make sure you see both of hadid's weil am rhein projects and then i'd also recommend stopping up at the terminus hoenheim in strasbourg. certainly that was worth an hour or two visit.
In '98 I went by train to Belfort, and caught a bus from there to Ronchamp town. I second curtclay; it’s a HIKE up the hill to the chapel from town. With tour busses whizzing by. It was an inconvenient trip ‘sans’ car, but worth it...
Because of the train and bus schedules I stayed in Belfort one night. It’s a dull place, but has a hostel and sports an old fort with a giant lion head carved into rock, Mt Rushmore style. Avoid staying there if possible.
I went there from Basel, rent a car and drove there. It's a bit hard to find, but eventually when you almost gave up, you see the chapel on the top of the hill. It's pretty exciting. I don't think there is convinient public transit goes there, that's why rent a car may worth it, plus there are quite a few good buildings arround there you can visit too.
The train from paris to basel (4 hrs) makes a stop in a town near the little town (you have to take a really small train to the actual town). then climb the hill. don't take much with you if you can avoid it. You are looking at a really long day trip if you don't plan on spending the night. Basel is totally worth it . . . great little hostel if you are interested.
I took a train as close as I could get, then cabbed it straight up to the chapel. I don't remember the town I took the train to, but during pilgramage season, they have busses running up to it. I did it as a day trip.
Any way you can get there is worth it, hands down.
Oh, and the Corbusier Foundation in Paris was no help, by the way. That was the first place I looked for info.
I really recommend Basel. Get a hotel there, and then take the mid-day train to Belfort. From Belfort you can take a much smaller train to Ronchamp. Get a return ticket for your trip to Ronchamp... you wouldn't want to spend the night there.... watch out for the dogs up the hill. Sometimes they get loose.
Aug 23, 06 5:49 pm ·
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how to go to ronchamp? help
I will be in paris in a few days, and want to go to ronchamp finally but by considering french people do not like speaking english, how can I find my way to get there?
thanx
you could get to basel and then find helpful people. you'll already be closer.
and parisians will speak english. you just have to make friends first. they're not as cantankerous as their reputation suggests - but they aren't real keen on americans who are too presumptuous. spend time chatting/being friendly before lurching into what you want from them.
isnt there an easier way from paris directly? cuz i will be in paris with french visa, i might have a visa problem for basel...
You need no visa to travel through switzerland I believe. If you look at a map, Ronchamp is only an hour drive from Basel.
So if you can make if to Basel, you can see Vitra, Basel, and Ronchamp.
I do not think there is anyway to get there by public transportation, but if there is its pretty underground.
Careful. Switzerland does require proper visas for non-us, non-eu citizens. They will give you trouble at the train station. I second going to Basel first.
yup, thats what i was talking about, im not eu citizen..
i need to see Terminus and Car Park in Strasbourg too by the way..
too much things to see but none of them in paris :p
yup, thats what i was talking about, im not eu citizen..
i need to see Terminus and Car Park in Strasbourg too by the way..
too much things to see but none of them in paris :p
There is a ton in Paris, especially new work, and Villa Savoye.
I drove through Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, and Italy.
I am not an EU citizen. The only border I had to cross and stop was Czech Republic and Switzerland. Czech republic checked passports, and Switzerland I had to purchase a driving permit with a nine person van.
Look at Galinsky or other architecture quide websites to see on paths to get to Ronchamp or whatever your looking for. Ronchamp is pretty much the only thing in that town, so I am sure there are multiple ways online to get there.
I took the train from Basel, not sure how to get there from Paris, I know the train barely stopped it just sort of slooowed down and I had to jump out. Only 2 people got off the entire train at the ronchamp stop. You can walk from the train station, but it is a HIKE up that hill if you're carrying a pack.
there was something sort of ritualistic about hiking the path though, making the pilgrimage the way it was meant to be experienced. i caught a ride back down though...
------
from Galinsky:
How to visit
The chapel is open to the public. Opening hours are 9.30 am to 6.30 pm from April to September, and 10 am to 4 pm. Major pilgrimage services are on 15 August and 8 September.
For more information please call +33 3 84 20 65 13 or fax
+33 3 84 20 67 51.
Ronchamp is a little over an hour's drive west of Basel-Mulhouse, the airport near the French/Swiss/German border. From Mulhouse follow the A36 southwest to Belfort, then the N19 west to Ronchamp. A steep windy road to the North is signposted to the chapel from the center of Ronchamp village.
Other architectural sites within striking distance are Jean Nouvel's theater extension in Belfort, Renzo Piano's Beyeler Foundation over the Swiss border in Basel, and various architects' buildings at Vitra, just over the German border.
when i went there were two french cities on either side of ronchamp which had more regular train stops (local of course) one was where you had to go to get a train (there were only 2 stops a day one early in the morning and one late in the evening.) the other you could get a bus. there are also cabs that would take you there for about $20...but this was all 10yrs ago. but since no one had mentioned it... i thought i would share.
by the way...basel is a beautiful city with incredible architecture....if you can go there.
go to la tourette and stay the night...it was worth the visit. (easier to get to...just a lot farther from paris!) there is just something amazing about staying there, attending a service there in all of the different chapels...and wandering around in the middle of the night!
you could train or fly to mulhouse actually and then still remain in france. drive an hour west or there to ronchamp.
but if you can, go to basel for sure... vitra, zumthor, h+dm all have stuff there. make sure you see both of hadid's weil am rhein projects and then i'd also recommend stopping up at the terminus hoenheim in strasbourg. certainly that was worth an hour or two visit.
In '98 I went by train to Belfort, and caught a bus from there to Ronchamp town. I second curtclay; it’s a HIKE up the hill to the chapel from town. With tour busses whizzing by. It was an inconvenient trip ‘sans’ car, but worth it...
Because of the train and bus schedules I stayed in Belfort one night. It’s a dull place, but has a hostel and sports an old fort with a giant lion head carved into rock, Mt Rushmore style. Avoid staying there if possible.
I went there from Basel, rent a car and drove there. It's a bit hard to find, but eventually when you almost gave up, you see the chapel on the top of the hill. It's pretty exciting. I don't think there is convinient public transit goes there, that's why rent a car may worth it, plus there are quite a few good buildings arround there you can visit too.
check out a map . . .
The train from paris to basel (4 hrs) makes a stop in a town near the little town (you have to take a really small train to the actual town). then climb the hill. don't take much with you if you can avoid it. You are looking at a really long day trip if you don't plan on spending the night. Basel is totally worth it . . . great little hostel if you are interested.
check out sncf.com to find trains and schedules
I took a train as close as I could get, then cabbed it straight up to the chapel. I don't remember the town I took the train to, but during pilgramage season, they have busses running up to it. I did it as a day trip.
Any way you can get there is worth it, hands down.
Oh, and the Corbusier Foundation in Paris was no help, by the way. That was the first place I looked for info.
I really recommend Basel. Get a hotel there, and then take the mid-day train to Belfort. From Belfort you can take a much smaller train to Ronchamp. Get a return ticket for your trip to Ronchamp... you wouldn't want to spend the night there.... watch out for the dogs up the hill. Sometimes they get loose.
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