I plan on driving from Zurich to Paris -- I plan on taking 4day's to do this (to see the countryside)

From Zurich
To Paris
Is there anything I MUST see along the way?
My interests include: castles, pretty cities, mnt's, hiking......
When: April 2019
Hotels along the way: will be determined based on places to visit.

And before you ask/recommend - YES I'm driving, I know all the challenges with driving including: frustrations/tolls/parking/tickets/car damage/theft......
I WILL be driving.

Strasbourg is awesome if you choose to go that away. And a lot of nice vineyards along the way if you like crisp white wine (when you're not driving of course!). Old strasbourg is really beautiful (like a super mini-French Amsterdam??) and the cathedral is one of the most impressive ones I've seen (and it's not being restored on the outside and all covered up).

Going through Lausanne is another route that is equally beautiful. Tough choices. Good luck.

You can drive it in 5 or 6 hours I guess, but if you want to stop overnight Dijon is a must. A lovely small city with great food and wine (and mustard of course). We found it very friendly too.

Not the most direct route, but if you want to amble along and explore the coutryside:

Stop in Beaune for lunch and a bit of wine tasting. (I am partial to Ma Cuisine.)
https://www.beaune-tourisme.fr

Follow the Route du Vin, take detours through the vineyards.
https://www.beaune-tourisme.fr/decou...es-grands-crus

One of our favorite places to stay in Burgundy is Château de Vault de Lugny:
https://lugny.fr/hotel-chateau/

For things to do in the surrounding area:
https://lugny.fr/activites-tourisme-...rgogne-morvan/


While the drive to Paris can be done in a half day, we often do the above with guests stopping off in Zürich on their way to Paris. We explore Burgundy, stay at the Chateau, then put our visitors on the train to Paris at Dijon. You can do this in as few or many days as you wish - lots to see and do.

If you plan to use 4 days for that distance, you could almost consider bicycling. Like that you can see much more on your way.

I'd do the following, in bold what's a must: Schaffhausen, Black forest, Freiburg im Breisgau, Strassbourg , Natural Park of the Vosges (north or south -> If North, then Verdun for the history, if South then Dijon.

South would be next Auxerre, North would be Chalons-en-Chamapgne (you drink Champagne, do you?)