Romantic 15 Year Anniversary Getaway

For hiking and wineries, head to Burgundy. The vast area of the Morvan park is ideal for hiking and other outdoor activities. Then there are the wines...and the food!

Are you interested in visiting Spain? Or is this out of your realm of interest?

Hi

My wife and I went to Florence and Tuscany last year. The stay in Chianti was amazing...beautiful scenery, quiet, good food and wine etc. Here is a trip report with pictures http://gardkarlsen.com/florence_italy_travelogue.htm . Maybe that can give you an idea of what to expect.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

>> Nice weather, good food, beautiful natural landscape are priorities. My husband will have had enough of crowds in Paris so somewhere a little remote would be nice. We enjoy hiking, wineries, the beach so any of those would be great but not neccisarily a priority. <<

I suggest a trip that begins on the beach of San Sebastian, Spain, with its fabulous food and wine, and then swings into France with a rental car, possibly the Dordogne or into the French Basque country on the slopes of the Pyrenees for hiking and spectacular scenery. For the Pyrenees, you need a sense of adventure, because it is hard to find a lot of info on the web. Going to the Dordogne or another part of France near Spain would be simpler.

Another way to do this is an arc between the Costa Brava and San Sebastian, traveling through France. You can fly to Barcelona or Girona, enjoy the beaches of the Costa Brava (either Calella da Palafrugell or Cadaquez) then swing up through the foothills of the French Pyrenees to San Sebastian, drop off car, fly home via London or Madrid or Paris (flights out of Bilbao).

I would probably spend my entire time in the Spanish Basque country, but again, that's something of an adventure trip, only possible with a car.

But given your desire for Paris, I would suggest beginning in San Sebastian and traveling over the French border to get a car rental, and ending up in Paris (dropping the car off enroute and hopping a train).

BUT

Another choice for you might be the Maremma, the untouristed part of Southern Tuscany for wineries (Scansano), hiking and beaches. All the romance of beautiful Tuscan hilltowns, but no tourists. For beach time, try the island of Giglio or Elba.

I would look at moving through the country side rather than stickiing in a villa or a hotel. Hence why not a canal boat holiday or bike holiday in the area from Bordeaux down toeards Beziers. (Lots of canals and lots of bike trails) food and wine thrown in. Bordeaux itself is a lovely town and you could start with w few days in the bay to the West of Bordeaux and chill out with Oysters etc.

During the summer of 2006, I was in Provence (Luberon) for 8 nights and then took the TGV from Avignon back to Paris for 8 nights. Stayed in a guesthouse/B&B just outside of Pernes les Fontaines which was very centrally located to do day trips to the various towns/villages in that area that we wanted to see (www.lelavandinprovence.com).

LeLavandin was a gorgeous property, tons of flowers, lavender, cypress trees, etc., etc. Georgia Ball, the owner, is American so there were no problems in our not knowing the French language (except for the very elementary!). She would map out the routes over breakfast for where we wanted to go that particular day. Some days we would pick up wonderful foods from the markets we went to and would dine under the stars and candles on the terrace of LeLavandin. Other times Georgia would make reservations for us at wonderful restaurants and we would be off.

There are many precious little perched villages and towns in the Luberon area that would be so romantic to stroll around in. The scenery while driving through the vineyards and fields of lavender and sunflowers is spectacular.

Enjoy the planning! If you have other questions, please don't hesitate!

joy/luvparee

akars, just realized I misread your original post and that Paris is probably your first stop. I would still probably go to San Sebastian (via cheap flight to Bilbao) and other parts of Spain.

Hi ak,

> We plan on spending 10 days to 2 weeks<

With only 10 days, I would stay in Paris with a few daytrips.

With 2 weeks, I suggest

Fly into Paris - 5 nights

Take the TGV to Strasbourg and rent a car.

Visit Alsace for 6 nights.

You can return home via Paris, Strasbourg or Stuttgart.

Leave one night for the city from whence you leave.

You might find my trip report helpful:

Ira Visits Zurich, The Bodensee, Alsace and Paris – May 2008
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=35136218

Enjoy your visit.

If this is a romantic getaway, it would be nicer to stay put in a couple of places rather than spending a lot of time getting from place to place, buying tickets waiting in train stations, etc. Unless that sort of thing is romantic.
On an anniversary some years back I asked my wife what she wanted to do for our anniversary, and she said "I want to go to Venice and eat at Madonna every day." We did, and it was lovely and we have eaten at Madonna every anniversary since -- fifteen or more years. THAT'S romantic!
rjf

Robert2533,
We would be interested in Spain. Any thoughts?

San Sebastian (sorry, I couldn't resist repeating it).

I have been enjoying these posts! Just curious what the weather would be like at the start of November in these areas?

Several years ago we stayed in a little town in the French Alps called Combloux. It was "Sound of Music" country. We had views across to Mt. Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi. There were hiking trails right outside our inn - complete with cows and their bells. You could also drive to the ski lifts and hike from there. The drive to Chamonix was about 30 minutes. From there you catch the lift up to Aiguille du Midi and you can hike down all day. One thing that I loved about the French Alps was that every so often you would chance upon a little chalet on the trail that served up salads, omelettes and berry tarts. You could take a train from Paris into Chamonix and go from there.

Bellagio, on Lake Como in Italy is quite lovely with great food and scenery. We didn't hike there, so I can't speak to that.

Start at a romantic remote chateau
between Paris Tours...

St. Symphorien-le-Chateau Hotels: Château d'Esclimont
www.slh.com/france/st_symphorienlechateau/stsdes.html

Then train to www.beaune.com

Neuchatel-Geneva

www.cisalpino.ch

to Venice

Finish at

A Tribute to Music sunset

Lagoon view room San Marco...

From personal experience

very romantic...

congrats,

akars,
If you are looking for good food and natural landscapes head to San Sebastian. This beautiful city & surrounding holds 18 Michelin stars!
Also try its 'pintxos' (appetizers). Have a quick look at these pictures:
http://www.todopintxos.com/pintxos/pintxos.php
In San Sebastian are three beaches that you can enjoy too:
http://www.donostia.org/CAT/Home.nsf/frmswPrincipalIN?OpenFrameset

Around 100 miles away from San Sebastian can tour the wineries of La Rioja:
http://maribelsguides.com/mg_larioja.pdf

A mediterranean country for celebration would be ideal to my idea...A Greece & Turkey combination trip, a gulet cruise can be done perfectly within 2 weeks. Both countries offer great value in terms of food, history, fine people, remote areas, secluded beaches and romantic evenings

Happy anniversary where ever you choose to go,
Murat