10 Days in France - Loire Valley and ???
 

Our tentative plan is to spend 10 days on the ground in France, and the time frame will be mid-September.

We have been to Paris several times, and though it's likely that our flights will go through there, we don't need to spend much time there this trip. Thinking 5 days in each of two regions would work well. Besides Paris, the areas we have visited previously are Burgundy, Normandy, Provence, Dordogne, Basque Country, and the Atlantic Coast in the area of La Rochelle. Typically, we've spent 4 - 7 days in each of these regions, (more in Paris).

While we have thoroughly enjoyed everywhere we've gone, and realizing we've just scratched the surface in most of these, we want to try new regions this time. We are a healthy and energetic couple in our early 60's, fairly experienced travelers with a lot of miles under our belts. We'd have a car, and enjoy visiting one or two major sites per day - museums, chateaux, castles, gardens, etc. We like small hotels and B &B's in small towns, where we can walk to dinner in the evenings. There could be one fancy splurge dinner during the course of the trip, but we prefer eating at more casual places, recommended by our hosts, serving good local food.

We are pretty well set on ~5 days in the Loire Valley being one of our destinations, and would be open to suggestions on where to base - have thought about Angers, but nothing is set yet. We are looking for suggestions on another region - though I'm not adverse to a long car ride, we don't really want to blow the better part of a day travelling between regions. We were considering, for example, the Rhone Valley, near Lyon, but that's quite a ways, and would require either an extra plane ride or a very long drive returning to Paris on the way home. So that probably leaves Brittany, Champagne, or Alsace-Lorraine as the most practical alternatives ... maybe?

Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

Well I'll put in a nod for Brittany and you can have a look at the following thread for some info on Brittany and sites/places to visit:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...i1050-k6161895 -5_Day_Brittany_Itinerary_Suggestions-Brittany.html

Brittany is one of my favorite regions in France and I've written a couple of photo reports about vacations I've spent there if you want to have a look for tips and ideas. This first one is about a week spent in the Golfe de Morbihan:

http://tinyurl.com/2555vaf

This next photo report is about 5 days exploring around Dinan and environs: http://tinyurl.com/86s4v8f

You mentioned the Rhône area and last summer I spent a couple of weeks in the Drôme Provençale and absolutely loved it. One of my favorite vacations in France and I've seen a lot of the country (though I still haven't made it to Alsace). It has all the beautiful landscapes and lovely villages that you find in the more touristy parts of Provence (i.e. The Luberon etc.) but none of the tourists.

Then there was another vacation I loved in the southern Corrèze on the border with The Lot and Dordogne that even in high season the second week of August was strangely lacking in tourists while in the adjacent Dordogne you couldn't take a step without bumping into a tourist. I have a photo report about that vacation if you want to have a look: http://tinyurl.com/q6bb5av

If I were you I wold look into staying at one of the many private chateaux in the Loire. We spent 6 nights at a 15th century one near Chinon and had a wonderful time seeing a bunch of chateaux, a couple of son et lumieres and, the Abby at Fontevruad and several cute small towns.

They even had a dinner en famille one evening, with all of the ingredients from the manor grounds. We had a great time eating with guests rom Canada, Australia, Argentina and Russia.

The Loire valley and Burgundy.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...9630/show?rb=1

Depending on your time of departure from CDG (after 12:01 p.m.) you could spend your last night in a town like Provins and still be able to get to CDG on time to catch your flight.

Even if I hadn't wanted to recommend Brittany FM sold it !

You should basically choose nort (wilder) or south Brittany (quiberon and such more touristy and beaches)

I also would choose Brittany.

I really liked Amboise in the Loire Valley and this hotel:

www.manoirlesminimes.com

Charming and elegant, feels like an Inn rather than a hotel.

The town is very close -- perfect for walking to dinner and a number of moderately priced restaurants to choose from.

Another vote for Brittany.

Stu Dudley

FrenchMT - Thanks for all the information, I will go through the links you sent.

nytraveler - Staying at a chateau sounds like a great idea, can you send info on the one you booked?

Michael - We've visited Burgundy previously, looking for something different this time. Thanks for the suggestion on Provins.

Whathello and StCirq - Thanks for chiming in. Just starting research on Brittany, so if you have any specific recommedations on where to stay or interesting places to go,would be interested.

cilburke - The hotel looks beautiful, and prices are in our range. We'll consider it, thanks.

Stu - posting at the same time, thans.

I have an itinerary for visiting Brittany & Normandy based on our 9+ weeks visiting these regions - mostly Brittany. I've sent my various itineraries (I have others) to over 5,000 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach one to the reply e-mail.

Stu Dudley

With regard to the Loire Valley, Angers is a fabulous town, but IMO a bit too far west (lots of backtracking home if you visit, as most do, the main châteaux on the eastern end of the valley). And while I really enjoyed Amboise 20 years ago, I find it annoyingly crowded with tour buses and crowds now - plus, IMO, for a town that hosts so many visitors, the choice of decent restaurants is small, l'Epicerie being the main exception.

When I have 5 days or more to visit the Loire, I tend to head to Chinon or Loches, even Saumur. Do be sure to get to Angers, though, if only to see the tapestries in the château and the Jean Lurçat recreations. And if you find yourself near Bléré, have a meal at Le Cheval Blanc.

Thanks Stu, just sent you an e-mail.

With regard to the Loire Valley, Angers is a fabulous town, but IMO a bit too far west (lots of backtracking home if you visit, as most do, the main châteaux on the eastern end of the valley). And while I really enjoyed Amboise 20 years ago, I find it annoyingly crowded with tour buses and crowds now - plus, IMO, for a town that hosts so many visitors, the choice of decent restaurants is small, l'Epicerie being the main exception.

When I have 5 days or more to visit the Loire, I tend to head to Chinon or Loches, even Saumur. Do be sure to get to Angers, though, if only to see the tapestries in the château and the Jean Lurçat recreations. And if you find yourself near Bléré, have a meal at Le Cheval Blanc.

We stayed at the Chateau des Reaux near Chinon. The bedrooms were lovely and there was also a ground floor lounge wit complimentary water/soft drinks and all sorts of tourist info as well as a second floor game room (pool, etc)

For the dinner en famille the owners served predinner champagne in a drawing room and told some very interesting stories about fascinating ancestors.

Just looked at the web site and it says temporarily closed - not sure why or when will reopen but you can still see info on rooms/prices.

http://chateaudesreaux.fr/fr

StCirq - Great information as always, thanks.

nyt - Thanks for the link, the chateau looks beautiful. As our plans firm up, I try contacting them on the scheduled re-opening.

Loire, I've traveled there on holiday for business and pleasure for many years. I recommend Saumur as a base, though I recently discovered some lovely old towns in the Muscadet region I still think Saumur is the best.

Your second choice, in September. I might look at Brittany (spent a fair bit of childhood there) certainly Duchess Anne left some lovely buildings but I think I might head further south.

Bordeaux/Bergerac would still be warm and worth some time. I used to be a supported of Bordeaux but I think Bergerac is still nicer though a little small. If you follow my name back I've done visit reports in last year and the year before for the area. Bordeaux still hasn't cracked it for me fuly. St Cirq believes they now embrace the river, but certainly they had not 18 months ago when the graffiti, needles and rubbish (to use a nice word) still littered the river side on both sides but maybe..

I'd look at going further south into the big empty area of the south west. Lots of empty woods, little towns and fantastic beaches without a human in sight, or down to the Pyrenees an the odd little ancient towns (often with religious significance or ancient royal hunting houses) it can get spectacular towards the Spanish border. Look up "Pau" for example or the big drawer of the Canal du Midi or Carcassone.

Lyon to CDG is just about 2 hours by TGV. I love Lyon.

Thanks StC, good to see