Between the two above areas, does anyone have any input to finalize our decisions? We will have been to Paris, the Loire, then to Burgundy for 9 days. We have a car and are thinking we might just keep on going south of Beaune to Lyon, as a base for our last 3 nights, and explore that region. We had previously thought about driving north through Burgundy and Champagne and leaving from CDG. Any advice?

Wren... I'll send this to the top. Sorry, I don't have any advice. My best friend and I are planning a 50 year old party trip to Champgagne district and I'm interested in the responses. Have a grand time!

thanks Danna..I am 2 years older than you are...my husband and I are going to celebrate our 25th anniversary there!

Beuane is very nice and Lyon is a great place for foodies. We don't like big cities to stay in so twice we have chosen the medievil village of Peruges, east of Lyon.

beaune. Please give us some editing tools!

But comparing the two regions, is there one that would be a higher priority on your list? Where doyou stay in Perouges?<BR>

Hello? Rex? Somebody!!! Help!

Between the two, I'd head for Lyon. Lyon itself isn't particularly interesting, but it's a terrific base for trips to those parts of Burgundy that you missed or want to retrun to, or to the Alpine areas. Reims is a bit more picturesque than Lyon and it's lots of fun to have leventy-seven champagne choices with each meal, but I'd choose Lyon for 3 days.

Thanks Rizzuto...We do love to visit wineries and those who make champagne, but we have done that in the wine country in CA.(which I am sure is different than in France<BR>!!!), and will be enjoying the wine greatly in Burgundy, I am sure. I have heard that Reims has a few good reasons to go beside the champagne, but from reading up on Lyon and the Alps, I think our last few days there, then flying out of Lyon, might make for an interesting ending to the trip. (After all, there is always Beaujolais!!!) But I did want to get opinions...Did you go to Chamonix or Annecy? What itinerary would you recommend after leaving the Beaune area?

Just ran across this doing a search on Perouges. we are planning on stopping there for a few nights in October. The hotel that I am planning on booking is Ostellerie du Vieux Perouges.<BR><BR> I was clearing out old Bon Appetit magazine, which does require re-reading them, and came across the 1994 May issue devoted to the French countryside. it really has been helpful!<BR><BR>Hope when you return you'll post a report.<BR><BR>If you choose the Champagne region instead , we were delighted staying at The Royal Champagne outside of Reims in Epernay.

Wren,<BR><BR>I really prefer the Annecy area to Lyon. I'm wondering if you could fly out of Geneva instead, and base yourselves in Annecy or surrounding area for a few nights? Annecy offers spectacular scenery, as well as a wonderful old town, and great hiking into the Alps. A few miles south of Annecy is Taillores, which is famous for two restaurants, both lakeside: The incredibly expensive and famous Auberge du Pere-Bise, and the less-known Villa des Fleurs. Both of these places offer rooms as well.<BR>From Annecy, you could easily visit many places in the French Alps: Evian-les-Bains,Aix-les-Bains, Chamonix, and Geneva.<BR>In Annecy, we stayed at the very stuffy Imperial Palace, which had great views, but tiny rooms and snobby hotel staff. I'm sure if you're interested, you can search the forum for a better place to stay.<BR>Bonne chance!