My girlfriend and I will be in Versalles on business in late October. We are free Friday morning and fly out of CDG the following Monday morning. We've been to Paris several times. We are thinking about heading west by car or train and then catching a Sunday night TGV direct to CDG. We like quaint towns, natural scenery, castles, but all in moderation. We'll likely have had enough of museums by then. Suggestions on where to go and stay? We don't mind splurging a bit on a special place or meal. Thank you!

Have you been to Normandy? Omaha Beach? Bayeu? Honfleu? (I'm not sure of the spelling) Normandy is a fabulous area.

I have no idea how the above post got in there! I was typing away when the screen shifted.

Seeing quaint towns and natural scenery probably will require renting a car; TGV stations are located mostly in large cities. You could take the train from Paris to Rouen and pick up a car there, drive over to the coast, see Honfleur and Bayeux, and return to Rouen by a different route to see some of the lovely inland villages. Then take the regular train from Rouen back into Paris and out to de Gaulle for the night before your flight.

Nice splurge: the Manoir du Butin in Honfleur.

Go west, young man! The whole of the Loire Valley lies to the west! Lots of chateaux to visit there. Rent a car, stay in Amboise (Chateau du Pray is romantic) and use that as your base. Visit Chambourg and Chenonceau. Also, Chartres has one of the best cathedrals in the world.