We will be in France for 2 weeks in early spring and would like to spend 4 - 5 days in Paris and the rest seeing the country. What are your favorite regions and why? Thanks.

Yours is a very difficult and subjective question to answer. All of France has its charm. I personally think Provence would be an excellent choice for you considering you are going in the early Spring when the lavendar is blooming and its sunny and not too hot. You can take the TGV down to Marseille and then take a train to Aix-en-Provence and do some scenic driving, perhaps in the Luberon. Normandy is nice as well but cooler: great food and friendly people and small interesting towns and villages. So many options for you.

I also would probably pick Provence if you are going in Spring -- you will avoid the crowds and heat of summer and it should be more pleasant than some northern areas. Part of the reason I like Provence is the summer flowers, vineyards and events, so it won't be as nice in March, I'd guess, but it should be better than Normandy or Tours. I also like the small towns and mountains and hillside villages, so they'll still be there. I believe lavender blooms in the summer, starting in June, usually, so I wouldn't count on that in early spring, although some wild lavender may start in late March.

Thanks. Provence sounds beautiful. Any other favorite areas?

I love the quiet rural areas in the Centre region which are nevertheless within easy reach of all the tourist areas. We stayed recently in the Indre so we were able to visit the Loire, the Dordogne, Futuroscope at Poitiers, but return in the evenings to peace and tranquility.

Not that I'm biased or anything, but yes, I have a favorite area - the Dordogne. I think it's about the most beautiful place on earth, and a never-ending source of fascinating adventures. Castles, prehistoric caves, little jewels of villages, mind-boggling markets, rolling green hills, tranquil river valleys, bastide towns, hill towns, walled villages, gas-lit cobblestone streets, pretty inns and delicious restaurants...what more does a person need?

Hi<BR><BR>think about Languedoc &amp; Provence.<BR><BR>The weather is better in the South, and there are lots of things to do.<BR><BR>TGV Paris - Avignon is 2.5 hrs.<BR><BR>Peter<BR>The Languedoc Page<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com<BR>

Well here is a vote for two other regions that I find quite charming. The first is Alsace, in the east. The second is the Loire valley. Lovely areas.<BR><BR>This is a hard decision to make. You would also find Normandy and Brittany very interesting.

Normandy for the history, Burgundy for the food and wine;Provence to relax;Savoie and Haute Savoie for the beauty; the Loire for the chateaux the dang country for enjoying life over work,work,work!

As a preface to my reply you should be aware that I have been to France but one time...last may/june. We too were undecided about where to visit beyond Paris during our two week stay.<BR> We spent 8 nights in Paris and then ultimately chose Arles in Provence (3 nights) and Bayeux in Normandy for 2 nigts. We were considering the Dordogne but concluded it would have been difficult as it seemed out of the way for train travel. There are so many other locations to choose from. For us, these two locales, Provence and Normandy were great. Arles was a nice size city, not too large, had a wonderful weekly market; was close to all the hill towns to visit along with the pont du gard. Normandy was beautiful, the WW11 beach areas were amazing locales to visit.

David: You are right. As Rick Steves likes to point out, the Dordogne is &quot;hard to get to.&quot; All the better, I say.<BR><BR>It really is not a destination to consider unless you will be driving. But the poster didn't mention being limited to trains, so I thought he should know about it. If you have a car, it's a destination well worth considering.