Help! Have 1 1/2 weeks in France...where would YOU go??
 

Am starting out in Paris, any suggestions after that would be great.... Any must see areas or hotels? Thank you

Congratulations on 1 1/2 weeks in France! But your choices are enormous...you may get more help the more specifics you can give?<BR><BR>What specifically do you like to do?Walk? Hike? Museums? Budget? Picnic, restaurants, or bistros? Do you like food and wine? Prehistoric art? local flavor? Big cities? Going by train or driving?<BR><BR>Wendy

Kerry: <BR> <BR>1 1/2 weeks free after a stay in Paris give you tremendous freedom to see quite a bit of the country. <BR> <BR>Personally, I love the SW of France (Gascony, Ariege, and the rest of Languedoc-Rousillon and the Midi). I would head down to Toulouse by either car or TGV, spending 2 days there. On the 3rd day, I drive west 45 miles to the town of Auch, a lovely town which is the capital of Gascony. There are some wonderful places to eat in Auch and nearby (My 2 favorites which are side by side...literally are the Table D'Hote @ 7 rue Lamartine and Cafe Gascon @ 5 rue Lamartine. <BR> <BR>After a night in Auch, head North to Cahors which is located in a bend of the Lot River. Cahors also features the Pont Valentre, a 14th century bridge you can walk across to get views of the surrounding valley. <BR> <BR>After a day and night in Cahors, head south, about 2.5 hrs by car, to the town of Foix, capital of the Ariege region. The views of the Pyrenees are stunning. After Foix, head east to Perpignan and Collioure, which is on the Mediterrean. <BR> <BR>If you have any questions about this itinerary, feel free to drop me a line. <BR> <BR>Regards.. <BR> <BR>Luis

Kerry, <BR> <BR>four nights Paris <BR>two nights Loire Valley <BR>three nights Cassis <BR>one night Paris <BR> <BR> OR! <BR> <BR>four nights Paris <BR>two nights Burgundy <BR>three nights Cap Ferrat <BR>one night Paris <BR> <BR>Good luck! Let us know what you do.

Funny--we were just talking about this last night. Here goes: <BR> <BR>Arrive Paris and drive directly to Royal Champagne near Epernay. The rooms overlook the Champagne vineyards. Spend two nights here and visit the Champagne houses in Reims and Epernay. <BR> <BR>Onto Normandy and Brittany--stay at Chateaux Richeaux overlooking the Bay of Mont St-Michel. Tour the Mont, the Normandy beaches, St Malo, etc. <BR> <BR>Then onto the Loire Valley. Stay at Domaine de Haut de Loire in Onzain. Tour selected chateaux, wineries, abbeys, mushroom museum, etc. <BR> <BR>Head back to Paris--depending on what you've already seen there--stop along the way at Chartres Cathedral, Versailles,etc. <BR> <BR>enjoy your trip!

7 nights Paris (no, it's not too long because you can take as many daytrips as you care to make, e.g. Versailles, Chartres, Giverny, Fontainebleau). <BR> <BR>3 nights Loire Valley -- chateaux.

I think day-tripping out of Paris makes the most sense if there is some compelling reason to STAY in Paris (like a family you can stay with). <BR> <BR>I would alter Lisa's allocation by suggesting that you get OUT of Paris for day-tripping in the Ile de France. <BR> <BR>Get a car, and a cheaper bigger room, with less traffic to fight at the end of the day, and no need to park in some over-priced underground garage. <BR> <BR>I keep recommending this palce, even though I have never actually been there; http://www.chateaudejonvilliers.com - - if any body ever does stay there, would you please come back there and report? <BR> <BR>And since you might be able to scratch your Loire valley itch from this place, maybe you'd rather spend some time in Normandy. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Lori- <BR>I almost died when I saw your itinerary! We had just been planning our fall trip to France for this year, and it almost duplicates yours! Only difference is we'll be flying into Amsterdam to pick up the car so we can go again to the World War I battlefields on the Somme. Will be staying in Ypres,before going on to the other places .The Royal champage and Domaine des hauts de Loire are 2 of my favorite places! Where do you suggest for Paris, we like the left bank and have been satisfied with the hotel where we usually stay but are open to some new suggestions.

Kerry, Reviewing this thread I like Lisa's itinerary best. <BR> <BR>linda