All through High School and College I dreamed of going to Paris! I took 4 years of French but when I got there I ten years later It was all a foreign language the first day. Next month will be my 10th visit and I still get excited as if it was the first time. A friend asked me why I never get tired of visiting the same city. My response was you visit the same beach in Florida every year and it is just sand, so what is the catch? This year she has decided to join me so I can show her My Paris!

Oh, Travelbear, I understand what you mean. I was a wandering spirit growing up as well; plus I'm part Sioux so I feel that contributes to my peripatetic yearnings.

I plan to go other places. I'd love to see everything in the world. But having just started traveling and having only been able to travel 3 & 4 days consecutively the 1st 2 trips I feel I hadn't quite gotten Paris out of my system. Hence, the 9-day trip in just Paris (with a 1/2 day outside the city to visit a great place for lunch with a wonderfully knowledgable Francophile friend).

Next trip, we'll be going to England, Ireland & Wales but we'll finish with Paris. Probably after that, I'll be going to Venice/Florence/Tuscany with my sister (and yes, it is the food and the art, PLUS, it's the old, old architecture something you just don't get here in the U.S. unless you want to count Indian mounds or cliffside cities). But I bet I'll be returning to Paris throughout my life.

And you don't know what "home" feels like? You never were someplace that felt like you belonged there? Or someone that you belonged with? Or even a friend that you felt like belonged to your "tribe" or you felt at home with? Something that you so strongly connected with?

Paris just inhabits my dreams - I can't shake it.

Ira, HAHAHA - LOL! "It took me 20 years to decide to go to that part of Italy because I kept going back to Paris." You are a kindred spirit & now I feel like I have a guarantee from you that Florence/Tuscany will just be FABOO!!

Diane Arbutus(did I spell her name correctly?) answered, when asked what her favorite place was, "the place I have not seen"
But for those who ask why one country, think about how different parts of our USA are, and France, Italy, England are also very different in the other areas.
Paris is Paris! Unique, beautiful but France profound is of another world.

ROME! I have been 6 times (even got married there 18 years ago). We have gone the past 3 summers and have arrangements for this summer as well as next May. We start our trip in Rome and then continue to different places in Italy from there. Each trip is different, but starts the same. I know I couldn't live there,but I am truely happiest when I am in Rome.

Beatchick,

As I thought about my response following your comments I realized I needed to make a confession. There was one place that I found myself going to continually, every year, sometime two or three times. Every time I returned, I felt like I was "home," like a corner puzzle piece that found its two ends. That place.....New York.

Unfortunately, I made one too many trips and on my last visit I declared it would be my last visit.

I kept to my promise, because now I just live here!

For those people that find themselves gravitating to the same place vacation after vacation, I think that is great, it is just not me. After all, New York was expensive enough to move to, I can only imagine what Paris would do to my bank account. Everytime I sit down to begin the long decision process of where I want to go, I get goosebumps of the very idea of getting to experience something for the first time. This is my "home," with my faithful and most wonderful travel companion (my wife) by my side, we head into the great unknown. That feeling, that planning, that very idea is my single place, so yes, I am hooked on a single place.

P.S.-I have really enjoyed reading about everyone's special place. In my opinion, the greatest asset this board offers is the in-depth advise offered by those people that know the location best. Please keep it coming, as it benefits everyone with future travel plans to your special place.

In 1987 I spent close to a year on business in Copenhagen and in 1984 I spent about 6 months on business in Skelmersdale UK (close to the Lake District). I return to both spots about once every year or so, and then go some place new every other year or so.

Im all for the adventure of new places and new things, but I like the feeling of familiarity I get when I visit both these spots.

I used to go to a resort called Point Pleasant on St Thomas. In the early 70s there were 18 large rooms in a single 3 floor building, with wide verandas and exquisite views over Drakes Channel. They provided cars for the use of guests, had a private tennis court that was rarely used and the pool was almost like a private pool. We stayed there every year for 15 years until things were so dramatically different that the feeling was gone. There are now hundreds of rooms, free cars are no longer offered . . . There are some places that you cant go back to . . .

you are so-o-o right, snoopy! My first time in Paris, I stayed on the right bank at a hotel that fitted my imagination after all my reading and french film viewing. Wonderful old rooms with French antiques, a courtyard for breakfast with a woman in her concierge "box"with her siameese cat that she let loose to roam the tables on the terrace. It was on the Fauberg, the France et Choisel. Years later I looked for this inexpensive hotel. It is now a sleek Japannese owned tourist/businessman/well-heeled/kind of place. But I will never forget that first time, as one never forgets her first passionate lover.

"like a corner puzzle piece that found its two ends"

Travelbear, your entire response was just GREAT!! I'm so glad you get to live where "home" is for you - I wish I could afford to do the same - maybe some day, God willing. If I lived in Paris then I could prepare week-long jaunts to the UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, different countries in eastern Europe, the Middle East - 'twould be much cheaper than flying from the U.S.

And Mimi-san, I love your expression "France profound is of another world." Is that yours? It's beautiful.

beatchick, so full of life! France profonde. another world are my words but it's like New york is, compared to where we are. another world(at least for me here).But unfortunately to live in the inner city of Ny Or Paris can never be with our finances but I understand the desire.

There are only two "repeat" places we've been to, and there's a sizeable list of places I want to go back to. We really fell in love with a little hotel in Negril (hmmm one of the couple who own it is from France) and we've been to Paris three times. This year we traveled through the South of France and totally loved Provence as we expected to, then were blown away by the Dordogne. It's not hard to see why St Cirq loves it so. I know we'll be back there. I also had a really strong connect with Verona during our 3 week Italian trip in 2001, and of course beautiful Tuscany and Rome! So they will demand repeat visits too. However meanwhile, there are still so many places we need to go, so we'll have to hold off on continually revisiting the same places over again. (However Paris is starting to feel very familiar, and that's kind of a draw, too!)

I find it interesting that some posters have a feeling that they would love Florence/Tuscany as much as they love Paris. They are right! I've been to both cities/areas a number of times and feel exactly the same about both cities. They are enchanting! I'm going to Nerja, Spain in September only because I feel I should see something new. In this case, it's the White Villages. But I feel the pull of Paris and Tuscany. I will surely return.

Oui, oui, Cigalechanta - a great line indeed! I might quote you on that.

Me, too, Uh-oh! I want to see the Dordogne as StCirq sees it, and really every region of France: the Loire, Provence, Cote d'Azur, Burgundy, so many interesting, wonderful places. SIGH!! I can't wait to travel again but I don't know when I'll get the chance again - really soon, I hope.

Coool, Travginny, you must tell us about the white villages when you come back!

Hey, Capo-san, are you keeping up with your thread?? Where is our intrepid host???