We want to take a 2 day trip from Paris...which city is best??

Wasn't there another post with the similar question just now? Anyway, If you’re interested in history, Arles and Avignon go back to the Romans and the Amphitheater, the Pont du Gard in Arles are sure to fascinate you. Avignon has the Palais des Papes and much more history.
The environs are fabulous, Luberon etc
Lyon is the eating capital, but it will cost you - how’s your budget?
There is great scenery near Lyon also, Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains, Annecy etc.
And the wine country is nearby, Mâcon, Chalons-sur-Saône etc.

So you have one full day. Lyon is closer--2 hours from the Gare de Lyon in Paris.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Avignon

http://wikitravel.org/en/Lyon

Neither one makes a good daytrip from Paris, really, as they are too far away and offer too much to see. For Avignon, you'd spend 6 hours on a train. For Lyon a bit more than 4. Why would you want to do that rather than take one of the dozens and dozens of nearby daytrips where the ratio of amount of time traveling to the amount of time visiting is rational? If you really want to explore other French cities distant to Paris, extend the trip so you can actually see them. Otherwise, you're just checking something off a list of "we went to"'s, not actually visiting and learning.

Hello/please/thankyou/...
Feel free to insert when needed.

Sorry for mis communication. We are spending 2 days---either choosing Lyon or Avignon

My interpretation of wordsmith's request is that he wants to take a 2 day 3 night trip. Or perhaps the first train in the morning and a later train in the evening for 2 days & 2 nights. That's quite adequate for Avignon. And we've done just a day trip to Lyon from Roanne - but mostly visited just the Traboules ( https://www.francetoday.com/archives/lyon_s_traboules/ ) and the fabric/decorative arts museum. We've also done an overnight to Lyon from Avignon. This coming June we'll spend 5 nights there.

Both are great cities to visit. Lyon will perhaps consume more time to visit than Avignon.

Stu Dudley

The Traboules sound fascinating. Know of any tours re: WWII and Lyon history??

We spent two nights, 1.5 days, in Lyon a few years back and thought it very worthwhile. If you are interested, you can see details on my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...d-provence.cfm

Scroll down a bit to get to Lyon. Have fun!

As noted, Lyon is a bit closer to Paris.

Note: Lyon is also Roman. The emperor Claudius was born there. Amphitheater ruins, etc. Excellent archeology museum. Magnificent museum of textiles (I know, sounds boring, but it's not)--articles from ancient Egypt to Napoleonic times. Lyon was big silk producer, still produces for Hermes and others.

>>Magnificent museum of textiles (I know, sounds boring,<<

I sat at a cafe for 1 1/2 hrs while my wife visited the textile museum, She still didn't see all she wanted, so she's returning next June. Boring for some, interesting for others.

Stu Dudley