Outside Paris - NOT Day trips
 

Will be in Paris 8/22-25 and would like to spend 2-3 days in France before returning to Paris for train to AMS. Any suggestions. Can do train or car. Could go to beaches or spend time in cities/countryside... what'is best?

This depends of course on your personal preferences.

History? Normandy, Bayeux tapistry, Mont St. Michelle

Gambling (looking at your moniker)? Monaco-although the travelling time may eat up your visiting time

Castles? Search this forum for some possibilities. Chenenceau is pretty cool and you could combine some wine stuff in this area.

Other posters will have info as well.

I'd be somewhat reluctant to do the "beach scene"...it can be fun but you have to understand what kind of beaches are available...many are possibly unlike those you may be used to.

The Loire Valley and some of the chateaux as mentioned by TDudette are certainly possibel and easily done in a couple of days.

Mont St. Michel certainly but it might be mobbed with visitors;

the Dordogne region perhaps or Alsace?

Juts don't be put off if someone "suggests" that you need eons of time to do these places "justice." A first-hand "taste" is better than staring at pictures and WISHING you had gone there.

Hi actionlasvegas,

Does it have to be France? How about a quick trip to Lake Geneva in Switzerland? Take the TGV to Geneva and head to the sweet lakeside town of Morges (near the late Audrey Hepburn's residence). Nice place for cycling around the lake, hitting some cafes, maybe a trip to Montreux and the castle of Chillon, seeing the vineyards, etc.

Good luck with the decision!

s

Gamble in Deuville Trouville, then a day in Honfleur and the WW2 beaches. This chimes with the moniker

The Dordogne isn't practical because of the time it takes to get there and back.

Provence

La Rochelle and Ile de Ré

Reims and Champagne country

The Loire

Alsace-Lorraine

Burgundy

Normandy

Brittany


Really, there are so many choices you need to do some research and narrow down what your interests are.

I would go to
Dijon
Beaune
Nancy
Strasbourg

In that order.
You can stay in the city or the country, rent a car or not.

((I))