Recs for a few days in France
Dec 3rd, 2019, 04:10 PM
#21
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Just want to inject a little positivity into this thread and point out that going in Feb/March is not that terrible of a thing - it will actually be a great opportunity to see parts of France (and Paris!) when it's least crowded, without the hordes of tourists, and I consider that a huge positive (particularly for Paris).
I second the original idea Isabel posted about. Strasbourg would be great, and you could check out nearby(ish) towns of Colmar and Riquewihr which are lovely and fairytale-ish and sound right up your alley! Look up some pics - I bet your interest will be sparked!
Otherwise, if you're interested in castles/chateaux you could do a Loire Valley tour and stop in some of the adorable small villages there.
I second the original idea Isabel posted about. Strasbourg would be great, and you could check out nearby(ish) towns of Colmar and Riquewihr which are lovely and fairytale-ish and sound right up your alley! Look up some pics - I bet your interest will be sparked!
Otherwise, if you're interested in castles/chateaux you could do a Loire Valley tour and stop in some of the adorable small villages there.
Dec 5th, 2019, 05:17 AM
#22
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I'm all for positivity and tried to inject some of my own, but frankly I can hardly think of anything bleaker than the Loire Valley, which isn't all that attractive IMO at any time of year, in February.
Dec 5th, 2019, 07:12 AM
#23
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In winter, you’re obviously not going to see any town or village in full flower, but if you focus on architecture (plus good meals, of course), there are many towns and villages worth visiting. But you would need to rent a car, because trains don't go to smaller places.
Each of the 159 Plus Beaux Villages features the local stone of its region, so they are all different. We’ll drive out of our way to see one. Here’s a link to the map:
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-...ages/?map=true
Off the top of my head, here are some towns north of the Loire (to limit your driving) that I think are worth visiting for architecture. Some of these are on the PBV website. Bernay, Gerberoy, Belleme, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Chateau-Gontier (especially a particular café with remarkable tiles), Laval, Lyons la Foret, Loches, Le Mans’s old center, Pont Audemer, Sainte Suzanne, and Veules les Roses. I’ll throw in Honfleur and Bayeux which we disliked because of the crowds but that won’t be a problem when you’re traveling.
Most of these places have more to offer than architecture–some have excellent and not expensive restaurants, museums, shopping. Each town's one-day-a-week street market will be active and most of the other shoppers will be French. The conviviality of a market day is wonderful to be part of, even if you see old friends exchanging the bise but nobody’s kissing you.
In the Loire, some of the grand chateaux do fabulous winter flower arrangements. I would love to see Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau without the crowds.
Have fun planning and I hope it’s a wonderful trip.
Each of the 159 Plus Beaux Villages features the local stone of its region, so they are all different. We’ll drive out of our way to see one. Here’s a link to the map:
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-...ages/?map=true
Off the top of my head, here are some towns north of the Loire (to limit your driving) that I think are worth visiting for architecture. Some of these are on the PBV website. Bernay, Gerberoy, Belleme, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Chateau-Gontier (especially a particular café with remarkable tiles), Laval, Lyons la Foret, Loches, Le Mans’s old center, Pont Audemer, Sainte Suzanne, and Veules les Roses. I’ll throw in Honfleur and Bayeux which we disliked because of the crowds but that won’t be a problem when you’re traveling.
Most of these places have more to offer than architecture–some have excellent and not expensive restaurants, museums, shopping. Each town's one-day-a-week street market will be active and most of the other shoppers will be French. The conviviality of a market day is wonderful to be part of, even if you see old friends exchanging the bise but nobody’s kissing you.
In the Loire, some of the grand chateaux do fabulous winter flower arrangements. I would love to see Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau without the crowds.
Have fun planning and I hope it’s a wonderful trip.
Dec 5th, 2019, 07:15 AM
#24
Just want to inject a little positivity into this thread and point out that going in Feb/March is not that terrible of a thing - it will actually be a great opportunity to see parts of France (and Paris!) when it's least crowded, without the hordes of tourists, and I consider that a huge positive (particularly for Paris).
Far more positive to help the poster who will already be in the country on business than telling them to fly to Morocco.
Morocco does not appeal to me at all. Anywhere in France, even in winter, does.
Dec 5th, 2019, 07:16 AM
#25
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In winter, you’re obviously not going to see any town or village in full flower, but if you focus on architecture (plus good meals, of course), there are many towns and villages worth visiting. But you would need to rent a car, because trains don't go to smaller places.
Each of the 159 Plus Beaux Villages features the local stone of its region, so they are all different. We’ll drive out of our way to see one. Here’s a link to the map:
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-...ages/?map=true
Off the top of my head, here are some towns north of the Loire (to limit your driving) that I think are worth visiting for architecture. Some of these may be on the PBV website. Bernay, Gerberoy, Belleme, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Chateau-Gontier (especially a particular café with remarkable tiles), Laval, Lyons la Foret, Loches, Le Mans’s old center, Pont Audemer, Sainte Suzanne, and Veules les Roses. I’ll throw in Honfleur and Bayeux which we disliked because of the crowds but that won’t be a problem when you’re traveling.
Most of these places have more to offer than architecture–some have excellent and not expensive restaurants, museums, shopping. Each town's weekly market will be active and most of the other shoppers will be French. The conviviality of a market day is wonderful to be part of, even if old friends are exchanging the bise but nobody’s kissing you.
In the Loire, some of the grand chateaux do fabulous winter flower arrangements. I would love to see Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau without the crowds.
Have fun planning and I hope it’s a wonderful trip.
Each of the 159 Plus Beaux Villages features the local stone of its region, so they are all different. We’ll drive out of our way to see one. Here’s a link to the map:
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-...ages/?map=true
Off the top of my head, here are some towns north of the Loire (to limit your driving) that I think are worth visiting for architecture. Some of these may be on the PBV website. Bernay, Gerberoy, Belleme, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Chateau-Gontier (especially a particular café with remarkable tiles), Laval, Lyons la Foret, Loches, Le Mans’s old center, Pont Audemer, Sainte Suzanne, and Veules les Roses. I’ll throw in Honfleur and Bayeux which we disliked because of the crowds but that won’t be a problem when you’re traveling.
Most of these places have more to offer than architecture–some have excellent and not expensive restaurants, museums, shopping. Each town's weekly market will be active and most of the other shoppers will be French. The conviviality of a market day is wonderful to be part of, even if old friends are exchanging the bise but nobody’s kissing you.
In the Loire, some of the grand chateaux do fabulous winter flower arrangements. I would love to see Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau without the crowds.
Have fun planning and I hope it’s a wonderful trip.
Dec 5th, 2019, 07:36 AM
#26
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In winter, you’re obviously not going to see any town or village in full flower, but if you focus on architecture (plus good meals, of course), there are many towns and villages worth visiting. But you would need to rent a car, because trains don't go to smaller places.
Each of the 159 Plus Beaux Villages features the local stone of its region, so they are all different. We’ll drive out of our way to see one. Here’s a link to the map:
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-...ages/?map=true
Off the top of my head, here are some towns north of the Loire (to limit your driving) that I think are worth visiting for architecture. Some of these may be on the PBV website. Bernay, Gerberoy, Belleme, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Chateau-Gontier (especially a particular café with remarkable tiles), Laval, Lyons la Foret, Loches, Le Mans’s old center, Pont Audemer, Sainte Suzanne, and Veules les Roses. I’ll throw in Honfleur and Bayeux which we disliked because of the crowds but that won’t be a problem when you’re traveling.
Most of these places have more to offer than architecture–some have excellent and not expensive restaurants, museums, shopping. Each town's weekly market will be active and most of the other shoppers will be French. The conviviality of a market day is wonderful to be part of, even if old friends are exchanging the bise but nobody’s kissing you.
In the Loire, some of the grand chateaux do fabulous winter flower arrangements. I would love to see Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau without the crowds.
Have fun planning and I hope it’s a wonderful trip.
Each of the 159 Plus Beaux Villages features the local stone of its region, so they are all different. We’ll drive out of our way to see one. Here’s a link to the map:
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-...ages/?map=true
Off the top of my head, here are some towns north of the Loire (to limit your driving) that I think are worth visiting for architecture. Some of these may be on the PBV website. Bernay, Gerberoy, Belleme, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Chateau-Gontier (especially a particular café with remarkable tiles), Laval, Lyons la Foret, Loches, Le Mans’s old center, Pont Audemer, Sainte Suzanne, and Veules les Roses. I’ll throw in Honfleur and Bayeux which we disliked because of the crowds but that won’t be a problem when you’re traveling.
Most of these places have more to offer than architecture–some have excellent and not expensive restaurants, museums, shopping. Each town's weekly market will be active and most of the other shoppers will be French. The conviviality of a market day is wonderful to be part of, even if old friends are exchanging the bise but nobody’s kissing you.
In the Loire, some of the grand chateaux do fabulous winter flower arrangements. I would love to see Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau without the crowds.
Have fun planning and I hope it’s a wonderful trip.
Dec 5th, 2019, 07:57 AM
#27
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Wow. Three times! My post never showed up on my computer which is why I kept on entering it. Only when I picked up my phone did I see that it had actually gone through, in triplicate.
Off the top of my head, I think the Beauce in winter would be more depressing than the Loire.
Off the top of my head, I think the Beauce in winter would be more depressing than the Loire.
Dec 5th, 2019, 11:58 AM
#28
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I don't see the insistence on anything north of the Loire or the Loire valley itself in the middle of winter with the greater chances of nasty weather; think of a cold rainy day with temperatures hovering in the thirties. The OP could get an open jaw, travel south by train or plane and return from an airport in the south: Toulouse if the Pyrenees area is chosen, Marseille for the Provence, Nice for the Côte d'Azur. For small villages such as this one:
https://flic.kr/p/MJLpFW
a car would be needed, although there is a bus service to the town.
https://flic.kr/p/MJLpFW
a car would be needed, although there is a bus service to the town.
Last edited by Michael; Dec 5th, 2019 at 12:00 PM.
Dec 7th, 2019, 03:32 AM
#29
Here is an older trip report that was taken in March a few years ago. Maybe it will give you some ideas -
Our time in Dordogne Mar 12 with Paragraphs!
Our time in Dordogne Mar 12 with Paragraphs!
