Who knows why a place calls to you. Why just that one place makes you say "ahhhh" when you arrive.
Some might say you are in a rut. You can say you have found your niche.
As long as you enjoy what you do I say go for it.

I have your same problem, but not just about Paris,about FRANCE! There are so many places I'd like to see in my lifetime, but I always seem to gravitate back to France. I've loved all the areas I've visited there, including of course Provence. I've spent 2 weeks in each of Provence, Dordogne, Burgundy, Alsace, Normandy, Loire Valley, and Brittany. I love driving around the countryside, the villages, markets, etc. And of course I've spent days at a time in Paris. My next trip is in October, and the whole (or most) time will be in Paris. I wish I could take a whole month like you!

If you do decide to spend a week of your time in Provence, I agree with the others, you'll need a car. I have stayed in some wonderful places in the provinces (hotels, inns, B&B's) for much less money than in Paris. The car rentals do eat into the budget, though. Have a wonderful trip, whatever you decide.

Combining is good. What would be even better is if you did not lock yourself into specific dates so that you could expand or reduce the time spent somewhere depending on how things turn out.

I understand why a flexible schedule is nice, but if you do things like apartment bookings, or prepurchased cheap train fares, it's not too possible.

NO!!!

Like many others who have posted on this thread, we also return again and again to places we love. Paris is one - where we take an apartment for at least two weeks and pretend we live there. Also the Dordogne - Sarlat - and Provence - Vaison-la-Romaine - and coming up in September, Lourmarin. How nice that you have such a decision to make!

WillTravel, I am thinking more of people on driving trips staying in hotels. On a first visit somewhere with no certainty that I will like the place, I certainly would not rent an apartment. The French on holiday make that mistake all the time and you never hear the end of their horror stories.

hi MAP,

DH and i spent one week in paris and one week in provence last fall - last week of sept/first week of oct. it was fantastic! provence is very different from paris.

we found provence to be cheaper - food, attractions, accommodations. HOWEVER, the rental car + gas were expensive. we got PREMs fares from paris to avignon -- 90 days ahead of your travel dates (and don't forget the time difference - it works in your favour if you're i north america).

i wish we had reversed our trip to spend one week in provence and then one week in paris. i left paris feeling very 'unfinished' ... and hence, we're going back again this fall (after spending five days in barcelona).

click on my name and you can find my trip reports.

have fun! i'm jealous!! :)

Yes, Kerouac, flexibility is a wonderful thing. We've got the Paris thing fine tuned, but Provence is uncertain. I am getting many good ideas from this site.

Ulaki, I know just what you mean about having to leave Paris prematurely. I think the week in Provence should precede the time in Paris.

A general question re. Provence: a small apartment for 2 in Lourmarin is 630 euro. How would that location/price be compared to say St. Remy, Saignon, or Aix en Provence?

I am also always faced with the same dilemma, Paris again for the umpteen time or a new city. I recently returned from perhaps my 30th trip to Paris . This time I stayed 2 weeks in an apartment in Paris and then went to Nice for 12 days. I am now thinking of my next trip perhaps this fall but definitely Spring 2010. Again I will combine Paris with another favorite or perhaps try a new city. I can not resist the lure of Paris and my friends no longer say PARIS AGAIN.
My feeling why not go again and again to a favorite place. There is always something new and exciting to discover.

So tdk, would you return to Nice? Were you able to explore the coastal area much, and did you think 12 days was a good length of time?

I would definitely return to Nice. I rented an apartment in the (OLD TOWN ) section of Nice. Great location, central to everything. The public transportation in Nice is fabulous. I usually travel alone and do not like to drive , so I rely on public transportation. You can take a bus to any city on the Riviera, the cost is only 1 Euro. There are also trains to many of the cities. I prefer the buses, they are air conditioned and the scenery is lovely. In addition you can ferry to St.Tropez.I enjoyed the entire 12 days, however probably for most people 1 week might be enough. I am seriously thinking of returning to Nice next year.

Thank you so much. My husband really wants to go to the coast of France, and Nice is tempting.

The scenery along the Cote d'Azur is stunning, and Nice makes a great base. It has beautiful curvy Belle Epoque architecture and a lazy, sensual vibe to match. And interesting food. It's all that Italian influence. Plus, as tdk320n says, there are buses, trains and boats along the coast, the little Train des Pignes inland. So you don't need a car.

You sound like you're city people, so Nice might suit you better than, say, a small town in the Luberon.

love Paris every chance I get, including this fall. Took one wonderful trip to Provence-certain to skip Nice-see my trip log Ah Provence

My husband and I love Paris, it is definitely our default option when we travel. We have aspirations to visit so many other places and occasionally we do but more often than not we head to France. On different trips we've spent time in Normandy, the Perigord region, Provence and the Chamonix area. Normandy is our favorite (in fact, we got married there!). I prefer going there in late May when the days are sooo long, the apple trees are in blossom, the weather is pleasant...we rented a house about an hour and a half from Paris, SW of Rouen, I believe. Approximately a 1/2 hour from the coast. It was just beautiful. We spent days driving and walking along country roads, going to the markets and cooking up a feast back at the house, visiting the ocean...sigh. I was not that enamored with Provence the one time I went.

I think when you return to a place you love it becomes "yours," a part of you. And that to me is beautiful. I love all of France, and return again and again to both Paris and Provence. 8-10 days in Provence, in the Lubéron (rentals are relatively cheap), and 8 - 10 days in Paris, in that order. It's much easier to leave from Paris, and to spend your last night of vacation there can be magical. Good luck, bon voyage!

MAP--My wife and I have had the same experiences and concerns as you. This year our (fifth) trip to Paris will begin with 7-8 days in Florence and Venice followed by a stop "somewhere" on the way to Paris: Provence, Strasbourg/Colmar, ??? for 4-5 days, and then 4 weeks in a Paris apartment. We could spend months in Paris and never tire of it. Last time (for the whole month of May 2008) we took several one-day train trips (Reims, Dijon, etc.) but this year we are augmenting Paris with stays in some other places first. We were in Antibes/Nice/Monaco several years ago for a few days and liked it; my wife visited friends in St. Paul de Vence a few years ago and found the smaller towns charming.

Whatever you do, you can hardly go wrong.

I guess I shouldn't feel bad that my wife and I wish to return to Paris when we were only there 3 years ago. I do agree with the renting of an apartment as not only are you cutting costs (you can buy food and eat in your flat or on picnics), but you are often immersing yourself within the local area. My only concern is that we now have a 2-year old. We have travelled with him (we were in Mallorca and Barcelona last year as well as Hawaii twice this year). And Paris may not be the best option. Beaches, parks, and ocean may trump museums, bistros, and monuments. But I welcome the thoughts of others.

Frenchwow, I read your Provence report with total amazement! The detail was fabulous, though I agonized for you with a broken ankle at the end of your trip. Provence sounds fascinating.

Did I understand you correctly when you commented you would skip Nice? Any particular reason? Have you any thoughts on comparing Nice and surrounding area with Provence?