Diane

Patricia - a car sounds like your best bet if you want small romantic villages. Lots of them in France - just about any area but you need a car as they are spread. <BR> <BR>Based on your romantic description I will repeat my recommendation of Chateauneuf en Auxois - considered one of the most beautiful villages in France - about 40 km north west of Beaunne. Do a search on it and you will find some sites on it.

pdv28

I do appreciate your advice Diane, but I really am not getting a car. Is it not possible to bus or anything. Do eveyone in these towns have cars? There must be some other way besides car, even if car is best choice. <BR> <BR>Rex, you seem to know alot about the area, there must be a way to see some of Burgundy w/o a car --by tour bus or public bus...mustn't there?? Please help! Are there taxis at least? <BR> <BR>Thanks! <BR>Patricia

pdv28

I just have one more question. If I do get a car, it will be to hire a taxi. Is there a route that might go through some smaller villages, along the vineyards, through the Morvan (partially) and past the Castle of Rochepot outside of Avallon or into Avallon? <BR> <BR>Thanks for any and all help about transport in this area! <BR>Patricia

Rex

Tour buses - - yes, I think they must exist. I don't know anything about them. <BR> <BR>And do you really think it doesn't matter whether you speak any French? It's only slight more likely that you could enjoy a tour around little towns in Ohio - - by public transportation - - if you spoke little or no English. <BR> <BR>I would be delighted to correspond further with you - - here, by e-mail, or by phone - - but I still think you are confusing how most FIRST-time travelers to France enjoy their trips - - with what appeals to veterans. At the the risk of over generalizing, they really are NOT one and the same. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

pdv28

Rex, <BR> <BR> I truly don't mean to be blunt, but I just have to straighten out some of your misinterpretations of what I've said. <BR> <BR> I did not mean that it makes no difference how much French I know. I meant, it is not relevant to my original question for suggestions on the most beautiful regions and transport advice. Obviously, it is not pertinent. <BR> <BR> I think it was already obvious everyone else here that I am a newcomer to France. So why have you felt it necessary to point that out? <BR> <BR>While touting your "veteran traveller status" in the process you have forgotten about humility. And what you are saying really becomes kind of petty and childish sounding. <BR> <BR> I think the true difference between newcomers and veterans is that veterans have learned to balance humility and knowledge w/o self praise and trying to one up themselves for the end purpose of making someone feel less able than them. <BR> <BR>Patricia <BR>

Rex

Let me apologize - - as sincerely as I know how... there definitely is/was an element of arrogance - - trying to get it across when I just felt like you didn't get it. <BR> <BR>Each of first (two? three?) messages to you (two different threads) were meant to be helpful. And I will still be glad to do that. And my recommendations for a first-time traveler who has no interest in renting a car are quite different from some of what you seek. I did make one such recommendation. <BR> <BR>There is so much of France to see... to love... much of it can be seen and appreciated using public transportation only. Tour buses add a lot to your "Reach". I made it clear that I don't know anything about those. <BR> <BR>As I go back and read your original message on this thread, I come back to the problem premise - - you ask for for our "fav" region of France. That inherently means you are asking - - "of the VARIOUS areas of France you have seen, which did you like best?" And I insist that the more you get to know France - - the more you hear from people who have been there on multiple trips - - the more your idea of what you like CHANGES - - about French culture, history, language, cuisine and the like. <BR> <BR>I accept your lecture. <BR> <BR>And it does not change my willingness to share information with you, if you are interested. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

pdv28

Rex, <BR> <BR> Your apology is accepted. I do realize that you were trying to help. No harm done, I just wanted to clarify how I felt. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help, <BR>Patricia

Huffy

Patricia, I think you're a little out of line here. Case in point: you ask for help in deciding where to go in France, but bristle when someone asks for details like whether you even speak French. <BR> <BR>You seem to be unnecessarily headstrong about this whole matter. You wrote, "I have purposely left out personal information that really is of no consequence to the responses I hope to receive. I have included everything in my question that I feel is necessary for one to respond to." If someone suggests that they need more info to be able to help you, why not go ahead and provide it without getting a big attitude? Things like language ability, willingness to drive, experience in foreign travel all do REALLY make a difference in what a veteran traveler might recommend. Frankly, I could help you out too, but I don't think I need the kind of treatment Rex got.

Luis E. Vernon

Patricia: One possible suggestion for you as far as a possible catch-all "beautiful, romantic, wonderous" region for you to visit would be the Languedoc-Roussilion and Midi-Pyrenees regions. If you rent a car, which I would highly recommend, you may want to consider the Ariege valley, south of Toulouse, stopping off in the town of Foix to see the Chateau de Foix, the Labouiche subterranean river and the Pyrenees upclose and personal. The views of the Ariege River and Valley from the Chateau de Foix are spectacular. Surprisingly, this region of France is still relatively undiscovered hence unspoiled, except for skiers and serious hikers. From Foix, you can head east toward Perpignan and the seaside town of Collioure, right on the Mediterranean. Also, west of Toulouse is the Gers departement, of which Gascony is a part. I would recommend a night in the town of Auch, through which the Gers River runs. It has a wonderful 16th century cathedral, the Cathedral Ste. Marie with superb stained glass and wood carvings of Sibyls, or prophetesses. There are 3 great restaurants to choose from. The Hotel de France is a bit formal but the food is superb, though I've had better for less. For a classic Gascon meal, try either Le Table d' Hote or Cafe Gascon on Rue Lamartine (Both places are next to each other...literally). If you have any other questions.. feel free to e-mail me. <BR> <BR>Regards.. <BR> <BR>Luis

Thyra

You know I have to second the respondant who said everywhere is romantic in France!! I firmly believe that THE most romantic location in the world (What I've seen of it anyway) I Paris, Paris, Paris, but then again, my husband and I are city people. Every corner just seems to urge couples to hold hands and steal kisses....

cmt

I haven't been all over france, and i can never pick THE one best anything, but one region that I notice hasn't been mentioned is the Dordogne. the scenery is lovely: mist in pockets in the valleys, a softly curving river, castles rising out of the mist high up on cliffs, mossy woods with tall slender curving trees. The prehistoric cave art may also give you a lot of new things to think and imagine about. However, if you're like me and don't want to drive, you may miss too much unless you take a tour. many of the towns are accessible by train. However, you should not miss seeing the countryside. You CAN walk, but without knowing the trails, you'd be stuck walking on roadways. Commercial walking tours can be a good alternative. Generally groups are smaller than 15, and you walk on trails in the countryside, from one town to another, (or to other attractions, like caves, castles)through woods, farmland, along rivers, etc.

martha

Hi Patricia! Everyone should try the South of France at least once. It's oh-so-sunny, full of energy, flowers, and buzzing Vespas. Chateau Chevre d'Or in Eze is fantastic, and the view from the patio overlooking Cap Ferrat and the Meditarranean are mesmorizing. But since you mentioned Burgundy, I would have to say I favor its quiet pleasures more. It is an easy TGV from Paris to Dijon, and from there we took a taxi to Beaune. While it was crawling with folks like me (tourists) I loved this little town anyway. We stayed at Hotel Le Cep (which I highly recommend) and spent our days biking through ancient vineyards, tasting wine, and eating wonderful food. Go to the trouble of hiking up the hill in Pernand-Vergelesses to the Our Lady of Good Hope statue and enjoy the view of the rolling vineyards below. Also, go to Lameloise in Chagny, an easy taxi ride from Beaune. You will not believe this food or the attention to detail. By the way, we did not have a car in this area. We either biked or taxied and never once felt inconvenienced. Lastly, you originally asked for "a beautiful, romantic, wondrous region", my answer to that would be Megeve in the Alps. A beautiful and charming town 30 min. from Chamonix and Mont Blanc. Stay at Hotel Mont Blanc and eat at Flocon de Sel and Auberge du Grenand. Not to be missed. We felt like we were on a honeymoon.... <BR>Have a wonderful trip!...

KT

In response to a question asked much further up this thread, yes, there is public transport that will take you to some of the smaller places in Burgundy. You certainly won't be able to cover as much ground as you would in a car, but if you base yourself well and do some planning you will be able to check out different places. For example, I took a bus from Dijon to Autun that went through some nice wine towns. You'd have trouble visiting several of the towns in a day because the bus didn't run that frequently, but you certainly could pick out one for a day trip from Autun or Dijon, or as a place to stay overnight. (BTW, Both Dijon and Autun are on train lines.) <BR> <BR>In general, guidebooks aimed at budget travellers, such as Lonely Planet, Let's Go, and the Rough Guides are the ones to look at for bus information. But they can only be used as rough guides (excuse the pun), since bus routes and schedules are obviously more subject to change than trains are. So it helps to be flexible. When you arrive at a center such as Dijon, for info on buses from the city, you can go to the bus station, and the local tourist office may have info on other buses in the region. <BR> <BR>I disagree that you can't visit a place by public transport unless you know the language. Sure, it's good to know a little of the language (and I always learn the hello-please-thank-you-where-how-much basics), but realistically if you restrict your travel to places where you know the language decently, you're eliminating an awful lot of places, even if you do know a couple of languages. <BR> <BR>In some places, of course, you'll have no trouble finding English speakers. But if you have a phrasebook or dictionary, some ingenuity, and a sense of adventure, you can probably get by, even without English speakers. I've managed in backwater Hungary, for example, by writing on a slip of paper the words for "when bus tomorrow to destination)." And I know people braver than I who have travelled independently in places ranging from Croatia to Yemen to Cambodia without being fluent in the local language.

Carol

Dear Patricia, <BR> <BR>I don't drive at all but that didn't stop me from having a marvelous time on the Cote d'Azur, which has a "commuter" railroad that runs along the Mediterranean, stopping at most of the small towns like Antibes, Villefranche, Menton, Monte Carlo, Cannes and Nice. I stayed in Nice 'cause I'm a city girl and Nice is a wonderfully diverse and interesting town, and every day, I'd take a train ride to another town (most were between 10 and 30 minutes from Nice)to do the flea market there, wander about town, etc. But if you'd prefer to stay somewhere smaller and more intimate, I too would recommend Villefranche-sur-Mer. A former fishing village, it's terribly quaint and charming.

pj

ttt

Underhill

I think Mont St-Michel at night and in the morning before the tours arrive would fit the bill. The Mont absolutely bristles with history, the architecture is wondrous, the setting is magnificent, and you can get there by train and bus from Paris.

My other recommendation would be Les Baux-de-Provence, again reachable by train and bus. Staying in the one hotel up at the site or down at the Oustau de Beaumani&egrave;re would be very romantic. Visiting the ruins of the lair of the wolves of Orange (the human ones, that is) absolutely steeps you in history, and the view is splendid.

SuzieC

I have been to Santenay. But, I got there with a group of us barging the Canal. For eating and &quot;wining&quot;, I can recommend a barge trip in Bourgogne. Santenay was a beautiful town. Even more beautiful, a working chateau owned by le Duc D'Angou. Apparently, everyone in the village is in the wine business, one way or another...

Mariannah

I'd put ly vote behind the Loire Valley, undoubtably the most beautiful, wistfully romantic and fairy-tale region of France. But I must also mention Normandy, which I found strangely haunting. Rouen in particular gets under your skin.

cigalechanta

It won't matter what area you choose IF it is your first time. Each has its own beauty.

mamc

Another one of those 4-year-old posts that gets topped and continues on as if uninterrupted by four years of silence. It would be interesting to know if Patricia took her trip to France and, if so, where she went.