My husband and I will be in France in early December and are wondering what area would be good to explore that time of year. We've been to France in the winter before, but have stayed mostly in Paris.

We are not expecting much of the weather, but would like to travel a little, especially since we will be heading to Geneva for part of the trip.

So, Avignon? Lyon? Has anyone been to Southern Normandy (La Perche province, near Le Mans)? We like hiking, museums, food, and sightseeing. TIA for your suggestions.

I did a trip report about Le Perche, which in September is lovely and green. We've never seen it in winter, but I imagine the bare hills won't be as enticing. There are plenty of forests for walking. Mortagne has a walkable historic center, a lively Saturday market, and a view of the surrounding countryside. La Perriere is a pretty hilltop village. I'm having trouble picturing these places without their masses of flowers though. Winter seems like the time for museums and indoor pursuits, but Le Perche doesn't have that many museums. If you decide to go, we can recommend a few good restaurants.

Lots of areas of France that are absolutely gorgeous in spring, summer, and fall are pretty bleak in winter, so I think I'd head to a place that's notable for being a winter mecca, like Grenoble.

Nice would be nice. We're going back in early December, as we did several years back. The Christmas markets and festivals are great fun.

On 8 December every year, Lyon celebrates its Fête des Lumières (festival of lights). People put candles in their windows, and many of the buildings and public areas are lit up with incredible light (and sometimes sound) shows. It is very popular and the city gets busy then, which means booking accommodation well in advance, but it is a lot of fun and certainly worth considering if you are thinking about visiting the area. Some of the light shows are absolutely stunning.

There are some pictures on the Fête des lumières website here:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/5vjcx9

We travel regularly to the South West, which we love. We've been in deep mid-winter a few times and still loved it.

Lots of low level hiking- I wouldn't suggest the Pyrenees unless you're expert; not huge mubers of museums, but a few; and one is in the list of 100 things to see before you die- the Toulouse Lautrec Museum in Albi.

The food is to die for; and te sightseeing is special. It's not touristy.

Have a look at the stuff on Toulouse on here.