We will be arriving at Orly airport in May. We want to go somewhere in relative proximity to Paris (no more than a 2 hour direct train ride). Our plan is to take a train somewhere, stay for 3-4 days and explore the town we are in. Then we will rent a car and drive to a rental apt near Dijon where we will return to Paris from. We've been to Dijon, Beaume, Lyon and Provence. Any suggestions of where to take the train to?

Go to Strasbourg. A totally different feel from most of France, and the train takes 1h51.

Welcome back to France Dona and have a great time! Strasbourg has my vote too.

We have gone to Reims and Lille after landing by train.

You might consider Toulouse, even though its off course.

Another thought might be Annecy-it is about the same distance drive from Strasbourg to Dijon.

Strasbourg is probably the obvious choice, but have a look at Poitiers.

I like Rouen in Normandy. But I think wherever you decide to go, it will be fantastic!!

So-do I understand this right-wherever you travel by train, you will get a car from there and drive to Dijon? If that is the case then then seems to kind of rule out at lot of places that seem like they would be long drive back to Dijon. If that isn't right then I would add Bordeaux to the list and I would second Toulouse-both are great cities IMO.

Well, we love both Bordeaux and Toulouse, but can you get to Toulouse in 2 hours or under from Paris (never done it, just asking)?, and Bordeaux isn't really on the logical trajectory, either. Both would involve backtracking.

I'll throw Troyes into the mix.

Are some of you failing to read the original poster's request for a train that takes less than two hours? Bordeaux is a bit more than two hours from Paris and Toulouse is more than four hours.

Auxerre breaks the 2 hours limit (3 hours) but is very pretty.

Strasbourg is 3 hours away as is Rheims (wrong side of town)

Fontainebleau begins to hit the time target.

Reims is only 45 minutes by TGV and as I stated in my earlier post, Strasbourg is 1h51 from Paris. Have you heard of the TGV-Est, Bilboburglar? Or maybe www.oui.sncf ?

Yes, Lille is only 59-62 minutes. However, my original suggestion was taking into consideration car rental and driving to Dijon from there. I probably should have also mentioned Metz and Nancy, both of which are 1h30 from Paris, but not enough non European visitors seem to know anything about these wonderful cities.

Ah, but from Orly Airport??

I had totally forgotten that caveat by the time I'd given thought to the question of where to go -- sorry, yestravel.

The OP said "Paris" not "Orly" as the starting point.

Yes, I know that we are just teasing each other, but there are always newbies here who don't always understand.

Have you visited Giverny? Stay in Vernon?

Is Vernon worth exploring for 3-4 days? Is it in the direction from Paris to Dijon?