wendiness

We'll be spending some time in Paris but we'd also like another French experience. The Riviera is too expensive. We'd like some place (or two) quaint, charming, accessible by public transportation. It's our first time there. Any suggestions?

cocofromdijon

>We'd like some place (or two) quaint, charming, accessible by public transportation.< Dijon and Beaune in Burgundy (1h40 from Paris with TGV)
Beaune is a charming little town 20min from Dijon, perfect if you like wine and history(visit the Hospices)and Dijon the capital is bigger with a lot to see (historic town centre, architecture, museums, gastronomy, parks, shopping...)

http://www.burgundy-tourism.com/

http://www.dijon-tourism.com/uk/

http://www.cotedor-tourisme.com/index.php?lg=en
my pics http://tinyurl.com/okerl

Welcome to France!
coco

Jean

What time of year is your trip? What are your interests? Food, wine, history, architecture, scenery...?

travelhorizons

Go the village of Honfleur in Normandy. You can get there via train...

carolyn

We did day trips to Chartres and to Giverney. The cathedral in Chartres was beautiful, but Giverney was my favorite day. We also went to Normandy for two nights. We stayed in Bayeux and did a small-group van tour to the beaches and the American cemetery.

andrew8

I suggest Reims in the champagne region of France. Its only a 45 minute train ride from Paris.

BarbraR

Normandy is a fantastic trip and a must in my mind. Giverny is also lovely.

Viajero2

Definitely agree about Normandy and would add Lyon.

wendiness

Thanks for the responses!

I guess I was vague. We're going the first week of June. My sister is interested in textiles. I'm open to anything. My sister seems to think Provence is the place to be for textiles but I don't know where she got that from.

Erin74

We absolutely adored the Loire Valley. It's about 90 minutes on the train from Paris and just gorgeous countryside. We had a wonderful time there touring the chateaux, wine tasting, etc. I'd recommend basing yourself in Amboise (we stayed at Chateau des Ormeaux, which was amazing). It's actually best to rent a car in this area so you can explore it-- it's easy to do and the driving isn't difficult at all. But there are also plenty of bus tours and such if you prefer that.

SuQue

If your sister enjoys textiles then she will love Provence with its beautiful designs.

Viajero2

If your sister loves textiles then DEFINITELY LYON, considered the silk capital of the world. It just amazed me the craftmanship on store after store after store in every corner of Lyon, from furniture fabrics, to exquisite scarves and fabrics. The "Traboules" are also incredibly fascinating, a type of hidden tunnels or passageways that crosses the streets of Old Lyon, which were originally used by silk manufacturers to transport their products and protect them from the weather. The entrance/exit to these tunnels are very cleverly disguised alongside the streets and are one of the reasons the occupying Nazis never took real control of this city. Lyon blew me away, one of the most fascinating cities in France and I definitely recommend a visit.

wendiness

Lyon sounds like just the ticket. I know she's stuck on Provence but I'm think the train back to London (through Paris, I presume) will be such a dreadfully long day. At last from Lyon it won't be so tiring. I'll check it out.

Any more ideas?

kerouac

"Textiles" means a trip to Lille (50 minutes by TGV). You can take the metro the museum in Roubaix called "La Piscine" (housed in a former public swimming pool and bath house). Roubaix is the heart of the French textile industry and the museum obviously does it justice, with hundreds of drawers of textile samples that you can admire and fondle (+ art!).

Even without any interest in textiles, a trip to Lille is fabulous, as it is a magnificent Flemish city with the whole downtown renovated into a pedestrian zone. Also, all of the tourist people speak good English since zillions of British tourists either drive through there going south or hop over through the tunnel for weekend trips.

PalenQ

And in Paris go to the Gobelins if textiles are your bag (though really dyes for them)

Les Gobelins (Paris Métro) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Les Gobelins is a station of the Paris Métro. This station is named after the Gobelin family who manufactured dyes from the mid 15th century on the banks of ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Gobelins_(Paris_Métro)

Manufacture des Gobelins musée Paris. Museums of Paris
"I am very interested in the old technique of making gobelins. I regret I could not visit your museum during my recent trip to Paris. ...
www.museums-of-paris.com/musee_en.php?code=349

apple9job

I agree with the Lyon suggestion...my friends and I actually drove down from Paris and stayed for a couple nights. Very peaceful and quiet, a breather from Paris. We also explored a bit in our car and happened upon the ancient city of Vienne, which was beautiful... the remnants of its Roman history are amazing to see and there is a world famous music festival held in the huge Roman amphitheater in the summer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienne,_Isère

http://www.americansinfrance.net/att...nne-France.cfm

kerouac

http://www.roubaix-lapiscine.com/