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Your vote for the most charming village/town 2-3 hours outside of Paris by train.

Your vote for the most charming village/town 2-3 hours outside of Paris by train.

Old Jun 7th, 2008, 05:59 PM
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Your vote for the most charming village/town 2-3 hours outside of Paris by train.

My wife and I will be visiting Paris for one week October 6th. We would like to travel outside of paris for 3 nights and stay somewhere charming, somewhat small and picturesque. We will be traveling by train and would like to limit the trip to 2-3 hours. Thank you for your advise.
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Old Jun 7th, 2008, 06:05 PM
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Chartres. A nice train ride away.
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Old Jun 7th, 2008, 06:35 PM
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Honfleur, Normandy
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Old Jun 7th, 2008, 06:41 PM
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We liked both Auxerre and Dijon. (I can't quite remember how far Dijon is from Paris)

If you're interested in lodgings, in Auxerre we stayed in the Hotel du Parc des Marechaux (ours was the red room on the website) and in Dijon we stayed at Coco's flat, which gets wonderful references from Fodorites including myself

http://www.hotel-parcmarechaux.net/
www.myhomeindijon.com
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Old Jun 7th, 2008, 07:09 PM
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I have enjoyed visiting Chartres, Dijon and Auserre very much; however, for charming village/town, Pont-Avon is quite nice, second Honfleur too. One note: train + bus are needed for both places.
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Old Jun 7th, 2008, 07:17 PM
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If you are fans of Van Gogh, Auvers-sur-Oise is a wonderful little town. This town is often visited as a day trip, but I would have enjoyed a few days there. You can visit Van Gogh's grave (right next to his brother Theo's) and see many of the sites that Van Gogh painted (most of which have changed very little). I also thoroughly enjoyed the elaborate multimedia experience at the chateau called "Voyage au des Impressionistes."

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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 04:31 AM
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BOURGES. A wonderful town with a small village feel, but with some really interesting sights that will definitely occupy your time. The Saint-Etienne Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site blew me away. About an hour by train, it has great train connections to many surrounding villages.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 04:38 AM
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Brugges - The city is lined w/ cobblestone streets and canals (you can take boat rides). They're famous for their chocolate shops, mussels, beers, and lace. Some of our favorite photos are from our visit here. It's about a 2 hour train ride from Paris. There are also daytrips that will take you there.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 10:35 AM
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Thank you for your suggestions. I look forward to researching these wonderful places.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 11:10 AM
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Reims in Champagne district
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 11:43 AM
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Barbizon, a charming village much liked by the Impressionists.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 12:25 PM
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Thank you all!
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 12:25 PM
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Something completely different ............ Nimes.

Nimes is 3 hrs away by TGV, has a different climate, different accent, roman remains, and has easy trips by public transport to Arles, Uzes, Pont du Gard, Montpellier, Marseille, etc.

Local photos : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/ph...hoto-index.htm

Think laterally !

Peter

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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 12:35 PM
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Vezelay...very small but beautiful. Set amid lovely countryside.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 12:50 PM
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Thank you Cimbrone. Do you think that 3 nights in this area would be too much ? We will rent a car.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 05:32 PM
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I don't think three days are too much, especially with a car. There's lots to see. Auxerre, Avallon, Autun are all close by. All of Burgundy, actually.

We are staying near Vezelay at this hotel...

www.hotel-moulin-des-templiers.com/
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Old Jun 9th, 2008, 08:07 AM
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Hi M,

In addition to Beaune/Dijon:

you can be in Nancy or Strasbourg in about 2:15 hr and visit Alsace and Lorraine.

Bordeaux is 3 hr away. We very much liked our stay at
www.chateau-de-roques.com/

If you decide on Dijon, this apt has gotten very good reviews: www.myhomeindijon.com/

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Old Jun 9th, 2008, 09:56 AM
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One of my favorite cities to visit on days trip away from Paris is Angers. Angers is 90 minutes from Paris via the TGV from Gare Montparnasse. Gare St. Laud is only a 10 minute walk from the Chateau. There is a pedestrian only zone in Angers where there are several cafes, shops etc.

Rennes is another easily accesible city, 2 hours from Paris via the TGV. Rennes has a lovely 18th century feel to it, as well as some extant buildings from the 15th century. The Musee des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) is a great diversion for a day. The Vilaine river runs through the city, albeit it looks more like a creek than a river.
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Old Jun 9th, 2008, 10:07 AM
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What is small? pop. 250,000? 100,000? 50,000? 10,000? 2,000? There are all sorts of replies possible.

I find October lovely in Alsace and Lorraine.

So I will just say Strasbourg (2h20 by TGV)or Metz or Nancy (1h30 each by TGV).

Want a small town on the Atlantic coast? Etretat, Honfleur, Trouville... etc.
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Old Jun 9th, 2008, 10:55 AM
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I really like Amboise myself - lovely chateau with great views. An easy day-trip.

Naxos
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