Where to travel to in France?

My wife and I are looking at some vacation options for next year and one of them is a return trip to France. We traveled to Paris for our Honeymoon but did not leave the city. We did see most of the "sites" around the city though and this time would like to venture outward for some day-trips. Places like Versailles, Giverny, Normandie, etc. I've suggested we should try to see the race at le Mans next year and she seems like she'd be up for that We will be working on learning at least some basic French (thanks to Rosetta Stone) for the trip too.

We are thinking about staying at a hotel in Paris and commute from there for these types of trips. This would let us enjoy the sites and sounds and food of Paris some more. I'd like to know if anyone can recommend any other specific places that we should be looking into? Also, any good places to eat in Paris (not incredibly expensive, but definitely worth seeking out)?

Thanks.

 

My $0.02 worth:

Obvious things to see are the chateaus in the Loire Valley (Giverny is just one) which is not too far from Paris. Very touristy but for good reasons. You need a rental car for that. Another obvious easy day trip from Paris is the palace in Fontainebleau and the cute little villages around there - Milly la Foret, Barbizon. I lived in Fontainebleau for a year and believe the palace is much nicer than Versaill. Other than that to be honest the whole area around Paris (Ile de France) is probably one of the more boring parts of France. Normandy is a very long day trip away.

A fun outing may be to take the TGV and go on a 200 mph train ride to Brussels for a day.

 

if you have time go and visit the Bordeaux area and visit the beautifull region,it's beautifull with it's wineyards...and then make a trip down south and pass the weekend at Cannes!!!

my 00.2

 

Hi Rich,

Here are a few ideas.



Not too far of Le Mans, the Mont Saint-Michel makes you travel the time back to the Templars era.
The Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay : Google Earth : 48°38'10.90"N 1°30'36.10"W

Perched on a rocky islet in the midst of vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides between Normandy and Brittany stand the 'Wonder of the West', a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel St Michael, and the village that grew up in the shadow of its great walls. Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, the abbey is a technical and artistic tour de force, having had to adapt to the problems posed by this unique natural site. A real templar site. Ever seen Harry Potter ? This is the real deal. A magical citadel.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/80
http://www.la-france-vue-du-ciel.fr/images/lieux/mont-saint-michel_1024x768.jpg
http://www.linternaute.com/imprimer/sortir/escap/ouest/mont-saint-michel/diaporama/01.shtml
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/France/photo185363.htm

In Britanny, you sould visit Saint-Malo (Saints everywhere indeed).
Saint-Malo is located a very few miles west of the Mont Saint-Michel - Google Earth : 48°38'56.04"N 2° 1'34.10"W
The city have been fortified in the 9th century by the famous architect Vauban and have been kept untouched since.
This port was the homebase of some of the most famous "Corsaires du Roy" (King's Corsairs), pirates that were paid by the King
of France to attack the British fleet ships. The most famous Corsaire of all time was named Robert Surcouf. Numerous english ships have sank of have been captured because of his attacks.

http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/8119.jpg
http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/6614.jpg
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:IMG_2934_StMalo.JPG
http://hubert35.com/images/enseignes/armes1.jpg

Saint-Malo, the Tall ship race :
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers1/tsr022.jpg
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers1/tsr023.jpg
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers1/tsr008.jpg
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers1/tsr005.jpg
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers2/tsr066.jpg
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers2/tsr067.jpg
http://hubert35.com/TallShipRaceGrandsvoiliers2/tsr103.jpg

Other places of interest :

- Cabourg (Calvados dpt. 14 - Normandy) - Google Earth : 49°17'35.40"N 0° 6'58.66"W
http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/7365.jpg

- WWII "Omaha Beach" - Google Earth : 49°21'53.88"N 0°51'25.95"W
http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/2362.jpg

- WWII "Pegasus Bridge" with museum and D-Day flyer - Google Earth : 49°14'30.44"N 0°16'28.34"W
http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/6186.jpg

- Deauville (Calvados dpt. 14 - Normandy) - Google Earth : 49°21'32.27"N 0° 4'16.07"E
http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/417.jpg

West of Paris (Yvelines dpt. 78 - Château de Versailles) - Google Earth : 48°48'23.12"N 2° 6'40.35"E
Personnal castle of the King of France - Louis 14.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Versailles
a view of the "orangerie" :
http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/8693.jpg
http://fr.structurae.de/files/photos/937/chtversailles04a.jpg
Exotic Garden :
http://fr.structurae.de/files/photos/107/versailles06.jpg
Fountains - Bassin d'Apollon :
http://fr.structurae.de/files/photos/1564/versail_apoll3a.jpg
http://fr.structurae.de/files/photos/1798/grandes_eaux_de_versailles/dsc01400.jpg
http://www.fond-ecran-image.com/photo-paris/photo-chateau-de-versailles/17.jpg

Inside Paris :
Eiffel Tower and Trocadero by night :
http://www.fond-ecran-image.com/photo-paris/photo-paris-by-night/12.jpg
The Great Louvre and its Pyramid, Place de la Concorde, Notre-Dame Church...
http://img129.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=06546_253_1024_122_534lo.jpg
http://img34.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=06559_272_1024_122_1038lo.jpg
http://img176.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=06547_254_1024_122_336lo.jpg
http://img149.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=06548_257_1024_122_1133lo.jpg
http://img23.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=06553_262_1024_122_723lo.jpg

Best regards.

 

Tes dans le tourisme Cyril ou quoi!!!???? c est genial ce que t as fait..

Cyril s make a great job, and if you make all you will have
a GREAT trip to France.

I ve got a place that i love in south of France try the calanques near Cassis
exeptional place to visit.

 

We've just returned from our summer vacation and spent half of it in France, but outside of Paris. I agree with Sicqnus and his recommendation of the Normandy area. We spent 4 days driving around that region and found it wonderful. We stayed in Caborg at the Grand Hotel which is right on the ocean on "Sword Beach" I think.

It'll be a long commute to do from Paris as it's easily 2+ hours just to Caborg which is just the tip of all the D-Day beaches and museums. I'd suggest renting a car with a navigation system. This took all the stress out of driving around. We rented from EuropeCar and got an Audi A6 Turbo Diesel.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation, we loved ours.

Frank

 

I don't know how old you and your wife are, but I have to say whenever I am staying there and friends come for a little while, I suggest the http://www.parispuces.com/en/valles/ something about American women loving to shop and especially when she shows her friends "a little something I picked up at a flea market in Paris"

Paris also now has tours by Segway, which are quite fun and save your feet the agony that are the Parisian streets.

Mont Saint-Michel is a fantastic place to see, but not much to do there other than fight some quicksand, but yes, you should do the crossing of the bay barefoot, missing it all by bus is just no fun. Then again it is a little more than an hour by foot to the monestary.

Now the gormand comes out...

I mean you are in France so anything around wine and cheese and you are going to be a superman to your wife. Think "gastronomy".

Head south to Nice for an afternoon, enjoy the coast, head to Normandie and get that bizarre culture crossover. The food is quite interesting, and a lot of potatodishes. Go out to Lille and Roubaix (some charming little restaurants there) on your way to Brussels and Antwerp for a taste of Belgian chocolate. My Belgian friends believe day old chocolate is like week old bread, so always eat fresh an don't let them pass off stale stuff on you.

http://www.burgundyonaplate.com/

Le Mans yes, Le Tour no. That is unless you are on the Champs for the final stage. The tour will pass you in a mtter of minutes if you go to some little town. It is a neat experience though.

Loire Loire Loire. A Loire Valley cycling tour is fantastic.

www.chateauxcountry.com is a place to look as well. Rather than summerize, most of what I have to say is right there.

Out of the links I have posted, use them as guides, I don't suggest burning money by doing some of the tours that can be up to $300 per person.

 

This is a good idea- it's about 90 minutes from Paris to Brussels via high-speed train, and it makes a nice day-trip.