3 days in Franch

Hi,

Any help on this is appreciated. My partner and I are going to France for 10 days in mid-May. We have to be inParis for 7 of those days, but have 3 days of free time, at the beginning, during which we'd like to get out of Paris and see some of the country.

Anybody have any ideas for an itinerary for three days? West coast? The South? Rent a car? Take the train? We're happy to see just about anything. Castles? Museums? Cute towns? Nice B&Bs? Whatever. We're pretty open.

Thanks for any tips!

Main advice, especially for a romantic interlude - don't try to do too much.

I'd take the train - with the TGV, you can get to many choice destinations in a short time, while chatting and enjoying yourselves - some slower trains will give you a better view of the scenery though. A car is nice for exploring (so are bicycles, though) but you should spend at least a week doing that.

Pack a picnic lunch for the train - railway food is always overpriced and not very good in any country.

You should really look more on the net, or in guide, art, history books about regions and destinations in France. There are too many and too much of all the things you mention to give more precise advice.

Les Logis de France is one network of small hotels and inns that should have the qualities you are looking for, for a romantic escapade: good food, charming settings, proximity to points of interest: http://www.logis-de-france.fr/fr/index.htm

I agree with #2 that you shouldn't try to do too much in only three days. There are plenty of areas close to Paris that you can visit easily. Try the Loire if you like chateaux, the Champagne region (Reims, etc) if you like champagne, or go up to Normandy for a few days. In the end it really depends on what you're interested in doing.

I love Normandy. Except for the city of Reims and its cathedral, Champagne is not a very pretty region. Unless you want to explore the cellars, I'd go elsewhere. You can get wine anywhere.

I recommend St.Malo in Brittany for 3 days, including a day-trip to Mont Saint Michel - a mezmerizing place! However, it might not be warm enough to enjoy beaches in Normandy/Brittany at the time you're going, if that's what you're looking for that is!

Try Beaune for wine. Chartres can be a daytrip from Paris as can Reims.

Agree with #4....Mont Saint Michel is amazing!
ciao

I second St Malo and Mt St Michel Great places for 2-3 days.

Yes, St-Malo is just at the beginning of Britanny, so not so far from Paris. Of course for us it is the homeland, and there is a Maison du Québec: http://maisonquebec.stmalo.free.fr/ Mont Saint-Michel is just over the regional border in Normandy.

St-Malo is very heavily touristed in the summertime, between Brits crossing the Channel, Québécois out to discover the mother country, and others looking at the sea. It was heavily shelled during the war but remarkably rebuilt (and yes, with considerable donations from Québec people).

I didn't go to Mont St-Michel, the people I was travelling with weren't interested because of the crowds, but it won't be as bad in May as in the summer.

To get there from Paris, take the TGV to Rennes. I don't know train connections beyond that, as there was no TGV when I went, but someone on the board will.