4-5 Day Escape from Paris

I’d suggest Lyon. Only 2 hours from Paris on the TGV and a direct Lyon to CDG to get your flight home. Use Lyon Part-Dieu station, not Perrache which is out near the airport. Very scenic with two rivers running through it and lots to see. Unrivaled gastronomy! Great public transportation system.

Ive been to Lyon...Great place!

What time of year? My husband does a lot of photography. We were in Alsace during harvest time and it was stunning. We spent a fair amount of time parked on the side of the road taking photos of vineyards and the quaint villages. Burgundy staying in Beaune would be another suggestion. If you have a car, the Route de Grand Crus is lovely. I feel both Alsace and Burgundy is probably best by car.

I'll be end of September.

Morevegil, end of September was the same time of year that we visited both Alsace and Burgundy. So fun to see grape picking and the farmers driving trucks full of grapes through the wine villages. Strasbourg is at the north of the Alsace region and a lovely city for photography.

Yea, Ive been to Beaune, so ALsace might be cool. Was thinking Strasbourg, AMsterdamn or Corsica

Alsace would require much less travel time than the other places you mentioned since you will be flying home from Paris.

Edited to add you can take a direct train from Strasbourg to CDG. I would suggest traveling there the evening before your flight and stay at one of the airport hotels. You should be at the airport 3 hours before your flight.

Thats a good suggestion!

Loir valley would tie in well. 4-5 days is plenty for the area, choose a few chateaux then pick a good place for a base. I started in Chenon, based in Amboise to see several Chateux in that area. Then you can train back into Paris to fly out. Not sure you have time to add Chartres, but it's a good place to visit as well.

We just got back from 3 weeks in Bordeaux (our 2nd 3-week stint there) and I would highly recommend it. It's only 2 hours from Paris by train, has a TON to see and do, and of course the region with its wine and beautiful coastline is well worth it. For photography, the city is stunning and you will be able to take some great shots. It's a very social city. Very friendly people and lots of cafes, restaurants, and bars if you want to meet people. Highly recommend!

Whatever you choose -- and Alsace or Lyon or the Loire or Burgundy are all great choices -- be in Paris the night before the flight home. Perhaps come into CDG late the night before after dinner and stay at an airport hotel -- but don't do a train from another city the day of the flight. Things can happen and there you are.

If you travel often then any place convenient works. If you travel infrequently, then 4 or 5 days is enough time to make a bigger dream come true if you change your ticket to open jaw.

These are good options. Ill want to stay on trains, as the first part of my trip im doing cars. So walkable fun cities would be epic. I did do Chinon and a few of the Loire chateaus back in the day.

Alsace/ Bourdeaux sounds good.

Food, wine and Photos is what I want LOL. So hard.

Is Corsica worth visiting?