A month away

Well, if you are planning on this May/June, you don't have a lot of time to make some decisions. If you have not already done so, I suggest you start by getting some good guidebooks and maps. Rick's guides are excellent and I also like Michelin guides. Once you have perused a guide or two, narrow things down to what appeals to you the most. Do you want to spend time in mountains, in cities big or small, villages, on a beach, or cruising rivers and canals. With a full month you can cover a lot of ground, but I would choose to break the trip up into 4 one week intervals. My preference is for France, but I'm biased. If it were me, I'd spend at least a week in Paris, then select 3 other locales, flying "open jaws". You have a lot of homework to do, and we can't plan your trip for you, but once you have sketched out an itinerary, come back with questions. Good luck.

I agree with Carolyn ... I'm also heavily biased toward France, and recommend either a week in 4 places, or perhaps 2 weeks each in 2 places. You aren't going to have your pick of accommodations, given you'd be booking so late. Here are just a few ideas:
-- stay in Nimes (I''m visiting for 1st time in late May!), where you can train or bus for variety of day trips.
-- Find a small village along the Canal du Midi, where you can walk or cycle (I stayed in Mirepeisset a few years back and cycled for several days; about 10 miles from Narbonne, where I'd taken TGV from Paris)
-- Pick a spot on Brittany coast (e.g. Saint-Suliac, Le Faou, Concarneau)
-- Book a stone cottage in Normandy countryside (sorry, no specific recommendation -- it's all beautiful!)
... anywhere in France -- you can't go wrong!

Where do you want to go first?

Thank you for your recommendations. I am only going to pick one place and spend the month there. This visit isn’t about travelling to lots of places it’s about relaxing in one spot for the month. Il start researching your suggestions today. Thank you

We are currently in La Chapelle sur Loire in a gite -- very relaxing, but you DO need a car to get here and to roam the chateaux. PM me if you want specifics. Plenty of chances to practice French!

I would choose France because the places I am familiar with in Spain would be too hot for me in June or are in Catalunya where Spanish is definitely not the preferred language. I enjoyed both Burgundy and Alsace. If you are in a big city like Dijon or Strasbourg, you'll have good transportation options but not the ambiance you are looking for. Even a smaller city like Beaune or Colmar might feel too urban and touristy. Going to a small place would limit your ability to visit other places, but if that's not part of your plan - or you rent (maybe lease would be cheaper for a month) a car and then you're set. There are many throughout France. I spent 3 days in tiny, lovely Eguisheim, very close to Colmar, in mid-June and it wasn't touristy, only a couple of restaurants were open every night, on weekends, from Thursday, they all were open.

Setting up an online business sounds like you plan to work. That may be a gray area - if you aren't earning anything you probably won't have any issues, but it is worth checking, for peace of mind.

Last thought - get moving. It's going to be hard to find a place to stay this close to your departure.

Before the summer tourists arrive, here are two tranquil spots that I've previously enjoyed: Ile de Re, Ile d'Oleron. The Charente-Maritime is a quiet, laid back part of France with two gracious cities, Rochefort and La Rochelle and lots of oysters. All changes in the summer but June is still relatively quiet.

A client of mine recently bought a property in Perche, and is using it as a retreat for herself.

Perche

Train access from Paris, Normandy bordering on Val de Loire. Regional parkland, farms...some local transport, restored villages.

What about Collioure, a charming village in south west France, on the Med and on the Spanish border? You could stay in Collioure but easily be in Spain for the day, best of both worlds.

FWIW. rentals on apartments are much cheaper by the month although finding a month at this late date may make that moot. We usually pay 3 weeks for a month rental in Paris and 2.5 in more rural areas.

We enjoy Burgundy, Brittany and the Dordogne and stay in small towns or villages; you really have to have a car to do this especially for a month. Of those, the Dordogne is our favorite. Now that we can no longer drive, our rural vacations are shorter and places we can get to by train (last spring it was St. Malo). for villages not served by train (most of them) and for long stretches, you really must have a car.

Massive thank you for all your advice I am working through and looking at my best options. Huge thanks x