All purpose jacket?

I use a down vest under a waterproof rain jacket. The down compresses into a tight ball and is very lightweight. And then a lightweight, merino wool pull over sweater. All three make for a very warm combination and, of course, you can use any combination to match the weather.

I always travel with a polartek cardigan. These come in a variety of styles some of which are fairly decent looking. I joke that I have my 'formal polartek' as well as the ones that look more like sweatshirts. They work well under windbreakers for warmth on cool summer evenings. Take a look at a place like REI or other outdoor outfitters and see if you can find something you consider good looking.

Cashmere is warm but lots of people are sensitive to wools. Another thing I always carry is a set of silk long underwear; it takes no space and it adds a great warm layer under lightweight clothes when it is unexpectedly cold. Usually it is something I use in colder seasons under jeans for example, but one year in May in Spain it was unusually chilly and I had lightweight linen slacks and such - nothing really warm and it really made the difference for a couple of cold days when we were outdoors.

I bought a Scott E Vest/ jacket for our 2 1/2 month trip to Europe. We are actually still on it. I just love it. I can carry most everything I need in it without even caring a purse. It has all kinds of pockets on the inside with zippers. Since our trip started in the Spring and ends in June I wanted a jacket that would work in both cooler and warmer weather. The sleeves zip off when the weather is hot. I use it all the time even when we aren't traveling. I love how it keeps all my traveling items organized. My jacket is called the Sterling jacket.

If you want/need lightweight summer insulation to combine with your un-insulated wind/rain jacket, look for a very light weight fleece (e.g. made from Polartec 100 or similar lightweight fleece): http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-r1-regulator-fleece-full-zip-jacket?p=40138-0

Or at a more upscale price, something like a Patagonia NanoPuff jacket is very compressible: http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-nano-puff-jacket?p=84216-0

If you can tolerate "smart" wool: http://www.smartwool.com/shop/women-clothing-sweaters

Nice looking is in the eye of the beholder, but from an outdoor perspective, form follows function.

I'd also recommend a nice fleece zip up to layer under your waterproof jacket. I also tend to be on the cold side, during the summer in air conditioning I freeze. I always carry a lightweight waterproof jacket and a fleece.
For chillier months I have an Eddie Bauer Primaloft pack able jacket(similar to the Patagonia mentioned above) that also comes along. Love it! But, IMO it would probably be too much for summer in France(unless in the mountains). I bought my parents each LL bean's version for Christmas 2 years ago, my dad wore it in early Oct in southern France last year. Lightweight, packs small and warm.

I am also a big fan of Scottevest.com clothes. I use their woman's trench with the 18 pockets for fall, winter and spring and love not having to carry a purse. They have all sorts of other gear (even men's boxers) with hidden pockets for travel.

Another vote for adding a nice fleece pullover under your jacket. I use a 1/4 zip grey jogging fleece I bought from target (C9 brand). Since it's made for jogging it's light and wicks moisture away but still keeps you warm. It also sink washes and dries well if needed since it is thinner than most fleece.

I just returned from Belgium, France and Germany and we had mix of cold rain and sleet the whole time and layering this with a long sleeve shirt and my jacket was just as good as a heavy coat.

DJ

I recently purchase a Columbia rain jacket for a trip to London & Paris in September. I bought the "Splash a Little" and just love it. I live in the PNW and will get good use out of this jacket through the year, along with traveling. It folds up pretty small and has nice lines to it, not as boxy as some rain jackets. I just wore it yesterday while sitting outside with a bit of chill in the air, had a sweater underneath and I was plenty warm. I wore it recently in a downpour and it's waterproof claim held up. The other nice thing about this jacket is that it is a little longer than my other waterproof rain jacket which just goes to my hips. My new jacket will look nicer in the city and my longer tops will be covered. When I read the reviews, people mentioned to size up and I am glad I did. I usually wear a medium, but the large fits well, especially with layers. I ordered through Zappos, so knew I could return if I needed another size. Some reviews stated they got wet wearing it, but many other reviews were pleased with the waterproof quality. Couldn't be more pleased with this purchase. Good luck on your jacket hunting.

I'm with Perry. You're traveling in the summer, not the spring or fall. You shouldn't pack for the "worst case scenario", which in your case would be that it's unseasonably cold. Whether you wear it or not, you still have to pack it around. I am traveling in May (London/Paris/Loire Valley) and not bringing a heavy coat or sweater. I'm planning to layer and if for some reason I really need to, I'll just buy something over there. That will be a great souvenir for myself!

In another forum, someone "warned" me that they traveled to Paris one May and it snowed. I'm not packing for that unlikely scenario, either.

Light fleece vest (LL Bean or similar) under a Gore Tex (or similar) hooded parka should take care of anything you'll encounter in summer apart from Alps. Add a light wool watch cap or similar -- 25% of body heat escapes through your head. You'll be ready for rain, chilly mornings or evenings, or both. And minimal space in the suitcase.

I have traveled all seasons of the year and have never not needed at least a fleece at some point except in Singapore and Cambodia where it was like a swamp all the time and the AC was minimal at best. There have always been chilly moments in France Italy etc at least in the evening. Heck I was in Paris for the great heat wave of 2003 where it was over 105 F for a solid week and yet the week before that, I wore the fleece several evenings on the balcony of the apartment.

Normally in summer I bring one warm layer item along with my waterproof rain shell. You may want two if you are normally cold, depending on where you are in can get chilly in the evening.

I'd second the suggestion for a down vest. I bought a packable down vest at Costco last fall for $17. It's the new high tech down that gets a ton of warmth out of not only light but thin lining. There's a glut of down right now, so prices are about as low as they've ever been. If you took one of those and your favorite light weight sweater, you could use each by itself or layer them - up to two warm layers, a shirt underneath and the rain shell on top. I think that would keep you warm in almost any weather.

I would bring a light fleece pull-over. I almost always wear it on the plane. It may not be really nice looking, but it is very practical, dries super quickly.

Cuddle Duds underwear !

I'm a little different each trip, depending on the weather I expect. Right now, it's pretty much what Frank describes. A packable down vest, with the new hi-tech down, is very light and very warm. There is a glut of down this year so anything made with down is the lowest price it's been in a decade or more.

The rain shell is a separate item, it helps when it's cold or windy but the primary purpose is to keep me dry. Underneath are the layers to keep me warm.

You might want to consider checking LL Bean or Your Wear Guide (link is external). Lots of choices and nice looking jackets you could choose from. Check some reviews too, these should be able to tell you which one to get depending on your needs. Hope it helps.

As another poster mentioned,I also travel with silk long underwear that I bought at WinterSilks online. I have both a top and a bottom.Easy to pack and hand wash in the sink. We travel in the spring or fall so this works well. Other good choices are the fleece tops from LL Bean or one of those bubble vests.Also,I have wool socks. To me,it's important to have warm feet.

As another poster mentioned,I also travel with silk long underwear that I bought at WinterSilks online. I have both a top and a bottom.Easy to pack and hand wash in the sink. We travel in the spring or fall so this works well. Other good choices are the fleece tops from LL Bean or one of those bubble vests.Also,I have wool socks. To me,it's important to have warm feet.

You really ought to check the dates of the OP before posting. The question was last March for a month in France this summer. I am sure Jill is home now and wondering why she is getting all of these responses to her old question.

The OP is not the only one enlightened by posts -- most questions are similar to those asked by others and so resurrecting them is not a sin.

No, but it can be a really inconvenience to the OP.

I'm with Frank, the new packable down vests weigh about nothing, take up little space and are very warm. There is a new tech down that takes up less space but delivers great insulation, so it's not bulky when you wear it either. Better yet, there's a glut of down right now so prices are cheap compared to a few years ago (I paid $17 at Costco for mine).

For future reference: UNIGLO. It packs up into it's own little duffel, weights nothing. Be forewarned: do tend to run on the small side.