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First trip to France -- countryside trip without a car?

Posted by on

Hi,

I'm planning a spontaneous trip to France in mid-May for the first time. I know this is a busy time and this is a last-minute trip that many people plan in advance. I have 8-10 days and am flying into Paris (CDG). I've been swamped with work and am really in need of a holiday to relax and slow down.

I'm open to spending a couple days in Paris, but I really want to spend time in the charming countryside/village/smaller town. I enjoy good food, cooking, markets, wine, local culture, quiet, photography, beautiful scenery/nature. I like multiple wine varieties -- on the drier side -- though I am not ultra picky. I'd like to be in a comfortable hotel/inn/wine hotel with some sunny outside space (pool or garden) in a walkable space where I ideally don't have to drive/park. I was initially thinking Provence (the Luberon), but I am open to other suggestions or specific places there or elsewhere. I love to get off the beaten path but don't love driving in new places so that's the challenge. I am an experienced traveler but don't speak French. I'm not opposed to taking a small group or private tour for a day or two to see things or doing minimal driving especially if I can avoid tricky parking/city driving, but mostly want to enjoy being in a relaxing environment -- read a book, do long walks, possibly a cooking class, drink a nice bottle of wine, do a little shopping, etc.

Thoughts on where I should go or stay (hotel/inn)? Or contact info for drivers/tour guides/tours that will help me get insight into the local culture and see some gorgeous scenery?

Thank you so much!

Posted by
9235 posts

Where will you fly home from?
What are your dates?

Nice might suit your needs- not really small town but lots of easy day trips and plenty of ways to relax

Posted by
2231 posts

Take a look at Alsace. You can get to Colmar easily by direct train from Paris in about 2 ½ hours. While Colmar can be busy during the day with tourists, the mornings and, especially, the evenings are quieter.

You can visit the charming wine villages of Alsace by local bus, train, taxi, e-bike or walking. There is a hop on hop off tourist shuttle, the Kutzig bus, that makes a circuit of 5 of the wine villages from Friday to Sunday in May. You can easily visit a couple villages in a day with time for lunch and shopping.

You could also take a food and wine tasting tour. I can recommend L' Alsaciette. They offer full and half day small group tours. Although they require a minimum of 2 people to book online, if you contact them directly by email or phone, Arnaud and Agnes will work with you to add you to an existing tour.

From Colmar you are only 30 minutes by train to Strasbourg or Mulhouse and 45 minutes to Basel, Switzerland.

Posted by
8099 posts

You might try Beaune in Burgundy. Its a beautiful little medieval city with plenty to do. There are wineries in town you can walk to, and there are many tour options.

I also like the idea of Alsace, above. Ideally, I'd suggest folks stay in one of the adorable little wine villages, but without a car, I'd recommend Colmar. Colmar is picturesque and you'd be able to get tours from town to the wine villages, or even just a bus. I recommend a day in Strasbourg which is about 40 minutes via train.

Posted by
1383 posts

Arles and Aix-en-Provence both spring to mind. Both are accessible to Paris via TGV train with some availability straight from CDG. May is a good time of year, though temp can still vary. Both these towns offer great atmosphere, some interesting sights, good markets (right up your alley), and have some decent towns nearby for further exploration. Without a car, organized day or half-day trips are good options here. Road times aren’t bad and you’ll have plenty of options.

I’ll also suggest stopping in Lyon for a night of two. Though it’s a big city, the old town and area across the river are easy to center around. Idk how to describe it but Lyon is like the Paris of France. The Frenchness of it all… the architecture, the shops, the food, all feel like they’re on overdrive. They’re not turning it down for tourists, you better be ready to eat some cow face. I thought it was underrated and would have loved to have time to chill there.

Posted by
3563 posts

Are you flying in and out of CDG? If so, visit Paris at the end of your stay. Do you drink red wine or white wine?
If you drink red wine Provence (Avignon), Côtes du Rhône (if visiting Provence) and Burgundy (Beaune) would be worth visiting. If you drink white wine go to the Alsace wine region and sleep in Colmar.
Other places to go by train are Normandy (Bayeux) and the French Riviera (Nice).

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