Looking for the quintessential French experience

My first thought, based on what you imagine: Alsace. Strasbourg for the cathedral, several quaint villages, the area is known for great food & wine, you can rent bikes and travel to beautiful vineyards and castles.

If your 7 days includes travel days, that gives you 5 days in the area since you’ll want to be in Paris the night before your flight home.

I don't understand why you feel Provence cannot be the quintessential French experience. Provence, in many ways, is like Paris, in that there is a special feel to the air. There is a quality of light, the sounds of the cicadas, and the scent of the flowers and trees in the breezes. You can sit in a cafe at or on a park bench in St. Remy de Provence and sip a pastis while watching the "anciens" play a game of boules nearby. Or you can rent a car and visit the many towns and villages that harbor Roman ruins, see the lavender farms, olive groves, and fields of sunflowers. Follow the trails of artists. And of course savor the wonderful food of the region and the many fine wines of the Bouche du Rhone.

You can kick back and be lazy, strolling in the evening after a great meal, or do day trips around the area. St. Remy, Arles, Nimes, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, these are a few places to base yourself and become immersed in the French ambience. Read some Marcel Pagnol. Watch some of the French films mentioned in an earlier thread and you may find Provence is very, very much like what you said you were seeking. Cathedrals and castles and chateaux are all around. (Suze la Rousse, the papal palace in Avignon, the fantastic Les Beaux de Provence, the Pont de Gard).
Please do a little more research before you say that Provence maybe isn't French enough. Rick is not the last word on this. He is Rick's word, and every voice you hear about the regions of France are their own. I love the Dordogne, Alsace, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Normandy and (especially) Brittany and Provence. From my reading of your question, Provence seems like just what you are looking for. Good luck in your decision-making! Wherever you go in France you will have a true French experience!

I'm not sure Alsace is quintessentially French, having been part of Germany a number of times over the past 200 years - and still being the place some French people go if they want to visit Germany without learning the language.

But it's a difficult question to answer because there is no one France - most (traditional) regions are different enough that an observant foreigner can tell the difference. If you want clichéd France with medieval villages and renaissance chateaux I would say the Loire valley. If you want more rustic look at Berry or the Charente, if it's coast you want it's Brittany for ruggedness, and the Southwest coast for more elegance. Mountains you have the Alps and the Pyrenees, and Instagram you have Paris or Provence.

It's like asking what is quintessentially American - most of it is, and most of suggestions will be valid.

What season? What month? That matters because some lovely little places can be all closed up from November 1 to April 1.

Edit: I see now that you said September. I think Burgundy or the Loire would fit your image: green, rolling hills, castles for different periods--(more castles in the Loire), gothic and Romanesque churches--(more of those in Burgundy), villages, markets, bakeries, architecture, cathedrals, walking, cafe people watching. It is a vacation, so sitting is good!

I suggest you look at other books in addition to the Rick Steves guidebook. His books are excellent, emphasize the routes his tours take, but other books have additional sites. A lot of people in the US like the guidebooks with a lot of photos. I'm partial to the Michelin green guidebooks. There's one devoted to the Loire and another devoted to Burgundy. You'll find everything you need in these books. By the way, sometimes the sites that are barely mentioned in the guidebooks end up being my favorite, while the blockbuster sites leave less of an impression.

Alsace is lovely, too, but as someone said, it's culture is influenced by German culture, and Bordeaux is a city, not a region and I know less about the surrounding rural, grape-growing region.

You could try to time your arrival with a major strike, and squeeze on the RER B from CDG to Paris with the masses. That'd be quintessential 😉.
I'm teasing, in case you're wondering.

More seriously, for a "super French" experience, my first thoughts were:

• Périgord: medieval villages, châteaux, food you won't find in other countries (not veggie-friendly), prehistoric caves (home to the first French people, in a way!)
• Loire: storied royal residences, timeless riverside towns, good and unpretentious wine culture, and I must be missing a few but it's not the region I know the best
• Bourgogne : outsize influence in French gastronomy with some excellent restaurants everywhere, great wines, more than its faire share of medieval towns and villages and some chateaux, also great religious architecture

The southeast, i.e. Provence, is lovely but I do see what you mean when you don't think it's French enough. It has strong ties to neighboring Mediterranean regions, so it might not be the 'postcard France's you expect.

Quintessential French.
As in, you noted, sitting in a cafe and doing nothing. Is that it? Can you do that? That is by and large an oft noted desired experience for a lot of Europe.
Sitting in a cafe, doing nothing, watching people, sipping coffee.
I wonder how that actually goes. You sit on a chair that is not meant for extended sitting comfortably. You pay upwards of €2.50 for a coffee that is going to be gone or cold within minutes. Then what? Another coffee. How many coffees can you drink?
Does anyone do that here in the US, in their own town?
All in all I find such sitting to get rather boring after a while. Plus a drain on my wallet.
It is rather French, but is it real?

My first thought was the Loire too, since you are not adverse to driving, However learn some French as it will also help you with reading road signs. Back to the Loire. There are castles, wonderful food, add in Chartres and Mont St Michelle and you can mix it some without running a rat race. Stay in BnBs, though there are a couple of fun hotels in Chenonceaux, but it is fun to be in peoples homes. searched GItes as often they are BnBs though pay attention because it is not the rule. Hope you have a wonderful trip. That all said, there IS plenty to do in Provence and near by.

You mentioned September. If you're in France the weekend of September 16-17, 2023, then you could join the Journees du Patrimoine (Heritage Days). It's quintessentially French in that that French love their "old stones" (old architecture) and traditions and that's a day when historical monuments that are usually closed to the public are open, museums are free, and there are special free activities. It draws huge crowds though so you have to be strategic in your choices. The official guide is usually available in English, although tours and events will only be in French.

The largest number of activities are obviously in Paris, but every part of France will offer some options. Last year I went to Bordeaux and had a great time plus packed a lot into two days.

If you wanted to go to Provence, you could pick Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, or Arles and have a great experience + visit villages and vineyards nearby on other days.

Other European countries also offer similar heritage days around the same time in September.

I agree with many who responded to your post but especially with Morfal, "If you wanted to go to Provence, you could pick Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, or Arles and have a great experience + visit villages and vineyards nearby on other days." My husband and I rented a car in either 2018/2019 with Aix as our base. We traveled to Avignon, Arles, Lourmarin, Verdon Gorge, Gorde, Ménerbes, etc. We did have three weeks to do so, however. To me that was quintessential: small, ancient, gorgeous, unhurried, great food/wine, vistas.
For me quintessential can also mean choosing different arrondissements in Paris to spend 1/2 day/full day in and just watch/feast on the architecture, parks, restaurants, etc., of that area walking past iconic buildings, onto bridges, strolling the streets, etc.

My husband and I will also be in France in September which I hope will be great weather. This time around, we'll be in Paris in the 5th A, for nine days, then Lyon for just two days and back to Paris to experience Montmartre for two days.

There are some very nice posts that you may want to look at such as solosophie; David Lebovitz, etc. which give different perspectives of France beyond RS.
Please let us know what you choose.

I totally agree with other commentators that there are many different "quintessential" French experiences. Having traveled to many regions of France, I guess I'd say my top contenders would be Provence (as you originally thought of), the Loire valley, and Périgord. In some ways I'd argue for Périgord. I was blown away by the sheer density and variety of things to see there. One suggestion: if you are going to rent a car - which I'd strongly recommend for any of the three areas I mention - I'd seriously consider staying in a smaller city (e.g. Sarlat in Périgord, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in Provence). I can't tell you how much time we've wasted navigating our way through or out of larger cities (e.g. Avignon, Aix-en-Provence), even with navigation systems, and my husband and I have both traveled extensively in France. If you're in a smaller city you can quickly get out to the countryside and on your way.

What a great trip! Although quintessential is hard to describe and to each his own... I also agree that if Provence was first in your mind and on your list go with it! You will not be disappointed as a previous writer pointed out the light is amazing The colors the strolls just the sheer laid-back of it all! I always say to my friends who have never traveled you will be blown away by what you see you won't be disappointed by what you don't see and wherever you are will leaving you wanting to come back for more! I highly vote for Provence! Bon voyage!

It's basically the north vs the south, and there's not much we can suggest until marjen919 has figured that much out. I also think we need to know why marjen919 is having doubts about Provence or any other area.

Quintessential to me is the north. The south--where I live--is an arid, Mediterranean landscape that continues into Spain and Italy.. It doesn't have many chateaux, churches are thick-walled with slit windows not the Romanesque and gothic from our art history books, cities were suggested in Provence rather than villages. We produce a lot of wine but it's not famous except one. It's a raw beauty around here of cities, mountains, sea, villages.
It's olive oil vs butter.

Help us out here marjen919

I grew up in France, the most quintessential, charming French town i’ve ever stayed in is St Rémy-de-Provence. Loved it. I could spend days in that town and never leave but it was also very fun to take day trips from there in our rental car to Carcassone, Roussillon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Arles, vineyards, etc. Gorgeous countryside and driving the 2 lane roads, easy and fun.

Alsace area feels very German to me.

It's also not clear where you've already been and what you've seen, or how many times you've been to France.

But it seems that somehow, right or wrong, you have a certain picture of France in your mind so why second guess it?

Read some books, perhaps. Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence. Adam Gopnik's From Paris to the Moon. Maybe see some films, such as Aemilie, Jean de Florette, Manon of the Spring (both of the last two are set over 100 years ago, but they're set in Provence) or Netflix TV series, such as Marseilles or Notre Dame (set before and during the 2019 fire).

Your romantic vision of the France you hope to see may be limited by your inability to speak any French. My French is not great, but I managed a bit in Provence, where English was less widely spoken than I had imagined back in 1999. And, in Paris in 2010, I learned that when people told me that they spoke no English, once I started to ask a few simple questions in my limited French, they suddenly blossomed ... and switched to very serviceable English.

Seven days. I'd pick one region to settle into. Provence should be lovely in September, most years. Drought could be a factor in 2023. This coming year will likely be hot and certainly dry due to the lack of snow in the mountains this winter. For that reason, perhaps you might choose Paris, Normandy, and Brittany, instead ... a little more than one region, but not far flung.

We had a car in Provence and really liked visiting Lourmarin and Luberon- very small quaint villages. It was years ago and as I remember,, I read A Year in Provance and noted villages he mentioned. We also drove over to the Dordogne which was very enjoyable.

I say, if Provence is your dream, go to Provence! It will be plenty “quintessential” France, though unique in its own way. I echo that learning just a little bit of French will serve you well, regardless of how much English the area is known to speak. Using your broken French will garner you respect if not endearment. Just a few words or phrases. Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, yes, no. Combine those with some hand gestures, like “s’il vous plait” while pointing at an item on the menu, followed by a “merci” will get you a long way. Google translate can help you with longer phrases or sentences, or the ubiquitous RS French phrase book. Another important thing is to say a hearty bonjour when entering a shop, even if no one is in sight, and an au revoir when leaving. Just walking in and handling the merchandise is considered rude. As to cafe culture, it’s up to the individual, I guess, but sipping a coffee or beer or glass of wine or even a Coke is a perfectly fine way to spend some time. Try to get a table with chairs that face the street so you can watch the world go by. If you want a little snack or even a meal, ask for “la carte, s’il vous plait.” However, be aware, that especially in smaller villages, you likely cannot order a meal during off hours. About getting to Provence from Paris, definitely take the TGV (high speed train) to Aix-en-Provence or maybe Avignon (I forget which) and rent a car there at the train station. To get the best TGV fare, book well in advance. It’s been quite a while since I was last in Provence, so I’m not the person to tell you where to go and what to see. However, I lived in France for several years and tried my best to pick up cultural etiquette (and language). Go with an open, curious mind, and you’ll have a marvelous time!

France is far too diverse to have a "quintessential" French experience. But if you want to mimic Amelie Poulain, Paris is it.

I agree with Susan St Remy would be a great option in Provence.

I also think Alsace seems more German.
The thing about food and France - because France is so diverse you can have great Moroccan food in Nice and great German food in Alsace.
More than likely you will have to join a day tour to visit vineyards. Wine tasing in France is different than wine tasting the in the US.

If you pick Burgundy - Beaune would be my choice for a very French experience. There are a few wineries that offer lodging. You can cycle through some of them most famous vineyards in the world.

I reread the Gopnik book recently, didn't think it held up. It's mostly about President Clinton (really) and raising his son, Paris is almost incidental to the book.

And a long bit about a war crimes trial.