Normandy/Brittany versus Provence and Nice

It's not easy to compare Normandy/Brittany and Provence since they are literally polar opposites, in terms of landscape, weather, and vibe. To put it simply:

Brittany and Normandy offer relaxed tourism (except for a few must-see spots overrun with tourists), lush greenery everywhere, cliffs, some large sandy beaches, and on the coasts the tide transforms the landscape several times a day.

Inland Provence is all about lavender fields, cicadas, and "mas provencal" (traditional Provençal farmhouses). On the French Riviera, it's more upscale, even luxury, tourism. The sun is ever-present. It's the region of France where the cost of living is, on average, the highest.

But most importantly: In Brittany and Normandy, they cook with butter, while in Provence, they cook with olive oil!

And of course, the cuisine is radically different. No crêpes in Provence, no Niçoise salad in Brittany.

JoLui, you've painted an exquisite portrait with your description to help travelers figure out travel plans in France! Thank you.

Temperatures in Provence are quite warm in July, and if there is a heat wave, it gets hot enough to make touring unpleasant. Last summer we had a heat wave in part of July. When the heat waves hit, I do all my errands outside the house before 10 am and then I avoid venturing out again until later in the afternoon. It's cooler in Brittany and Normandy in July.

This would be a weather-based decision for me. The north coast of France (not necessarily inland Paris) is one of the best places to be on the continent in the middle of summer, because the likelihood of severe heat is very low. If there's a heat wave, it will probably affect only one or two days.

Lisa,
All of France is wonderful, but for July I would choose Paris/Normandy/Brittany/Loire, due to weather. JoLui has given a wonderful synopsis of their differences. And the butter/olive oil reference is great.
How long do you have? Have you decided on how much time to allocate to Paris and the other areas? I hope you have the whole month of July if you want to see all of them. What fun you will have!

Thank you everyone! All your responses help, yet I don't feel the region calling to me yet. I have a stack of books I have been reading on it and have been watching videos etc, so it's not for lack of trying! I think I need to retire so I can leave my grey, rainy, cold, part of the world and go to the mediterranean in May! :-)

I think I need to retire so I can leave my grey, rainy, cold part of
the world and go to the Mediterranean.

That's exactly what the French who wanted to retire were saying... until the last ten years. That's why there are so many retirees in Provence (and so many doctors on the French Riviera).

Since then, climate change has changed everything, and many are now heading to more pleasant (and less expensive) places like Brittany to avoid the unbearable temperatures of the South of France.

climate change has changed everything, and many are now heading to more pleasant.... ....to avoid the unbearable
temperatures of the South of France.

Even the most rabid of climate alarmists predict an increase of at most a degree or two. I seriously doubt that would affect someone's decision on what area they would move to from a temperature standpoint.

It is unlikely that Brittany/Normandy will be grey and rainy in July. But go where your heart leads you. You will have a wonderful time whever you decide. Just don't shortchange Paris!

I seriously doubt that would affect someone's decision on which area
they would move to based on a temperature standard.

This wasn't a guess, but information about trends in recent years. Global average temperatures are not representative of local realities, with heat waves becoming longer and more frequent over the last 10 years. And I know this firsthand.

This has dampened the enthusiasm of many future retirees who used to go to Provence but are now opting for more livable regions. Heliotropism is over! :) and when a future French retiree dreams of spending their retirement in Provence, it's not to spend their days stuck at home with the air conditioning running constantly.

That said, if it's a matter of spending a week or two there as a tourist, that's a completely different story.