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Paris + Countryside

My husband and I are spending nine days in France in September, flying in and out of Paris. He has never been to Paris so we will be spending half of our time in the city and the other half in the countryside. We both love wine and want this part of the trip to be about relaxing (first trip post-baby who is now 15 months!), seeing the history, touring wineries and eating great, french food! I am torn where we should spend our time in the countryside. Any recommendations on the best place to visit for our countryside visit? Along with that, what hotels/airbnbs would you suggest? I originally thought Provence, but am now leaning toward Burgundy.. I feel like you can't go wrong with any option so I'd love to get feedback. We are open to other areas as well.

Also, would love to know if you'd recommend doing Paris on the first leg of the trip or the second. We arrive around 1 p.m. in Paris from the US.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Posted by
7977 posts

I strongly suggest going to your countryside spot first --- head there by train the late afternoon of your arrival in Paris and pick up a car the next day. You might go to Beaune for example and then get the car the next day. I love Burgundy. I personally like the smaller towns. We stayed in a cottage in Semur en Auxois and enjoyed the day tripping in the area and the town is just so beautiful. But you don't have much time and so I'd get a hotel of course. If you want to tour wine Beaune is not a bad choice either.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/medieval-towns/
There are lots of nice spots in Burgundy and it is just lovely country. We enjoyed the chateaux and abbeys and towns. Burgundy is certainly nicer than Provence in August and of course closer to Paris.

Then finish in Paris so you are there for the trip home and you don't waste your penultimate day rushing back to Paris for the trip home. for this trip it would be really nice to have just a few more days. Certainly you want no fewer than 5 nights in Paris.

Note that in France and particularly in Paris that a small child is not automatically permitted or free in a double room whether in your bed or not. People have been turned away arriving with a toddler to their double. You must book for two adults and a child. Sometimes that means a triple room; sometimes it is okay in a larger double; sometimes there is a charge and sometimes not -- but you must have booked the room for three.

Posted by
4132 posts

You can do all of that (see, drink, and eat) in both places, though the wine is better in Burgundy.

Two things Provence has that Burgundy does not: magnificent Roman antiquities (the remains of the Roman garrison near Meursault are a serious disappointment, a mere pile of rocks), and rail connections.

That said, you would be advised to rent a car in either place, if you want to see the countryside. But were you determined not to, I should steer you to Provence over Burgundy because of the quality of the transportation network.

Posted by
9459 posts

With the prominence you gave in your question to wine, visiting wineries, and great French food, it’s no question that Burgundy is the place for you.

I used to stay in a place in Chablis that alas is no longer what it used to be, but see what you can find there in booking.com. Wonderful market on the weekends and absolutely lovely drives all around the countryside.

Check and see if Brendan Moore is still doing wine tours, he is fantastic and will get you into little places you wouldn’t discover on your own.

Posted by
2096 posts

Is your toddler coming or staying with grandparents?

I agree with others, Burgundy is probably the best fit.

We like to stay in small B&Bs that aren’t fancy. For Paris, use Alcove and Agape to find a place to stay.

It’s too bad you don’t have more time. We spent an entire week in Locke’s in May. We enjoyed the more relaxed pace that more than a few days provided. We made some friends there and are planning to go back for two weeks next Spring.

Posted by
5 posts

Thanks all! We are not bringing our toddler. Looks like we will do Burgundy - I appreciate all of the suggestions!

Posted by
6428 posts

There's fast train service (TGV, two hours) directly between CDG and Dijon, so if the schedule is right you could go right there. Allow at least a few hours for possible flight and/or immigration delay. From Dijon it's a short train ride to Beaune, or you could spend the night in Dijon and get a car the next morning for another Burgundy base. You'll want a car in Burgundy. You can take a train back from Dijon to Paris (Gare de Lyon).

I agree with Janet's general idea to devote that first jet-lagged day to transportation, getting to the "farthest out" point of your trip, since you won't be in good shape for sightseeing anyway. The TGV from the airport makes this easier for you. But if you want to start your trip in Paris, then go to Burgundy, you could take the TGV back to CDG before your flight home. If your flight is well into the afternoon you might take the train that morning. But with a morning flight it would be much safer to take the train the day before and spend the last night at an airport hotel -- there are several right at the airport.

Posted by
5 posts

Where do you recommend setting up home base in Burgundy? We will only be there three nights and would rather not stay in a larger town, but I do want to have easy access to restaurants at night. We want to visit the small towns and enjoy wine tastings/tours, but we do not want to be traveling the entire time. I am torn between staying in the southern area between Beaune and Dijon - along the Route des Grand Crus - or staying close or in Vezelay - visiting Chablis and northern towns. Considering staying in town or in the countryside at a Chateau. No option is bad, just looking for advice on making the most out of our short time in beautiful Burgundy!