Where to stay for 1-2 months in France?

Given your previous visits, you might consider heading south. A larger town like Avignon or Nimes would make a good base to Marseille, many of the smaller towns and sites around Provence and the Cote d'Azur. Of course, there would be smaller towns nearby that might make a good base too if you prefer small towns. Some others might have good suggestions for those.

I love the small town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, introduced to me on my first RS tour. I have returned 3 times. 5 km from Nice, on a great bus and train route. Wonderful sea views. Fabulous restaurants, some cheaper, some pricey. A small market. Great walking paths.

I stayed in Villefranche for a month at the Institut d'Francais to study French. Living there and soaking up the atmosphere was the best. School days were long, but included breakfast and lunch. French only spoken all day, at meals & in class. A great experience, a wonderful base on which to build my knowledge of French.

The Cote d'Azur is so gorgeous. Each small town has such beauty. Monaco is close, a cool place. Eze, another lovely spot, especially the gardens at the top of the town. Nice has a fabulous market, great museums, and the huge rocky beach. It is so easy to get around the area on public transportation. I love Villefranche and will return!

Hi Kay

I suggest you consider Nice as a base. It has everything you need and as a City, it rates second only to Paris. September and October are great months to be in the south of France and it will give you a good contrast to the north where you have stayed previously. Another option along the coast is Antibes though it is smaller and has less to offer than Nice.

As a region the Alpes Maritimes is unbeatable as you have the mountains as well as the coast to go at and culturally it is very interesting.

Sounds like grape harvest time, so maybe Alsace? Strasbourg-Colmar, trains to Chamonix/French Alps.

I'm just planning another trip to the Cote d'Azur so I'll pile on for there, or anywhere in Provence. Weather there in September and October should be starting to cool off, the little villages are breathtaking. The sea may still be warm enough.

I agree with June, for all the reasons she gave.

Just curious, @June, were you taught a local accent, or Parisien French? It sounds like a great place for a course. So much right on your doorstep. I bet there's not a square inch of the coast between the airport and Menton you don't know....

I spent a month in southern France this past September split up between the Provence and Dordogne regions. The weather was beautiful. As others have mentioned, the area is rich with history and so much to see and do. Stopping on the way to a small town amongst the hilltowns in Provence, I stopped in Toulouse, Albi, Carcassone, Nimes, Pont du Gard, and St. Remy. With a rental car, I then stayed outside of Bonnieux and enjoyed daily trips to the various hilltowns visiting a different outdoor market every day and experiencing other areas of Provence. On the way up to the Dordogne region, I stopped at Avignon, Orange, Villefranche-sur-Soane and Oingt. Then spent another five days travelling around the Sarlat. On the way to fly out of Base/Mulhouse, I stopped for a short time in the Burgundy region specifically around Beaune. It was a wonderful time of year to visit and had a great time. I personally prefer to stay in small towns out in the countryside. However, I did enjoy stopping in the larger cities to see the sites. Send me a personal message for specifics.