late October - France or Prague/Budapest?

i think it would be cold in Brittany at that ,and I really liked Burgundy and Alsace, but mid September when we could enjoy harvest time and picnic with a nice wine. I haven't been to Dordogne yet, but we considered it last year along with the Basque areas and after looking at weather patterns, we felt that area might be nicer in the spring/summer. I think the weather at that time of year may be more suitable for a larger city like Prague and/or Budapest.

You have 10 days and don't want to waste much time on travel.

Both Central Europe and France are great choices.

Don't try to see Brittany and then go to the other side of the country to see Alsace. You can take the high speed train to Lyon and see Burgundy then up to Straussburg for Alsace. Or you could head down the Rhone River and visit Provence ending in Nice and Monaco. There is a lot to see there.

If you are worried about weather, southern France will be a little more temperate and you could easily spend your time from Toulouse through Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and Nice. Maybe start in Lyon, even. Fly into one city, home from another using a multi-destination search function.

But Budapest is worth a visit too, and its cafe culture resembles Paris, at lower prices. The patios have heavy-duty heaters and even stacks of knee blankets for chilly nights. Prague-Budapest could be a good pairing, if you prepare to dress in layers according to the fall temperatures.

Having indoor options due to bad weather are much easier in larger cities.

The areas you describe in France will mainly involve outdoor activities.

Thanks everyone!! We’re still figuring out what we want to do.

Of the choices you've listed. I would go to Dordogne in late October.

Much of Europe North and East of the Alps turns cold about mid-October and stays cold until Spring. Brittany has a short summer that goes through about mid-September then gets wet for much of the year.

I visited Alsace and Burgundy in May 2017 and it was really too cold to visit. Few restaurants were open and the vines were barely sprouting leaves. The area is incredibly beautiful and it was nice having it to myself. A month later (and still before the surge of tourists) would have been ideal.

Provence is very dry so might be a good option. I was there in September of 2017. It was cool in the evenings but quite warm in the day. The Ardeche also seems fairly dry.

Last June I visited the Languedoc area (then up to the Lot and Dordogne Valleys and Bordeaux). It was as beautiful as Burgundy with more forests, higher hills/mountains and more space between medieval towns. It wasn't very warm in June but it is further South so might not be too bad in October. I liked the area a lot.