Trying to Decide between Ireland and Paris/France in Sept 2018

Three weeks? Do both!

Both felt similar price wise to me. I liked Paris better than Ireland.

Stated interests are:

• Cultural
• Sightseeing
• Food
• Interaction with locals

My opinion, having been to both places but being far, far, more familiar with France, would be as follows:

Cultural -- Both countries offer much, though France has a considerably richer cultural heritage than Ireland. That said, some seem to be enthralled with Irish literature and music, so if those are particular interests of yours, then you might prefer Ireland.

Sightseeing -- I find France to have a more diverse scenery from a natural perspective as well as from a human-built perspective. However, there are a few very old Irish built features north of Dublin that predate those in France (as well as the rest of the world) other than the cave paintings in the Dordogne.

Food -- Both countries are filled to the brim with restaurants serving "traditional" dishes they think tourists want to have. In general, I find French restaurants superior to Irish restaurants, with some exceptions.

Interaction with locals -- Unless you speak French or unless you stick to highly touristic spots, you will find it difficult to have anything more than a purely superficial interaction with French people. In Ireland, you will find the opportunity for a rich connection through a common tongue, including the seemingly genuine Irish joy in sharing information about their nation. After our recent trip to Ireland, my wife and I talked about how there should be a superlative expression along the lines of "Friendlier than a Dublin cabbie," as the three cab drivers we interacted with in Dublin were exceedingly kind, good natured, friendly, informative, and funny. It was as if we had hired a tour guide instead of a cab.

On the cost question, I found food and drink in Ireland to be somewhat more expensive than in France (where I have lived for several years) but I found lodging -- at least at bed-and-breakfast joints -- a slight bit cheaper in Ireland than in France.

With proper preparation, you can't go wrong with either choice. Good luck, and I hope you have a memorable trip.

We went to both on the same trip and my husband thought driving in France was easy. That was definitely not the case for Ireland. I enjoyed Ireland but enjoyed Paris/Chartres/Chenenceux more.

Cultural - France for sure, if you mean things like art, architecture, broad sweep of history, though there's a lot to learn in Ireland, which, for instance, was a beacon of light when the rest of Europe was dousing candles during the Dark Ages.

Sightseeing - again France has more, though Ireland has enough to fill 3 weeks. My only caveat is that the natural scenery of Ireland is stunning when it's sunny, but if you don't get lucky with the weather, it can be a downer.

Food - again France. No comparison, though Irish food is tasty, you won't reminisce about it.

Interaction with locals - Ireland, Ireland, Ireland. Not only does everyone speak fluent English ☺ but everyone I met was chatty and many were open to discussions about a variety of topics and issues.

I've only been on buses in Ireland and England. I'd compare much of Ireland to Devon and Cornwall rather than around London or the midlands - narrow country roads, slow going.

Ireland is one of the cheapest countries I've been to in Europe for food, lodging, and sightseeing, France one of the most expensive, especially Paris.