Two days in France (not Paris) - What to do?

Head to the Loire Valley! It's surprisingly close to Paris yet is very countryside. There are lovely inns and small towns and touring the Chateau (summer castles of the kings) is a truly specatacular sight. The town of Amboise is a fun daytrip too. The wines are great too! Enjoy.

Thanks! The Loire was my initial thought, but I'm also kind of intrigued by the Champagne and Burgundy regions. Does anyone have any thoughts on those areas in terms of ease of access, sites, etc.? FYI, we'll be there in early July.

The Loire valley is perfect for what you want. Do as little or as much as you wish there. Opt for the smaller villages in Loire.Burgundy is too far for your timeframe and is to me has less appeal over Loire and even less so for Champagne region.

Reims in Champagne would also be ideal for a two day break. The cathedral in town will give you a break from champagne tasting (if you need it), the countryside is pleasant (rolling hills with vineyards), restaurants are generally good, couple of interesting villages/small towns to give you some variety (Epernay and the other champagne villages). 4 or 5 different champagne houses will give you a nice variety- most of the tours and experiences are different. A local rental car will help to get to the different villages

Burgundy is neat, my husband and I are big Burgundy wine fans, but it's very sleepy except for the town of Beaunne. Wineries are hard to get into (at least when I was there, it was certainly not an open door policy). Most importantly, it's FAR for the time you have. Loire will give you the vibe you seek with more time to sip and less time to drive!

If you are taking a train out of Paris and then renting a car, Burgundy is a quick ride to Dijon on the TGV. There you can rent a car and head into the countryside. You have castles, monasteries, villages, and all that burgundy wine.

Both Burgundy and Provence are will within your reach, 1.5 hours to Dijon or 2.5 to Avignon. (Transfers to smaller towns add 30 minutes). I think both are spectacular choices.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. It seems that I've still got a dilemma, though because all 3 regions have come with strong recommendations from people! I guess I can't go wrong here! I'm slightly leaning towards the Loire, mainly because of the opportunity to go along the river. Merci to all of you for your help.

Have you considered Normandy? The small towns and coast are historically rich, and the food is wonderful. A car would be necessary. This isn't wine country, but the local cidre is not bad. Lots of B&B's (chambres d'hotes).

@JuneLee - I did consider Normandy, but my wife isn't as interested in WWII history as I am plus I've been to MSM last time I was there The cider does intrigue me, though.
@Everyone - Again, thanks for all of the tips, I will take them under advisement.