France Itinerary

For my next trip to France will depend on what areas of the country I want to concentrate on.

Paris and Environs

See my Paris and my Places to Go pages. Also try other ciders from Paris gourmet store La Grande Épicerie de Paris, rue de Sèvres in the 7th Arrondissement. They have a second store at rue de Passy in the 16th Arrondissement. Stop by La Maison Nordique for some caviar and buy TWO caviar tin keys.

Near Paris: Chartres (1.5 hrs by train), Château de Chantilly (1hr by train).

North

I most want to visit Normandy for a tour of battle sites and memorials. See my Normandy page.

I would also be in or near the premier cider regions of Brittany and Normandy. See the cider route on my Cider page.

West

I'd like to visit some of the great chateaux:

Loire Valley: Chambord, Chenonceau, Villandry (noted for its gardens), Chantilly, and Chateau de D’Azay le Rideau (also look at Pierrefonds, Chaumont, D’Usse, and Suscinio). See my page for a 2 week itinerary.

There is a Champagne tour that stops at various houses for samples.

South-East

Annecy is a great lakeside town — a great hiking and biking location.

Visit the gourmet capital of France: Lyon.

Chamonix, the great winter resort in the French Alps, but in summertime offers picturesque hikes. The cable cars making hikes into the mountains easier.

South - Mediterranean

Nimes for its numerous Roman structures and sites and the Jardin de la Fontaine. See the Nimes page. 

Pont du Gard, the great Roman aqueduct, (near Avignon and Nimes; Montpellier is the nearest large city.)

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Nina, the guide on the Rick Steves tour, recommended a friend of hers who does tours throughout France but Nina specifically noted her Loire Valley tour and wine tours in the northeast - Alsace, etc. See France with Véro.

Annecy

Nimes

Nîmes in a facinating city known for its extensive Roman structures and sites. Notable is the Roman arena (Arènes de Nîmes) which is is excellent condition supported by the nearby Musée de la Romanité. Also the Maison Carrée is a must-see.

Next, head for the moody Temple of Diana, a 1st-century C.E. Gallo-Roman ruin in Nîmes’s prettiest park, the Jardins de la Fontaine. Continue your stroll through the park up to the Tour Magne, a Roman watchtower with fine views over the city. Not far away, on Rue de la Lampèze, is the Castellum Divisorium, a stone cistern that served as the terminus for water that was transported 31 miles by aqueduct, then distributed to the city’s fountains via a system of lead pipes.

Arena and Museum

A must-see not far from Nimes is the famous Pont du Gard, one of the largest and best preserved Roman aqueducts. To get there, take the 121 liO bus from Nîmes’s Gare Routiere to the dedicated Pont du Gard bus stop. You could pack a picnic to make a full day of it.

Pont du Gard

At Les Halles de Nîmes, the city’s covered market, La Pie Qui Couette serves lunch from an open kitchen to guests perched on bar stools. Don’t miss the brandade de morue, a puree of salt cod, potatoes, milk, olive oil, garlic, and pickled lemon. The city’s hottest new restaurant, Fontaine’s Poesie, is also at Les Halles. The menu, which changes daily, offers modern southern French dishes made with seasonal market produce; try the roasted pork belly with baby vegetables. Outside the market, but still in the city center, dining options include Voisin et Fils for an evening feast of fruits de mers.

Source: https://www.afar.com