Planning a vacation in France without kids. Suggestions please!

[happy2homeschool]

We have decided to go to France in June (without kids). I have just started looking at a guide book (Fodor's France) and I know that we'd like to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Versailles, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle and also Normandy. Does anyone have any suggestions when seeing these sights? What other recommendations do you have for France? Any recommended hotels in Paris or Normandy? Also, do you recommend any specific guidebook -- I'm not loving the Fodor's book.

Thanks!

[mcconnellboys]

Provence! Try reading A Year in Provence (at least I *think* that's the name)....

You may not love the way Fodor's is laid out, but in past we've found them to be most accurate on the things they rate, etc. and that's important when you're over there trying to go places and do stuff.....

[happy2homeschool]

Provence! Try reading A Year in Provence (at least I *think* that's the name)....

.

I forgot about Provence! I know I read that book a long time ago. I'll have to see if I still have it. Any recommendations on what to do there?
Thanks!:)

[Doran]

Your vacation sounds wonderful. What a delicious treat for you and your spouse!

It's been YEARS since I was in France. I was a young girl and went with my mother, who made all the plans. We did a chateaux tour which was memorable to me, and we did The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame..all the things you'll find in Fodor's.

But, my personal fantasy about any place I am fortunate enough to visit now (a dream that has yet to come true) is that I will go and just let the places unfold. Rather than having a set itenerary, and a long list of "must-see's", I'd prefer to go and let the people and my own imagination lead me. I could see myself going to Provence and never getting anywhere else! Ridiculous, I guess, if what you want is to take in the sights. It's just that as I've grown older, I've realized that as much as "the sights", I want to take in the flavor, kwim? So, here's my nudge for allowing room in your days for that. :)

Doran

[Chris in VA]

My suggestions--
Eat. A lot.
Have a lot of s*x.
And linger over every cup of Cafe Au Lait.

The sights are great. The company is what makes the trip, tho.
Enjoy the company.

[Puma Mom]

Get Rick Steve's guide book. Besides everything else, his hotel recommendations are terrific. We like to travel cheaply, but comfortably and prefer seeing as much of the 'real' environment w/out the crowds as possible. We are up for some adventure as long as we have a bit of instruction as to how to get started. If that's you, you'll love Rick.

Get multiday passes for the Metro and for the museums in Paris. It will save you time and money.

Favorite Paris places: Museé d'Orsay, Louvre, Rodin museum, Luxemborg garden. The Opera House tour was great, as was the boat ride on the Seine.

Versailles: do a tour, lots of extras

Loire Valley: castles--lots of cool castles here

Normandy: American cemetery, Mont St. Michel (wish we'd spent longer there)

Monet's gardens at Giverny (NW of Paris)

It's been a while, but that's what I remember.