Discovering France in a Few Days

Before Carole and I came to live in France with our young family twenty years ago, I bought a one month roaming rail ticket and just traveled by train, wandering from town to town and staying in small hotels and BandB. The rail system in France is clean, efficient, on-time and inexpensive - many towns sprung up in the 19th century as spa or holiday resorts and their buildings around the stations often have a decaying grandure.

I still recommend rail as the best way to discover france and love to see the expression on the faces of the SNCF staff when asked for the time of the next train - they ask “to where” and you simply say, “anywhere” .

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Hi there,

Do you have any suggestions on how to find a room to let (27 August
through 7 September) aside from Craig’s List? I’m thinking Bourgogne or Loire, for a cozy little getaway in the country, for a single, francophone female. There used to be a great site for Provence, but it’s now gone… Any favorite places?

Thanks!
K

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Hi K,

Both those places are out of my area - I sort of like Dijon and Beaune, but would not want to live there - the Loire is like the Mississippi (a bit smaller), a long river covering many different areas - Haute Loire, north of St Etienne is good and I have happy memories of staying with friends at their farm.

Depends how you are traveling - best way is by rail - just get a roaming ticket - get off at a couple of towns - find a place you like and ask in a cafe for a good bed and breakfast, much more fun that way and no disappointments, just discoveries.

Zoom around on Google maps, find an interesting sounding place with a rail station and see what happens.

Bonne Route

Tony