More Planning

The last several years we have been renting a house in the same small town in Provence outside of St. Remy (the community where Van Gogh was institutionalized).  This year we will rent there again, but will be arriving a week before our rental begins.  Due to the economy my company folded, and I am running my own business.  Each year we go for two to three weeks.  The first week is just about winding down from the year.  The second week we move into a different mode, more into truly relaxing, exploring, enjoying what we are doing.  If we are fortunate enough to stay into a third week, it is a completely different experience.  We truly slow down, contemplate the flowers, enjoy doing nothing without rushing to explore yet another beautiful French village, and we feel no guilt about not pushing ourselves.  Maybe we will even sleep well for a few nights in a row.

This year will be an entirely new experience, at least for me.  We will be staying nearly four weeks.  So, while we have a house rental for three weeks, we are left to plan an extra week to explore somewhere I haven't been yet.  My husband of course has been everywhere, but has been there so long ago sometimes that he doesn't remember it all. 

Initially, I looked at Vendee since our very French dog's breed is from that region, but it seems that it is largely British tourists in that area due to its proximity to several channel crossings.  Although we have nothing against the British, we try to travel to areas where not much English is spoken, forcing us to speak more French.  We have opted against Alsace/Lorraine since it is North and near the German border.  We have explored the Alps during our stays at Courcheval 1850 (meters).  We will be in Provence for three weeks. We have spent considerable time in Paris over the years.  Normandy is too cold.  Thus, it appears we are headed for Burgandy, close to Paris and at least heading South toward Provence.  Perhaps we will find a new Autoroute that will not take us through Lyon on our way South.  

But then again, every time we try to travel South from Paris, be it toward Provence, Cote d'Azure or to the Alps, it seems as though all roads lead to Lyon.