Another Trip to France!  Why just go to Paris?  After finishing shopping, leave Paris and head West to a wonderful region where Cider and Calvados and the best Camembert are produced.  It is only a two-hour drive from Paris, and many French people leave the capitol on weekends to stay in their country or seaside homes in Normandy.

Don't stay at the famous beaches of Normandy, but explore the glorious countryside. 

There are magnificent old villages, medieval abbeys, castles and picturesque towns as well as unspoiled countryside.  You will learn a lot about French history and French cuisine.

Two years ago we rented a house half an hour from Rouen, a lovely city with ancient streets and buildings and a medieval Gothic cathedral.  Our holiday home was an old half-timbered house from the 18th century with many original features and the old glass in the windows.

 

We rented the entire house from an elderly gentleman who lived next door, who was originally from Germany, and who loved visiting with his guests.  We found the rental via the internet, and at a very reasonable price.  The sitting room above, as the rest of the house, is furnished with antiques.  The ancient church clock across the street struck every quarter hour, and we thought we had returned to the 18th century!  It was heaven, and we are sure to go back for another vacation.