In Two Weeks

With 2 weeks to explore France, you'll have time to visit several regions -- not only Paris, but also the best of the Loire Valley châteaux, the most history-rich town of Provence (Avignon), and several resorts on the Riviera, taking in the beaches, modern-art galleries, and even the principality of Monaco.

For Days 1 through 7, follow the "France in 1 Week" itinerary.

Day 8: Orléans -- Gateway to the Loire Valley

On Day 8, leave Paris on an early train to Orléans (trip time: 1 hr., 15 min.). Heavily bombed in World War II, Orléans is a fairly dull town. Rent a car here and drive west to the Château de Chambord, the largest château in the Loire Valley, representing the apogee of the French Renaissance architectural style. Allow 2 hours for a visit. Back on the road again, continue southwest to the Château de Blois, called "the Versailles of the Renaissance" and a virtual illustrated storybook of French architecture. Stay overnight in Blois.

Day 9: Amboise and Chenonceau

On the morning of Day 9, continue southeast from Blois to Amboise, where you can check into a hotel for the night. Visit the 15th-century Château d'Amboise, in the Italian Renaissance style, and also Clos-Lucé, last residence of Leonardo da Vinci. In the afternoon, drive southeast to the Château de Chenonceau, famous for the French dames who have occupied its precincts, including Diane de Poitiers (mistress of the king) and Catherine de Médicis. You can spend 2 hours at the château before driving back to Amboise for the night.

Day 10: Avignon -- Gateway to Provence

From Amboise, get an early start on Day 10 and drive east to Orléans to return your rental car. You now face a choice: You can take a morning train from Orléans to Paris's Gare d'Austerlitz and then catch the Métro or a taxi to the Gare de Lyon, where you can hop aboard a TGV (fast train) that will put you in Avignon in about 2 1/2 hours. Or, you can take a train from Orléans to Lyon and change trains for Avignon.

Check into a hotel in Avignon, capital of Provence. Before the day fades, you should have time to wander through the old city to get your bearings, buy some colorful Provençal fabrics and see one of the smaller sights such as the Pont St-Bénézet (also known as the Bridge of Avignon).

Day 11: Avignon to St-Tropez

In the morning, spend 2 hours touring the Palais des Papes, which was the capital of Christendom during the 14th century when the popes lived here during the so-called "Babylonian Captivity." After lunch in one of Europe's most beautiful medieval cities, rent a car and drive to St-Tropez. If it's summer, get in some beach time and spend a good part of the early evening in one of the cafes along the harbor, indulging in that favorite French pastime of people-watching.

Day 12: Cannes -- Capital of the Riviera Chic

Before leaving St-Tropez in the morning, check out the Impressionist paintings at Musée de l'Annonciade. Drive 50km (31 miles) east along the coast until you reach Cannes.

Assuming it's summer, get in some time at the beach, notably at Plage de la Croisette, and feel free to wear your most revealing swimwear. In the afternoon, take the ferry to Ile Ste-Marguerite, where the "Man in the Iron Mask" was imprisoned. You can visit his cell. That evening, you may want to flirt with Lady Luck at one of the plush casinos.

Day 13: Nice: Capital of the Riviera

It's only a 32km (20-mile) drive east from Cannes to Nice, the Riviera's largest city. After checking into a hotel (the most affordable along the Riviera), stroll through Vieille Ville, the Old Town beginning at the foot of "the Rock." Enjoy a snack of socca, a round crepe made with chickpea flour that's sold steaming hot by the street vendors. Then head for the promenade des Anglais, the wide boulevard along the waterfront. Stop in at one of the grand cafes along the water for a light lunch. In the afternoon, head for the best of the hill towns above Nice, notably St-Paul-de-Vence, only 31km (19 miles) to the north. Here you can wander its ramparts in about 30 minutes before descending on the greatest modern-art museum in the Riviera, the Foundation Maeght.

Continue over to Vence for a visit to Chapelle du Rosaire, where the great Henri Matisse created his artistic masterpiece for some Dominican nuns. From there, it's just 24km (15 miles) southeast to Nice.

Have dinner at a typical bistro, serving a traditional Niçoise cuisine with the inevitable Italian influences.

Day 14: Nice to Monaco

While still overnighting in Nice, head east for the most hair-raising but thrilling drive in all of France, a trip along the Grande Corniche highway that stretches 31km (19 miles) east from Nice to the little resort of Menton near the Italian border. Allow 3 hours for this trip. Highlights along this road include Roquebrune-Cap Martin and La Turbie. The greatest view along the Riviera is at the Eze Belvedere at 1,200m (3,937 ft.).