I said “months” but it was a bunch of separate trips 2-3 weeks at a time, for work. The benefit is it was all paid for by work, except for my wife’s airfare. The downside is I had to work during the day, but it worked out well.
I’d recommend Grenoble, Aix-en-Provence, Nantes.
For anyone wanting a more immersive experience (after you’ve done the usually tourist trip to Paris) is go to a different town and stay for at least a week. You can get short-term weekly rentals of a furnished apartment rather than staying in touristy hotels. It helps to be able to understand a bit of French, especially for reading signs and menus. But in the towns I mentioned you can definitely get by with English.
Similar to others, a couple weeks for work that blended into vacations, in Toulouse and surroundings. Really enjoyed Carcassonne, and the wine on tap while working at CNES.
@rjquillin Reminds me of doing work at a semiconductor company in France where at lunch people from the group went to lunch together in the cafeteria; it was traditional for someone each day to buy a bottle of wine and then it would be split among the 5-7 people (mostly SW/HW engineers). The weather was usually nice so we could sit outside. Then since there was no hurry there would be plenty of time to take a healthy walk around the tree-lined grounds. Made me ask myself what we were doing wrong in this country. It’s not just about the amazing French food and wine, but also the work-life balance, enjoying life, environment, health. Things that seemed crazy 20 years ago here.
@pmarin@rjquillin The week I spent in France (back around 1996) was training customers at a 3M factory in Villebon (just south of Paris). When they bought the facility it had a lunchroom with a chef, and they decided to keep it. Someone from 3M told me that the best meals I would eat in France would be the lunches at the factory, and he was right! Usually 3 courses (desert or fromage tray at the end) complete with wine. Quite memorable!
Was there for one week (for work).
I said “months” but it was a bunch of separate trips 2-3 weeks at a time, for work. The benefit is it was all paid for by work, except for my wife’s airfare. The downside is I had to work during the day, but it worked out well.
I’d recommend Grenoble, Aix-en-Provence, Nantes.
For anyone wanting a more immersive experience (after you’ve done the usually tourist trip to Paris) is go to a different town and stay for at least a week. You can get short-term weekly rentals of a furnished apartment rather than staying in touristy hotels. It helps to be able to understand a bit of French, especially for reading signs and menus. But in the towns I mentioned you can definitely get by with English.
6 or 7 weeks after HS graduation, tail end of an exchange program. Been back three other times.
Similar to others, a couple weeks for work that blended into vacations, in Toulouse and surroundings. Really enjoyed Carcassonne, and the wine on tap while working at CNES.
@rjquillin Reminds me of doing work at a semiconductor company in France where at lunch people from the group went to lunch together in the cafeteria; it was traditional for someone each day to buy a bottle of wine and then it would be split among the 5-7 people (mostly SW/HW engineers). The weather was usually nice so we could sit outside. Then since there was no hurry there would be plenty of time to take a healthy walk around the tree-lined grounds. Made me ask myself what we were doing wrong in this country. It’s not just about the amazing French food and wine, but also the work-life balance, enjoying life, environment, health. Things that seemed crazy 20 years ago here.
@pmarin @rjquillin The week I spent in France (back around 1996) was training customers at a 3M factory in Villebon (just south of Paris). When they bought the facility it had a lunchroom with a chef, and they decided to keep it. Someone from 3M told me that the best meals I would eat in France would be the lunches at the factory, and he was right! Usually 3 courses (desert or fromage tray at the end) complete with wine. Quite memorable!