Le Grand
Why? Simply put, Le Grand is the hotel you have in your mind's eye when you think of a classic, grand European hotel. Plus, the spa downstairs is a hidden gem.

Hôtel Keppler
Why? Terribly chic yet tucked away, the Keppler is a stone's throw from the Champs Elysées.

Hôtel Bellechasse
Why? Christian Lacroix's fashionable mecca in the 7th Arrondissement, the Bellechasse, practically stares at the Musée d'Orsay.

Fête de la Musique 2010: Celebrate Women in Music

If you think "feminine" French music is just Edith Piaf and Charlotte Gainsbourg, you need to experience the Fête de la Musique, on Monday, June 21. .

Bordeaux
This gorgeous historic town, sans tourists, is a Unesco World Heritage site. Close to the Atlantic Ocean and the Cap Ferret oyster farms, it has world-class wine tasting, with a fête du vin at the end of June.

Sceaux
A day trip from Paris, Sceaux has a gorgeous château and market.

Ile de Ré
This is the island of in-the-know Parisians. Dubbed the Hamptons of France, it's free of American tourists but full of hollyhocks, glorious bike rides and 17th-century walled villages. You can even try kiteboarding.

St.-Emilion
This fairy tale—like village is also a Unesco World Heritage site. Famous for its wine, it's a pathway to the Dordogne.

Aveyron
Our friends Rain and Lance have a selection of absolutely adorable maisons and cottages in this yet-to-be-discovered region of France. Aveyron is authentic, beautiful and not overrun like Provence. The prices on these babies are very reasonable.