What are some of the "must-see" places for a short (10-day) trip to Southern France?

What are some of the "must-see" places for a short (10-day) trip to Southern France?

Thanks for the A2A, Allison! My answer would depend on what you like. If you’re into history and culture (and some of the most extraordinary food in France), I’d suggest a couple of days in Lyon. Although it’s no longer the case, it was for a long time France’s second-largest city. It’s roots go back to Roman rule in Gaul, so you’ll find some amazing Roman ruins (and it’s worth a day trip to Vienne, south of the city, to see the Roman temple that inspired some of Thomas Jefferson’s architecture and the archeological site uncovering a complete Roman trading town).

And the food…Lyon was the cradle of French nouvelle cuisine, but it’s also the home of classic dishes like saurkraut and Lyonnaise sausages. You can find some very high-end restaurants (Michelin 3-star) in the area, but our personal preference is to check out one of the 4 brasseries operated by Paul Bocuse in downtown Lyon. They are named for the 4 compass directions (Le Sud, Le Nord, L’Est, and L’Ouest) — we’ve tried 3 of the 4 and found them all to be great value, fine food, and good wine for a reasonable price.

And if your travel preferences go more in the direction of outdoor activities, let me suggest a stop in Clermont-Ferrand, in the heart of the Auvergne. It’s surround by a chain of extinct volcanoes (and their crater lakes), so it’s a great place for hiking, camping, parasailing, fishing, boating, and cycling. There’s history here, too — the fine church of Notre Dame du Port was where the Pope came to launch the First Crusade, and Blaise Pascal did his experiments on barometric pressure from the tallest peak in the volcano range