Mélusine: I agree. Paris is great, and one of the best experiences in the world - but it doesn’t represent the French countryside very well. That is a very different - and also great - experience. You cannot see ‘France’ in one visit, there are too many distinct parts with their own highlights. I have been traveling to France for over forty years, over and over to different places, and there is still so much I haven’t seen.
(You probably can guess I’m a big fan of France, but really, I’m not overselling it)