I am as green as the grass on the Esplanade de Invalides at your posting in Paris. I was there for five months in 1997 living on Rue de Grenelle in the 7th arrondissement. I could see the Eiffel Tower from the end of my street too. My work project was lousy but what a great place to be when you need a diversion!

But enough reminiscing. You asked about Oxford and the area around it. Assuming that you have a car, you should consider visiting two places in the nearby Cotswolds. The village of Bibury is one of the loveliest in England (that is almost a direct quote from William Morris). It is very cozy and picturesque. Check out http://www.visit-glos.org.uk/cities/bibury.htm for more info.

And Cirencester dates from Roman times. As the Roman town of Corinium, it was the second largest town in Britain at that time. Besides some very interesting Roman history to explore, I also recall a nice market on Saturday mornings. See http://www.visit-glos.org.uk/cities/cirencester.htm for more info.

Bonne journee.

Mark Los Angeles