I presume you mean Bordeaux, not Barcelona?
With arthritic hands, I have to draft everything off line - spell check gremlins again!
btw thanks - iāve yet to get to Barcelona, so it may have been wishful thinking; done most of the French spots several times, just not yet reached Reims; agree with one of the earlier comments, Alsace is always worth a visit for the scenery and its delightful vino.
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Words of wisdom.
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Maybe itās a sign you should book a flight 
Lots of great info in your post. Iāve never driven in Paris but it sounds terrifying. I have ridden a motorbike in a few hairy places. Iran, Turkey and India come to mind! Iran in particular, where every car has its wing mirrors removed.
In terms of direction as a clock face you are starting at one oāclock and clockwise you need to get to seven oāclock.
When I drove through that section in December thatās where it got tricky in the airport area then it was OK when I got to the junction with the A10/A11, but in between it was a nightmare. The concentration required will fry your brain. @sound-hound has some very good advice.
I actually looked into flying into Barcelona, but itās about equidistant from Bordeaux. I also looked into flying to Bordeaux, but the connection left the traveling time about the same.
Erica and I have each been to Paris several times, and I have no intention of getting behind a wheel there. Other than Bordeaux to Bourgogne, I donāt know how much driving we will do.
My French is pauvre, but Iām working through one of those on-line programs. I just hope it sticks in practice.
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Barcelona was a mistake on my part, Bordeaux is a long way apart.
Probably true thebadyogi, what anyone unfamiliar with french driving wonāt initially realise, is that priority in Paris and some other areas, is different to what those of us in the uk at least, are used to. Example, priority is to the right, so traffic slows on entering a roundabout, rather than speeding up - rear end shunts not unknown.
Then there is a list of requirements that have to be within the car, when driving in France, which includes but is not confined to, the speed limies which change wth the weather, breathalyzer kit, Gilets jaunes, warning triangles and more. Ignorance with a French gendarme is not advised - on the spot fines; no questions or negotiations.
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Another option is to take the TGV from Paris to Aix en Provence. Itās maybe the nicest region in France, and no rain, nice weather, 3 hours from Paris. You rent a car in Aix and you can visit so many nice little towns, vignoblesā¦and have also mountains and the sea.
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From memory that must be the A1 down past Roissy? Yep past the Stade de France and into the tunnel just before the peripherique. Second half of the nineties my car was in my clients car park right in central Paris and occasionally I drove out. Coming back into Paris, often badly tailgated - Uk plates of course - despite having a powerful German car and a solid right foot you hoped you could get enough distance to safely exit at the junction intendedā¦if not go on until you could do the next best thing (route). Neither of us have mentioned the wet or dark of course Andy!
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I drive down to Deauville on the Normandy coast on a regular basis and that is a dream of a drive from Calais to Deauville in less than 3 hours of peage motoway on roads that are a joy to drive. Plus I have an automatique toll bleeper which makes life easy.
I find the sat nav app WAZE very good as it gives you breakdown info, police and speed camera locations.
I agree with your assessment. I bicycled around Provence a few years ago. 
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This triggers fond memories of a 2020 trip to Sancerre and a family wine-tasting (wasnāt the plan but my teenage children were invited by the owner of the vineyard to begin their education in wine alongside practicing their French). A warm summer evening spent discussing a range of topics in French and English, with the owner and with our hosts, tasting 8-10 different wines and buying a mix of reds and whites before departing for dinner nearby. What stays with me is the charm and generosity of spirit of the French we met and the impact this experience had on my children. My sonās school has him teaching French at a local primary school one afternoon a week and this visit with the French contributed to his confidence to take this assignment on.
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nice area, ditto the vino, i have friends in Bourges
difficult to say the same about many parisiens CJā¦as for some of the waiters in many Paris restaurants, best left unsaid
my pa, long ago, in Julien (old Paris brasserie) ordered grilled fish and requested frites instead of the potato of the dishā¦response was declined with mention of frites being served at mcDs - best not to offend in a paris restaurant, the customer is never right!
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I havent read the whole thread, but I have some observations based on 40+ years experience of visiting winemakers. Some of them are my personal friends, now.
September is the wrong month to visit any winemaker who is not a huge company/ business ( which is surely not your intention?). Why? Its normally the month of the vendage- they are at work from dawn to dusk, once picking starts. You will not meet anybody worth meeting. October or November ( or later ) are better. Winemaking is governed by the seasons. It all happens when nature permits.
Secondly, if you want to get near anybody that makes wine- forget Bordeaux. The Chateaux there are 20/30+ times the size of Burgundian domaines.
Champagne is for tourists unless you know the names of good small producers. There are lots of outstanding small producers and even more average/ mediocre ones. Research is paramount. Showing up w/o knowledge is like being a one fingered monte carlo piano player. A few notes will be ok, but it will still sound dreadful.
The Alsace is stunningly beautiful. The wines are brilliant (& sensibly priced), the food as good as anywhere. Ribeauville, Ammerschwir & Riquewir is where you will find pleasure & fulfillment. And great wines & great winemakers.
Then head south to Avignon/Ampuis for the Rhone (N & S)- the other place in France for Ā« qualite prix Ā» ( VFM). Cote Rotie, Condrieu and CNdP.
But, why restrict yourself to France.
Italy & Spain are the new pleasure grounds.
But thats another chapter.
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And Portugal has the best wine in Europe.
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I agree about Champagne and whilst Languedoc is lovely it is huge as are the Southern and northern Rhone when combined.
Alsace is fantastic!
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As someone with a Portuguese son in law - and grandson, I cannot agree with this. Good wines yes, but not great (Port excepted).
Sorry but no. France has the best wine in Europe - itās just that you now need incredibly deep pockets to drink the best wine that France has to offer. For quality v cost I think that Portugal, Spain and Greece are the best in Europe.