A large part of the Ile de France region (formerly known as the Paris region) is taken up by the Paris metropolitan area, including the departments of Paris itself, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne. Outside of this, as the population begins to thin out, lie the departments of Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Essonne and Val d'Oise. Perhaps not surprisingly, this is the most densely populated area of France.
Central Paris of course needs little description. In the outlying departments where there are many satellite towns and villages, the countryside becomes green and pleasant, dotted with chateaux and palaces (such as Fontainebleu and Versailles) and parks and forests.
Of course there are apartments and studios in Paris if you are looking for places to stay here, but outside of the main urban areas there are more rural gites, cottages and farmhouses to host your Parisian getaway.