French Christmas Vlog
Watch how we spent the week of Christmas in the Alsace region of France!
Watch How We Spent Christmas in Colmar
More Information
If you would like more details about our week in the Alsace, consider reading my other posts “Seven Days in The Alsace,” and “Spend Christmas in France.”
Seven Days in The Alsace Region of France
A Week In The Alsace-Lorraine
We love having travel experiences that deviate from the traditional, so it was only a matter of time before we went ‘all-in’ on visiting the Christmas Markets by spending Christmas in Europe.
For our first visit to the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, we decided to hit three cities, two of which had major holiday markets and one having an entirely different reason for visiting. For visiting the Christmas Markets, we made our plans based on the time frame for our visit (you can read more about the “Christmas” portion of our trip HERE).
Where to Stay and Go
For our purposes, we stayed in Colmar, located just 40 minutes south of Strasbourg and just 45 minutes north of Basel Switzerland (the nearest international Airport). Colmar is very conveniently situated for quick access to many towns along the rail line as well as by bus. If you want to stay put, Colmar is also a charming place with plenty of ways to spend several days soaking up the charm of the area.
Day Trips
Taking the train, we spent one full day in Strasbourg, though in hindsight, I would recommend spending at least three days investigating the many attractions the city has to offer, if not more. We went to the Christmas Markets, catching the last full day before they shut down for the season, but we also paid a visit to the Galleries Lafayette (which are shopping destinations that are not to be missed).
In addition to Strasbourg, we also took a 30-minute bus ride (departing from a stop right next to the Colmar tourist office) to the town of Kaysersberg-Vignoble. If you’ve been following our past travels you’ve probably seen me refer to Anthony Bourdain on more than one occasion but Kaysersberg also has a connection to Mr. Bourdain (although very macabre).
Kaysersberg is a charming town, much smaller than neighboring Colmar, tucked away in the Alsatian hills and surrounded by vineyards. A combination of the slightly more remote location, the smaller size of the town, and the marginal increase in elevation from that of its larger neighbors leave you feeling much further away from the hustle and bustle of daily life than just 30 minutes.
Perched above the town, but only a short, easy walk, is a partially restored ruin of a 13th-century castle. If you walk up, you’ll be charmed by the beautiful views of the town below, the vineyards that seem to stretch on forever, and the only sounds being the chatter of your fellow walkers and the sound of the raging waters of the Weiss River that cuts through the town. You may choose to climb the steps of the restored castle tower for a further elevated view of the surroundings.
Back in town, you’ll find a long main corridor of shops, boutique hotels, and restaurants. Cars are relegated to the outskirts of old-town, so feel free to absentmindedly meander your way from charming shop window to shop window. We were visiting just after Christmas (December 27th), the vestige of their small holiday market still on site but now shuttered. I can only imagine how romantic it must be to stay in this town when the market is open.
We visited many shops, most still selling holiday decorations, but one being decidedly different. Verrerie d’Art de Kaysersberg was a local artist studio featuring a glassblower workshop and attached gallery. We stood and watched as a man spun the hot glass in the oven, working quickly but patiently in front of a small crowd gathered to watch his work from behind the barriers set up for this purpose. We visited the gallery of beautiful glass baubles and unique holiday ornaments, one of which we purchased and then invoked the favor of the gods to get home without breaking.
Our final stop in Kaysersberg was to peak through the windows of Le Chambard Restaurant and adjoining hotel, the location of which was the last dining location and accommodation of the aforementioned Anthony Bourdain. Why we felt compelled to see this place, I couldn’t tell you, but as travelers and ardent admirers of his sage travel advice, it felt like an oddly necessary pilgrimage.
Where we Stayed
As previously mentioned, we selected Colmar as our home base from which we explored the surrounding areas. Visiting the holidays also drastically narrowed the scope of what we saw, but I would venture to say that it would also serve as an excellent base during the warmer months of the year.
Colmar offers a wide array of shops, restaurants, hotels, and activities, but being that we were there primarily for the Christmas markets, endeavored to stay in a classic example of the half-timbered architecture for which the area is famous, in addition to being near the Christmas markets. We ultimately booked an Airbnb in the Tanneurs district of the old town, a fifth-floor walk-up apartment that, fortunately, was worth the huffing and puffing (bags in tow) involved with each trek up and down the stairs.
Old Town feels more like the set of a movie than that of a real place. Winding streets lined with half-timbered houses, buildings with ornamented slate and tile roofs, each window bordered with shutters and flower boxes, overlook the cobblestone (car-free) streets below. Small canals wind through the town, though mostly disused, some are still in partial use for shuttling tourists around on small wooden boat tours (which I highly recommend).
As with most cities in Europe, a church (or two) typically anchors the center of the city, and given that we were there over Christmas, we decided to take the opportunity to attend a service instead of just passing through and taking pictures. No one in our party spoke enough French to understand what was being said during the service, however, the experience was still very special.
Our Seven Day Itinerary
Day One -
Arrived in Zurich and then boarded an SBB train from the Flughafen rail station (below the airport) bound for Basel Switzerland. Change trains in Basel and continue to Colmar (total train travel time was roughly two hours). After arriving in the Colmar, get checked into our Airbnb and then take a preliminary look at the neighborhood where we were staying.
Day Two -
Took the train from Colmar up to Strasbourg (roughly 40 minutes), went shopping at Galleries Lafayette, explored the Christmas Markets, then took the train back to Colmar.
Day Three (Christmas Eve) -
Did a photo shoot with a local photographer that I found on Instagram (we try to do this at least once on each European vacation), followed by grocery shopping, visiting the Christmas markets, ridding the Ferris Wheel (set up at one of the Christmas markets), and finally, attended a midnight service at the nearby cathedral.
Day Four (Christmas Day) -
Slept late, made breakfast at home, followed by shopping at the Christmas Markets (they were the only things open). Made dinner at home.
Day Five -
Final day of shopping at the Christmas Markets, took a boat tour of Little Venice (in old town), ate dinner at Bord'eau, a Michelin star restaurant along the canal.
Day Six -
Boarded a local bus and went to Kaysersberg-Vignoble for the day.
Day Seven -
Take the early train to the Saint-Louis train station (a town just outside of Basel), and catch the airport shuttle that runs to this station (you’ll need to run to catch it but comes every 30 minutes if you miss it as it’s timed to the train arrival schedule). Board flight at Basel International Airport and depart.
Summary
Here are a few of my thoughts about the places we went, based on my recent experience:
The Food - Do not expect that since you are in France, you will be eating French food in the Alsace. We were lucky to find a couple of bakeries that offered a small number of croissants each day, but the cuisine here leans more heavily German than French. That said, this is Alsace first and French/German second and third, so the food reflects that tradition.
The Shopping - We were here during the holiday market frenzy and made them our priority but Colmar and Strasbourg have tons of shops worth visiting, whether you’re a fashion-minded person (like my husband and me), a home-goods motivated person, or even antiques, there are tons of shops across a wide spectrum of tastes and price points.
What would I do again? I would 100% do the boat tour in Colmar again, but (a word to the wise) there are at least three different boat operators in Colmar with all three leaving from different launch points. Save yourself from waiting in lines by booking in advance, but know exactly which one you’re heading to before you waste a bunch of time at the wrong place and then panic running to the correct one.
Would I recommend going during the holidays? This is a tough question because I had an amazing time, but the crowds were overwhelming. Gone are the days of social distancing, and being crammed against wall-to-wall people is a drag. If you don’t need a lot of personal space, or if you only plan to visit a few holiday markets, I say go for it!
Would I go back to the Alsace? Absolutely! I would love to see more of the area, visit a few of the vineyards, and spend more time in Strasbourg.
Checkout our videos on YouTube or see the video about this particular tip HERE.
Questions or Comments? Leave me a message.
Spend Christmas in France
Why we skipped Christmas at home in favor of the Christmas markets in Colmar and the Alsace region of France.
Skipping Christmas
When planning this trip, I found very little information about the logistics of being in another country over the actual Christmas holiday. Burning questions like “Will the trains be running,” or “How will we feed ourselves?” These are some of the important details that many bloggers seem to fail at answering because they traveled near the time of Christmas but not actually over the holiday itself. For those of you seeking answers, look no further, I have information for you!
To begin, Christmas is my favorite holiday; the food, the colors, the smells, and the sounds fill me with joy each year when I get to untangle my tree garland and cut out cookies that I’ll lose enthusiasm to decorate after the first two. That said, it often gets co-opted by obligations, reciprocal gift-giving, and spending money that hurts for months afterward. None of these later things are in keeping with what I enjoy most about the holiday season. For Christmas 2023, we decided to say “F*** it," and we left town.
With my mother-in-law in tow (It would NOT be Christmas if she were not with us), we packed our bags and boarded a plane on December 21st, bound for Zurich Switzerland.
Our First European Christmas Vacation
If you saw my posts about spending New Year 2022 in Salzburg Austria you might know that I’ve been obsessing over the opportunity to see more Christmas markets in Europe. I’ve been compiling a mental list of the length of my arm of the various trinkets and holiday bobbles I wanted to acquire, so when the time came to pounce, I was ready.
It’s important to know that when planning a visit to the holiday markets in Europe, many of them occur during Advent and conclude before Christmas Day.
However, after much research into the various markets, the cities hosting them, proximity to airports, and a variety of other factors, we determined that of the markets staying open the longest, the Alsace region of France, and most specifically, Colmar, was the place for us. Offering six markets that stayed open until December 28th, which offered us the flexibility to take our time and not have to rush through the markets right before closing for the season.
Another bonus to this location was the classic holiday ambiance baked into staying in a medieval city. Half-timbered houses line the narrow, car-free streets, leaving you feeling as though you are a character in a Charles Dickens novel. Adding to the overall holiday “vibe,” the Alsace region has been under the control of both Germany and France several different times, which has left a distinct impression on the area. People speak both languages, the food is mainly cheese and pretzel-based, and Walt Disney used Colmar as the inspiration for the tiny village that Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) was from.
Holiday Travel Logistics -
Unlike being at home in your own house over a major holiday, there are many logistical factors that need to be considered when traveling abroad. Things like getting your morning coffee, what will be open, how will you actually spend the day. I’m not an expert, but here’s what I can tell you about what Christmas Day was like in Colmar, France.
*An important detail to note, is the transit system has reduced operation on Christmas Eve, no service on Christmas Day, and again, limited service the day after. Make sure that you don’t have to get anywhere that requires more than your own two feet unless you want to deal with a rental car.
What was open on Christmas:
The Christmas market! That’s right, they all opened, including the food vendors within the markets. That said, the regular shops and most restaurants were closed on Christmas Day and the day after. On Christmas Eve, we made a grocery run and got everything we might need for a couple of days, not knowing that we would have options available to us. However, being that most food at the markets was savory or novelty, it was good to be able to make our own breakfast at our Airbnb.
What was there to do on Christmas:
For several years we have made it a point to book a photographer to take nice photos of us on vacation, this trip was no different. I found a photographer on Instagram (her profile can be found here) and reserved her services probably six months in advance of our trip (we reserved a time slot for on Christmas Eve morning). Later that day things started shutting down earlier than normal, with the exception being the holiday markets. We ate dinner at one of the main food tents and then rode the Ferris wheel that was setup nearby and then later that night, (a special activity worth considering) we attended a holiday service at the main church in town, which was a midnight Christmas service., As was expected, the service was totally in French (no one in my party speaks fluently), but they also sang the same classic Christmas songs that we know in our native English, which was very comforting. We’re not frequent church goers, but we greatly enjoyed opportunity to experience a service in one of the many beautiful old churches of Europe.
On Christmas Day, we slept in, made coffee and ate day-old pastries that we had picked up the day before. Back home, we would have opened gifts and then had the television on a continuous loop of holiday movies, but we didn’t find that this was an available option to us on French television, not that we would have been able to understand them any way. Given the time difference, we waited until early afternoon to start making calls back to our loved ones in the US, and then we got dressed and spent the rest of the day roaming around the markets and people watching.
What I bought at the Colmar Christmas Markets
This information may not be of any interest to you, but I was super eager to know what might be available to me before experiencing the markets for myself.
Every market is slightly different (Colmar had six or seven), each with a slightly different emphasis, some had more wine vendors, others offered more children-focused items, while still, others had more hand-crafted decorations. The thing we noticed is that while the overall “theme” of each market was slightly different, the mix of vendors was largely the same at each, so don’t feel that if you missed purchasing something at one market that you’ll not have another opportunity to purchase something similar from a different vendor, there are lots of very similar products and vendors.
With that in mind, hand-painted crockery is the signature item for the Alsace region, you’ll see it everywhere. Beautifully glazed and brightly colored, you’ll find platters, bowls, tureens, teapots, and various other baking dishes covered in patterns consisting largely of hearts and storks (both are heavily used symbols in this area). For our part, we purchased a beautiful blue platter and a small matching crock, but the platter broke into a million pieces on our way home.
Some of the other items that I crammed into my luggage included two springle cookie presses, an embossed rolling pin, one cookie cutter (for the springle presses), a nutcracker, several tree ornaments, two ceramic tabletop village houses, a wooden candle pyramid, and two embroidered table runners. Unfortunately, I failed to take pictures of any of these items during purchase, and are already packed away for the year.
Reflections And Things to Know:
Opting out of gift-giving and much of the other "normal" responsibilities of the Holidays allowed me to just relax and enjoy the season. That said, having skipped Christmas and gone to France, here are a few key takeaways:
Did I spend less money by going on the trip rather than buying gifts?
No. I probably spent more money. The cost of flights so near any major holiday is significantly more expensive than normal and the same is true for accommodations, our Airbnb was triple the nightly rate of what it charges the majority of the year.
Did I feel like I “missed out” by not being at home and seeing more of my family for the holiday?
Also No. This might have been different if we had gone somewhere tropical or someplace that wasn’t so Christmas-oriented, even our Airbnb host had thoughtfully decorated the apartment for us. Stripping back so much of what has become “normal” Christmas stuff made me feel some of the magic I felt as a kid before I had responsibilities.
Did I enjoy the Christmas Markets as much as I thought I would?
This one is tough, but I have to say yes, but with a caveat. I loved the markets, but as someone who struggles with crowds, staying so near to the markets, thereby engaging with the crowds every day for a week, was too much for me. I liked being able to go more than once because it removed the stress of needing to see and find everything in just one day, but I will need to limit my crowd exposure in the future… 2 to 3 days max.
Will I travel over Christmas again in the future?
Probably. I think many of the elements I enjoyed about this trip could probably be just as easily obtained by visiting earlier during Advent (aka earlier in December) and at a lower travel cost than over the holiday itself. However, the stigma of being “home for Christmas” feels much less important now, but maybe I’ll try to talk more of my family into skipping town with us ;)
If you would like to watch a short video about our trip, you can see it HERE.
Have questions or need advice? Leave me a comment or shoot me an email.
Five Days On The French Riviera
My First Trip to The Cote d’Azur
On the heels of a very leisurely week of cruising down the Canal du Midi (details found HERE), we proceeded to make our new home of Nice, our base for five days of exploring the famous French Riviera.
Our Itinerary:
Day 1 - Arrive by train from Aix-en-Provence, check into our Airbnb, and a very rushed visit to the brocante market at the Cours Saleya Market before it closed at 3 PM (phew!).
Day 2 - Explore the Old Town with a local photographer for some couple's photos (we try to do this at least once on every trip), and do some shopping.
Day 3 - Relax! We chose to spend the majority of this day at the beach.
Day 4 - Spend a half-day in the village of Eze and then visited Monte-Carlo, Monaco, followed by a sunset dinner at Le Plongeoir back in Nice.
Day 5 - A Full-day visit to the town of Grasse, where we did a little exploration, took a Fragonard factory tour, and then a perfume workshop.
Day 6 - We had a morning departure flight from the Nice Airport.
Day 1 - Arrival
Travel days are usually stressful, from the dozen checks to make sure you didn’t leave a charger or your favorite face cream in the bathroom at the hotel you’re leaving, the anxiety of getting settled on to whatever form of transport you’re taking, and finally, getting checked-in and settled at your new and unfamiliar home, there are a lot of things that can go wrong on travel days.
With that in mind, even when everything runs smoothly, the potential of things going wrong can often distract you from the fact that you’re on vacation and should be having fun, but maybe that’s just me?
We had made a pit stop of one night in Aix-en-Provence after completing our barge cruise in Beziers and before arriving in Nice. I’ll write a post about that experience later on but since it was just a single night that happened to also be a Sunday, there’s not a ton of information to add, so I’m skipping ahead to our time on the Riviera).
Having taken a morning train from Aix-en-Provence, we arrived at the Nice Ville train station at around 11:30 am, followed by a brisk 15-20 minute walk (luggage in tow) to our Airbnb. After arriving and getting checked in, we once again hit the pavement in search of the Cours Saleya Market at around a little after 1 pm (much to the chagrin of my now hangry husband). Unfortunately, (despite having readily available and accurate information from Google Maps) the distance and time it took for us to traverse this distance were more than expected (30-40 minutes). So, after a nearly sprinting speed walk, we arrived sweaty, nearly out of breath, and with short fuses. To ensure that my husband didn’t combust on me, I elected that he should go get a nice lunch at one of the cafes that encircle the market and that I would dash around the market and check back in with him at the cafe, frequently (I don’t pay for phone service when we travel) to see if he was finished and ready to join me, but that I would try to make the most of the market before it closed (many vendors had already begun to close by the time we arrived).
Day 2 - Exploring Nice
Feeling more ourselves after a night of rest, we rose early to get coffee before our morning photo shoot. I believe that of the reasons to travel to Europe, morning coffee at the many cafes is among the biggest. Fully caffeinated, we met our photographer, who skillfully guided us through Old Town to all the best places, while giving us great ideas for places to return to after we were finished.
Following the conclusion of our self-imposed paparazzi session, we visited several boutiques in search of items on my wish list, which I was ultimately delighted to have found.
Later in the afternoon, after returning to our Airbnb for a little refresher, we made our way to the iconic (and nearby), hotel Negresco, where a couple of our friends were staying. Once there, a member of the hotel staff graciously guided our small group on a tour of the hotel and the extraordinary pieces of art and history that it contains. When the tour concluded in one of the two beautifully appointed bars, we treated ourselves to espresso martinis (the unintentional cocktail of the trip), and then we collectively made our way back to Old Town for an intimate but likely dinner at a Northern Indian restaurant.
Day 3 - Taking A Day Off
It may sound silly to want to take a day off from vacation, but there is real value in not making any plans for at least one day to allow yourself the unnecessary permission to be spontaneous. I have talked at length about this phenomenon in other posts, but being the planner that I am, I need to be reminded of it regularly.
To that end, we slept late on our third day, and after a quick Google search (using our Airbnb wi-fi) of the best brunch spots in Nice still serving food between 11am-noon, we found the jackpot! It so happened to be that one of the top 10 brunch recommendations for Nice, was located between our Airbnb and a private beach where we could rent loungers, so we had solved the question of how we would be spending the rest of our day. This brunch recommendation was named La Femme du Boulanger.
We arrived a short time later at the restaurant and sat down at a charming, but not overly elaborate, patio table at La Femme du Boulanger. We were greeted immediately by our server who gave us water, menus and asked us if we wanted to get started with anything before consulting the menu. We eagerly requested coffee and I (out of habit at this point in the trip) also asked for a pain au chocolate (a chocolate croissant). The waiter, seeming slightly perplexed and perhaps lacking the English vocabulary to respond to my request, assured us that he would be right back and then quickly left our table. Not a minute later, a young woman came to the table (followed closely by a young man in an apron who bolted out onto the street and then down the block), and explained that the restaurant did not have any pain au chocolates but that they sent a boy to the bakery to get one for me, and that our coffee would be ready momentarily. She then exited stage right and was replaced with our primarily French-speaking waiter, coffee in hand.
The story of this pseudo-comical brunch does not end with just ordering a pain au chocolate, however. Shortly after placing our food orders, an elderly gentleman, looking like what one would imagine as an old French country baker (I will refer to him as "bread man"), brought us a basket containing a variety of thick, freshly toasted bread slices, along with a selection of jars filled with different jams and spreads. I want to point out that I am not talking about Wonder Bread slices or store-bought bread rolls from large trays, but rather, honest-to-goodness, country-style loaves of bread. Now, you might be thinking that the significance of this bready detail is not the style of the bread or the variety of the spreads, rather, it is the man who brought it to our table.
After dropping off this perfectly toasted basket of grain goodness, the bread man proceeded to go and visit with other patrons (I assume them to be regulars given his familiarity). Meanwhile, we leisurely sipped our coffees and commented on how appetizing our newly acquired bread basket and spread assortment was, while we patiently waited for the food that we had ordered to arrive which was the wrong thing to do.
After completing his conversations at other tables, the bread man returned to our table and (to his dismay) discovered that we had not yet eaten all of the bread in our basket (he spoke no English, so I wasn’t sure of just how upset he was). He grabbed our basket and hurried inside the restaurant, leaving both my husband and I thoroughly confused by what had just happened. We had no sooner exchanged looks of confusion when we were rejoined by this perplexing Frenchman with a new basket of hot, toasted bread.
“Chaude,” he stated emphatically while placing pieces of the hot bread on each of our plates, making eye contact with each of us as he went, before setting down the new basket and once again leaving the table.
What finally sunk in after reflection and piecing together what french words we knew, were able to understand that he was the owner of the restaurant as well as the bread baker and that he wanted his bread eaten while it was at its best, a.k.a, warm. The bread man returned much later in our meal to make sure that we had eaten more of the bread in the basket, saw that we had, and gave us a big smile and a nod of approval. By the conclusion of this unusual dining experience, we were stuffed full of delicious food (including my pain au chocolate), had smiles on our faces, and even purchased two jars of one of the spreads they had served with the bread.
The rest of our day was spent stretched out on sun-loungers at Ruhl Plage (one of the many private beaches on the promenade des anglais a long the , where we marveled at not just the beautiful azure-colored water, but at how amazingly lucky we were to be there, together, and at that moment, we were full of carbs and truly at peace.
Day 4 - Village Visits & Sunset Dinners
Eze
Rising early, we booked an Uber Van (Uber+ does not exist in France, but they do use vans, which is better for bigger groups anyway) and made our way to the village of Eze. Reachable by car or train, but the train option requires a hike or a cab ride from the train station at the bottom of the hill on which Eze sits, however, we opted for a van so we could be dropped off directly at the village entrance, and therefore save time.
We arrived around 9:30 am before the shops had started to open (which occurs around 11 am), but neither had most of the tourists, providing us (largely) with the place to ourselves.
Contained within this stunningly beautiful medieval village, are two Chateau. Both of these chateaus are beautiful but serve slightly different purposes. The first of these is the Chateau de Eze (popular as a wedding venue), and the second is Chateau de Chevre d'Or (The Golden Goat). The Chateau de Chevre d'Or is a jaw-droppingly beautiful network of hotel rooms within the village walls and has multiple terrace restaurants and cafes (connected to the hotel). Despite being somewhat pricey, it is my opinion, that the cost of grabbing a drink or a meal at one of these cafes justifies the experience. We opted to get coffee and croissants at the cafe which shares the same terrace as the restaurant that serves the hotel guests breakfast.
After the most epic morning coffee ever, it was now after 11 am and the shops had begun to open, as did our wallets. With a wide variety of shops and art galleries, it isn't difficult to find a memorable souvenir at a price point that fits any size budget.
Monte Carlo - Monaco
After a somewhat frustrating series of driver-canceled Uber rides, we eventually made our way from Eze down to Monaco, but unfortunately, I made a major logistical flaw. I had wrongfully assumed that due to the relatively small geographic area of this famously small city-state, everything would be located near each other (which is true), but when our Uber driver asked if we wanted to go to the city center or the upper town, I defaulted to the “city center.” The result of my uninformed decision was us getting dropped off in front of the Monte-Carlo Casino, which is amidst the big brand shops, but not at all close to the cultural center (which is in the upper city).
At the end of the day, if we had more time to explore the area, I might feel differently, but in general, I was "underwhelmed" by Monaco and found it to feel like an expensive shopping mall near the water. The moral of the story (if there is one), is to research exactly where you want to be dropped off in Monaco before you go.
Le Plongeoir
Easily one of the most memorable dining experiences I've ever had occurred at a little restaurant famously perched out over the water, at Le Plongeoir. Unable to make a group reservation for eight adults, we opted to make reservations in groups of two, which worked out perfectly. Afterward, we all agreed that everything from the food and service to the weather and colors of the sunset, was filled with joy, and collectively created an experience that we will all treasure.
Day 5 - Exploring French Perfume in Grasse, France
I’ll write a post with more specifics of this experience, but suffice it to say that this was a highlight of our time on the Riviera. Referencing back to my earlier mention of transportation challenges to some of the inland villages of this region, we again opted to take an Uber van directly to the Fragonard museum (which also happens to be located in the heart of Grasse). Similar to Eze, there is a train that runs from Nice, however, the train station is (as was the case in Eze) located at the bottom of a big hill, which is much easier to walk down, than it is to walk up.
If you choose to visit Grasse and opt to visit a perfumer other than Fragonard, be sure to note the proximity of where they conduct their workshop to that of the old town in Grasse because some of them are closer than others.
In hindsight, I wish we had given ourselves more time just to explore Grasse, which was a warm and charming place with many little shops and cafes I would have loved to have visited, but the length of time it took for us to complete our factory tour and workshop, was longer (by more than an hour) than we had expected. Fortunately, we had enough time to pop into a few of these shops as well as to share the final dinner of the trip, followed by the winding walk down the hill to the train station, where we briefly boarded the wrong train back to Nice. Thankfully, we were corrected by a kindly local we had spoken with on the platform, who, on discovering our error, located us on the train and ushered us back off before the train left the station.
My Top Highlights of The French Riviera
Exploring the various markets held at the Cours Saleya Market in Nice
Breakfast at La Femme du Boulanger in Nice
Our half-day in the village of Eze
Dinner at Le Plongeoir
Our group perfume workshop at Fragonard in Grasse
Did I miss something that you feel should have been added to my “to-do” list during my trip? Add it as a comment below!
Canal Du Midi Cruise Vlog
Follow our experience of cruising on the Canal Du Midi by watching how we spent our time, or you can read more about it Here.
A week cruising from Carcassonne to Beziers.
Two Weeks in Southern France
If you had asked me when I was in my early 20’s what my life would look like at 40, I probably would have painted a very different picture than that of how my life actually looks. Fortunately, I can very honestly say that this newly minted 40 year old has a life that far exceeds the expectations of my younger self.
How We Spent Two Weeks in Southern France
My husband and I are blessed to have multiple friends that, like ourselves, enjoy international travel almost as much as they enjoy celebrating even the smallest of milestones with other members of our circle. It goes without saying, that when I announced my desire to spend my 40th birthday in southern France, everyone was on board.
The 15+ Day Itinerary
*Of the group of eight adults going on this trip, there were a total of 5 different travel itineraries as well as varying departure days, but for the purpose of this post, I will be focusing on my personal travel itinerary.
+MAY 18th - Depart Kansas City, MO USA > Change Planes in Atlanta, Georgia USA > Depart for London, UK
+MAY 19th - Arrive London, UK
+MAY 20th - (Yay, birthday!)
MAY 21st - Depart London, UK > Arrive Toulouse, France > Train from Toulouse to Carcassonne, France
MAY 22nd - Explore Carcassonne
MAY 23rd - Depart Carcassonne for Trebes > Board moored barge in Trebes, France
MAY 24th - Depart Trebes for Marseilette
MAY 25th - Depart Marseilette for Homps
MAY 26th - Depart Homps for Le Somail
MAY 27th - Depart Le Somail for Capestang
MAY 28th - Depart Capestang for Beziers
MAY 29th - Depart Beziers for Colombiers > Depart Barge and take train to Aix-en-Provence, France
MAY 30th - Depart Aix-en-Provence by train for Nice, France
MAY 31st - Photoshoot in Nice
JUNE 1st - Beach Day
JUNE 2nd - Day trip to Eze, Day trip to Monte-Carlo
JUNE 3rd - Day trip to Grasse
JUNE 4th - Depart Nice for London, UK
Highlights of Carcassonne
By far the most exciting fortress I’ve toured in Europe, what really sets this place a part, is the combination of preserved medieval design, and incorporation of modern life within its walls. Anyone can enter this walled fortress and visit the shops, eat at the many restaurants, or stay at the hotels housed in original structures protected by these ancient stone walls. That said, there is a palace contained within this massive complex, which does require a small fee to enter, but it’s absolutely worth paying.
Carcassonne Advice:
Prior to our arrival, I didn’t really know what to expect in terms of food options within the citadel, but there’s a very generous supply of them and a range from sandwich counter, all the way up to Michelin star. If you plant to stay in or near the Narbonne gate entrance of the citadel, you’ll be fine to plan for eating all of your meals inside, so long as you abide the very French business hours.
If you’re arriving by train (as we did), don’t count on easily being able to get a cab or uber, you may need to call a cab company or your hotel to have them send one for you. We chose to walk the mile from the station to our hotel, but it was uphill on poor sidewalks.
With regard to how long you should stay, the absolute minimum should be two nights. I would have really enjoyed staying at least three, but as compared to the rest of our friends who only stayed one night, our experience was MUCH better for having stayed two.
If you want to see a little more of Carcassonne from a personal perspective, you can watch a short video from my recent trip with friends, HERE.
Highlights of Our 7 Day Barge Cruise
Spending a week on a converted barge was never on my bucket list, but it is now the best week of any vacation that I’ve ever had.
Canal Du Midi Cruise Advice:
We traveled from Carcassonne to Beziers (which is a North’ish to South’ish path) for seven days and six nights but after two days on the barge, we wished that we had chosen the 12-day option and continued down through the Camargue region, which our crew said was their favorite stretch of water/landscape.
In general, I don’t have many regrets or things I would do differently, but after having experienced the many water locks on the canal, I'm happy that we chose to book passage on a piloted boat, rather than the much more abundant “self-drive” options.
If you want to see more about the boat we rented, I’ve created a series of videos that document our experiences during our week, as well as our first day on the boat we chartered, HERE, and for a full description of our cruise, you can read more HERE.
Highlights of 5 Days on the French Riviera:
Unlike our barge cruise on the canal, where we visited small rural villages and didn’t encounter many (if any) non-french people when we reached Nice, we found them all. Not to say that anywhere we went was “overrun” with tourists, but it had a distinct tourism-oriented feel to it. The highlights for me were the various markets that operated on different days in Nice, the dining options were out of this world (I particularly enjoyed breakfast at La Femme du Boulangerie and dinner at Le Plongeoir), and the many easy day trips reached from Nice.
Riviera Advice:
Transportation to coastal towns is super simple with the train, however, if you want to venture inland at all, things get a little more complicated, a little more sparse, and a little more expensive. We primarily used Uber for anything inland, but took the train for all coastal destinations.
The village of Eze was an absolute highlight of our time on the Riviera, and despite it being a little pricey, I would suggest trying to spend one night there.
In terms of disappointments, Monaco was a real letdown for me…I don’t know exactly what I expected, and perhaps if I had more than just a few hours, I may have seen something to change my mind, but in general, it felt very much like an expensive shopping mall and was devoid of any real character. If you’re at all limited on time, skip visiting Monaco.
My favorite organized activity was our day trip to Grasse, where we did a workshop at the Fragonard perfumery. I agonized over which Perfumery to reserve a workshop through, but am SO glad I booked the one at Fragonard. I’ll write a separate post about that experience.
If you want to watch some of what we experienced in each of the places mentioned here, you can view a video I put together HERE.
Questions about something you saw here or just want to chat all things “Nice?” Leave me a comment below!
Carcassonne France Vlog
Follow a long as we visit Carcassonne, France!
3 Days in Carcassone.
Birthday Cruise on The Canal-Du-Midi
If the past few years have taught me anything, it’s to treasure the value of reaching milestones. Far too many milestones missed their moments in the sun due to the pandemic, and despite being a bit of an introvert, the significance did not escape my notice. To that end, there’s no occasion quite like turning 40, to take a trip and to share that experience with friends, so it is with this in mind that I planned our recent trip to southern France.
The Canal Du Midi
If you’re never heard of it, I (nor any French person) am totally not surprised, but this gem of a UNESCO site should go on your exploration list. Built during later half of the 17th century, this marvel of a man-made ingenuity, links the Atlantic ocean to that of the Mediterranean, through a series of locks and water bridges that is not only beautiful, but also caught the attention of one Thomas Jefferson, while he was serving as the newly minted United States envoy to France.
River Vs. Canal Cruise
I’ll be the first person to admit that the idea of a “cruise” elicits very different feelings and mental images for people. I, for one, have no desire to spend my precious vacation time trapped on a floating city at sea, with a bunch of people that consider a three hour excursion to a port town, a cultural experience. However, I’m NOTORIOUSLY judgy, so ignore me, and lean into the concept that getting out of the house is better than nothing at all.
That said, outside of ocean-liners, there are those amazing river cruises that we advertised on television, which seem like the perfect opposite of the aforementioned travel nightmares, at least until you go to book one. Most cruises, ocean or otherwise, are basically all inclusive style resorts, but on the water. You can expect to pay upwards of $2000 or more (much, much more), per person, for a week. If the money isn’t a deal-breaker, you can expect a romantic vacation on the water and you have my envy. However, if you don’t have thousands of dollars to spend, or you feel like this option might still be a little too “manufactured,” a canal cruise might be just the ticket for you!
Canals are man-made waterways for the purpose of transporting goods from city to city within a country (think of them as a water highway). Largely out of service for their original purpose, canals are now a lovely way for people to leisurely travel at a much slower pace. In fact, many of the barges which are now retired from service as cargo boats, have gotten a new lease on life as small cruise ships, and when I say “small,” I mean small. For reference, a river cruise may have anywhere from 50 to 200 passengers, but a canal cruise would be a maximum of roughly 20.
So, if you’re looking to unplug and relax, but still want to spend the majority of your time off of the boat, a canal cruise is the perfect balance, and comes in a wide array of options from “self-drive,” all the way up to luxury excursion.
Before it retired and became a cruise ship, this is what the boat we took looked like while it still hauled grain.
A Seven Day Barge Cruise on The Canal Du Midi
If you’re still reading this lengthy post, good job, you finally made it to the reason why you probably clicked on this post, to begin with.
My experience while researching this trip, was that helpful reviews of french canal travel were in short supply, and even fewer were available from English speakers or fellow Americans. Adding fuel to my research frustration (where advice was concerned), where the sheer number of people I encountered that attempted to assist me with second-hand accounts of the "canal" trips that their friends had taken, not realizing that they didn't understand the difference between a river and a canal.
First and foremost, the experiences and bodies of water are different... full stop.
Another worry I had before this trip was my concern about the looming threat of water-induced nausea. I (like many) suffer from the dreaded travel curse of motion sickness. Motion sickness in the car, sickness on the water, and sickness in the air, which I’ve largely learned how to mitigate for the short duration of time in which conditions may aggravate my symptoms, but a multi-day water excursion made me nervous. The possibility of feeling nauseated for a week, or sleeping away the majority of a week (due to side effects of motion sickness medication), was a HUGE deterrent, for me, toward any water-borne adventure that had been proposed in the past, but this trip felt different. Ultimately, I chose to gamble that the proximity to land afforded by being in a small canal on a very large boat would help me find my sea legs, and fortunately, the bet paid off. Not a single moment was spent nauseated, and absolutely nothing on the barge had to be secured for movement.
I can’t speak for every kind of boat on the canal, but those converted barges are wide, heavy, and going nowhere fast, so in the words of our captain (who spoke very little English) regarding the movement of our boat, “she is big, but she is heavy,” and I'm inclined to agree.
Day 1 of 7 - Boarding in Trebes, France
After spending a few days in Carcassonne, we took cabs the short distance to the nearby canal port town of Trebes. Charming, with a small entertainment district facing the water, Trebes is also a hub for the very popular boat rental company, LocaBoat. Equipped with modest amenities such as a decently sized grocery store, Trebes also served as our meetup point to board Le Haricot Noir. Family-owned, this boat is not part of a fleet and is not managed by any large rental company, it’s lovingly cared for and maintained by the daughter of the couple that converted it from a grain barge in the 1970s, into what it is today (take a video tour HERE.
The cruise option we had selected for our week-long journey on the canal was that of self-catering. We would have a captain and a deckhand for navigation, but we were on our own for meals. I (being a bit of a cook) was very much up in arms about not knowing what the kitchen would be like or what our options at the grocery store would be before boarding, so I hope this helps you.
The market was great and we found everything we would need there, so don’t worry about that. We purchased all of our basic supplies, plus salmon and wine, and brought everything on board with us. The kitchen was chef ready with everything necessary. The fridge is large, a more than adequate freezer, dishwasher, coffee maker, oven, and stove, not to mention pots, pans, and even a mixer!
We were a party of eight adults (four couples), so we only needed four of the six bedrooms and had plenty of space to spread out in the 90-footlong barge but it still didn’t take us long to get unpacked and settled in after our initial orientation upon boarding the ship during the late afternoon. After boarding, we did just a very short stint of navigation on the canal, to get through the three locks (known as an “eccluse” in French) before they shut down for the day, after which we moored at the edge of Trebes and then got back off of the boat to walk into the village for dinner that evening.
Day 2 of 7 - Trebes to Marseilette, France
Our first full day on the boat was cool and rainy, but the excitement of being at the start of our journey prevented our spirits from being dampened by the weather. The crew began navigating us shortly after breakfast, and we made our way to the tiny village of Marseilette, which while being cute, is very small. It appears to have had other shops at some point that were now vacant, but it still had a scenic cemetery, a village church with excellent views over the countryside, a little tiny little convenience shop, and one cafe/tavern/restaurant. We did a quick walk around, ate lunch at the cafe, and then spent the rest of the day on our warm and cozy boat as we chugged toward our end destination for the day. Meanwhile, below deck, we cooked a family-style dinner and toasted my birthday in our pajama pants on a boat in France… I’ll treasure that memory forever.
Day 3 of 7 - Marseilette to Homps, France
The navigation pace of the previous day had been rigorous to ensure our arrival in Homps by 2 pm (not easy to do on a boat as it turns out), because I had made reservations for a cab, and a photography team, to meet us at the marina and then to travel to a nearby town for a wine tasting. Fortunately, the sun was out and everything ran like clockwork.
(I’ll discuss the winery experience in a separate post.)
Sadly, our time in the actual town of Homps was super limited, which was unfortunate because, by all observable evidence, Homps is a charming town with multiple restaurants and other amenities.
Day 4 of 7 - Homps to Le Somail, France
With the most highly planned scheduled day of our trip now behind us, we determined to soak up every last ounce of relaxation that the canal had to offer us. Despite my insistence on being the first of our group to rise each morning, sipping hot coffee and eating a croissant on the top deck of the boat as the crew started the motor and once again resumed navigating us down the canal, was a truly zen-like experience for me. On our fourth day, however, we arrived in the postcard-perfect village of Le Somail. This village has art galleries, boutiques, an AMAZING used book store, and charm coming out of every nook and cranny. We decided to take the recommendation of our crew, however and did a tour of a nearby olive cooperative (which we enjoyed much more than we expected to) and we’re so glad that they suggested it to us. Also in this town, is a small, floating, market barge, on which we placed an order for croissants to be collected the next morning (as is the case with many of the markets in the small towns, bread must be ordered a day in advance). That evening, we had a very lively dinner at a restaurant in town, followed by more late-night shenanigans on the boat.
Day 5 of 7 - Le Somail to Capestang
After collecting our croissant order from the grocery barge, we once again fired up the engines and continued on our journey down the canal. We passed through the final lock that we would encounter during our cruise (a bittersweet reality), which also afforded us the chance to try our hand at the captain's wheel. I was the only soul brave enough to give it a go, but the result was a newly found appreciation for the job that our captain performs. Our deckhand, Estelle, when not working on other barges, lives on a converted barge that she owns with her husband and their two children, which was moored right outside of Capestang (her husband was on their top deck as we passed and greeted us and his wife as we passed). Capestang is a town much larger than any of the other villages we had encountered in days past and was also much less focused on the canal as a revenue source. We enjoyed the more lively “city” feel, however, we were there over a holiday in which most shops were closed. Again on the recommendation of our crew, we visited a restaurant that did not disappoint, although we did get lost in the dark while attempting to make our way back to the boat later that evening. A challenge of mooring in a different place every day is that you never get the opportunity to familiarize yourself with where your home base can be found.
Day 6 of 7 - Capestang to Beziers through the Malpas Tunnel
Today, we passed through the Malpas tunnel, which is a marvelous feat of engineering, but was more than a little nerve-wracking. The tunnel was blasted through solid rock and allows only a single ship at a time to pass. Fortunately for us, all smaller boats must give way to allow larger boats the priority, but it can be difficult to see who might already be in the tunnel when you approach it. After a brief sojourn off of the boat on the other side of the canal, we continued to Beziers. By far the biggest city we encountered, Beziers was both exciting and a little overwhelming given the size and with a much more ethnically diverse population than any other place we had encountered on the canal to that point. After the boat was moored, we marveled at the Fonseranes locks, which are a series of 9 locks that our poor crew would have had to traverse if we had opted for the longer 12-day cruise option. While some of our party utilized the e-bikes available to us on the boat, half of us opted to trek to the highest point of the city, where we toured the cathedral and then mused over our regret at having not rented the bikes as we sipped cold beers at a small cafe. Eventually, we arrived back at the boat and then made our way to a nearby restaurant for the final dinner of our week-long cruise.
Day 7 of 7 - Beziers to Colombiers, France
The final morning was a rush of packing as we traveled back a short distance to a small port town that we had passed the previous day. Let me tell you, the experience of this barge needing to turn around was no small task and one which many passersby also chose to stop and watch. Eventually, however, we covered the short distance and then were whisked off the boat as the dock would not allow us to stay but for just a very short time. We were deeply saddened at our choice to have booked the seven-day cruise because none of us was ready to leave. The experience of having spent a week on this boat, with this crew, with these friends, was truly the most fun travel experience I’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing.
Questions about something I didn’t cover, or questions about something you want more details about? Leave me a comment below!
A Mental Escape To The Chateau
The Mental Escape We All Need
If there’s anything that most people can agree on these days it’s that we’ve all watched a LOT of television since being stuck in our homes due to the pandemic. With that in mind, if you’re like me and have already burned through all of the more obvious candidates for bingeing, you may need suggestions for that infamous “show hole.”
Image from IMDB
The Premis
Featuring retired Lt. Col. Dick Strawbridge, his wife Angel Adoree, and their two small children, trade-in their two-bed apartment in Essex for a dilapidated 19th-century French chateau. Watch as they utilize a limited budget to renovate 45 rooms, improve twelve acres of land and a medieval moat, as they attempt to create a beautiful venue for weddings and events.
Why you’ll LOVE it
I’m totally biased having also gotten married just a few short miles from the location of this particular chateau (check it out HERE), but this program is not only set in a dreamy landscape, but it’s also full of possibility that is sorely lacking in our lives at the moment. A bonus for me is that Dick is hilarious and Angel has me feeling the itch to make stuff that I have business attempting to stuff inside my small condo. The moral of the story is that if you need a mental break and are already caught up on The Great British Bake Off, check out this show. I watch it on the Peacock App (it’s free), but it’s also available on YouTube, I’m putting the first episode for you to sample in this post
You can also follow a long on Facebook for more details!
Questions or Comments? Leave me a note.
Emily in Paris - She Should Have Stayed Home
A Netflix Review
As a self-proclaimed Francophile and fan of the series “Sex in the City,” I was elated at the announcement and release of the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Saddled with the dull-drums of the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, a need for mental transportation to “other” places and distraction from the consistently negative atmosphere of the world at the moment, a visually romantic and lighthearted binge session seemed like just what the streaming doctor ordered.
All Cliche no Charm
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of romanticizing many of the historic cities of Europe by choosing to only engage with the historical aspects of the cities and culture. I want to be Audrey Hepburn in 1950's Rome, and I want to sip wine in Paris with Ernest Hemingway in the 1920s. Another reviewer of this show, stated that “Americans only want to see the Paris of 100 years ago,” and to a great extent, I agree with that sentiment and can find somewhat of a parallel in my hometown of Kansas City.
Not known for being a city of light or romance, however, Kansas City was once a hub for the cattle trade and the resulting reputation of making good barbecue, but while the cattle industry has long since left, the reputation remains. I don’t even enjoy barbecue but still must converse about it with anyone visiting the city or that I meet elsewhere after the name of the city is mentioned and I can only imagine what it must be like for a Parisian?! Anyway, I digress…
While I do have some similar criticisms of the Sex in The City series, some of the obvious story issues such as how Carrie was able to somehow fund a Manhattan lifestyle on the income of a singular weekly newspaper column, are even more glaring in the Emily in Paris series. For example, the seemingly overnight popularity and growth of her Instagram account, or the fact that this early-career person always seems to have the edge on everyone else around her. I don’t know if it was an attempt at personifying American superiority, French indifference, or what, but in my experience, if some 24 years old was continuously making me look inferior at work by touting that they had a masters degree while only having had a year or two of experience, I’d be pretty annoyed too. “Fresh perspective” is one thing, but the savior of an entire company by way of occasional Instagram posts is ludicrous.
Setting aside how I feel about the career/finance issues that have long been noticed in a variety of other successful shows such as Friends, there’s also the issue of fashion and romantic entanglement. Unlike Sex and the City, whose characters were still impossibly chic, managed to have signature styles (for the most part) just a half step between timeless and fashion-forward. Carrie being the exception, the other three characters dressed in a manner semi-reflective of both their career field as well as their level of success within it. However, Emily appears to be dressed like some sort of indulged teenager that is entirely indifferent to either the environment she is in or the message that her outfit sends. For someone that claims to be so “in the know” about what subtle messaging does for a brand, I can only assume by the way her outfits scream “petulant American teenager,” that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Then there are the many many romances. This show (and many other shows and films like it) makes it appear that impossibly handsome Frenchmen are literally on every street corner just waiting to bump into some ridiculous American girl who has just had her heartbroken. Gag me. These characters range in their most glaring of flaws, but at the heart of it, each is entirely devoid of any meaningful personality or at the very least the desire to cast an actor capable of portraying imaginary substance. Good, Bad, or whatever, every romantic interest in this series is nothing more than just a pretty face.
My Scorecard
In conclusion, yes, I did watch the entire season of a show that I knew I hated by halfway through the first episode. Yes, the scenery, colors, conversational cadence, and predictably excellent quality of a Netflix production, was addicting. However, while some of the supporting characters may have been mildly interesting it doesn’t change the fact that the central character is a paper doll and her main love interest is devoid of any real sense of self. No matter how pretty the color of the lipstick, when on a pig, nothing will make it cuter. I give this show a solid “D” grade.
Normandy Coast Vlog Tour
History Comes Alive in Normandy
It may feel like a movie set more than a real place but I assure you that it’s like no other place you’ve been before!
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Paris And The Loire Valley Vlog
France Is For Friends
Spend a few days in Paris with friends and family before heading south to the Loire Valley for a backyard wedding!
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Chateau of The Loire Valley Vlog Tour
The Great Homes of France
Get a front row seat to a couple of the most beautiful chateau in the Loire Valley region of France!
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Top 5 Things To Do In Paris
Five Things Not To Be Missed In Paris
I don’t recommend trying to see Paris in just three days, but if that’s all the time you have then here are my top choices for things to see without eating up too much of your limited time.
Sacré-Cœur
When you think of Paris Notre Dame is probably one of the first three things to come to mind, but ever so sadly it might be a very long time before anyone gets the opportunity to set foot inside those beautiful walls. However, an often overlooked church (but very special in its own rite) is the Sacre Coeur, located on a hill top overlooking all of Paris in the coveted neighborhood of Montmatre. The view alone is worth the trip up the hill!
Click HERE for more information about my three day tour of Paris
2. Cocktails at Bar Hemingway
Paris is a city known for luxury, elegance, and a dash of decadence and nothing embodies that better than the famous Ritz hotel. Tucked away in the back of the main floor is an itty bitty little bar made famous by Ernest Hemingway. However, be mindful that with all the luxury comes an equally decadent price, a cocktail here will set you back $30 euros so I would suggest that you start your evening with a single drink here and then you head off to dinner.
3. Dans Le Noir
My husband and I consider ourselves “foodies” and it’s no secret that the visual experience of food has an impact on your opinion of the taste of that food. That said, we jumped at the opportunity to have an entirely new eating experience in which you dine entirely in the dark. We had an amazing time and would highly recommend that you visit Dans Le Noir the next time you’re in Paris.
4. The Ultimate Souvenir
Nothing says “France” like the classic black beret, and while cheap versions made in elsewhere are plentiful, we found a great little shop in the heart of Le Marais called “Chapeaux Du Marais.” We purchased cashmere beret’s made in Paris and the quality was second to none.
5. The Eiffel Tower
As cliche as it may be, seeing this iconic landmark with my own eyes definitely made my heart do a little a dance. We saved this activity for the evening when it would be less busy, and it was totally worth it to see it sparkle! *The lights only run for a few minutes each hour, so be sure to both check the schedule and to time your viewing accordingly.
Questions or Comments? I love discussing Paris, so leave me a note below!
Visiting Versailles - Part 2
When the time comes to visiting Versailles, it’s the gardens that take the cake (pun intended). The palace is amazing, and the hall of mirrors will take your breath away, but you’ll be sharing that experience with several hundred other people at the same time, so they might be sucking some of that air as well.
A Garden Fit for A King
When the time comes to visit Versailles, it’s the gardens that take the cake (pun intended). The palace is amazing, and the hall of mirrors will take your breath away, but you’ll be sharing that experience with several hundred other people at the same time, so they might be sucking some of that air as well.
The gardens, on the other hand, are spectacular and provide the space to experience the splendor of this place as a whole. We were there in mid-October, and I can only imagine how amazing it would be earlier in the year.
Don’t Forget Your Map
The gardens are like a neighborhood and contain other homes and an actual neighborhood, but you’re going to want a map if ever plan on actually finding them.
The gardens and estate as a whole, are bordered by a fence, but it’s easy to lose your point of reference due to the rows of all shrubs and trees.
We spent the better part of a day walking through the gardens, but still didn’t get to see everything, so if you’re limited on time or energy, I recommend bee-lining it to the Queen's Hamlet, which is the entirely fake world which Marie Antoinette had constructed for her amusement, complete with working gardens and fake historical ruins.
We didn’t tour the other palaces on the grounds, but we did attempt to make it to many of the groves and fountains, unfortunately, due to an impending rainstorm, our time got cut short and we missed a few.
Should You Visit Versailles?
All in all, I say yes. Would I recommend trying to see it all in one day, no thanks.
Question or Comments? Leave them below!
Chateau of the Loire Valley
The Loire valley, probably most widely known for the many world-class wines it produces, is also known for some of the most opulent homes in Europe.
What To Do In The Loire Valley
The Loire valley, just a couple hours south of Paris, is probably most widely known for the many world-class wines it produces, is also known for some of the most opulent palace homes in Europe. If you’re looking to “take a break,” and are in the mood to sip some rosé at a riverside cafe, or for walking the halls of the palaces scattered through the area, it won't take long to become intoxicated with an attitude of “la vie en rosé.”
French Château
While driving through the countryside, several differences between French and American navigation become apparent. The first being the absence of visual clutter. No billboards or non-government signage, and what little you do see, is limited to necessary road signs, or for navigating to historical sites or parks.
Fortunately, many chateaus fall under this category, so you’ll regularly see road signs for homes that you probably didn’t hear anything about while doing your internet research.
The second is the absence of police or any kind of physical law enforcement. Driver beware, France uses an unforgiving camera system, so you might discover one or more speeding tickets in four to eight weeks after you get home from vacation. It will take time to arrive, as it must navigate through your rental car company first, who will also charge you a fee for handling the ticket transfer to you in the States.
That said, of the chateau that I knew about ahead of time, a tour of Chenonceau was at the top of my list, and I wanted to treat any additional tours a little more spontaneously. Fortunately, it was a good idea to only plan the one large chateau tour, because the combination of a large and small (less popular) home, is an ideal way to spend a full day.
Château d’Azay le Rideau
Having previously decided to be flexible about whatever chateau we toured in addition to Chenonceau, it was suggested to us by someone more familiar with the area, that we tour Azay le Rideau. Much less touristy, while still being straight out of a storybook, it was our first stop on our home tour.
The history of this home and the “regular” people that built and lived in it was fascinating. I greatly enjoyed my time here, and am still drooling over the floors and wallpaper!
Château de Chenonceau
I’ve long thought that this particular chateau was especially dreamy, and seeing it in person didn’t disappoint. If you do a little research on the history, you’ll find that it was a gift to a mistress of King Henry II, lived here. However, when the king died, better believe that the Queen (Catherine de' Medici) took a special interest in this place, and made sure that it was thoroughly understood that this was her house.
Further, I didn’t expect that the house would be regularly ornamented with fresh flowers and vegetation (and I’m not talking the kind from Trader Joe’s). Every room of this palatial palace had amazing floral arrangements, most (if not all) of which were grown on the grounds.
The Queen Bee, come home to roost!
Despite the shocking absence of a Vitamix, this is kitchen goals for sure!
The Gardens of Chenonceau
Honestly, the gardens weren’t even on my radar, but after we had finished our tour and went back outside, golden hour had illuminated everything in such a romantic way that I couldn’t make myself beeline it back to the car. Fortunately, half of our party was also feeling the need to meander our way in that general direction and explore the grounds a bit.
There is another chateau that I would like to see on future trips, but seeing both of these filled an entire day, I couldn’t justify devoting additional days to touring more of them. That said, I’d love to hear your feedback about any not mentioned, that you might have enjoyed on your travels.
Leave a comment below!
Visiting Versailles - Part 1
Visiting the Palace of Versailles is almost mandatory for many travelers visiting France. The gilt gates, extravagant fixtures, and fantastical gardens are unmatched, and so is the volume of tourists that swarm it every day.
Storming the Palace
Visiting the Palace of Versailles is almost mandatory for many travelers visiting France. The gilt gates, extravagant fixtures, and fantastical gardens are unmatched, and so is the volume of tourists that swarm it every day.
If there’s one thing that I dislike more than anything else, it’s probably being crowded by people. I don’t enjoy attending concerts or crowded bars, having strangers bumping into me, or standing so close that I can smell their deodorant (or lack of it). It stands to reason, that I struggle with my desire to avoid high volumes of tourists, against getting to see the things that draw them in the first place.
Why Visiting the Palace is Worth the Effort
Of all the people I know who have visited Versailles, almost all did so as a day trip from Paris. Just a quick 45 minutes on the train, makes it a very convenient way for people staying in Paris, to do as a day trip. However, attempting to cram a place like this into a single day, sounds almost as stressful as dealing with the massive amount of people that are also attempting to do the same thing. The solution, fortunately, is as easy as “slowing down,” and spreading it out.
We decided to stretch this typical “day trip,” into a two-night stay, and break the palace experience into two parts. This provided us with a chance to catch our breath between touring the palace, the EXPANSIVE gardens, and the stables (now a premier riding academy). I highly recommend this methodology to anyone with more “introverted” tendencies.
Points To Live By
As I’ve mentioned before, “points” make it possible to stay in places that aren’t traditionally within reach for budgets like mine. Fortunately, my husband treats the accrual of credit card points, like a high stakes game of chess, which always pays off when we travel. In the case of France, we decided to cost mindful for the bulk of our trip, and then cash them all in on just a few nights, at a nice hotel.
Trianon Palace, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Probably more common than what is apparent to me, I tend to dress for comfort and practicality when traveling. On the rare occasion when we stay in luxury hotels such as this, however, simply placing my hand on the door handle makes me suddenly become aware of my need for a manicure and a hairbrush. The staff at Trianon Palace was warm and welcoming, but must have been thinking “here comes a ‘points’ redemption stay.”
My inner cynic aside, we were treated like royalty and after we got checked-in, we fully immersed ourselves in the “Versailles experience,” and did our best to look the part.
To Live is to Dine
Checked in and showered, we met some of the friends that had been traveling around France simultaneously, in the hotel lobby. With the assistance of the concierge, we were able to get last-minute dinner reservations for a party of nine, at a nice restaurant that wouldn’t break the bank.
La Tour - Restaurant Edition
I’ve often mused, that the best experiences in life, are rarely the experiences that you anticipate having. A trip to France, while memorable, still leaves large holes, in terms of the details, like what I ate for breakfast on the fourth day of the second city we visited.
However, what was a hastily planned dinner, became one of those memories that carved out a little space for itself in my memory. That said, I still don’t remember what I ate, but I remember every detail of the dining room, how the table was set, where each person in our party sat, and those details are recalled with what I can only describe as a “warm feeling.”
Be sure to visit them, or visit the website in advance, by clicking HERE.
The Palace
As I mentioned before, a MASSIVE benefit of actually staying in Versailles is that it allows you to take breaks from the crowds, and sorta spread the activities over a larger period. That said, touring the Palace itself, still requires some personal fortitude.
The morning of our second day, we rose bright and early, to go get in line before the palace gates opened. Fortunately, we had purchased tickets in advance, but despite arriving before opening for the day, we still had to stand in line for well over an hour, as they attempt to regulate the number of people entering.
Versailles Academy of Equestrian Arts
Probably not the first activity that jumps into your mind when you consider visiting Versailles, but a wonderful experience none the less!
We booked our tickets in advance, because seating is very limited, and we purchased the basic ticket for just the show (there is more than one option for these purposes). They don’t allow photos during the show, but even if you don’t care that much about horses, it’s a worthwhile experience to go watch.
A couple of the friends we were with, purchased tickets that included access to watch a practice session, which is where this photo was taken
To keep this post from being any longer than it already is, I’m going to cover the Palace Gardens on their own, because there’s A LOT to cover.
Been to Versailles? Leave me your thoughts below!
Monet And His Garden in Giverney
Getting There
Having spent the previous few days on the Normandy coast (Here, and Here), we were somewhat frantically attempting to make our way to Versailles, where we had scheduled to drop-off our rental car. However, while not officially on our list of stops to make along the way, I had observed that we would be passing right by Giverney, which was the home of Claude Monet, and the location of the gardens in which the famous “water lilies” were painted. I put my best sad puppy face on, and my husband agreed to stop on the condition that we stay no longer than 45 minutes.
Needless to say, 45 minutes isn’t much time to see anything but is preferable to not stopping at all, so we power walked our way through those gardens like the Americans all Europeans think we are. Thank goodness for camera phones, because our quick snaps allowed us to view spots of interest at our leisure, as we rushed through the whole of the gardens and the house, without damaging our schedule.
Ultimately, we were able to drop our car off at our destination in Versailles, with just 20 minutes to spare!
The Art Experience
You don’t have to be an art lover, or even be familiar with the work of Monet, to appreciate the artistic inspiration that oozes from the gardens, and carefully appointed rooms of the house. I recommend getting an ice cream at the entrance gate and taking your time in the gardens, which is something I desperately wish I would have had time to do. You’ll not regret the experience, and you’ll be sure to walk away with a new appreciation for his work.
There’s not much else I can say about a place that I spent less than an hour in, but I hope you enjoyed the pictures (this visit occurred in mid-October)!
Next stop, Versailles!!
Leave a comment or question below.
A Pilgrimage to Normandy
Travel is About More Than Relaxation
It has been my experience, that most people do not strive to be ignorant, but also that people tend to think of themselves as being “better” than what their present life situation would indicate. It’s this disparity between our perception of self, and our reality, that can often mirror our personal motivations and development.
The mental framework which people use to view themselves, as well as the world around them, are created and reinforced, through education. Formal education is extremely important to learn about our world, while informal education via life experiences aid us in understanding the realities of how our small corners of it work. Unfortunately, both forms of education are limited by context.
This “context” of which I speak, is in regard to how information is presented to you in the classroom, or the context in which you live your life (ex. some people spend their whole lives living in the same place, doing a single kind of job, meeting the same kind of people), and can both severely limit, and influence the way a person thinks and feels about a subject.
It’s my opinion, that travel is the best way to truly bridge that gap between what you’re taught, and the experiences you’ve had because it can provide much-needed context for both.
The world is a book, and those that do not travel, read only a single page.
- Saint Augustine
To be philosophical for a moment, if there’s anything I’ve learned in my 37 years, it’s that Albert Einstein said it best when he said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.”
Buckle-up, check your opinions at the door, and please observe the following experience for what it was to me.
With Kindest Regards, Management.
Americans Abroad
Having done a fair bit of travel, I’ve come to understand a little bit of how a decent portion of the western world, views Americans:
They think we all sound like we’re from Texas
Florida and Las Vegas, are the two places that we vacation domestically
We’re all rich
We’re all eternal optimists, with an air of entitlement
We’re indifferent to what’s going on in world politics
We all talk way too loudly
And we all fall into one of two main buckets, which also correspond with our politics.
Those that travel, and those that don’t
With extra emphasis on the last two points of that list (I’ve been told that I’m loud in more than one country), I think it’s important to try to understand our culture through the eyes of those that are outside of it. Through that outside perspective, we might learn some things about your culture (and ourselves), that may be in direct opposition to either our belief system within our culture or with our perception of self and culture. A personal example of this mismatch between personal perception and reality is that I don’t think I’m loud, but the people around me think otherwise. In becoming aware of how we are perceived by others, we can make personal adjustments.
The American Military
A Brief History
Left largely undisturbed until World War 1, the United States didn’t even attempt to enter the global stage until after it reluctantly entered World War ll in the 1940s. Within the lens of our Military, we introduced our nation to the world, guns a’blazen.
In 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower (who had been the general that led the allied troops in 1941), in his farewell address from office, gave the nation a warning about our ongoing use of the Military. In that address, he referred to “a threat to our democratic government,” and he coined the term, “the military-industrial complex.”
The “complex” he refers to, are the military contractors which develop and produce the products of warfare, and other military uses.
He went on to say, “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist."
He understood the cost and already knew that the United States was choosing to march down a path that was no longer needed in times of peace. He knew that we had created a war monster, and it would need to be fed by continued engagement in conflict. This is evidenced largely in the middle-east, still today.
The human cost of war should be the responsibility of every citizen (not just politicians), both directly and indirectly. The willful disregard of the magnitude of this responsibility is to condemn future generations to suffer the same fate as the brave men and women of history, that fought and died for our freedoms, by simply repeating mistakes of the past.
Setting aside opinions regarding both Patriotism and Nationalism, I believe that the involvement of American troops in WW2 was both necessary and good. However, it is our militarized behavior that has followed that war, which I’m addressing here.
Normandy France, and Omaha Beach
June 1944, allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy France, to liberate the French people from Nazi occupation. While successful, and effectively turning the tide of the war, over 2000 men died on this beach, in a single day.
Allied forces won the war, but for the families that lost brothers, sons, husbands, and fathers, we felt that it was our duty as Americans, to make the effort to visit the ground they gave their lives for. We owe it to them, to the families they left behind, and their legacy, to never forget the sacrifice they made so far from home, for the freedoms we enjoy daily.
Bayeux
Not far from the landing beaches, is a little town with a special history all its own. While not there with the intent of exploring it in great detail, we used it as our home base for the exploration of the war memorial sites located in the surrounding area.
VERY charming, this little town shows a particular fondness toward Americans, which can be seen in the decorations, shops, and to some extent, the products available for purchase. A great example of this fondness ( I wish I had taken a photo of), was our little hotel, which had a china cabinet in the lobby filled with commemorative plates of U.S. Presidents. Both odd, and charming, Bayeux was a great stop on our trip.
The Beach
We departed our hotel early in the morning and made the short drive to Omaha Beach. It was chilly that day and was raining on and off, but it was our only chance to go, so we pressed on and hoped for the best.
Fortunately, the rain ceased by the time we arrived and was replaced with a peaceful stillness as the sun began to rise. The only beachgoers being us, and a man exercising a horse on the sand, the mood was a perfect mix of reflection and prosperity.
It’s hard to imagine this place being anything other than how it is now, but it was an emotional experience to attempt to do so. As we were about to leave, this rainbow appeared, as if to say “thank you” for coming, and remembering those that had fallen here.
Memorial Cemetery
Just a few minutes up the road from the beach, is a cliffside memorial park, dedicated to the men (and women) that lost their lives on D-Day. Overlooking the landing beaches, it is a beautifully sad sight to see, because it adds scope to the human loss that had occurred.
Each headstone bares a name and a hometown, and it’s while reading those names that what I had learned from history books, actually became real. The loss of life may have occurred decades before I was born, but it felt fresh, and the sea of headstones overwhelming.
We had arrived together (my husband, mother-in-law, and I), but we each walked through the grounds and experienced this place separately. Each of us trying to reconcile the event that had brought us here, to what we were experiencing at that moment, each in our way.
I cried (pretty sure we all did), and tears again filled my eyes as I recall that day to write this post.
*Note - Near the entrance to the cemetery, is a memorial, and near the center of the grounds, is a chapel. Both are open for those that wander the grounds, as we did.
Closing Thoughts
It would have been easy to take a trip to France, and not do anything that didn’t “sound fun.” Vacations from everyday life, are opportunities to get away from the mundane stresses of things we don’t always enjoy. However, it’s these same opportunities that provide each of us with a chance to enrich our lives, and thereby grow as people. It would be a tragedy to only focus on what is fun and easy because that’s not where growth and change happen.
I’m not anti-military, or anti-American, but the weight of responsibility for the choices being made by those in power (which should be true for any person, in any country), hangs heavier upon me now, than it did before this experience.
The reason those men fought and died, was to preserve the right, the freedom, to protest against injustice. It wasn’t for a flag at football games, it was to preserve your right to protest when that flag is not living up to the obligations it represents. THAT is what freedom looks like, and that’s what the men on Omaha Beach, died to protect from the Nazis.
In recent years, politics have become increasingly polarized and my views have resulted in my being called a socialist, or “UN-American.” I say that my criticism of the government is in direct response to the call of President Eisenhower and the MOST American thing I could possibly be doing. After all, so long as there are those that wield the power of our military, so must there also be those that seek to ensure that power is not abused, and writing an American story that doesn’t reflect me or culture I’m apart of.
Keep learning, keep reflecting, and strive to make tomorrow better than yesterday, so that eventually people will define Americans not by our indifference to the world around us, but by our benevolence, education, and consideration.