I love the food, history, and atmosphere of France. The cities I have visited are Normandy and Paris.
I chose Normandy because of its D-Day history and how it changed the course of World War II. To really understand and appreciate the events that occurred here I recommend experiencing it through a Tour. The tour company I selected was Bayeux Shuttle – the group size was small and some guides are retired military. My guide was passionate and added real life insight into what it must have been like for those men landing on the Normandy Beaches. When I go back to Normandy I will use them again.
When in France how could I not visit Paris! Paris is known for its food, fabulous art, and amazing churches and palaces. To keep it simple, I stayed in an Airbnb and rode the metro throughout the city as much as possible.
Normandy
There are many cities and towns in Normandy. I selected Bayeux because it is in the heart of Normandy and close to the Bayeux Shuttle tour pickup location. The train stop is about a 22-minute walk away to the Hotel d’Argouges.
It was important for me to visit Normandy because Mike’s Grandfather landed in Normandy a couple of months after D-Day. My Bayeux Shuttle guide, Vince, was retired military and did an excellent job explaining both sides of the war, the conditions the soldiers were facing, and educated us on the original plan of attack versus what actually happened. It was a powerful, insightful tour and pray we our world never has to go through that again.
One place I regret not visiting was the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. I am not much into tapestries which is why I skipped it; however, so many people raved about their experience there after I completed my trip. WHEN I go back to Normandy, the Bayeux Tapestry Museum will be on the visit list.
Normandy recommendations:
Transportation
- Arrived by train and then walked – My lodging was close to everything
Lodging
Activities
- Normandy Tour through Bayeux Shuttle
- Bayeux Tapestry Museum – I did not go here, but everyone who visits Bayeux raves about it.
Paris
I spent 5 days in Paris and rode the rails using the Navigo Weekly Ticket. If you are visiting Paris between Monday-Sunday this is a great way to see the city.
For lodging, I found an Airbnb within a couple of blocks from the metro and a cafe around the corner. The Airbnb was nice; however, next time I will pick one with a Paris/Eiffel Tower view.
Paris is loaded with art, museums, churches and palaces. It is difficult to decide what are the best places to see or experience. The highlights from my trip are the following:
- Notre Dame – beautiful inside and out
- A Hayden/Vivaldi Concert in Sainte Chappelle at dusk. The acoustics are amazing and the bright stain glass colors are beautiful. It felt like an out of body experience.
- The Louvre Museum – purchase tickets ahead to minimize the line. There are a couple days a week when the Louvre is open late. Visit on one of those days – enter when it first opens, took a break in the afternoon, and then head back again at night. In the evening, I had the Mona Lisa to myself!
- The Palace of Versailles – talk about an opulent palace built while the Parisians were starving to death. I tried to save money by visiting on a day when the “Musical Fountain Show” was not running. What I didn’t know is the ONLY time the fountains are running are during the Fountain Show days. I recommend attending when the “Musical Fountain Show” is running to ensure you can see the fountains.
- Walk through Paris at night – All of the major attractions are dramatically lit up – Notre Dame, Arc de Triumph, Sacre Coeur. At midnight, the Eiffel Tower has spectacular light show.
Paris recommendations:
Transportation
- Navigo Weekly Ticket – good from Monday -> Sunday. Tickets go on sale the Friday for the following week.
Lodging
- An Airbnb with a view near “Monument aux Morts de la Guerre Franco Prussienne”.
Activities
- Louvre Museum – look online and attend when the Louvre is open at night.
- Notre Dame
- Palace of Versailles
- St Chappelle Concert