FRANCE: BEYOND PARIS
Do you love France but want to venture out of Paris? Consider visiting Normandy, Mont-Sant-Michel, or the beach towns along the French Riviera.
Normandy:
The beaches of Normandy are sacred grounds, where thousands of young men bravely sacrificed their lives for their country. There are several museums in this area that help visitors understand the history and honor those who were killed in battle. The driving in between these towns is not difficult and there is adequate, free parking at each location. Some points of interest:
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
It was a challenge finding a good restaurant to dine at, as the area is quite small and there are not many recommendations on Yelp and TripAdvisor. However, we lucked out at the Le Conquerant in Bayeux. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but there is a large bar in the front and table seating near the back where we enjoyed delicious charcuterie boards.
Mont-Saint-Michel:
The floating castle as seen in the photo above! Magical place, located about 2.5 hours away from Normandy. Walk through the castle walls and seemingly back into time as you explore the quaint streets, shops, and restaurants.
French Riveria:
SEE
Rent a car and drive up the coast stopping in cities like Nice, St. Tropez, Cannes, and Monaco.
Take in the scenery and atmosphere while sitting in one of the many blue chairs on the beach boardwalks. These blue chairs are so iconic and can be found on magnets, postcards, and other souvenirs.
SHOP
Pick up a tiny Riveria chair souvenir at Gallery ArtNice.
Sample unique olive oils at A L'Olivier in Nice.
La Couqueto: Located in Old Nice at 8 Rue St. Francois de Paule: This store sells several different French-made nativity scenes, sold by individual pieces so you can create your own scene.
Shop the streets of St. Tropez for luxury brands, souvenir shops, and beach-themed home decor.
STAY
We stayed at Marriott's La Meridien property in Nice. The location was very nice, across the street from the beach and short walk to downtown Old Nice. Rooms were small and dated, but that might just be a Nice thing.
SAVOR
La Cave du Fromager: We dined here twice during our trip because it was just that good! Come here for a unique dining experience (in a cave!) and share a pot of cheese fondue served with freshly baked bread. Reservation required.
Maison Auer: Adorable and delicious chocolate shop located in Old Nice.
Olive & Artichaut: Delicious Micheline star restaurant, not pretentious and very reasonably priced. Try the 3 course set menu for only 33 Euros.
Joel Robuchon Monte-Carlo: Honestly the most incredible dining experience of our lives. Also a Michelin star and also very kind service. They roll a trolley to your table and offer you different assortments of breads which is basically enough for me to comedienne here again! Prices are high, but reasonable for Monaco.