🇫🇷 France

Paris

🥖I would be lying if I said I didn't fall in love with the city of love itself. I'll admit that it wasn't the food that really caught me, but more the romantic vibes and the rich abundance of art and history.

Things to Do

Montmartre

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Even if you aren't a big fan of Amelie, Montmarte is still such a trendy low key neighborhood to explore. I always take a moment to stroll through the small shops each time I visit Paris, and it had an incredible view of the city as well.

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Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

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I don't really shop too much when I'm in Paris, but this mall is too PRETTY to not rec. It has a huge glass dome in the middle that gives the shopping vibe an unreal glow to everything.

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Cooking Class @ Maison Fleuret Ateliers Parisiens

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Do you love croissants? Like a lot? Wanna learn how to make them and come home with a lot of croissants and pan aux chocolat? You should take this class! It was fun, informative, and I literally had more croissants than I knew what to do with.

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Père Lachaise Cemetery

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The idea of touring a cemetary might be morbid to some, but this iconic spot is so pretty to walk through and if you're into the tourism aspect of it, you can visit the graves of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and more.

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Concerts @ Sainte-Chapelle

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If you can catch a concert at Sant Chapelle, I highly recommend it! Not only do you get to see how beautiful the church is in the evening, but being able to hear the music and acoustics is phenomenal.

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Musée de l'Orangerie

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Within walking distance of the Louvre is the smaller and more intimate Orangerie, which houses a beautiful 360 installation of Monet's water lillies. The museum is small so it's easy to check out the same day with other nearby museums like D'orsay.

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The Centre Pompidou

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Among all the museums I've visited, Pompidou was my fav. It specialized in contemporary art, so expect to see a wild variety of interesting and unique pieces you'd never see anywhere else.

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L'Atelier des Lumières

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This art illumination experience puts all those other touring ones of Van Gogh to shame. I've been to both and this one in Paris is on another level. There are two floors where you can free roam and experience art in a huge moving scale. Highly recommend over any of the ones that're in the US

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Bike to Giverny

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Monet's previous home and garden is a must-see, even if you aren't a devout art enthusiast. You can take a shuttle but I recommend renting a bike and bicycling there. It's a gorgeous ride!

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Places to Eat

Breizh Café

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$ - This cafe is known for their buckwheat galette crepes and they are DELICIOUS. Loved both the sweet snd savory ones I ordered.

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Brasserie Bellanger

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$$ - Cafes around Paris can be pretty hit or miss. This spot, which was packed when I went, deserved a special call out for its delicious food and desert.

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Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie

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$$$ - You can't go here and NOT indulge in foie gras. The duck breast was AMAZING and the foie gras ravioli was incredibly rich.

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Sola

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$$$$ - This michelin starred restaurant has a great Japanese French cuisine theme. Everything felt very light and delicate and the atmosphere was lovely to eat in.

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Jules Verne

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$$$$ - If you're visiting the Eiffel Tower and can splurge on a classic French meal with a view, consider Le Jules Verne. This michelin-starred spot is nestled inside the tower itself and has an amazing view of Paris all around the restaurant.

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Le Clarence

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$$$$ - This two michelin starred restaurant is also considered one of the Top 50 best in the world. The setting was warm and cozy, and the entire menu is focused on classic french cuisine.

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Places for Snacks

Yummy And Guiltfree

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$ - I was initially skeptical about this place, but was very quickly proven wrong. These gluten free waffles were a good value for how crispy and tasty they were.

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C'est Mon Donuts Paris 9

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$ - I loved these fluffy donuts the handful of times I went to visit! Might not be

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Mamiche

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$$ - Bread is abundant in Paris but I thought this bakery was exceptional. I made a whole dinner out of this and some cheese from. nearby fromagerie and every bread item was delicious.

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Pastry Cyril Lignac - Chaillot

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$$ - This was quite the little upscale pastry spot thats relatively well known in Paris. I got the black Equinox cake, which was the best little cake I've had in Paris.

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laïzé marais 来座製茶

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$ - I didn't expect to find boba in Paris I would like as much as I did here. It has a beautifull minimalist interior with well brewed tea that really hits the spot if you need a boba fix.

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2D atelier

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$ - The boba itself was ok but the interior is super fun and unique. Worth a little photo op.

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Loire Valley

🍷This massive region west of Paris makes for a great multi-day trip away from the big city and is fun for wine enthusiasts (or anyone who just enjoys drinking). You *will* be driving a lot though so be prepared.

Rennes

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They have a huge farmers market on Saturdays called the Lices market. It's said to be the second largest in France and many locals visit to buy food for the week. I recommend grabbing food for a day pinic and eating nearby!

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Montrésor

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Montresor is considered one of France's beautiful villages that's a must-visit in the Loire Valley. The modest Chateau of Montresor was actually my favorite of the chateaus I've visited due to its beautifully furnished interior and charming artwork.

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Château de Chenonceau

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It's a castle on a lake, what's not to love? It's a novel castle full of history in a beautiful location in the Loire valley.

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Château de Chambord

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This castle is MASSIVE and considered a must-see among castles in Loire Valley. Although I thought I liked the Chenonceau and Montresor more, I think this spot is definitely worth checking out.

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Saint-Malo

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This historic seaside city boasts huge fortress-like walls which give it a super cool medieval feel. (Apparently it used to be a stronghold for Monarchy approved pirates!) But aside from that, the city itself was such a delight to walk through.

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La Maison du Beurre Bordier

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If you happen to stop by Sant Malo, you def need to stop by this butter shop. Yes you can buy a butter tasting tray, but if you go nextdoor to the restaurant you can have it as an appetizer while you try some of their seafood as well!

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Caves Monmousseau

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This cave network double as a wine cellar and light installation you can tour if you're in the area. The experience ends with a wine tasting as well, so its a good all-in-one stop.

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Provence

🏖 Sunshine and beaches are great ways to sum up my experience in Provence. In terms of large cities I only got to spend time in Nice, so some of these recs are a little specific to that corner of the coastline.

Canyoning @ Verdon Gorge

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While anyone can visit Verdon Gorge and partake in other activities like kayaking and hiking, I highly recommend the canyoning activity if it's available. We did aquatic hikes, free jumping, and light swimming. The drive through the scenic spots is also something I'd highly recommended!

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Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

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This "beautiful village", as designated by the French government, really is as gorgeous as they say. The village is perched on a mountain side so you get this spectacular view of the Provence countryside.

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Monaco

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This tiny 007-famed country is only a 30 minute drive from Nice, and the drive is GORGEOUS. The sparkling waters of the mediterranean as you drive along the winding mountain coast is spectacular.

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Molinard Nice

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Provence is known for their perfumes and Molinard in Nice is not only a local house, but also lets you take classes to make your own unqiue scent!

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Castle Hill

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This hike will give you a gorgeous view of the Nice coastline as well as a few small waterfalls along the way to the top.

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Peixes

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$$ - By far the most memorable spot I ate at in Nice. Their ceviche was fresh with the perfect hit of acid.

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