Our family took a tour of Europe– a sampler platter if you will- so we could expose our girls to as many countries as possible. One of stops was France- a visit to Paris and Cannes- and I have listed some of the highlights from the segment of our tour!
Paris
There are several things you may want to do while in Paris. Walk along the Champs-Élysées, go to the top of the Eiffel Tour, walk by Notre Dame and visit the Louvre. My advice is to pinpoint what you must do and schedule tickets in advance. Ours was the Eiffel Tower. We were able to bypass a very long line and the view from the top was as magical as expected. Tickets for the other placed were sold out well in advance, and we did not have the time to devote to everything so we picked one.
You will likely do a lot of walking in Paris. Walk through the beautiful gardens. Stop in and take a rest and enjoy the view. The Tulieres Ga Notre Dame area and have a quick lunch on the Seine River.
When in Paris, embrace that you are in the fashion capitol of the world! One suggestion is to stop into Printemps, a beautiful store. The girls loved looking at the high end designs. Also, head to the top for a break in the air conditioning, and grab a beautiful dessert in their rooftop cafe. This is a great place for a view of the city.
Side Note
We spent less time in Paris than we did any other city. The Tour de France was setting up and we walked the course. We hit all of these spots in a day and a half, with the stops at a few street cafes. There is one thing I wish we had done differently, however. We stayed in a hotel near the airport. This was a big trip, and we used points for rooms when we could. However, it made us feel very removed from the city. Honestly, I would not recommend it. I think we really missed the local feel by doing this and it took forever to get the to places we wanted to go.
As I mentioned, we scheduled France for the middle of the trip. We had been walking and touring and were craving some down time. So taking the train from Italy to Cannes was perfect timing. This is a must do! Hop onto the train with wine and cheese in hand, and enjoy the view with a front seat to the most beautiful cities- Monte Carlo, Nice. Once we landed in Cannes, we were ready for relaxation.
Cannes
Truth: Cannes tops my list! Some of the highlights included walking through local markets (the silver and antiques were beyond), the sidewalk cafes with musicians strolling by, taking in all of the yachts, and the private beach clubs.
DO: Splurge and join a private beach club for the day, the public beaches were way too crowded. We chose L’Alba. It was nice to be able to relax with a view of the French Med, swim to the jump off pier for guests only, and relax with cocktail in hand. They have a great restaurant on sight as well.
theCollarfind tip: Reserve your chairs ahead of time so they are prepared for your arrival.
While in Cannes, add walking the famous red carpet celebrities use for the Cannes Film Festival on your things to do in France list. And hop on the Ferris Wheel at nighttime for the best views of the city.
France was timed perfectly. Our team needed a break from the hustle and bustle. In Cannes, things moved a little slower and we enjoyed the beautiful beach, the amazing food and the rest before our next stop. Paris was a whirlwind, a beautiful one at that. Next up…Germany!
You can find more highlights from our family vacation here: https://thecollarfind.com/category/travel/
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