In 2013 I was lucky enough to visit France. Having studied French for 3 years in High School I already had a bit of background into the language and culture of the country. This was a country that I was particularly excited to visit, having watched a lot of French TV shows as a child (Madeline was a favourite of mine). I arrived into Paris from Brussels on the TGV train. The train is very fast and comfortable, whilst ensuring a lovely view of the French countryside.
(TGV train *image not my own)
My 6 night stay in Paris was everything I was hoping for. I felt this was enough time to see most of the major sites, but you'll definitely need minimum 5 nights to see everything. Paris is very flat, so you can get around to most landmarks by foot. The city is broken down into Arrondissements - these are essentially large suburbs that make up the city. I stayed in the Timhotel Le Louvre (located in the 1st I believe), which was situated right next to The Louvre! This is a lovely, safe part of Paris to be staying in.
(The Louvre from the outside)
Naturally, The Louvre was the first stop on my list. This is almost a full day in itself! The Louvre is a HUGE, very informative museum. I pre-purchased tickets which I would absolutely recommend doing, as I got to skip the massive que that stretched out along the street, where impatient tourists were baking in the warm Summer sun like lobsters. Another museum in Paris not to be missed is the Musee D'Orsay - I felt that this museum deserves more hype, and I actually preferred it overall to The Louvre. Located on the other side of the Seine River, the Musee D'Orsay is focused primarily on art. Its layout is quite easy to follow, and has a lovely atmosphere inside. It is also significantly less crowded. On the way back to the hotel I walked over the Pont des Arts bridge, which was known at the time for being the romantic bridge covered in padlocks bound there by visiting lovers. Unfortunately, I believe the padlocks have recently been taken down due to the safety of the bridge.
(Padlocks on the Pont des Arts bridge)
The Next stop on the list was The Eiffel Tower. This is such a significant landmark recognized worldwide, that I was expecting it to be more crowded that what it was. There was only a small wait to go up, and the views were incredible!!! On the day I was there the very top lookout was closed, however I went to the lookout halfway up and the view was more than sufficient. Getting up there was easy - there was a lift which you could see through to the structure of the building, which was quite fascinating. Once you have soaked in the lovely view from up top, you'll begin your descent down by stairs. This is quite tedious, and because you're walking down in circles it can also make you a tad dizzy, but not to worry. It's well worth it!
(Myself at the observation deck halfway up The Eiffel Tower)
While in Paris I made it my mission to visit all the other main landmarks - next on the list was the Arc de Triomphe. This was perhaps the least impressive landmark in Paris, simply because you can't really interact with it in any way. I'm not sure if you can climb it, however I'm not sure you'd want to with The Eiffel Tower available anyway. The Arc de Triomphe really is just an arch, centred in the middle of a large roundabout... Hmm. I felt the same level of disappointment with Moulin Rouge - an overrated landmark a seemingly long way from everything else. Notre Dame on the other hand is quite impressive, and was located relatively close to where I was staying. Notre Dame is a medieval cathedral; a marvelous piece of architecture not to be missed. I enjoyed walking around inside and looking at all the stained glass windows. Recently a large part of the cathedral was wiped out by fire, which is a real tragedy. I'll definitely go back to have another look once it's all rebuilt though!
(Myself in front of the Arc de Triomphe)
(Myself in front of Notre Dame)
Next stop on my Paris visit was Disneyland. This is not really in Paris at all - it is a day trip out of Paris, easily done by bus. The Disneyland is not quite on the same scale as Disneyland in LA, or Disneyworld, but is bigger than the one in Hong Kong. The rides in Disneyland Paris are particularly terrifying - I remember going on the Indiana Jones ride thinking it would be like the tame ride in LA, but this was not the case. I realised towards the front of the line this was in fact a full-on roller coaster, complete with the loop and all. Too late to back out, I sat down on the VERY FRONT seat (the most terrifying place to be) and resigned myself to my imminent doom. As soon as the roller coaster shot out, I got my head stuck to my chest with the force, and couldn't get it back up until the ride was over. The result? A sore neck, and a lifelong repugnance of roller coasters. But Disneyland is still great for the atmosphere, of course.
(The entrance to Disneyland Paris)
I departed Paris by TGV train to Marseille. I spent 1 night in this city, which I felt was more than enough. I stayed at the Music Hotel, which was perhaps the rough part of town. Regardless, my impression of this city wasn't high, and I'm not tempted to go back. I then caught a bus from Marseille to Nice, and this city is exactly that - NICE. Wow! Beautiful beaches, and a relaxed vibe - one I found similar to that of Florida, USA. I was in Nice for 2 nights, and I felt this was not long enough; I would have loved to stay longer. I stayed in the Adagio Access Nice Acropolis hotel, a pleasant hotel in a good location. Whilst in Nice I also checked out the 'Old Town', the Museo Chagall, and best of all, the Promenade des Anglais (beach). The beach was pebbly - quite like the beaches in England. The pebbles are painful to walk/sit on, however the view and atmosphere made it well worth it. Just take a few bottles of sunscreen with you!
(Myself on the Promenade des Anglais)
France was pretty much what I was expecting - Paris and Nice were well worth the visit and I will certainly go back. I found most of the locals to be quite friendly and accommodating. The ones that weren't assumed I was English, and became a lot more friendly when they realised I was Australian. French is most commonly spoken, and it is worth noting that not everyone speaks English. I found other countries in Europe (Italy, for example) to have a higher rate of English speaking citizens. My French was passable but quite rusty since High School, and I did rely on other people being able to speak English to understand me. Once you get past the language barrier, France is well worth the visit and quite unique in many ways.
(Myself in front of The Eiffel Tower)
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