In 2023 I helped my dear friend Michelle realize a dream of visiting Europe. She was supposed to travel with me during a high school trip, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be. We spent 3 days in London before taking the Eurostar over to Paris. We saw the major sites in Paris (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Versailles) before picking up a rental car to drive to the Loire Valley. After a few days in the Loire Valley we hit the road again to visit St. Malo, a place I longed to see after reading the book, “All the Light You Cannot See” (haven’t read it? Do it! You’ll thank me later). From there our journey took us to the beaches of Normandy before returning to Paris for our onward travels – me to meet up with my Travel Prince in Croatia & Michelle homeward via London.
If You Go:
Use Public Transportation! Using the metro is an extremely easy & efficient way to get around Paris. You should purchase a carnet (a packet of 10 tickets) & will need a ticket for each ride (one ticket allows for transfers). I don’t understand why the Metro isn’t as easy to use as London’s tube network – there I just tapped my Apple Watch & had the fare charged to my credit card. The paper ticket method seems so archaic when there are better & perhaps more eco friendly options. I do realize there is an option for purchasing a pass, but during my research – it seemed to be more trouble that it is worth if you are only in Paris for a short while. Be prepared for crowds – remember that Paris is a major tourist destination, especially if you travel during the summer months (we teachers fall into this category).
Purchase your museum tickets in advance! I cannot emphasize this enough – the last thing you want to do is waste your precious vacation time standing in a queue. (Rookies!) When you purchase your tickets in advance, you are committing to a particular time of day – be sure to consider your travel preferences. Do you like to sleep in? When do you want to eat lunch? How long would you want to spend in any museum. Keep in mind that the Louvre is HUGE & you really can’t see it all in one day. Consider your “must sees” & plan your trip around that. Yes – the Mona Lisa is a must see – for everyone; don’t be surprised with the crowds & that you may have to wait in a long queue to get close enough to take a photo.
If you rent a car – take care from where you rent! When I traveled to France in 2016 with my Travel Prince & our children, I made the mistake of renting our car out of Charles de Gaulle airport – ROOKIE MOVE! I had not considered where in Paris CDG is located (btw – it’s in the NE part of Paris) which meant we had to deal with the INSANE Paris traffic as we head out of town. Instead – rent out of D’Orly airport & save yourself some heartache. Yes, you will have to travel a bit through Paris, but trust me – it’s nothing compared to what you would have to endure from CDG. You’re welcome.
Purchase a Chateaux Pass – I used tiquets. You can choose the Chateaux (castles) you’d like to visit, again – you will have to commit to the days, and can access the tickets on your phone. While there aren’t nearly the queues at the castles as you would encounter at museums in Paris, I thought it was totally worth it. But then again, I am a bit of a planner, so I liked knowing where we were going each day while in the Loire Valley. My recommendations for first time visitors:
• Chateau de Chambord – I think this is my favorite castle. This was my first visit & I was hooked. The double helix staircase in the center is an architectural feat.
• Chateau de Chenonceau – This was my 2nd visit & I still find its history fascinating. The castle traverses the River Cher and during World War II separated free & occupied France. The history of its ownership is equally interesting – a gift to Diane de Poitier, Henry II’s mistress and then taken back by Catherine de Medici (what do they say about a woman scorned?) makes for a true historical drama.
Teach2Travel 