France
– Paris and Nice Travel Guide
by: Rick Chapo
Paris, France
It is hard to know where
to start when discussing Paris, France. Take a
boat down the Seine River and you will pass
Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and so many other
notable spots it is easy to get overwhelmed. The
city is simply that dramatic.
Long considered the most
glamorous city in Europe, Paris has a little of
everything. For the romantic, one can visit the
haunts of famous writers, historical sites of
just about every nature and the Moulin Rouge.
On the other hand, art
lovers can spend weeks visiting the 100 plus
museums in the city with, of course, the Louvre
being the crown jewel. Personally, I found the
Rodin Museum just as interesting, particularly
since there was a much smaller crowd.
Perhaps the best way to
experience Paris is just to wander around. Yes,
take a few days to visit the notable tourist
traps…err, destinations. Once you get tired of
standing in crowds, walk out of your hotel and
just keep on going. You will find little
neighborhoods with eccentric characteristics to
make you smile. As you plod along, real cafes
and gathering places will become apparent. Make
sure you visit them as the locals in these
neighborhoods are very friendly and funny.
Nice, France
Nice is a small beach city
just to the east of Cannes in the south of
France. It is an odd mix of old world charm and
beach culture. In and of itself, there is
nothing particular about Nice when compared to
Cannes with the exception of the prices. They
are significantly cheaper and you get pretty
much the same thing.
One extremely positive
thing about Nice, France is the launching
factor. Nice is close to everything and a
natural launching point to go practically
anywhere in the general region. You can hop on a
train to the east and be in Monaco in 15
minutes. You can take a 20 minute minivan trip
inland to learn how to make cheese and soap.
Thankfully, this isn’t the same location.
France is a diverse
country with a rich history. It can be easy to
overdose on the volume of things to see, but you
can’t do much worse than just walking out your
door and exploring. Remember, those boots were
made for walking. |
