France

Your perfect South of France itinerary with cost-cutting tips

July 12, 2019 by Steve Leave a Comment

Last Updated on July 12, 2019

Having taken my first trip to Europe over four decades ago, in numerous trips since, I have learned that many famous destinations are overpriced, or disappointing. The South of France (Provence) exceeds all expectations for its Joie de vivre (joy of living), beauty, food, people, and sites. After two trips in the past two years, I am counting the minutes until my next trip to this magical place. This guide to the South of France includes practical tips for visiting the South of France with an itinerary based on multiple trips and budget tips within each city!

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How to visit the South of France on a Budget: 10 cost-cutting tips

July 9, 2019 by Steve Leave a Comment

Last Updated on July 11, 2019

Considering visiting the South of France on a budget? Experienced French traveler Steve has some helpful tips for visiting Provence on a budget for first-time visitors. We include tips on how to find cheap accommodations in the South of France, budget eating tips, and how to avoid the crowds in the South of France.

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A perfect 10-day itinerary for Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris

June 26, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on June 26, 2019

As an American who has lived in Paris, briefly Brussels, and Amsterdam, I know that one of the popular routes for first-time travelers (as well as experienced travelers) is to spend a week (or 10 days) traveling from Amsterdam to Brussels to Paris. This is a great route as there are great train and bus connections between all of these cities. I’ll be doing an overview of what to do in each city along with some helpful tips for planning your itinerary!

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How to visit France on a budget: Thirteen cost-cutting tips for travel in France

May 25, 2019 by Steve 10 Comments

Last Updated on August 1, 2019

If you’re visiting France, you might be wondering how you can afford your trip between the food, the hotels, and the attractions. However, it’s definitely possible to visit France on a budget.

These are tips that I’ve perfected via my time living in Paris, traveling in France, and my dad’s recent trip around France. Traveling on a budget isn’t always about surviving on a shoestring, but cutting back on unnecessary expenses to splurge on the experiences that matter to you. I wrote this blog post together with my dad based on his recent trip to Provence and my travel around France. This post has been recently updated based on a recent trip. (April 2019).

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Five reasons why you should visit Arles, Provence’s surprising gem

May 9, 2019 by Steve 1 Comment

Last Updated on May 10, 2019

When I asked my late 97-year-old Father-In-Law about his years of military service in Europe during WWII, his most interesting memory was visiting Arles and Southern France. I had never heard of Arles prior to this point. After research, I discovered that Arles has been visited by Julius Caesar, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso and other notable figures in its history. Caesar would have called it Colonial Julia Paterna Arelatensium but today it is called Arles. I am in love with this city as this is my second trip in the past two years. I hope that this blog inspires you to visit Arles!

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Your perfect Paris itinerary for four days in Paris by a former resident

May 17, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

Last Updated on January 17, 2019

After living in Paris, I have been asked quite a few times for my Paris itinerary recommendations. I’ve put a lot of thought into what do to do in Paris and how long to spend in Paris, so I’ve assembled this itinerary for four days in Paris (with an additional day trip to Versailles) for how long I think is just right.

This itinerary is a mix of the top things to do in Paris that everyone will tell you that you must do and lesser-known things in Paris that may not be on your radar yet. I also include my favorite restaurants in Paris. Keep reading for my perfect Paris itinerary for four days in Paris.

I’ve broken this itinerary into four days to show you the different sides to Paris, including the side that not everyone sees. Obviously, not everyday may be what you want to do in Paris, however I hope that it serves as inspiration for your Paris itinerary. If you follow this itinerary, please let me know what you think!

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What it’s like to stay in a chateau in France and beautiful French chateaux to stay at

May 1, 2018 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on February 12, 2019

Each of us has a bucket list with experiences that they want and staying in a chateau in France has been long been on mine. While living in Paris, my husband and I took a weekend road trip to Normandy and I knew that this was my chance to stay in a chateau in France (also the clock was ticking). Keep reading for my experience of staying at a chateau in France as well as others’ experiences staying at French chateaux, and other beautiful chateaus in France that you’ll want to visit!

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A Europe Itinerary for 2 months in Europe: Your perfect itinerary for Europe

April 30, 2018 by Karen 24 Comments

Last Updated on July 21, 2019

On my first trip to Europe, I made a lot of mistakes as I was trying to see many capital cities as possible in the shortest possible time. Halfway through my Europe trip, I was exhausted and I felt like I had barely seen any nature or small cities.

I’ve been very fortunate to have taken multiple European backpacking trips and I’ve been living in Europe for nearly three years now. I hope that I can help a bit with helping you create your perfect European itinerary that mixes capital cities with cultural centers and stunning nature to show you the best of Europe in two months! You’ll find a downloadable excel to help you plan your own European trip at the end!

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Versailles Travel Tips: What to know about visiting Versailles from Paris

April 24, 2018 by Karen 13 Comments

Last Updated on March 12, 2019

Are you planning on taking a day trip from Paris to Versailles? For fans of history as well as Marie Antoinette (the movie), Versailles is something that must be included on your Paris bucket list. Read tips for the best month to visit Versailles, how to avoid the crowds at Versailles, and how to get to Versailles from Paris.

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Four days in Normandy road trip: The perfect Normandy itinerary

April 13, 2018 by Karen 11 Comments

Last Updated on December 5, 2018

Considering visiting Normandy from Paris? You definitely should! Depending on how much you want to do, you can visit Normandy as a day trip from Paris if you only visit Rouen or spend three to four days road tripping in Normandy to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside in Normandy.

If you’re thinking that Normandy will be anything like Paris, get that thought out of your mind. Expect incredibly friendly people, reasonable accommodation options, mind-blowingly good food at the same price as an average meal in Paris, stunning cities filled with history and fantastic drinks.

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