France

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 22 Comments

Last Updated on January 14, 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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Secret Montmartre: a free self-guided Montmartre walking tour

April 12, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

Last Updated on January 23, 2019

Planning your visit to Montmartre and tired of the crowds of Paris? This guide to one of Paris’ most famous arrondissements covers secret locations that you won’t read about on most other travel blogs with a complete self-guided walking tour of Montmartre with map.

I lived only a stone’s throw away from Montmartre during my part of my time in Paris, so I often wandered up to Pigalle and Montmartre. In this guide to Montmartre, I cover the history as well as the little villages/streets that make Montmartre truly special. The walking tour of Montmartre should take about 2 hours. The total distance covered is 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).

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10 Paris scams to avoid and 10+ tips for avoiding pickpockets in Paris

April 4, 2018 by Karen 7 Comments

Last Updated on December 5, 2018

Paris is a fantastic city to visit, especially for first time visitors to Europe, however you’ll need to be aware of your surroundings as there are quite a few scammers in Paris. My husband has personally been scammed in Paris and I’ve been on my best behavior while living in Paris to avoid pickpockets in Paris….

Hopefully, these tips for avoiding pickpockets in Paris and knowledge about popular scams in Paris will help you avoid being scammed in Paris. This post includes tips from other Parisian residents as well as travelers on scams in Paris that they’ve encountered.

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Your neighborhood guide to the 14th arrondissement of Paris

March 20, 2018 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on May 24, 2019

I often write about travel, but travel is often about enjoying your surroundings. For most of my time in Paris, I lived in the 14th arrondissement. Although this arrondissement isn’t famous in the same way that other arrondissements for its attractions, there are many things to do in 14th arrondissement as well as some fantastic food. I hope that this neighborhood guide to the 14e arrondissement inspires you to stick around to explore a bit of this local neighborhood in Paris.

Shortly after moving to Paris, we found a charming apartment in a historic Haussmannian building in the 14th. It was small and I wasn’t sure what it would be like in the 14th arrondissement. Given how crazy the apartment market in Paris is, we took it although the apartment wasn’t exactly what we thought it would be (“CLEAN ME” written into the blinds). That said, I instantly fell in love with the neighborhood. Most people only visit the 14th for the Montparnasse Tower or the Paris Catacombs, however hopefully this little guide inspires you to find some good food after visiting the catacombs….

The perfect day trip from Paris to Provins, a beautiful medieval town

February 26, 2018 by Karen 1 Comment

Last Updated on April 25, 2018

Visiting Paris and looking for the perfect day trip from Paris? Look no further than Provins, a medieval town that has been recognized as a French UNESCO world heritage site. Traveling from Paris to Provins takes about an hour and a half by train, however it’s easy to spend the day exploring the city. Keep reading for what to do in Provins in one day and where to eat in Provins. There’s a downloadable map with the best things to do in Provins at the bottom.

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