France
Wine cellars, Country cooking and a Medieval Hospital
01
BEAUNE
Had an overnight stop in the lovely town of Beaune. We took an audio tour of the medieval Hotel-Dieu de Beaune: founded in 1443 it remained a working hospital until 1971! This is in the heart of Burgundy - one of France's famous wine regions and we were so excited to visit a wine cellar. After our wine tasting it was a great opportunity for another group photo as most of us had smiles on our faces! We enjoyed some local specialties in a restaurant within a cellar and enjoyed the company of fellow travellers from England and Switzerland. A perfect first taste of France!
Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon, local Beaujolais wine
Dishes we enjoyed in Beaune
Books that take place near Beaune
The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The City of Light and so much more....
02
PARIS
La Belle Paris! Although we were sad to say goodbye to our Dutch friend Peter with his dry sense of humor and excellent luge skills who had steadfastly driven our bus since the Netherlands, we were thrilled to get to Paris! Our perfectly located and well appointed hotel near the Rue Cler gave us the perfect jumping off point for our explorations of the city. Our tour officially ended after 2 nights here but we elected to extend our stay and explore a bit longer. The first 2 days in Paris gave us a perfect chance to get oriented and were well spent with a Metro lesson, historical walking tour that included a view of Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, a walk along the Seine and the famous flower market. We also toured the Louvre and had our final farewell group dinner where we exchanged information with our new friends to keep in touch. It was a perfect ending to 3 lovely weeks spent together.
On our own, post-tour, we went to the Montmarte where we admired the view from the Sacre Coeur, visited artists square where we bought a painting and did some shopping. We took a food tour of the Saint Germain, visited the Liberation of Paris museum, and crept through the dark underground catacombs. We climbed the 674 steps up the Eiffel tower and proceeded to the top by elevator. We bought antique postcards from the famous bouquinistes, took a Seine cruise, visited the Champs Elysee and Arc de Triomphe, and took a tour of our favorite Parisian building the Palais Garnier. We ate at wonderful bistros and splurged on a couple experience restaurants.
We experienced so many unforgettable things, tried so many delicious dishes and met so many nice people in the beautiful City of Light we just fell in love with the city. Merci beaucoup for your gracious hospitality Paris!
Dishes we enjoyed in Paris
Croissants, Escargot, alllll the cheese, Paris Brest, Duck and Crepes Suzette
Movies and Books that take place in or near Paris
Amelie
Midnight in Paris
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Chateaus, Charcuterie and Chardonnay
03
LOIRE VALLEY
The Loire valley is home to "chateaus" built for the French nobility and is also one of the world's most well known areas of wine production. During this day trip we visited the Chateau Chambord where priceless art was hidden from the Nazis during WWII, had a lunch of beautiful cheeses, charcuteries and terrines paired with local wines and visited a local winery that has been passed from father to son since the 1500s. We watched a wine production demonstration, sampled several local wines and even shipped some home. The perfect day trip from Paris!
Palaces, Mirrors, Gardens and a Golf cart
04
VERSAILLES
The unbelievable opulence that is Versailles! We were in awe of the splendor of the palace with its crystal chandeliers, gilded furniture and famous hall of mirrors. We had a picnic overlooking the "grand canal" while watching the swans swimming and people out in rowboats. We toured the palace and the grand and petit trianons then meandered around the grounds and gardens in a golf cart - that's how immense it is!
A beautiful Fall day in a beautiful place.
D-Day beaches, memorials and brandy
05
NORMANDY COAST
Took a trip through the French countryside to the Normandy coast. We visited the site of the turning point of WWII in Europe as well as the memorial to those that never returned.
The average age of those who were buried in the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach was 23. The fear they must have felt as they landed on that beach and saw what they faced must have been overwhelming. The bravery it took to charge up those hills was nothing short of miraculous. It was incredibly humbling to stand where so many answered the call that ultimately led to the liberation of Europe by the Allies.
My great-Uncle landed on this beach on D-Day. He often told the story of he and his fellow soldiers toasting their survival that fateful day with Calvados - an apple Brandy that is still made here. We tried it in his honor - here's to you Uncle John!
A Medieval City and an Abbey on a Rock
06
THE BRITTANY COAST AND MONT ST MICHEL
For our final adventure in France we walked around the walled city of Saint Malo and then went on to the Abbey and surrounding village of Mont St Michel. The Abbey was built on this small rock island in 708. The construction and size are incredible - how did they do that? The tiny village surrounding the abbey currently houses around 20 full time residents. What a wonderful way to spend our last day in France!
