France - Paris and Nice
>From beaches to the alps, France has a little of something for
everyone. In this article, we take a look at Paris and the beach
city of Nice.
Paris
It is hard to know where to start when discussing Paris. 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
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 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.