Where am I going?

                        

                                       Map of France

Map of French Riviera

Cities I plan to visit: Nice, Monaco, Cannes, St. Tropez, Port de Grimaud, Paris

When is this trip happening: When I am financially capable (hopefully late 20's)

What time of the year: Beginning of June... it's the perfect weather

With Who: Friends, boyfriend, husband, family 

(Depends on what stage of life I am in.)

Day 1: Arrive in Marseille

Bonjour France! After a long flight, we finally arrive in Marseille. Were going to pick up the rental car that we pre-paid for, set up my dad's portable GPS system and hit the road to Nice. We will check into the beautiful Hotel Suisse, located right across from the boardwalk across the ocean, prime location! No major plans for this afternoon seeing that we will most likely be jet lagged and exhausted from the long day of traveling.  We will freshen up, walk alongside the boardwalk and find a cute place to eat dinner in the old city. After dinner, we'll make our way back to the hotel, maybe grab a delicious gelato or crepe for desert and call it a night!

View Of Nice

Daily Cost: 

- Hotel Suisse - $180.00/night standard room, ocean view (breakfast and parking included) 

- Dinner

Day 2: Travel around Nice

Nice Market

Wake up in the morning, have breakfast complementary of the hotel. Did I mention that I love french croissants and cafe au lait! Go back to the room, freshen up and put on our walking shoes, since that is our mode of transportation for the day.  First stop of the day is the Cours Saleya Flower Market. It is a 5 minute walk from the hotel. This market takes place only on Monday mornings. It is bustling with vendors selling flowers, spices, fresh fruit, homemade jam, souvenirs etc. After we've walked the market, and maybe purchased a thing or two, we will be making our way to the Colline du Château. An elevator option is available to reach the top, however I enjoy walking so I will take the   stairs.  The castle was destroyed in 1906, but it has been converted into a gorgeous park, with great walking trails and phenomenal panoramic views of Nice, the old port, and the Mediterranean Sea. After relaxing and taking in the gorgeous view we will make our way back down (choice of: elevator or stairs) and ask a local where a good place to eat Provencal food is. After our late lunch, we will make our way to the beach. Be prepared...it is not sand, rather pebbles, so be sure to bring flip flops!  We will relax and take in the French sun. We will head back to our hotel, freshen up, maybe take a short nap and head out to dinner to "Diamant Noir."It is a small chic restaurant, offering local Provencal food. There are only 24 seats and it is in popular demand, so be sure to make a reservation!

View from Colline du Chateau

Daily Cost:
- Hotel Suisse: $180.00/night standard room, with ocean view. (Breakfast and parking included.) 
- Lunch and dinner 

Day 3: Monacco

Today is a long day, full of things to see and do! Our destination is Monaco. It is approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Nice. We will be taking the A8 scenic route as we drive, to ensure that we get to see the

St. Jean-Cap Ferrat

beautiful views of the coast line, and occasionally stop to snap some photos. En route, we will pass a city known as St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat. It is a peninsula, and a hot spot for people to come park their yachts.
The second stop is the city of Eze. It is perched on a high cliff, right on the coastal line. We will stop here,stretch our legs and eat lunch at one of the castles outdoor restaurants, overlooking the magnificent views.

Eze Village

We will walk around Eze village, return to the car and head to  Monaco. Once in Monaco sites that we want to see are: Jardin Exotique; an exotic plant/flower outdoor garden, the Monaco harbor and the old city. I am not one to gamble, but if I feel like taking a walk on the wild side, I will stop by the Monte Carlo Bay Casino and play a few rounds of blackjack. Dinner tonight is at a restaurant called "New Indien."It is an authentic Indian restaurant with honest prices within the posh city of Monaco.  After dinner, we will drive back to Nice while enjoying the beautiful sunset.

             

Monaco Harbor

Old City of Monaco            

Daily Cost 
- Hotel Suisse: $180.00/night standard room, with ocean view. (Breakfast and parking included.) 
- Lunch and dinner
- Fill up car with gas. 

Day 4: Cannes

Intercontinental Carlton Hotel

View of Cannes

The day begins as we check out of our hotel, have our last day of complementary breakfast (mmm..croissants) and hit the road to Cannes! The city of Cannes is recognized for its glitz, glamour and gorgeous beaches. It is known for hosting the famous International Film Festival and esteem antique shows. I am not a celebrity fan, therefore have chosen to travel to Cannes at a time when it wont be crowded with paparazzi and TV broadcasters striving to capture what Brangalina are wearing, eating or doing. We will check into the beautiful Intercontinental Carlton Hotel. Put on our bathing suits, and head straight to the beach for a day of relaxation and pampering! I hear the French women enjoy being topless at the beaches. Guess I will be easily spotted as a tourist, seeing that I will be one of the few girls with there bathing suits actually ON. After we are all sunned out, we will return to our room, shower and get ready for a night out on the town. We will walk along the famous Promenade de la Croisette, which is full of stylish boutiques and shopping opportunities (every girls dream!) We will make our way to La Palme D'or where we will enjoy a French cuisine, and a bottle of wine for dinner! Oh but the night doesnt stop there... after dinner we will head to the stylish Bar 4,U known for its Euro-house music and glamour where we will dance the night away. 


Daily Cost:

- Hotel Inter-Continental Carlton. Classic room $250.00/night (breakfast included)
- Dinner & Drinks
- Account for potential shopping expenses

Day 5: St. Tropez

Hotel Bedroom

Hotel Outdoors

Good morning! We will check out of the hotel bright and early, and make our way down to St. Tropez. The drive is approximately 2 hours. An option of stopping in Ste.Maxime for a quick lunch is a possibility, or, just truck right through and reach St. Tropez by late morning.  The city itself is quite small. The harbour was once filled with fishing boats and today is crowded with yachts ranging to the millions of dollars. It houses some of Frances most glamorous resorts, beautiful sandy beaches, chic cafes and buzzing night clubs.  We will check into the Pan Dej Palais Hotel. (Once you look at this hotel, you will remember that this is my dream vacation. I plan on doing it only when I have the financial capability to do so...if that ever happens!) The main street is called Place De Lices, and the market days are: Tuesday and Saturday. Sites that we want to visit are: The 17th century citadel and La Maison des Papillons (The House of Butterflies). We will return to our hotel, freshen up and enjoy the luxurous amenities it has to offer. Tonight we dine at La Petite Auberge de Barbigoua, which is a french cuisine. Following dinner we will take a nice relaxing evening stroll through the old port, and see the hundreds of yachts parked in the harbour.

Place Des Lices 

Helpful Tips: 
Don't shop at the St. Tropez's market to find bargains. It is quite expensive. One goes to enjoy the pleasure of sampling the best that the communities surrounding St.Tropez produce. 


Daily Cost:
- Hotel: Pan Dej Palais $400.00 CAD /night (breakfast & parking included)
- Dinner 
- Account for potential shopping expenses

Day 6: St.Tropez/Port De Grimaud

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After a relaxing night we will be waking up early and heading to a nearby city called Port De Grimaud. It's approximately a 10 minute drive and is known as "Mini Venice." With Venetian style architecture, every property comes with its own dock to park their private boat. I've never been to Venice, so it'll be nice to get a glimpse of what it's like. If there is time, and we're in the mood. Options to rent paddle boats are possible, and we can  paddle away through the winding channels at our own pace. When we get tired and have seen enough, we will return to St. Tropez, grab a quick lunch and head to the best beach in the area called, "Plage de Tahiti." Again, I will be WEARING my bathing suit. We will, relax, get our bronze on if it's a nice day, enjoy the sun and beautiful blue waters. We will return to our hotel and get ready for our last night in the French Riviera! Dinner tonight will be at "Les Mouscardins." They offer Mediterranean dishes and are well known for their famous Provencal dish called bouillabaisse, also known as fish stew. I like fish, but never tried seafood. I promised myself that I would immerse myself and try the local food, so hopefully once I take the plunge i'll enjoy it and not have to run to the bathroom...wish me luck!!

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Daily Cost:
- Hotel: Pan Dej Palais $400.00/night (breakfast included)
- Lunch & dinner
- Account for potential shopping expenses

Day 7: Travel to Paris

Day 8: Bonjour Paris

Pantheon

Today will be a day of traveling to reach our final destination Paris, where we will spend 2 full days sightseeing (I cannot express my excitement!) We will check out of our St. Tropez hotel and go to a local boulangerie (bakery) to buy something to eat later on in the day. We will drive back to Cannes, return the car to Sixt Car Rental at the train station, and hop on  the high speed train to Paris. There are trains departing daily from Cannes to Paris, every hour or so, with a connection in the city of Marseille. Once I know the exact dates of when my dream vacation is taking place, I will book the appropriate train times. The train ride is approximately 5 hours.  I will most likely book a train that departs early afternoon from Cannes and arrives early evening in Paris. I have heard that the train as a means of transportation is excellent. The cars are supposably comfortable, and there are beautiful views as you pass through various cities of France. Knowing me, I'll put in my ipod earphones, kick back, listen to music and enjoy the ride! Once we arrive in Paris we will take a taxi to Hotel La Belle Juliette, which is in the heart of the Latin Quarter. We will check into our hotel, freshen up and get ready for dinner. In case travel time takes longer than expected I won't be making a reservation for dinner. I will most likely ask the concierge at the hotel for a recommendation of a restaurant nearby. Either before or after dinner we will walk around the Latin Quarter and see sites such as: The Pantheon and the Sorbonne, also known as the University of Paris. Bed time is early since the next two days are filled with lots of sightseeing and lots of walking. Make sure to have a comfortable pair of sneakers! 

Hotel Room

Daily Cost:
- Hotel La Belle Juliette: $300/night 
- Eurorail Train Ticket (one way): $189.00/per person
- Dinner

Day 9: Paris

Arc De Triumph

Rise and shine! I know today's alarm is set early, but we need the whole day to fit in all the sight seeing we want to do. First, eat breakfast complementary of the hotel. Knowing me, and my love for food, I still wont be sick of the french cheeses and the croissants. Second task, is to head down to the nearest metro station to get a 2 day package deal. I have been told that the metro is the most efficient and cheapest way to travel across Paris. It may look overwhelming at first, but if you ask people around you for assistance, I hear it's a piece of cake! Once all that is done we are going to take the metro to our first landmark the Arc De Triumph. Next, we will walk down the famous Champs - Elysees. I am a big fan of the Tour De France, and this is where the last stretch of the race occurs. Champs- Elysees is lined on both sides with tons of shopping stores and boutiques. After going into countless stores to look around, we will slowly make our way to the Louvre. To be honest, I'm not the biggest art and museum fan, so I will forego entering the museum and continue on to Ile de la Cite. Here we will marvel at the different buildings, the architecture, learn about history and slowly make our way to the Notre Dame Cathedral. After a long day of walking and depending on the status of our feet.  We can either hop back on the metro, or the hotel is in walking distance. We will wash up, rest, maybe watch some French TV and then head to the well known "Le Monteverde" restaurant for dinner.  After dinner head back to the hotel to get a good night sleep for another long and exciting day tomorrow!

Notre Dame Catherdral

The Louvre

Daily Cost:
- Hotel La Belle Juliette: $300/night  (breakfast included)
- Lunch & dinner
- None of the sites that we visited today had entrance fees. 

Day 10: Last Day in Paris!

Eiffel Tower

It's our last day of my 10 day dream vacation. I still have a packed day of sight seeing to do. Everyone knows that Paris = Eiffel Tower. So, it shouldn't surprise you that the tall building of steel is my first stop of the day. Rumor has it that the lines in the summer months are killer! I'm an early riser, so I will try to beat the rush by getting there a bit before opening at 9:30 a.m. It costs $10.00 for adults and$7.00 for children. Words cannot express how long I have been dreaming to stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower and be able to overlook the beautiful city of Paris. My camera without question will be taking pictures non-stop! If drinking is permitted in public,  maybe I'll bring a bottle of wine and open it once I'm uptop. Once I have absorbed every inch of view I can possibly take in, I will take the elevators down, get on the nearest metro and head to the area of Montmarte and Sacre Coeur.  Here we will grab a quick bite to eat and walk around the city. Sites we want to see are: the famous Moulin Rouge 

Moulin Rouge

Sacre Coeur Basillica

and the Sacre Coeur Basillica. We will head back to the hotel, renergize and go to dinner at a restaurant that the hotel concierge has arranged for us. After dinner, if were not too tired we will walk around the Latin Quarter for one last time. Tomorrow morning we will check out, take a taxi to the airport and head back home... Aurevoir France! 


Daily Cost:
- Hotel La Belle Juliette: $300/night (breakfast included)
- Lunch & dinner
- Taxi to the airport