I am so excited - it's almost like giving birth - those months (in my case years) of worry and nurturing to prepare for the event. Then there's the hours (in my case months) of intensive labor to get to the point of "ta dah!" it's finally here! My "Petit Guide to Paris and Nice"! It began many years ago as a microsoft word document for how to make the best of your time in Paris if you only have a few days. I have many friends and family members who have planned short trips to Paris as part of a larger European trip and wanted to know my suggestions for how to spend those days.
I felt honored that my experience and love of that city was valued by others to the point of asking me for advice. And so began my "day by day" itinerary for travelers. Eventually I added ideas for visiting Nice, another of my favorite cities in France. Visiting both cities makes for a good taste of the best that France offers, in my opinion. Yes, I love the Dordogne region, but it is not as easily accessible as Paris and Nice. Both of these cities have international airports, the TGV (the fast train) gets you there in no time and the local train system is great which means visitors do not need a car and the worries of driving in a foreign country.
So, now I finally have a book which gives all of my good ideas for travel to France along with photos that I have taken over the years. For those of you who are "armchair travelers" I think you will find this book a nice addition to your other coffee table books. But it is really designed with the traveler in mind. If you only have one day to spend in Paris, then you follow Day 1 itinerary. If you have 2 days to spend in this beautiful city, then you do Day 1 followed by Day 2. And you continue this plan for up to 4 days.
My advice for Nice is a little different. Here I have the 4 days arranged by interest. The Alpine Adventure will take you into the Alps for a day, the Beach Bum day will take you to a nearby beach set in a lovely old medieval town, the City Culture day will let you see the best of the city of Nice itself, and the Fab and Famous will take you to the renowned city of Monte Carlo for the day.
I hope you will take a look at the book and maybe you will want a copy for yourself! Or maybe you know someone who is planning to travel soon, or just someone who loves France. (The link to the book is at the bottom of the blog page.) My next trip to Paris is scheduled for March 2012. Anyone want to join me? I'll talk about that in my next posting. Til then, à bientôt!
