A 12-day "Kaleidoscope of France" tour we took in mid-October started in Paris, going through the central valley, to the northwest (Normandy), back to Paris, then to the southeast (Provence) via a high speed train, before flying back to the US.
Here's the "executive summary" of it:
Paris
Compared to London and Berlin, Paris is a relatively small town, but definitely gave a live and charming feel from the moment our cab set in the tree-lined autumn-leafed somewhat-busy semi-tidy cityscape. We visited the usual high spots--the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Versailles, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Seine River...--and kept notes of places we would like to come back to revisit or yet to visit and they were plenty...
Loire Valley
This central stretch of France where its longest river runs through it is called the "Cradle of the French" and the "Garden of France" for its rich cultural and agricultural heritages, and to that I may add the "Royal Backyard of the French" nobility for the many grand, fancy chateaus they built, of which we visited three, along with two unassuming little towns and a winery on this pleasant roam of the bucolic side of the country.
Normandy
The visits to the bleak beaches of the D-day Invasion and the soldiers' graves were certainly heavy and sad, but also reminded us of how monumental events such as this shaped civilizations and world history, like another invasion in reverse direction and of different nature some 1000 years ago that allowed the French to change the culture and history of the English, whose story we saw unfolded on a strip of tapestry in a little museum in a little French town. And what a geographical monument that "church/abbey-on-a-mount" is, on an island barely off the coast of this northwestern land of the Normans!
Provence
Long famed for its village living, upscale Mediterranean resorts and artist enclaves, the southeast of France has much to offer: We visited an ancient Roman aqueduct, the Popes' palace, Van Gogh's asylum, a winery and a perfume factory, the festive Cannes, the glitzy and glammy Monaco/Monte Carlo, and the relaxing Nice where I took my virgin swim in the Mediterranean. A medieval hill side village that features a majestic cemetery, a chapel with contemporary interior design, and galleries of vibrant artworks lodged between winding alleys and cobblestone streets shows all's blended swell under the big blue of the French Riviera!
France is a large country, Texas size, with diverse geography, changing demographics, various social and political issues, etc., but wherever I went, "livable" seemed to be the word that came to my mind: the climate is mild, the commute is convenient, the food is excellent, and the people are friendly--forget about the snotty French who refuse to speak English, a "bon jour" (good day, excuse me) and a "merci" (thank you) can carry you a long way, and they do and will speak English with a smile when they see you are in need of it!
This was the second time we used the same travel agency we used for our tour to Turkey four years ago, and were even more impressed this time by their service: the transport, the selection of hotels, the itinerary, etc. In addition, a super nice tour guide named Edo, whose passion, humor, and love of his job went beyond the usual professionalism that no amount of Google search or Wikipedia knowledge could replace, made this trip an extra pleasant one for all of us!
Vive le tour!
* For more photos and details of the tour, click on the following:
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