Honeymoon in France

Flight arrival in Paris.

Arrive 9:55am

From airport terminal 2 buy tickets for and take RER-B blue color in direction of robinson or saint-remy-les-chevreuse to Chatelet Les Halles station 39min. When there try to buy RER D green train tickets for 8/6 at 12:33pm to Chantilly. Walk 5min south and put luggage in hotel Gran Hotel Dechampaigne. Eat lunch if have time. Leave 1pm, bring passport.

Paris, Eiffel, and Boat dinner

1pm: walk 7min to Notre Dame see outside and St Chapelle (stained glass) – ticket for 1:30pm

2pm: 30min Walk along the Seine then turn right at bridge pont du carrousel to go in to pass through garden Jardin des Tuileries then to Place de la Concorde where King Louis and Mary Antoinette were guillotined.

30min Walk Champs de Elysees stopping for macaron to Arc de Triomphe – 3:00pm 1hr.

4pm: Walk south 30min to down Champs de Elysees turn R on Av George V till get to Seine and see on R torch, where Diana died in tunnel below. Walk across the bridge ponte de l’alma and continue on ave rapp 2 blocks to R on rue de montessuy 1 block then R on ave de lab bourdonnais to souveneri shop on R. Grab a small bite to eat and eat in front of Eiffel (4min walk), but need to be back there at 5:15pm.

5:15-7:15pm: go up the tower. On way down glass floor on first floor.

7:15pm: walk 15min to trocadero across bridge. Leave at 7:45pm walk 15min to boat along river.

8:00pm: Bateaux Parisiens service privilege. Ends 10:30pm. Back to hotel: walk across bridge to pont d’lena bus station take bus 72 arriving there at 10:44pm to pont neuf station, walk 3 blocks to hotel. Next bus is at 11:04pm.

Sleep Paris

Louvre

Leave 8:30am: walk 11min to louvre pyramid get there 8:45am, green line. Ticket in advance $17euro each. Plan what to see in there: 9am-11:30pm. Things important to me:

Richelieu: Napoleon apartments level 1, Hammurabi code steele level 0.

Denon – Mona Lisa, Italian paintings level 1. French crown jewels level 1.

Sully – Egyptian and Israel level 0, Venus de Milo level 0

Leave 12noon

Chantilly

12noon: walk 12min to chalelet les halles (6blocks east and 3 blocks north), buy tickets

for 12:33pm D green bus in direction of goussainville/Creil 13 stops to gare de Chantilly

Gouvieux arrive 1:26pm, then walk 28min around a horse track to the palace, or take La Navette tourist bus at 1:40pm from train station to chateau. Musee Conde for art and the princely suits and the reading room inside the Domaine - $17euro

Eat Chantilly cream

Take free bus back to train or walk 28min around horse track.

Back to Paris TER C10 or C14 train leaves 5:28pm C10, 6:58pm C14 then RER D in direction of melun to chatelet de halles. Or eat dinner in Chantilly on the main drag called Dame Juliette: la prego, la cour pavee. Or on rue due creil restaurants la villa Chantilly, giorgio trattoria, le sylvia. Take 8:47pm RER D train all the way to chatelet de halles. Could take food from chatelet de halles to notre dame sunset viewing on other side of the island 13min walk.

Sleep Paris

Saint Theresa

Walk north 3min to Chatelet metro station to 7:03am or 7:11am M1 yellow 4stops in direction of la defense to concorde, then take M12 green in direction of mairie daubervillaines 2stops to gare st lazare. Then 7:48am Train Nomad 3353 Coach 3 seats 27 and 28 2hrs10min 3 stops to Lisieux train station. Arrive 9:58am.

11min walk to the Basilica of St Therese, then 11min walk to the Carmel where her remains are, 8min walk through town to Lisieux cathedral (Saint Peters) where she prayed, 12min walk back to the train station

Have calvados apple brandy, eat lunch

Latin quarter

Take 2:37pm Train Nomad 3348 train 2hrs22min back to Paris Saint Lazare station arrive 4:59pm, then take metro 12 dark green in direction of Mairie D’issy 9min 7 stops to Rennes. Coming out of the metro look down street and see tall skyscraper on your R. Walk 2 blocks forward with skyscraper on your R, then turn L and walk straight 3 blocks to Luxenbourg gardens. See Fontaine medici, the palace.

Luxenbourg gardens – Leave before 8pm when gardens close.

Walk 20min back to hotel, just go north. Stop to eat in the Latin Quarter along the way. Change in to nice clothes: suit and dress at hotel. Leave 9:20pm.

Go to Chatelet metro and take M1 yellow line in direct of La Defense 7min 6 stops to Franklin D Roosevelt. Then 10min walk toward Eiffel tower along Av Montaigne till bridge, then turn R on bridge road ½ block on your R is Crazy Horse.

To Crazy Horse show – get there 9:45pm, show starts at 10:30pm.

Back to hotel: walk back to franklin roosevelt station, take M1 yellow line in direction of Chateau de Vincennes to Chatelets.

Sleep Paris

Epernay

From hotel walk to Chatelet station take 10:18am M4 purple train in direction of porte de clignancourt 6stops to Gare de l’Est, take 10:36am TER 839111 sit anywhere 1hr21min to Epernay arrive 12noon.

Walk 6min south to Avenue de Champagne

Moet tour starts at 12:30pm-2pm (get there 10min early).

Off av de champagne on other side of moet is rue jean chandon moet find the Renault 4hr tour meet at 2pm.

6pm: Walk along ave de champaigne, eat biscuit rose de reims pink.

Eat in Epernay – in train station, or eat on train.

Take 7:49pm TER 839172 train sit anywhere 1hr34min back to Gare de l’est Paris (last train) arrive 9:23pm then 4 pink metro at 9:30pm in direction of bagneux-lucie abrac 6min 6stops to Chatelet.

Sleep Paris, check out in AM

Colmar

Walk to Chatelet station take 9:07am 4 purple line in direction of porta de clignancourt 6stops to Gare de l’Est then take 9:25am TGV INOUI 2409 Coach 8 seats 63 and 64 1hr46min to Strasbourg 11:11am, then change at Strasbourg to TER 96251 departs 11:21am to Colmar sit anywhere arrive 11:51am. 15min walk to Hotel Turenne leave luggage there: walk north to R on rue georges lasch, go straight through 2 circles on to rue Bartholdi, L on rte de bale, hotel on L.

Explore Colmar: walk north through circle turn R down side street rue wickman it curves L in to petite venise. Then when ends walk north some more in to main part of town, meandering to the cathedral, eat lunch there. Find wooden paneled Pfister house there. Also the Koifhous customs house.

Eat tarte flambee or coq au Riesling or choucroure garnie. Wines are Riesling, pinot blanc, pinot gris, gewurtztraminer. Book dinner in advance as you wonder around.

Take boat tour if you want 7euros, leaves from pont st-pierre bridge area – to get there follow the water south, 25min

Sleep Colmar

Bike village day

9am rent electric bikes from Le Velo Libre 1 block north of hotel at circle. 15min before time slot you get a code in email. Same code to return the bikes. (100euro deposit added then refunded). 40km roundtrip. Battery lasts 100km. Use bike lock in seat tube.

Take your time

46min ride to Kayersberg, try for outdoor massage in Kayersberg 1hr $60euro. Then 24min ride to Riquewihr, then 11min ride to Hunawihr pretty church, then 9min ride to Ribeauville, then 55min back to Colmar.

If time can bike from Colmar to Equisheim 26min ride and back. 53km total.

Use phone for bike routes.

Sleep Colmar, check out in AM

Leave 6:45am, walk 16min to train station. 7:15am train TGV INOUI 2203 Coach 18 seats 71 and 72, 6stops to Lyon part dieu 3hrs45min. Arrive 10:56am. Leave luggage at Lyon train station. Have 8euro in cash handy.

Lyon

Exit train station on side of bibliotheque building. Rent bikes outside the train station Velo’v. Ride them north toward swiss life building 10min till hit zoo and parc de la tete d’or. Explore. 20min to old lyon: leave to the L west until hit rhone river and go south along it till R on bridge called pont de la guillotiere. When road ends go R to return bikes.

1:30pm: Walk north through Old Lyon (Vieux Lyon) only about 3 blocks wide, explore, see cathedral saint jean baptiste. Eat at a place with bouchon in the name, eat quenelle fish and salad lyonnaise. Wine is gamay, pinot noir, chardonnay

3pm (ok if late): Go 1 block south of where you returned bikes to find furnicular.

Take F2 funicular to up to Fourviere basilica via incline for views. Get a coffee/tart at Pignol restaurant up there. Walk 8min down south to Roman amphitheater next to it called Lugdunum 4euro, open till 6pm inside, 7pm outside, no credit card need cash. Leave 6:45pm.

Walk 5min further down from the entrance to F1 funicular station on your L, take it back to Vieux Lyon.

Take G green train in direction of gare de Venissieux 2 stops to guillotiere Gabriel peri. Come outside, then on south corner of intersection take purle T1 tram in direction of iut feyssine 5 stops to gare part dieu V.merle. Walk south 1 block and see train station on your L.

Pick up your luggage.

Take Lyon Part Dieu TGV OINOUI 9580 leaves at 8:06pm Coach 18 seats 97 and 98, 2stops 1hr to Avignon TGV arrive 9:12pm. Take TER 879394 departs 9:12pm or next one at TER879396 at 10:12pm 5min nonstop to gare d’avignon centre, or take a taxi. From train station entrance walk 2 blocks north on cr jean jaures, when open space on the R ends go L down a little alleyway to Hotel Le Cloitre on your L.

If miss 9:12pm train eat dinner, next one is at 10:12pm. Or taxi to hotel.

Avignon

Sleep Avignon

Leave 8:45am: Papal palace open 9am: walk north 11min down same road, becomes rue de la republique, see hotel de ville on your L and then when road splits go R. Follow to papal palace.

Pont Saint Benezat half-finished bridge: from papal palace courtyard look for stairs going down, continue walking north till hit river. See ticketed entrance next to base of bridge outside the ramparts.

Eat lunch, Wine is rhone, syrah, grenarche, viognier.

½ day trip to lavender fields and villages: meet 2:30pm at office de tourisme: walk back down rue de republique till see office de tourisme on your L, see it after an intersection. It is also 2 blocks north of hotel on your R.

Finish 7:30pm, eat dinner

Sleep Avignon, check out in AM

Nice

Leave at 8:30am. Walk to gare d’avignon centre station to take 8:44am TER 879319 (already paid) to Gare d’avignon TGV station arrive 8:50am. Take 9:29am 3hr30min TGV INOUI 6805 Coach 8 seats 63 and 64 7 stops to Nice-Ville station arrive 1pm.

Walk to hotel Mercure nice Marche aux Fleurs leave luggage: while facing nice station walk R 2 blocks then turn L to see tram station. Take the L red tram in direction of hospital Pasteur 3 stops 4min to opera-vieille ville stop. Turn right and walk 3 blocks to the ocean, turn R and 1 block moire see hotel on R.

Walk promenade des Anglais along the water and stop in famous Hotel Negresco then return.

1 block west of hotel mercure walk north through small park till get to large square with statue. Return.

Walk other way (east) along beach then left up to explore Old town Vieux Nice, cathedral in middle.

Up to Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau) for views: eastern old town find winding climbing stairs. Wander through the park to find viewpoints. There is a small waterfall.

Eat socca pancake, wine is Rose.

Sleep Nice

The East Riviera - wear bathing suit and clothes in backpack (Monaco after)

Leave 9am. Walk 25min east along the coast to the port and circle around till find La Goelette restaurant at dock #F03 – may instead be further down near la passport restaurant. Get there 9:30am for 10am-12:30pm boat tour Black Tenders out east Villefranche and back with swimming. Have lunch near the marina you return to.

Leave 2pm: Train to Monaco: From the R side of the marina walk north along rue Arson for 13min until you hit train tracks, look to the R, that’s Nice Riquier station, take 2:24pm TER train 17min 5 stops to Monte Carlo station arrive 2:41pm.

Walk down to the harbor by going R and down (can use elevator next to road) when come out of train station. When hit harbor walk L along it. Go back up to the road av d’ostende and turn R, keep on R side of it when road splits till hit monte carlo casino, arrive 3pm.  

Leave 5pm. From Monte Carlo casino walk 5min through pretty gardens till road then turn L and find Monte Carlo Casino bus station (different than train station) on the R. At bus station Monte Carlo casino take 5:15pm bus 602 13 stops 28min in direction of Vauban, sit on L side of bus, arrive 5:43pm to Eze Village station. Walk in direction you came from make first R then follow this road all the way, when road splits take the stairs up. +/- Fragonard perfumery shop is on L as ascending up to Eze.

Eze: Climb up to the Le Jardin Exotique $6euro, explore all the winding medieval paths.

When ready to go back to eze village bus station can take any 602 or 82 bus in direction of Vauban to boyar station: 7:39pm 602, 7:50pm 82 last one. 

Last bus is 82 brown leaves from eze village station in direction of Vauban at 7:50pm 36min 25 stops to Boyar station at 8:26pm.

From Boyar walk ½ block in direction bus came from, turn first R on to av de la republique, walk 1.5 blocks to tram station garibaldi take L1 red in direction of henri sappia at 8:34pm 2 stops 4min to opera stop, walk to the sea and turn R to hotel.

Alternatively can hike down Nietzsche trail 1hr then at road turn R to train station. Take 8:26pm TER 86074 train  to Nice-vlle station, walk to gare thiers and take L1 tram back to opera station then walk to the sea. Can do the same TER at 8:56pm, 9:20pm, 10:15pm to nice-ville station then L1 tram.

Dinner in Nice or in Eze along the water at anjuna beach restaurant just 6min walk past the train station.

Sleep Nice

The West Riveria – bring euros for drinks later

Cours Saleya flower/fruit market 6am-5:30pm: from hotel walk 1 block north then turn R, continue till hit the market. 

Hit the beach for the morning and relax.

Antibes: walk to opera station, take L1 red tram in direction henri sappia to gare thiers then walk west 2 blocks to nice-ville train station. Take TER 24min to Antibes.

Antibes – from train station walk to the water port Vauban marina walk out see white letter statue, then meander in to the old town to find the marche provencal covered market 1 block off the water. Back to train station.

Cannes: walk back to Antibes train station, take any TER train 12min to Cannes

Cannes – walk 3 blocks to the boardwalk La Croisette, walk along it, then come back to palace of festivals red carpet (Cannes film festival site), then see on other side of it Old Port (Vieux Port) area, 3 blocks north of the old port is the Rue Meynadier shopping pedestrian street ending at forville market pink castle building. 1 block south of this is rue felix faure walk toward church on hill. Then go up to the church observation deck by going up the ramp off the street, in the Suquet part of town. Walk 10min back down along this side of the port out to sea.

Catamaran with dinner to see the fireworks from departs arrive there 7:30pm leaves 8pm from the old port returns 11pm. 10pm fireworks show.

Walk 15min to train station. Take 11:40pm TER 881195 39min to Nice-ville then from gare thiers L1 tram to opera station then walk to sea and make R.

Sleep Nice, check out by 12noon

Leave at 8am. Get to Nice airport: walk west along the beach to first R through park and to statue big open area, from there keep going 4blocks till L on Bd Victor Hugo to Jean Medecin underground tram station on your R. Take L2 blue tram (every 20min) at 8:25am 30min 13stops to aeroport terminal 2 (not 1). Tram comes every 8min.

Fly back