Day 1

Michael and my final stop for our Europe trip in 2017 was in Northern France. We took the train from Brussels to Paris and then Paris to Bayeux which was our home base for exploring the Normandy region. Bayeux is a small quaint french village that many people stay in when exploring Normandy and the beaches in that region. I would highly recommend staying here.

Our Airbnb was a 12 minute walk from the train station and along the way to the Airbnb we came upon the giant cathedral of the city. This is one of the most beautiful cathedrals I had ever seen and I dont know if it was because it seemed somewhat out of place or what it was. The host of our Airbnb did not speak English so we used a phone app and spoke to it for the translation. She explained how Bayeux was not destroyed during the war and that they are known for cheese and apples.

We ate dinner at Le Pommier which was fantastic. We tried two wines that the waiter recommended and started with the Normandy cheese plate. We sampled Camabere, Brie and two other smelly cheeses. I had fish with red pepper purée and rice and Michael had lamb with mashed potatoes.

We then finished the night by walking around town and getting a waffle and crepe. They light up the town cathedral during the summer. This was the most magnificent cathedral I have ever seen. The way it was light up with the dark sky behind it was breath taking.

Day 2

We woke up in Bayeux and walked around the quiet town and then dropped off our keys with Marie because we only had time to stay one night. We booked a tour through Viator called the Normandy Battle Fields Tour- American Sites, which brought us to the famous WWII battlefield sites. We met up with our tour guide Phillipe  and he drove us around in a van with a family of four from northern Virginia and a couple from North Carolina. We first went to the German grave site that in the time was meant to be a temporary grave sites for soldiers so they could be identified after the war, but these soldiers were still buried there.

We then went to a town called Saint Mere Englise which is where the Airborne Museum  is located. This museum was great and very interactive. We saw the planes that the paratroopers jumped out of on d day and much more. There was a simulation that we walked through to show what is was like in the plane before jumping out.

We then drove to Utah Beach where Phillipe talked for a while about the history of the site. During the drive he had a microphone to go through the history of the countryside and he kept emphasizing the importance of the landscape during battle.

We then went to the Point Du Hoc, which is an old German bunker where they had 6 large guns pointing out at the ocean. The beaches are very spread out in Normandy and it was eye opening to see what the soldiers had to deal with during the battle.

Next we went to Omaha Beach and there were a lot of people swimming, which seemed a little strange knowing the history of this location. It is a very nice beach but many soldiers lost their lives here. We then went to the American Memorial where there are about 9,000 soldiers buried.

After our day of touring Normandy we took the train to Paris and stayed at Hotel Vendome Saint Germane. After checking in we stopped for a quick bite to eat and then went to bed after a long day.

Day 3

We started the day off with a free walking tour by Sandeman.  We walked by Notre Dame, the islands, the Lock Bridge, but the city is so large that you can only cover small amounts by foot.

We ate lunch at the Frog Cafe, which was recommended by our tour guide as a quick and inexpensive meal. We then checked into our Airbnb sine we were only staying in the hotel for one night. We stayed at 408, 8 Rue du Bourg l’Abbe, Philippe 33 7 86 59 08 92.

After checking into our hotel we went to the Wine Touch Wine Bar, which has 80 options of different wines at all price points. The owner was very friendly and gave us a little tour of all of the wines he had. We put 30 euro on a card and then were able to try as many wines as we wanted. My favorite wine we tried was Saint-Bris Sauvignon Blanc Domaine Bersan 2015.

We walked a couple miles from our Airbnb and went to dinner at the crepe road near Montparnasse, where there were so many options to choose. We decided on Creperie de Quimper where Michael got a savory gallete. Then went to the Montparnasse tower where there are great views of the skyline. Our tickets got us up to the top for 14 euro.  We then took the tram home and got ice cream at Glacé Bakir, which was Lebanese ice cream. The shop has great reviews and the ice cream was delicious and creamy.

Day 4

We walked from our Airbnb to the Promenade Plantee, a three mile long elevated green space, built atop an abandoned railway-line. The path is enveloped by trees and shrubs and if you’re in the mood for a picnic, you can go to the Jardin De Reuilly – a ‘hidden’ garden in the middle of Paris.

After our walk we went to the Marche Bastille Market, which is open Thursday and Saturday, and is one of Paris’s biggest markets. There is a lot of fresh fruit, fish, vegetables, clothes, purses and Lebanese food.

After the market we walked along Champs de Ellisee to the Arc du Triomphe. You can buy tickets to go to the top of the Arc but the line was very long and it was more interesting to see the outside of the Arc.

We then walked to the Eiffel Tower from the Arc du Triomphe. This was a nice walk but took about an hour and a half so if you don’t have time, take a cab or the tram.

Once we got tot he Eiffel Tower we took a champagne cruise with Valdette Cruises.  We bought the tour on Viator and we got a private room with 2 other couples in the front to of the boat with three different champagnes to try. It was 55 euro and I would say it is worth it if you only have to share the space with a few people. If it is crowded it would not have been worth it.  The tour guide kept topping off our tastings so it was about 5 glasses of champagne.

For dinner we picked up bread, brie and salad and ate under the Eiffel Tower. Sitting at the base of the Eiffel Tower there are a million people who try to sell you beer and wine for triple the price you can get in the store. Don’t by from them and just go tot the store. The Eiffel Tower has a light show that starts at sunset which was around 9:40 pm.

After visiting the Eiffel Tower we took an Uber back home, got crepes and walked around Marsee.

Day 5

In the morning we walked to Montemarte Village of Paris, which is in the north and is considered the artist district. It is where Moulin Rouge and the Scacre Cour are. The walk through Montemarte makes you feel lie you are in a small city and you forget you are in Paris. We walked by the Love Wall that has the words “I Love You” in 250 languages. Once you make it to the top of the Scacre Cour there are great views of city.

After our walk we picked up bread, cheese and salad and ate it in the gardens near the Lourve. We did not do any big museums during this trip but I have gone to the Lourve in the past and it is huge. You would need a few hours to see just part of the museum.

For drinks we went to O Chateau Wine Bar,  since it had great reviews. We sat outside and I had a flight of whites and Michael tried champagne. They also have wine and cheese pairings, champagne excursions and champagne cruises.

We went to dinner at Le Petit Marcel which is located right on the pedestrian street and it was tasty but for the price we could have gone somewhere else. There are cool take away places around this area where the food looked better and less expensive. We then walked an hour to the Eiffel Tower was a little sketchy and I wouldn’t walk in that area when it was dark. The Eiffel Tower was very pretty when lite up and there is a light show every hour on the hour. Once back at our place we got our crepes for the last time and walked around the bustling streets. The next day we were headed back to the US and now we need to start planning our next trip.