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Fab Five French Cities
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fashion month in Paris. Please remember to book your hotels in advance.  I love Paris! |
Eiffel Tower (Trocadero) - you just have to have your picture with the Eiffel Tower in the background... actually, more like a picture of the Eiffel Tower with you somewhere in it.
Les Invalides (Invalides) - the final resting place of Napoleon.
Louvre (Palais Royal) - ofcourse, home of da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
Musee d'Orsay (Chambre des Deputes) - contains works of art by Cezanne, Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, Van Gogh... to name a few.
Notre Dame (Cite) - where Napoleon crowned himself in 1804. Great for history buffs on Europe travel.
Pantheon (St. Michel) - among those buried here are Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Soufflot (its architect).
Sacre Coeur (Abbesses) - built in Roman-Byzantine style. Sunday Mass every 11am with the Little Singers of Montmartre.
Suggested itinerary:
Pure Luxury in Paris (7 days): Check the itinerary here.
The well-preserved double-walled medieval city of Carcassonne brings the medieval times back to life. This fortress was restored from 1853 and was added to the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Its cobblestone streets are lined with different shops of interesting arts and crafts. I love peeking through the shop windows and taking a look at the potpourri sachets or the handmade porcelain dolls. For some quiet time, head for the Basilica of St. Nazaire.
3 Nice
This used to be the where English royalty would spend the cold months. Today, tourists from all over the world come over to enjoy the many activities Nice has to offer. The view of the bay is breathtaking, and a walk through Old Nice brings to another era. Very picturesque and best seen on foot. Check out the Matisse Museum and the pink and grey Russian Cathedral with its beautiful onion-shaped domes. Don't forget to have your picture taken along the Promenade des Anglais - proof that you've been to Nice, one of the hippest French cities to be seen in :-)
4 Lourdes
The little town of Lourdes is bursting with activity everyday from march to October with the candlelight procession prayed and sung in several languages every night by thousands of pilgrims and tourists alike. Joining the procession is a wonderful experience but also standing way up from the Upper Basilica gives a moving view of the candles.
5 Lille
On the first weekend every September, a million visitors come over to Lille to participate in the Braderie, the annual street fair. Wear comfortable shoes as there's a whole stretch - 200 kilometers - of paintings, antiques, furniture and ornament stalls to choose from! For lunch, have some loules-frites, mmmm... yummy mussels and chips. Join the crowds as they pile the empty mussel shells just in front of the restaurant. It's a contest!
So, next time you're planning a trip to Paris, don't forget these other places where women are sure to have a great time, either shopping, eating or meditating and praying. The Fab Five French cities add memorable moments to your European trip.
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