Nice is Nice

I'm happy to report that Nice lives up to its name. This week has been full steam ahead tourism with some nice relaxing beach time mixed in. My mom and I have been walking about 10 miles a day, so the blog has slowed down quite a bit, my apologies.

We covered a lot of ground in our six days in Nice and the Cote d'Azur, including day trips to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cannes and Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, and Monaco, as well as a cooking class and a walking tour in Nice.

I can highly recommend the Niçoise salads here (no potatoes or cooked vegetables in the original recipe), as well as the Pan bagnat, which is a Niçoise salad in a sandwich form. The plentiful (and not quite local) rosé pairs nicely with the vegetable-based Niçoise cuisine. Honestly I think I prefer the cuisine here to the heavy butter-based delicacies of Paris (although of course I still have a croissant or pain au chocolat every morning for breakfast).

We were lucky to get an Airbnb this week since we were here during both the Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Prix of Monaco. It was a lovely spot not far from the Nice Ville train station, or from the beach, with adorable balconies for happy hour and for drying laundry out the window.

Since we did so much, I'll summarize with a list of Best-Ofs (according to me).

1. Best Museum: Chagall Museum

2. Best Villa: Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

3. Best Aquarium: Oceanographic Museum of Monaco

4. Best Cooking Class: Les Petits Farcis - sign up for her newsletter!

5. Best Ice Cream Boat: On the beach of Sainte-Marguerite Island

6. Best Mom: my mom!

All in all, I give it a 10/10 mark and hope to visit again soon! À bientôt mes amis!

Souvenirs de Paris

If we know each other well, you might know that I love shopping. It’s not just accumulating more things that I love though, it’s the hunt for things that express my personality, that remind me of a special place, or make me think of another person. I love giving gifts because I have so much fun picking out special items that a loved one might enjoy. Knowing this about myself, I have to set limits on the number and price range of souvenirs that I buy.

I decided to buy myself one splurge gift this trip (around €100). I fell in love with a Swatch on day one and decided that I had to have it, and that it would be my only big purchase of the trip. I have three Swatches at home, and I love that I can wear it every day, and that it brings a pop of color to any outfit.

As for souvenirs (from French, souvenir = memory), I was excited to buy gifts for roommate, Pringle’s dog sitter, and a few friends. This can be a challenge on a limited budget. First, I bought some French (and Swiss) chocolates at the Monop’ near me. The packaging may not be as charming as the chocolates at the museums and boutique stores, but the quality and price are usually better.

Next, I explored the love of my life, HEMA. This wonderful Dutch cain of small Target-like stores sells only HEMA products, and has fabulous color coordination. I am particularly fond of their dish towels and pot holders with fun patterns such as croissants picked out on them. HEMA also has cheap travel essentials such as extra undies, tissues, and umbrellas. They are often located in train stations and city centers - so convenient. Their snacks are all HEMA brand, and are medium tasty (though often dry). I recommend admiring their party decorations, stationary, and kid’s toys as well.

My last stop for souvenirs in Paris is the trendiest on this list. Fleux is a 6 part store located in the Marais neighborhood. I’m pretty much obsessed with everything in the store, from the vegetable shaped sex toys and earrings in #1, to the houseplants in #2, to the scrunchies in #3 and the art prints in #5. If you’re looking for a gift for me in Paris, look no further ;)

The Marais has way too many cute boutiques for me to hang out there for long on a limited budget, but if you have favorite shops in the area, I would love to hear about them! No matter what I’m shopping for, I try to think about suitcase space and weight, which can help me limit my purchases.

P.S. I also love buying museum postcards; they are relatively inexpensive, lovely, and can make someone’s day.

À très vite!

Reflections on Paris

Thank you for following my ponderings and wanderings this week! This post is more reflections than travel tips, alors faites attentention à cela :)

On solo travel: Paradoxically, I feel more at home in France when I travel alone. I find that I meet more people when I’m solo than I do with a friend or a group. I also feel more comfortable making spontaneous decisions and traveling without an itinerary when I'm alone. I love the flexibility, the time for reflection, and the freedom that traveling alone offers me. That said, this week I'm very excited to travel to Nice to meet my mom, because we always have a riot when we travel together.

On Paris: This trip has revealed how deeply nostalgic Paris can be. The monuments, museums and landmarks, while modernized for tourism, all speak to a deep and abiding love and respect for French history and culture. Everything from the palaces to the cemeteries to the masterpieces remain frozen in time. While this allows for a uniform experience when you visit the sites, it does breathe with the same life as you might find in a cafe or bar where the locals hang out. I appreciated staying in the 20e arrondissement, which is very residential, because it helped balance out the somewhat impersonal feel of the museums and monuments. Next time I visit Paris, I wonder if I'll spend even less time at the sites and more time in the neighborhoods and markets.

My only lingering question is if I were a young French citizen, would I see myself represented in the Parisian cultural sites? Today's France is very diverse, and I did not see that reflected in many of the monuments and museums that I visited. Are new artists and thinkers being given the same chance and recognition as those already in the French canon? My guess would be that they are, but that they are not in the spotlight and so not visible to a tourist like me.

On the French language: The more time I spend speaking French, the more I fall in love with the language. I love the way it sounds, the way it feels in my mouth, and the pride French people feel for the language. Mostly, I feel grateful that I had the chance to learn French as early as I did, because it has given me the opportunity to explore more deeply and communicate more easily in France. Thanks, Mom and Dad for believing in the power of a bilingual elementary education!

On Parisians: You've probably heard the rumors about rude Parisians who dislike Americans. I have never experienced this, but I do think that my experience is fairly unique. What I have seen is that Parisians are very excited to have tourists back in their city, and that they appreciate it when foreigners make an effort to speak their language. Parisians are stylish but approachable, and they make the best tour guides (other than Rick). Also, they love it when Americans speak French with an American accent. I had never considered this, but I guess it makes sense! I would highly recommend getting to know at least one local, such as your Airbnb host or a local bakery staff member, who can give you helpful recommendations for your area.

On French pastry: I'm obsessed with butter. So are the French. It's a match made in heaven.

À bientôt Paris, je t'aime!