Taking advantage of the nice September weather in Europe and the Eurorail pass that I'd purchased, I took a 3 day trip to escape the small town living in Jouy-en-Josas and found myself on the beaches of southern France.
Monaco
After 6+ hrs on the train, I arrived in the small country of Monaco, tucked away in its own corner of France. Unfortunately, it poured for the better part of the day, seriously inconveniencing my sightseeing experience. But before I left, I did manage to tour the Prince's Palace, attempt to provoke the guard to smile for my camera (he didn't), and "gamble" the night away in the famous Monte-Carlo casino.
Nice
Nice was definitely the highlight of this trip. I spent the morning in Old Nice, shopping at the Flower Market and eating socca made by the Queen of the Market, Therese. Of course, no trip to Nice is complete without a walk along the Promenade des Anglais and suntanning at the beach along the Mediterranean Sea.
When I finally managed to drag myself away from the beach, I toured the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum, climbed Castle Hill, which offered a sensational view over the city, and visited Hôtel Negresco - Nice's finest hotel and also a historic monument, by pretending to be a guest staying there.
After dinner, I returned to the beach and watched the city lights on the water. As the waves accompanied me past midnight, I wondered what it'd be like to live here one day.
Marseilles
Before I returned to my small suburb outside of Paris, I stopped by Marseilles to visit its Old Port. Following the tips I'd read in a few travel guides, I also visited the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde and walked through the suburbs of the city to experience its true atmosphere. The least touristy city of the entire trip, Marseilles was filled with a distinct smell of seafood, which reminded of the Fisherman's Wharf back home in Vancouver.
As morning turned into evening in Marseilles, my journey came to an end. After a fulfilling and exhausting 3 days of travel, I said goodbye to the South of France with a picnic in Marseilles' Roman Ruins before boarding the train back to Paris.
Monaco
After 6+ hrs on the train, I arrived in the small country of Monaco, tucked away in its own corner of France. Unfortunately, it poured for the better part of the day, seriously inconveniencing my sightseeing experience. But before I left, I did manage to tour the Prince's Palace, attempt to provoke the guard to smile for my camera (he didn't), and "gamble" the night away in the famous Monte-Carlo casino.
Nice
Nice was definitely the highlight of this trip. I spent the morning in Old Nice, shopping at the Flower Market and eating socca made by the Queen of the Market, Therese. Of course, no trip to Nice is complete without a walk along the Promenade des Anglais and suntanning at the beach along the Mediterranean Sea.
When I finally managed to drag myself away from the beach, I toured the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum, climbed Castle Hill, which offered a sensational view over the city, and visited Hôtel Negresco - Nice's finest hotel and also a historic monument, by pretending to be a guest staying there.
After dinner, I returned to the beach and watched the city lights on the water. As the waves accompanied me past midnight, I wondered what it'd be like to live here one day.
Marseilles
Before I returned to my small suburb outside of Paris, I stopped by Marseilles to visit its Old Port. Following the tips I'd read in a few travel guides, I also visited the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde and walked through the suburbs of the city to experience its true atmosphere. The least touristy city of the entire trip, Marseilles was filled with a distinct smell of seafood, which reminded of the Fisherman's Wharf back home in Vancouver.
As morning turned into evening in Marseilles, my journey came to an end. After a fulfilling and exhausting 3 days of travel, I said goodbye to the South of France with a picnic in Marseilles' Roman Ruins before boarding the train back to Paris.
Next stop: Versailles. Stay tuned...
