 Early Mornings In Nice-Baie des Anges I am sure you have heard of summering in the south of France. Well if you have not it’s a thing Well when I was considering what to do with the end of my summer, this saying popped into my head. That little seed sprouted to include Paris and Hungary into my end of summer itinerary. I did not know what to expect upon arriving in Nice. But, spoiler alert. I loved every minute of it. Let me break it down for you. With any journey, where you stay makes a huge difference. I am all about saving where I can. I’m not opposed to hostels, but I wanted my own space for this adventure. I could not find an Airbnb that spoke to me. So my go-to is to check out Hotels.com. I like how it gives you a free night stay after 10 stays. I was able to use a free stay while in Nice so that really helped.
I decided to go to Hotel Oasis. It was in my price range and not far from the city center. Nothing is really far in Nice. It is very small. From Hotel Oasis to the beach was 20 minutes. Not bad. Any closer and it would be hundreds of dollars a night. I’ll pass. I have no problem walking. Once I am all settled, I usually head to the grocery store. I stock up on water and snacks.
The hotel is also a 9-minute walk away from my favorite grocery store. The SPAR Supermarché. The walk is on the way to the beach. I stopped here every morning. Their quiches are to die for. So yummy. They are fresh every day as well as pastries and hot food like chicken and potatoes. I paid 2.50 euros for a pretty decent sized quiche. It was so filling, that I only ate half and saved the rest for a snack later. This method of eating breakfast/lunch from the supermarket allowed me to splurge for dinner every night. Keep in mind the fruit prices are astronomical! One plum cost over a euro. A bunch of grapes was 5 euros. It was a tiny bunch too. I couldn’t resist the plum but decided to pass on everything else. It looks pretty, but I cannot give all my money to one piece of fruit!
After picking up the goods from the supermarket, you are steps away from where all the magic happens. There are so many streets packed with the cutest outdoor restaurants. I would love to eat at them all. I recommend if you have the funds to definitely do this. One of the biggest highlights from my time in Nice was eating Al fresco and people watching. I wandered around the cute streets for a couple of hours. There are cute boutiques and clothing stores. I had to stop into one clothing store because they were having a sale. Although, my suitcase was bursting at the seems I still decided on one more dress. Lol, I was quite happy with my find. I cannot pass up a good deal. To prevent myself from spending any more money on clothes I had nowhere for them to go, I decided to head toward the beach. As I am crossing the street to get to the beach I notice a Casino. Now. I live in Las Vegas. The land of amazing out of this world lavish casinos. I just had to see the inside of a French Riviera casino. I thought their casino would give Las Vegas a run of their money. Sadly, it was a total let down. They do a great job with the facade on the outside, but the inside could take a queue from Vegas. It was so tiny inside. So much so that I went back to the front desk to ask if there was more upstairs. Nope. Just one tiny room. Now. Maybe I am a little biased because I do live in Las Vegas. It is hard to top what they have done, but with all the money they pull in they could at least try. My tip is to take a walk around and leave. That was my original thought, but then I decided since I was there let me try my luck. Do not be like me. Just leave. I sat down at an automated blackjack table and played what I thought was one euro. It actually was 20 euros because it was on max bet and I didn’t see it was clicked. I planned on playing 20 times! I then immediately left. I could have used that money on a fancy meal. Save your money!  Baie des Anges Alright! The Baie des Anges. Translated to bay of angles. They are not kidding. This beach is stunning! It is such a pretty sight. I just loved all the umbrellas lined up. Keep in mind this is a pebble beach and it was a thousand degrees outside. Make sure you have some change to go to the restroom as well. It will cost you a euro. If you want to go to one of the beach clubs and get an umbrella and chairs it will start at 25 euros. If you want front row you will need to get there first thing in the morning. If you want a free alternative head along the Promenade des Anglais. There are covered benches every mile or so.  Benches along the Promenade des Anglais After spending the day at the beach it was time to refuel and pick one of these amazing restaurants. I head toward the Place Massena and decided on Campo Di Fiori for dinner. They had a set menu that was pretty reasonable. It was a very light and refreshing meal. Once I finished dinner I strolled along the outdoor markets. It was a beautiful walk back to my hotel. I never once felt unsafe on my way back at night.  Place Massena There is so much more to the French Riviera than Nice. Over the next few days, I went to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, and Monaco. I will get to each of those in a separate post. You would be reading for days if I put them all in this post.
I did start all my days at the beach and ended the night strolling along the Place Massena. My last highlight from my time in Nice was Castle Hill. Castle Hill lends an incredible view of Nice and the Baie Des Anges. I decided to take the walking path up to the top. Be prepared for some heavy breathing! There is an elevator, but that comes at a cost. If you recall from earlier I like to save when I can. Plus, this was a free workout. If you’re lucky you can catch a Zumba class at the top. Aim to get to Castle Hill right before sunset. It gets pretty lively by then. Wander around. There are so many little gems around. If you are up for more shopping there is a Galeries Lafayette to shop to you drop. Well, that is it for my short time in Nice. I loved it so much that I would love to come back every year. It was really easy to get around and to the other towns. I felt completely safe solo and wandering around. I loved how everyone dressed nice and really just enjoyed strolling along everywhere. If you go I would recommend bringing all the nice sundresses you have. Everyone looked incredible. I would also suggest bringing an umbrella for shade as you stroll along. I feel like I got a few stares, but I don’t care. It was far too hot! Look all you like. I will be the one, not roasting/suffering. I just enjoyed the whole vibe. I will provide a post with all my dinner and cafe selections. Be on the lookout for that shortly. If you have any questions about my time in Nice do let me know. If you wanted to see more pictures, videos, and behind the scenes, then head over to my Instagram. I hope you enjoy your time in Nice. Have a wonderful day!
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 I have done many solo trips. But, Paris was very overwhelming to think of doing it solo. It's just so big and spread out. My other solo travels have had a smaller footprint. Less daunting. I didn't know where to start, or what to see really. I've been traveling for over six years overseas and never gave Paris much of a thought. But, every time I tell someone about my travels they always ask if I've been to Paris or London. It's like those are the only two places that matter. Somehow I've never been to either. They have just eluded me all this time. But, when I got asked recently this same question I thought it was time to cross one off the list. So where to start? You need to figure out what is most important to you to see. So you can have a home base(hotel/hostel/Airbnb). From there you can really plan your days. I choose the Louvre as the most important thing I wanted to see. So I started looking for hotels near that location. Paris is split up into arrondissement. Which are basically sections of the city. So be sure to check out what landmarks are where. Like I said it's pretty spread out.  I went with the Hotel Opéra Maintenon. It was within 10 minutes walking distance from the metro. Which is idle. I took the metro from the airport to my hotel. It is the cheapest option. But, there is always Uber or shuttles if you are willing to pay a bit more for direct access to your hotel. I am all about saving where you can because Paris is not a cheap city. Hotel Opéra Maintenon was nice and quiet. It was small, but most places are in Paris. As it was just me it suited my needs. I choose a hotel because it was cheaper than an Airbnb(the cleaning fees really add up), and I wanted my own space to throw my clothes around. So no hostel this time. Look at all your options. Hotels can end up being cheaper, and provide great amenities. As well as security. If you do choose to stay there. Do check out Higuma. It is a Japanese restaurant right on the corner. It is very reasonably priced, fresh, and super good. I had Yakisoba Set and it only cost eleven euros.
Also, there is a grocery store about 5 mins away. They have fresh croissants and pastries for less than a US dollar. Fresh produce and two-liter water bottles for 40 cents. I loved the convenience of this location. Now that I had my location I narrowed down my itinerary. I will continue in day formats. This is of course what I did. Depending on what time of day you arrive this first day may not work. Feel free to move this around. Day 1  My hotel was only eleven minutes away from the Palais Garnier. It looks stunningly beautiful so if you have the time. I suggest starting there. Next head to the Galeries Lafayette. It was a 5-minute walk from the Opera house. The ceilings alone are enough to go. It's pretty spectacular! But, of course, it's a mall. Shop to your heart's content if you like. My bag was beyond stuff so no shopping for me. If you want a reasonably priced meal there is a cafe called Lafayette Cafe on the 6th floor. It is a cafeteria-style, where there are many options. There was also a great view of Paris. Or just grab a snack. Do not miss the rooftop. It's a must. Aim to be there for sunset. There was also another restaurant up there. Pricier but could be worth it. After that end the day with a stroll to the Louvre and enjoy the Jardin des Tuileries.
Day 2 
Start the day with Palais royal. It opens at 8 am. Be there first thing to have the place all to yourself. After some quick shots, you should head over to the Louvre. It opens at 9 am, but you want to be ahead of the crowd. There will be a line. So the earlier the better. I've read that it is less busy to do at night. So if you have time to switch things up do it. The Louvre is massive and hard to see everything in one go. Hit what are your highlights and make your way next to Montmartre.   I recommend spending the whole afternoon in Montmartre. There was tons of stuff to see and do. The main highlight here is the Sacre Coeur. It is a zoo in the middle of the day. So many people. Make sure you bring plenty of water too. The vendors will try and gouge you anywhere near the church. I ran out and paid 5€ for a bottle! Ridiculous. The famous sinking house effect is to your right if you're facing forward looking at the church. If you want this moment without people I recommend making this a sunrise mission. After the church walk around to Place Du Tertre. Mill around the streets. Take in all the art and hopefully street music too. Tons of little shops and boutiques. Which I ultimately got sucked into buying a dress from one lol There are many restaurants so take your pick. Don't get too full because you will be taking in a show. The Moulin Rouge. I love theater and I loved this movie. I could not come to Paris and not see where it all began. It can be a little pricey ranging from 186 to 230 euros for the dinner show. If you do not want to do the dinner part there are other options. But, it was sooo worth it! I got the Mistinguett Evening package and that was worth every penny. The food was amazing. So flavorful. I'm not a big champagne person. But, I did love every drop of the Duval Leroy that came with the meal. 
I got the 6:45 pm ticket, but the show didn't actually start till 9 pm. Which we did not get out until almost 11 pm. So you are getting out pretty late. I do recommend walking back to the hotel. It was a wonderful stroll. All the streets were empty. It was so peaceful seeing Paris at night. Day 3  Start the day with yet another Museum. It was worth getting up and being early to Musee D’orsay. There was a line of maybe 100 plus people when I arrived around 9:15 am. So if you would like the iconic clock photo I recommend getting there by at least 30 minutes before it opens. The museum opens at 9:30 am every day except Monday when it is closed. Once I got in I raced to the top floor and was the first one there. You cannot use a tripod in the museum. Which really sucked as I was almost set up before a guard came and shut me down. Ugh...It did not take long before everyone was streaming in for the same photo. I grabbed the first person I saw and got the shot I wanted. So glad it came out good. Phew... Side note: Certain museums are free every first Sunday of the month. If you are heading to Paris around that time check out which museums are offered that you want to see. The major museums are included. Just google to be sure.  I spent about three and a half hours at the museum. I love museums and could have stayed longer as there is so much to see. But, my feet were killing me and I was starving. So what did I do? Walked some more. Lol. I am all about saving when I can. I decided I wanted to see the Jardin du Luxembourg for the afternoon. It is about a 24 min walk. But, the way was so scenic it went by fast. I also stopped and had lunch at a cafe. I advise to do the same or take a picnic in the garden. The place is vast and you can find places to have to yourself. I will surely do this next time. The food was not great so I will not give the name of the cafe. But, I actually met a local lady that had lived there her whole life. She was 75. She was curious about what I was doing alone. She insisted after lunch she show me around a bit. She said I could not miss Saint-Germain-des-Pres. She was right. The ceiling alone is enough to add it to your list. They are doing renovations at the moment. It was really cool to see the before and after. So check it out if you can.    Now back to the Luxembourg Garden. All the green was just magical to see. My favorite thing about people who live outside of the United States is there priority to get outside and live. They do not work their life away. They take the time to just relax and enjoy the day. That is exactly what you are gonna see here. Once you get to the Luxembourg Palace, you will see families sailing model sailboats on the fountain. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. Pull up a chair and stay awhile. After a nice relaxing afternoon head over to the Catacombs. I again walked which is about 18 mins away. You can take a metro if you like. It will get you there in 8 mins. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Book your ticket in advance! Without an advance ticket, you will be waiting for over an hour. I actually waited an hour and a half. It was blazing hot too. You have been warned. I decided to go without a guide. I just wanted to experience it in my own time frame. It can take about an hour to get through. It is quite fascinating to see.  Next up...the Eiffel Tower! Finally right. I recommend taking the metro or Uber. You can walk, but it will take you about an hour. Although, the Eiffel Tower is just as beautiful in the day, the night is the best to see her in my opinion. You get both worlds if you plan accordingly. Again, book your tickets online way in advance if you wish to go up. From here you can enjoy the Champs de Mars, Champs-Élysées, and Trocadero.
Day 4  It is all about the Palace of Versailles. Mistake 3,002. I did not buy my ticket ahead of time. I actually tried to buy it the night before. The first time slot was available. But, I fell asleep in the midst of booking it! How you say? I’m with ya. I have no idea!!! I will say that it was extremely hot outside and I was clocking 25-30 thousand steps a day. I was tired. This whole blog is dedicated to what not to do lol When I woke up the 9 am timed slot was taken. Ugh...I did book a regular ticket. Keep in mind that the Palace is closed on Mondays. I arrived at about 9:30 am. It opens at 9 am. The line was horrendous! It took an hour and forty-five minutes to get inside. So please buy your tickets online. If you buy on-site, then you’ll be waiting in two lines forever. That is just crazy. 
 I am not sure how long you usually take a museum, but this place was gigantic! I was there from open to close. I know...kind of crazy. I did not realize it was so late till I saw the sun starting to go down. You just don’t realize how fast time goes here. The only real rest I took was to have lunch. I decided on the restaurant part of Angelina inside the Palace. There are restaurants in the garden as well. My feet were dying so I took the first place available. Angelina has a cafe side as well. Just sandwiches and salads. So if you want something quick. Perhaps not to spend all day here. Before leaving I suggest you make your way to the Queen’s Hamlet. You will get to see a bit of the English countryside. There are also super cute animals roaming around. 
 This is merely a guide of what I would prefer as a start to Paris. There is no way to see everything. It is just way too big and far too much going on. There are many things I did not get to accomplish. Some things that were not in this guide I am sure you would prefer more. Paris is timeless and you can go again and again. My best advice if you are going only once is to know what really speaks to your heart. Then divide it into arrondissements and choose a home base. I enjoyed all the little moments in Paris. I hope you do as well. Just know that going solo is just as magical as any other way. Of course, if you have a question do let me know. If you would like more glimpses at my time in Paris, check out my highlights on Instagram. Have a wonderful day!
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AuthorTraveling makes my heart happy. My mission is to use words and pictures to inspire you to get out there and take in the beauty of our world. Archives
December 2019
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