My holiday in France...

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I booked a week in France all on my own. You see, for as much as I have traveled, I've always joined a tour or met friends/family that were in Europe. So, this was a real adventure: all on my own for seven days, with a backpack and a book to keep me company.

Paris

My first three days, I was in Paris, and it had to be the BEST part of the trip! My hostel was this fabulous ancient aristrocratic townhouse in the Marais quarter, near Ile St Louis. I saw the Museum of Modern Art, located inside the Pompidou, and ate dinner near Notre Dame on the first night. The second day, I took a train to Versailles, then wandered along the Seine stopping to sunbathe in a grassy area outside the National Assembly. My last day I visited the Mona Lisa and other fine works of art at the Louvre, then walked around the Pere-Lachaise cemetery before drinking four bottles of wine with my roommates.

Paris was built for wandering. There are countless parks and benches, all filled with the perfect number of people. Just enough that you feel safe, but not too many that it feels cramped or crowded. I spent a lot of time reading and writing in these parks near my hostel. It was relaxing and just comfortable sitting there, something I will never forget.

A view of Paris from the top of the Pompidou.

The gardens at Versailles.

Saint Malo

I spent the next two days in Brittany, a couple of hours (by train) southwest of Paris. I stayed at a small hotel within the city walls of Saint Malo and spent my first afternoon exploring the quaint town. Unfortunately, that only took about an hour, so I spent the rest of my time shopping, walking along the beach and fighting seagulls for my lunch. Saint Malo is a pretty touristy place, so the shopping is great! I was good, though, only because European clothes are cut so weird that I had difficulty finding something that fit properly. I walked along the beach and wandered out to the Ile du Grande Be, an island that can only be reached at low tide.

The next morning I took a bus to Mont St Michel. I can't even begin to explain just how excited I was to see this place that my high school French teacher ranted and raved about, but when I entered the city walls, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. The lower streets are crawling with tacky shops and tourists hog the narrow street to discuss what pre-made crepe they want while they are waiting for mom and aunt Martha to finish buying plastic Eiffel Towers. The higher you climbed, though, the better it got. And, the Abbey at the top, alone, was worth all of the crowded hassle.

Mont Saint Michel Abbey.

Bayeux

I didn't actually spend much time in Bayeux. I would have liked to have seen the Tapistery. My purpose for visiting this region was to see the Normandy D-Day beaches, so I had just enough time to join an afternoon tour that focused on the American invasion and saw Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Aramanches and the US Cemetery. The battle-scarred landscape of Pointe du Hoc was haunting, but the image that stands out most in my mind is the US Cemetery. There are nine thousand some-odd people buried there, but strangely enough, there was such a feeling of peace when you stood among the rows and rows of white headstones, overlooking the water...

The Normandie American Cemetery.

So, I made it around western France in seven days and still made it home in one piece without any real problems. Next trip, though, I am going to spend more time in hostels instead of hotels. Hotels are great if you have someone to travel with, but if you are on your own and get bored with yourself easily, then hostels are the way to go (especially if you find some real gems like the Fauconnier in Paris or the Gran Kaffee de Passage in Brugges)!! I finished two books in my time in France and had to buy English magazines for the train-ride home from Paris. Definitely one of my more relaxing trips in Europe!!