Although Eurodisney Paris has lots of fun rides and attractions, unless you’re the best parent in the world, it’s probably not real high on your list of things to do in Paris. If you’re like many people, shopping is at or near the top.

But if you can find a volunteer to go with the kids to Disneyland Paris Resort, you can spend the day at La Vallee Village, the outlet mall that’s just a few minutes’ walk from the Disney park entrance. If you’ll have the kids in tow, there’s a play area for them at the Village. Read more…

Everyone knows that the French make incredible red and white wine. But their rose wine is also fantastic, albeit sometimes misunderstood.

When I told a friend that we loved the rose wines we drank on our recent trip to France, she turned up her nose and said, “Isn’t that like Kool-Aid?”

The truth is that most American roses, if you can even find them, aren’t very good. We went to the California wine festival yesterday in Santa Barbara, and of the 350 wines they poured, probably fewer than 5% were roses. Of those, only one was even slightly dry. Read more…

Eurodisney Paris, AKA Disneyland Paris Resort, is easy to reach from almost anywhere in Europe. If you’re going there or to Walt Disney Studios, you have plenty of options in all price ranges.

If you’re flying to Paris and going straight to Disneyland from there, Air France uses a VEA shuttle bus from Roissy/Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport. The shuttle is included if you purchase your air as past of a package through Disney. During peak times, the shuttles leave three times an hour, seven days a week. The trip takes 40 minutes and costs 18 euros, 15 for children. Read more…

We’ve recently returned from Provence and the French Riviera, and Arles was one of our favorite spots. The city first flourished under Roman rule – and there are several impressive sites dating from Roman times, impressive medieval architecture, and delightful squares where you can enjoy a meal or a glass of wine.

Virtually everything is within walking distance. And Arles hotels and restaurants provide great value for money. Read more…

We’ve just finished two weeks of driving around the South of France, and for the most part, it was a very pleasant experience.

After picking up our rental car at the TGV station in Avignon, we visited St.-Remy-de-Provence, Arles, l’Isle sur la Sorgue, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Aix-en-Provence, Cap d’Antibes, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Cannes, Sainte-Maxime, Saint-Tropez, and Bormes-les-Mimosas, without any trouble. Read more…

Avignon is one of the most interesting cities in France. In 1309, Pope Clement V disliked all the politics in Rome and decided to move the Papacy to Avignon. A couple of subsequent Popes chose to remain in Avignon, and in 1335, Pope Benedict XII began construction of the Palais des Papes, which dominates the city today.

It’s an imposing place, and surprisingly secular. After the revolution, it was used as a prison and later a barracks, so most of the Papal splendor is long gone. Read more…

As far as we’re concerned, no visit to Paris is complete without spending some time in its marvelous flea markets. Always a place of incomparable style, Paris has produced exquisite art, decorative objects, and fashion, as well as wonderful, whimsical souvenirs. And flea markets have it all — from the sublime to the silly.

If you’re looking for something truly unique for a special gift, or a treasured memento, check one out. Take cash, keep an eye on your wallet, and de prepared to do a little bargaining. Read more…

Opened in 2002, ten years after Eurodisney Paris, Walt Disney Studio is adjacent to the Disneyland Paris Resort. It’s a terrific attraction in its own right, so plan to spend two days here – one at Disneyland and one at the studios.

Like Disneyland, which is divided into four “lands,” Walt Disney Studios is divided into four studio lots. The entrance recalls the original Disney studio in California with a replica of the old water tower and studio gates. Read more…

Paris has exceptional hotels everywhere. But many of the inexpensive hotels in Paris are in neighborhoods that are out of the way. Although the Paris Metro is very convenient, taking it deprives of one of the great joys of visiting Paris – stumbling across marvelous little hidden treasures as you walk.

For our money, a centrally located hotel is well worth the extra cost. When you stay near the things you want to visit, you don’t have any transportation costs, you don’t waste any time getting from here to there, and you just feel fresher after a nice walk than you do after being on a subway. Read more…

Located in the south of France, Arles is one of the most interesting cities in Provence. It was made the second capital of Rome in 306 AD by Constantine the Great, and it has some of the best preserved Roman sites outside of Italy. Arles is also a must visit for fans of Vincent van Gogh, who did some of his most compelling work here.

Travelers appreciate the charming plaza, sidewalk cafes, good restaurants, and hotels. Plus, if you stay in the historic center of town, you can walk to almost everything. Read more…

In America, most bakeries sell both bread and pastries. But in France, the two specialties aren’t always combined. Pastries are sold at pastry shops or patisseries, and bread is sold at bakeries or boulangeries.

Breadmaking is truly an art form here and much attention is paid to the yeast, levain, fermentation time and temperature, etc. Many of France’s best bakers are fourth or fifth generation, and baking is a well-respected craft in France. Read more…

France has one of the most extensive rail networks in the world, and as rule, French trains are convenient, comfortable, and punctual. Traveling by train is a great way to see France because you don’t have to do anything but lean back and enjoy the scenery. And it’s quicker and easier than flying.
You can usually get where you’re going in a matter of hours. And you can make most of your arrangements before you leave home. Read more…

Based on all the backlash when it opened back in 1992, you’d think Eurodisney Paris would have closed down by now. But rechristened as Disneyland Paris Resort, it’s the top attraction in France, pulling in 50 million visitors a year. And they’re not all American either – 40% of them are from France.

The nearly 5,000-acre park is larger than the Disneyland in California, and almost one-fifth as large as the city of Paris. It’s manicured to perfection with sparking fountains, beautiful plantings, and pretty plazas. Read more…

Shopping in Paris is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you’ll find beautiful, amazing things you will treasure forever. On the other hand, the prices can be so high that they take the fun right out of it.

No wonder Parisians coined the term “leche-vitrine,” which loosely translated means “window licking.”

Read more…

Pastries are one of the best parts of visiting Paris. If you’ve never had French pastries fresh from a patisserie, you have no idea what you’re missing. Although some of the best patisseries in Paris will now ship their goodies, nothing can compare with going into one of these beautiful shops and selecting the perfect sweet yourself.

Our favorite Parisian pastry is the macaron. Nothing like coconut macaroons, macarons are sandwich cookies made with almond-flour meringue. The version eaten today was invented by Laduree, who introduces one new flavor each year. Read more…

Located between Cannes and Nice on the French Riviera, Juan-les-Pins (Juan of the pines) was first developed in the 1920s. By the 1930s, trend-setters like F. Scott Fitzgerald put Juan-les-Pins on the map, and today, it attracts pretty much everyone.

The golden-sand beach is one of the best on the Riviera. And if you base yourself here, you’ll find it easy to reach all the attractions of the Cote d’Azur. Antibes and it’s museum are within walking distance. It’s packed during the Cannes Film Festival, so book well in advance. Read more…

Dining out is one of the great pleasures of traveling in France. But Americans are often befuddled or irritated by what they consider to be bad service or rude treatment.

With a better understanding of French culture and more realistic expectations, these problems can usually be avoided. So be sure to do a little trip planning in advance. It will help you feel more relaxed and more confident when you dine in French restaurants – which also aids in digestion. Read more…

Just seven miles from Nice, Eze was built in the 9th century. The spectacular hill-top location which made it an ideal defensive strong-hold in those days, makes it an ideal vacation retreat today. The views of the Cote d’Azur from here are breathtaking.

If you don’t have a car, there’s both train and bus service from Nice to Eze. Cars aren’t allowed into the village, so if you do drive, you’ll need to park in the lot outside the town gates and walk in. If you take the train, which takes 20 from Nice, you’ll then take the shuttle from the train station up to the village. Read more…

We adore Paris. Who doesn’t? And the great thing about going often is that once you’ve crossed all the major attractions off your must-see list, you can relax and discover all sorts of wonderful treats you may have missed while you high tailed it from the Musee d’Orsay to the Louvre.

Over the years, we’ve discovered many trip planning ideas to make your next Paris vacation more rewarding – whether it’s your first visit, or your fortieth.

Here are our top ten tips for enjoying Paris like a local: Read more…

Arles has something for everyone. Well-preserved ancient architecture, a rich artistic heritage, and plenty of charming restaurants and squares. And Arles hotels make it easy to explore the compact city on foot.

If the surrounding landscape looks familiar, it’s because it’s little changed since van Gogh painted it around 1881. You can see drawings by Picasso, and work by other Provencal artists at the Musee Reattu. And visit Espace van Gogh, the hospital where he was treated. It now contains a small van Gogh museum.

There’s a colorful market on Wednesdays in Boulevard Emile Combes and Saturdays on Boulevard des Lices. It’s a good place to pick up cheese, wine, and other picnic supplies. Read more…