Au Revoir, France

How did my 10 days in France go by so quickly?

We’re on our way home today (sadly), and I’ll probably spend the next day or so recovering from jetlag and the getting my life back in order. Can I stress how much I don’t want to come down from this holiday high? I really don’t want to. At all.

But I guess it’s time to start thinking about my next trip, right?

Road to France Pt. VIII - Bon Voyage!

Au Revoir, USA! Bonjour, France!

The next few days will be a whirlwind as Mom and I get ready to fly off to Paris, but I’m bouncing off the walls over the prospect. Last minute shopping, packing, going to the airport!  It's so exciting! And isn't packing for a trip is always more fun than packing to come home? My room is currently a disaster area with luggage and clothing strewn everywhere, so it’ll be nice to get a bit more organized. I’m also looking forward to getting pampered tomorrow. Yay mani-pedis!

Anyway, I do have some posts set up in my queue, so Bringing Up Brittany won’t be completely neglected in my absence. When I get back, you should expect plenty of travel photos and posts! I also plan to give the blog a bit of a face-lift as a belated six month-iversary present.

In the meantime though, check out my Instagram for some lovely on-the-go shots of Paris and Nice!

"A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life."

-Thomas Jefferson

Road to France Pt. VI - Travel Toiletries

With only 6 days until France, the only I can think about is my trip. This time next week, Mom and I will already be wandering the streets of Paris in an attempt to see everything I planned for Day 1. We’ll be exhausted, for sure, but I have a feeling that the excitement factor will fuel us for a bit. When that fails we’ll have to resort to our caffeine sources of choice. There’s so much to see in Paris that we really are hitting the ground running.

I apologize for anyone who’s tired of hearing about my trip, but the posts this week are all travel-related as I count down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until lift off. Today’s post is all about some toiletries that I consider must haves for any trip.

Batiste Dry Shampoo  –

I did a lot of research (aka asked beauty bloggers on Twitter) on dry shampoos before buying this striped beauty. Everyone I spoke to said that Batiste is the best dry shampoo on the market, and I definitely agree. There’s no residue, and it has a light, refreshing scent that gives hair a bit of a boost. You just spray, comb it in, ad bam!  

Purell Hand Sanitizer–

Whether you’re a germaphob or not, it’s always good to have some sanitizer in your bag. While being all touristy, I'll undoubtedly touch things that hundred (or even thousands) of other people have touched before me. Skeevy, right? That’s why I love Purell. It’s small enough to take on the plane, they have some great scents, and you can buy the bottles with these handy key-chains to make the sanitizer easy to carry.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes –

I swear by these make-up remover wipes, so I was obviously going to bring a pack with me on the trip. I have sensitive skin, so I always have to be careful about what I put on it. I’ve never had any complaints with Neutrogena, and I know that my face is clean and fresh.

Skintimate Shaving Cream –

Summer vacations (especially to the French Rivera) means showing some skin, so my shaving cream will be close at hand. The size of this can is perfect for traveling, and it has a great berry scent.

Coppertone Clearly Sheer Sunscreen –

I burn very easily, so I don’t go on vacation without sunscreen. Painful sunburn can ruin a trip—trust me. Since I know that I’ll be spending more time in the sun than I usually do while exploring Paris and Nice, I won’t be going out without spraying myself down. What I love about Clearly Sheer is that my skin doesn’t feel sticky or heavy after I’ve applied it, even with makeup on.  Clearly Sheer is lightweight and still protective.

Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer –

This is pretty self-explanatory, but I love this little bottle of Jergens.  It's the perfect travel size!  Planes always leave my skin feeling dry and chapped, so I like to have lotion handy.  And since my legs will probably be bare for most of the trip, I don't want to be walking around with ashy limbs.  Not cute.

Tide To Go Pen –

For those less than graceful moments when I inevitably drop something on my clothes. Just a little dab of this, and I can usually prevent stains. I also keep one of these in my purse for everyday use and in my desk at work. It's good to be Girl Scout sorts of prepared.

Road to France Pt. IV - Adventuring with Viator

73 days until France!

If you’ve been reading my blog, you probably already know how excited I am to be going to France this year with my mom. I’ve been planning the trip, more or less, since I got back from Italy last September, but now we’re coming down the home stretch! The flights have been booked and the hotel reservations have been made, so now it’s just a matter of planning my various excursions in Paris and Nice.

I rely heavily on Viator.com for my tour and daytrip needs. I’m not necessarily the type to like large tour groups in museums (I much rather aimlessly wander on my own time), but Viator provides some lovely advantages. For one thing, many of the “tours” for major tourist attractions include a skip-the-line option, meaning you get to skip those crazy waits for things like the Eiffel Tower. And, for people like me, you can usually find some independent tour options where your guides leave you to your own devices after a brief spiel.

Viator is also great for its more unique tours and daytrip options. Are you a foodie? Well, check out their food, wine, and nightlife options! Want to explore other areas of the country? There are plenty of daytrip options that provide transportation and friendly tour guides. Viator has something for everyone, trust me.

I’ve already begun booking some of my excursions, but here are my top 5 for my upcoming trip.

Versailles Independent Day Trip from Paris ($55-60) – This is one of the independent tours that I was talking about earlier. We’ll be picked up by coach from a central Parisian location and taken to and from Versailles, avoiding public transportation. We’ll then be allowed to roam Versailles for 4 uninterrupted hours with access to the gardens, Versailles Palace, and the Grand Royal Apartments.  Admission is included!

Ghosts, Mysteries and Legends Night Walking Tour of Paris ($25-30) – I did a similar tour to this one in Rome and had a fantastic time! Your guide leads a small group of people around the city after dark and tells all sorts of ghost stories and legends. It’s a fun way to learn the history of your destination, and who doesn’t like a good scare from time to time? If you like off-the-beaten-path adventures, definitely look into this option.

Provence Countryside Small Group Day Trip ($95-100) – Since I’m usually trying to cover as much ground as possible on my trips, day trips allow me to explore without fretting over transportation. The small group day trip is limited to 8 people, and you’re driven to various locations where you’re allowed to wander, eat, shop, and sight-see to your heart’s content. On this Provence excursion, we’ll drive along the French Riviera coastline to Cannes and see the old port, famous La Croisette Boulevard, the Cannes Film Festival Palace. We’ll move onto Grasse and have a guided tour of a perfumery before continuing on to Gourdon, Loup Gorges, and Saint Paul de Vence. The drive itself will include gorgeous views of the Alps and coastline. At $95-100 per person, this is a real steal! I’m more than a bit excited.

Monaco Small-Group Night Tour from Nice ($65-70) – I really can’t get enough of the small-group tours… This one will take us to Monaco in the evening where we’ll get to take a lap around Monaco’s Grand Prix racetrack, explore the glitzy principality, and even see if Lady Luck is on our side at a casino before heading back to Nice.

French Riviera Sightseeing Cruise from Nice ($20-25) – I love the water, and so does my mom, so a sight-seeing cruise along the coast seemed like an ideal way to spend an hour. I’m hoping that I’ll get some great photo-ops along the way!

So which of these trips appeals most to you?  Have any of you ever used Viator.com?