5 reasons why you should travel France

If travelling is something you want to do, but your not sure where to go, can I make a suggestion?

France.

Buy a ticket to anywhere in France, you'll thank me later.

So here are my 5 reasons for why you should travel France

1. It is so beautiful. I've been to quite a few places in France and loved all of them. Whether we drove through the city or camped in the nature, everywhere we went was beautiful. In France, you can see every possible landscape. Beach, mountains, cities, architecture, rivers... It's every travel photographer's dream!

2. The food. I'm not much of a foodie but I do love desserts. And French dessert... *Insert drool here* is amazing. If you love food, France is the place to visit. You get 5 course dinners starting with aperitifs, entrée, main, cheese and finishing up with a delicious dessert! My weakness = mousse au chocolat (chocolate mousse!) 

3. The streets are quiet and peaceful. I have slept in a few French cities, Angers, Montpellier, Toulouse and also camped in a few locations and most of the time, I've had a quiet and peaceful sleep!

4. Paris is always a good idea! I've been to Paris a few times now and every time I go, I love it. For any fashionista, being in Paris is a dream come true. I love the French boutiques, high end department stores and even people watching for the latest fashion trends. It's amazing and having a picnic under the Eiffel Tower never gets old.

5. If you don't know the language, it can be tough but as long as you make an effort and say the pleasantries in French (Bonjour, sil vous plait, merci, etc) they will be patient with you while you try to explain what you want. And it's always a nice surprise when they speak English with you!

I spent more than 5 months in France and it still wasn't long enough!

What's your favourite thing about France?

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Top 5 tips for travelling in France

I was recently asked by a reader: What tips can you give me for travelling in France? So I compiled a list of my top 5 tips for travelling in France...

I've been in France for over 3 months now and I've experienced many French towns and cities over the time. I have compiled a list of my top 5 things to know when travelling in France.

1. Learn basic French - Aside from this being incredibly polite, the French people choose not to speak in English so you'll need to understand some of the basics when it comes to ordering food and checking reservations.

2. Don't overeat - Like I mentioned in my previous post Eating like the French, you tend to eat a lot of food in France. So I have a few tips for you: Firstly, skip a big breakfast, instead opt for fresh fruit and a small pastry. Don't forget your coffee too! Next, pick one meal either lunch or dinner as your biggest meal. Don't eat 2 big meals in a day! And finally, if you're like me and love your desserts, share one with your partner, you won't feel so guilty for the indulgence.

3. Buy a city map - They are much more reliable than a GPS and you can use them offline! There have been many times during our travels where our GPS has failed and we've had no wifi to fix it. Also city maps will show you all the must see landmarks in the city, so you won't miss anything!

4. Be careful of pick pockets - I'm sure you hear this all the time but it's so easy to be distracted when you are exploring new places. My tip for women, buy a handbag with an inside pocket zip for your valuables and a zip and buckle closure for the outside. Also, keep the things you use most, in a separate compartment to your wallet so you don't expose your valuables every time you open your bag.

5. And finally, shops don't open on Sundays so plan your shopping around that! The first Sunday here, I desperately needed to buy something but discovered I couldn't. Now I make sure I have everything I need before the weekend hits!

What did you learn from travelling France that you wish you knew before?

Cultural Shock: Eating like the French

I love France. I love the language (even though I haven't mastered it yet!), I love the history, the architecture and of course the fashion! I love Paris, even though I've only been a few times before. 

And I love my Frenchy of course!

But, being in a foreign country for a while, makes you see beyond the obvious and immerse yourself into the culture.

And there are some major cultural shocks I've had to overcome!

Firstly, the biggest shock for me is the food. I'm not much of a foodie. I eat to live, not live to eat. And since being in France, I've never eaten so much food in my life.

A typical French dinner party consists of 5 courses. Appetisers, entree, main, cheese and finally dessert. This does happen in Australia, but very rarely. In Australia, it's more typical to have 3 meals. Entree, main and dessert.

In Australia, I'm accustomed to fresh produce. In my household especially, I am used to eating salads, vegetables, fresh fish and lean meats. And it's also a rarity for us to eat bread.

In France, all I eat is bread! It's served in baskets in every restaurants. And you can buy baguettes longer than my torso for less then 1 euro ($2) so why wouldn't you eat it?

When you think of typical French cuisine... What do you see? I see red wine, baguettes and a side of cheese. Does anyone else see that? 

Personally, I'm not a fan of cheese. I only enjoy cheese when it's melted on my pizza, otherwise, I can't stomach it or handle to smell. Since being in France, I have met some wonderful people, all of who, tell me I won't be a true Frenchy until I can eat cheese! 

That's never going to happen!

While I have tasted some wonderfully home cooked meals here in France, it's time for me to pay more attention to what I am putting into my body. I need to start eating proper meals, monitoring my meal sizes and enjoying those delicious french pastries all in moderation.

Where my shoes took me: A day in Nantes

So I had a quick trip to Nantes last weekend.

My Frenchy and I were invited to his friends' place for food, drinks and a lovely catch up.

We spent just under an hour driving to the city, where we were greeted with rosé and white wine along with some delicious home made appetisers!

After a few drinks, we ventured outside to explore Nantes by night and find a place to get a drink.

It was almost 2am in the morning so some of the pubs and bars were unfortunately at full capacity but we finally found somewhere to enjoy some beer and shooters!

After a quick dancing session, we headed home.

It was a sleepy start to the next morning, so we didn't venture outside until after 3pm but when we did, we explored some amazing sights!

Apparently, if you follow this green line around the city, you'll be taken to all the sights worth seeing. I didn't have enough time to follow the line, however, I will return...

Come travelling with me!

"Paris is always a good idea" Audrey Hepburn

Since before I can remember, I've loved Paris.

I woke up one day and decided I wanted to spend some time in the city of lights, exploring everything the city has to offer and to immerse myself in the culture.

However, life got in the way. Work and study took over and all I could afford was 2 weeks in France back in 2011. It was a great experience to see the world from the top of the Eiffel Tower, but it wasn't long enough to satisfy my childhood love of France.

But now... I have the opportunity to experience my dream.

I have just booked a one way ticket to Paris, France. And I can't contain my excitement (and fear) to experience something different and something new.

Last year I was fortunate to meet and fall in love with a gorgeous French man who will be taking me to France with him. In less than 4 weeks, I'll be setting off to the land of fine wine, pastries and cheese to live how a French does.

After exploring France, we will also continue to explore other European cities and see where life takes us. And I thought, why not share this time with my loyal readers.

So over the next few months, travel with me, where my shoes take me and explore everything Europe has to offer.

xoxo