Category: Solo in France
| Accommodation | Ideas and details | |
| London – Paris
Hotel de Horloge: +33143574457
Check in by 23.30
25, Passage de Ménilmontant, 11th arr, 75011.
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Eurostar
Dep St Pancras 15.31 Arr Gare du Nord 19.00
From Gare du Nord: Board Métro 5 (orange) towards Place d’Italie Exit at République (3 stops) Transfer to Métro 3 (muddy green) towards Gallieni Exit train Rue Saint-Maur (after Parmentier) 2 stops 280 yards walk (about 4 mins) |
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| Paris
Hotel de l”Horloge |
Possibilities:
Carnavalet Museum (2 hours) 23 Rue de Sévigné 75003 Permanent exhibition free Special exhibition on 1793 – 4 (Revolution) Les Halles – Annie’s voice tour (starts Pont Neuf) (90 mins) Pere Lachaise Cemetery (90 mins) |
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| Paris – Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse |
Dep 9.00am or earlier
Walk to Ménilmontant station (230 yards) Board Métro 2 (blue) to Nation Exit Nation Transfer to Métro 1 (yellow) towards La Défense Exit at Gare de Lyon NICE VILLE Walk to Gare Thiers stop (140 yds – 2 mins) Board Lignes d’Azur 57 bus towards Riquier (16.17) Exit bus at Alberti and Gioffredo (6 stops) Walk 30 yards OR 20 minute walk |
Dep Gare de Lyon
Hall 1 & 2 10.10 TGV INOUI 6175 Coach 8 Seat 26 Ar Nice Ville 15.58 TFATWH (insured) 59.05 euros
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| Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse
Buy Sud Azur pass (see Lachlan Cooke’s recommendation) – bus, train and tram (but check out prices – is it worth it?)
Chose not to But got ‘Lignes d’Azur’ card |
Matisse Musee
164 Ave des Arènes de Cimiez (not open) Nice – CLOSED Musée d’Art Contemporain Avant-garde, neo-realism etc – CLOSED Musée de Beaux Arts – Raoul Dufy (images of Nice) CLOSED Walked to Monastére Notre-Dame de Cimiez and gardens (steep climb but beautiful views) Musée National Marc Chagall 36 Ave Dr Ménard (closed Tues) Then to Then to Russian Orthodox Cathedral and back along the seafront path to Vieux Nice. |
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| Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse |
Bus to – Fondation Maeght France’s first independent art gallery
(Bonnard/Matisse exhibition on last day) -Nagar collection of art books, Miro Labyrinth and sculpture garden – Hepworth, mural by Chagall etc, stunning views Walk along the Chemin de St Clair – scenic route with spoints where copies of paintings of Chagall are shown in the spot where they were painted – to St Paul de Vence where Chagall is buried in the cemetery, overlooking the valleys. Bus to Cagnes sur Mer and Renoir’s house and studio . Vegetable garden (with scarecrow!) – the sense of Renoir’s, story, deep love for his family and values – through to the stage where to hold a paintbrush caused him deep pain, so he wrapped his crippled hands in bandages – again the copies of paintings in situ where they were painted – the inspiration of the olive trees. Great contrast to Giverney – the simplicity of the kitchen. Back to Nice – walk in the evening. Place Masséna – 7 pole sitters – lights – fountains. Safe for older person. |
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| Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse |
20 minute train ride to Antibes
Sunday market – very good value Picasso Museum – close by – included a Miro exhibition; lovely views over the sea with Giacometti sculptures Old town – look for signs of Resistance history Train to Juan Les Pins ‘jardin aux martyres de la résistance’ Would not go there again. Back to Nice – stumbled into a free concert in the Cathedral – full orchestra, choral singing! |
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| Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse |
Bus to Old town of Eze and the Jardin Exotique Val Rameh – as early as possible in the day, check when cruise ships are due
– Too many ‘influencers’ and coach parties blocking pathways. Gardens similar to arid gardens in Australia. Walk down the hill via the Chemin de Nietzsche to Eze rail station – difficult in parts (needed a stick) because of the rain – but stunning views. Genuinely a spiritual experience! He wrote ‘Thus Spake Zarathusa’ on this path. Local café at the bottom, opposite the station – excellent home-made plat de jour. Train to Villefranche sur Mer 14th centre chapel on Quai Corbet Walls painted by Jean Cocteau CLOSED – town is lovely to visit (old wash troughs) – bus back to Nice. |
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| Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse |
Rain – so chose to do two voicemaps (recommended by Annie – Jeanne Oliver interviewed on her podcast
· The Best of Nice’s Old Town, Highlights, Legends and Secret Spots · Navigating Nice’s Belle Epoque Highlight: Palais Hongran – in process of restoration of frescoes. Story that Napoleon rode his horse all the way to the top story. Massena Museum – CLOSED |
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| Nice
La Maïoun Guesthouse |
Had planned 3 hour walk round Cap Ferrat – too much rain!
Bus to Rothschild Villa and gardens – stunning testimony to what money can buy (and what most of us do not have access to) – recommended. Lovely pot of tea in the café. Michelin star? Bus to Menton (stop outside the Villa) – reminders of Australia! Small Jean Cocteau Museum (section on work with Edith Piaf) Town is lovely – but MONSOON TYPE RAIN!!! |
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| Nice – Toulouse
10 Rue des Pénitents Gris |
Train to Toulouse LA VILLE ROSE – – lovely views. Stayed near La Capitole – reconnected with places visited on the Bootcamp and met with friend from 50 years ago! | |
| Toulouse
10 Rue des Pénitents Gris |
More reconnecting with Toulouse –Elyse’s Voicemap – again, learning so much and attention drawn to features that I had simply walked past (eg 24 hour clock).
Fav spot is the Couvent des Jacobins – the windows, reliquary of St Thomas of Aquinas etc. |
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| Toulouse
10 Rue des Pénitents Gris |
Catch up with Elyse – Marché Artisans Chocolat – more museum visiting and walk along the Garrone | |
| Toulouse
10 Rue des Pénitents Gris |
70TH BIRTHDAY!
Natural History Museum and gardens – celebrated birthday with a cheese platter and wine. Lots of markets |
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| Toulouse – Bordeaux | Train to Bordeaux – train delayed by 2 hours
Bordeaux La Ville du Vin – white limestone Bit of a let down after Toulouse! Museum of Aquitaine – life size replicas of the caves of Lascaux Shop contents Traditional costume etc Slavery and colonisation |
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| Bordeaux | Voicemaps of Bordeaux
– Classic Bordeaux – The Best of Bordeaux |
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| Bordeaux | FAMILY ARRIVE!!
Including my son from and his partner from Australia!!! SURPRISE!!! Vegan meal recommendation – Monkey Mood (see Happy Cow app) |
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| Bordeaux – new hotel | Bordeaux with a 3 year old
– Her scooter and helmet (with trap attached so that she can’t scoot off without an adult) – Public parks and playgrounds (Jardin Publique has several playground areas) – Musée d’Illusions – Museum of Natural History – excellent hands on activities – JUMPING IN PUDDLES |
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| Bordeaux | Musée des Beaux Arts
Cap des Sciences – dinosaur exhibition (very hands on) – animatronics etc |
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| Bordeaux | Raining
Bassin de Lumière – The Little Prince – Thea loved it Jardin Publique – playgrounds |
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| Bordeaux – La Rochelle | Bouillon Restaurant – Bordeaux (cheap, traditional, art nouveau décor) opposite the station
Train to La Rochelle Lovely walk along the quais – Lovely animal park and playgrounds Small sandy beach |
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| La Rochelle | Musee de Nouveau Monde (triangle slave trade with Caribbean, America and France).
Café de Paix – George Simenon connecton Pink Month – town and harbour lit up, pink umbrellas etc |
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| La Rochelle | Bus to the
Isle de Re – go there to eat and walk. Rich in history |
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| La Rochelle – Angers | Angers
Lovely town – many mediaeval elements |
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| Angers | Musee des Beaux Arts – very hands on – games, etc.
Cathedral of St Martin Apocalypse Tapestries – at the Chateau d’Angers – one of the largest mediaeval tapestries in the world – 1375, Louis 1 Duc ‘dAnjou Musee Jean Lurçat – 20th and 21st century Contemporary Tapestries housed in mediaeval civil hospital – Le Chant du Monde echoing the Apocalypse Tapestries including Hiroshima Man. Walk by the River Loire |
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| Angers – Chartres | Chartres
LABYRINTH walkable on Fridays – last day! Musée de Vitrailles CHARTRES EN LUMIERE |
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| Chartres | Musée de Beaux Arts | |
| Chartres – Paris | Train to Gare Montparnasse
Métro 6 (green) towards Nation Exit at Denfert-Rochereau Transfer to RER B towards Robinson Exit at Fontenay-aux-Roses (follow signs for 3(yellow) Av Ernest Lombart 7 Rue Gentil Bernard 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses Lunch and dinner 11 euros compris in hostel – basic student food Good Italian trattoria down the road |
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| Paris | Walk to Parc de seaux
Chateau de Seaux Also a museum (exhibition on history of cycling) |
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| Paris | Walk to Luxembourg Gardens from Fontenay aux Roses (v long!)
Montmartre Cemetery – Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre Marguerite Duras |
Eurostar
Dep 18.02 Arr 19.39 Train home!! |
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Episode Page TranscriptCategory: Solo in France