France

Paris:

  • Must-See:
    • Eiffel Tower – take the stairs up, it’s a fun challenge
    • Notre Dame
    • Arc de Triomphe
    • The Louvre
    • Gardens of Versailles
    • Luxembourg Gardens
    • Statue of Liberty
  • You have to stop at Laduree and have a macaron – pistachio is really good
  • I did a macaron cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu and it was one of my favorite experiences abroad, I would look into the different classes they have
  • Enjoy the cafes! Stop several times a day to get coffee and croissants
  • Would recommend buying Fragonard Perfume – it’s my favorite and you can only get it in Paris!
  • Go shopping, so many unique shops and stores to check out
  • Tips:
    • The easiest way to travel is by the Metro. If you fly into Charles de Gaulle, the cheapest way to get to the city center is by the train.
    • Be very careful of pickpocketing, it’s very common here
    • Hostels are great for weekend trips

Chamonix:

  • Best ski mountains: Les Houches and Grand Montets
    • It’s worth getting the more expensive pass to take the gondola all the way up to the top
    • Take the black diamond down that runs next to the glacier
  • Eat at Monkey – Went here twice because of the great food and tequila
  • The city is kind of expensive, so I would recommend going grocery shopping for breakfast to save money
  • I rented equipment at Intersport – they were great. It was about $100 for boots, skies, poles and a helmet for 3 days

Annecy:

  • One of the best day trips I have done, would definitely recommend
    • Very easy to get to from Geneva, Switzerland
  • We rented a mini speed boat to cruise around the lake – totally worth it
  • Check out the famous prison and the castle courtyard
  • Walk around the city center, there’s a lot of cute boutiques

Background picture was taken during a macaron cooking class as Le Cordon Bleu.