Honeymoon in France suggestions please?
 

We are trying to plan our honeymoon in France and than go into Italy cross the border. We plan on Flying into Paris on September 11 than departing on the 16th to Nice and stay there until the 24th. We know we really want to go to Paris but has anyone been to Nice? Is this a nice place to go on a honeymoon? And how close is it to Cannes , Italy.

Thanks Kittpom

hi, congratulations. Yes, I've been to Nice but I don't know that I'd pick it especially for a honeymoon. Except I don't think honeymoon means much in terms of traveling, anyway, and think people need to go the kind of places they like with the right activities. Nice is an interesting faded resort city, conservative, kind of dull in parts, but with a wonderful view (bad beach, though). Not that many great hotels. A couple interesting museums. Lots of folks just walking along the boardwalk on holiday, of all types.

It's not very far from Cannes at all, probably around 20 km (12-15 miles, maybe). It's about the same distance to the border of Italy.

I would think Provence a nice place for a honeymoon, but not Nice alone per se.

Where would you recommened in Provence?

We have just returned from Nice airport. I recommend Le Hameau in St. Paul de Vence. It is only 1/2 hour from Nice, it is a small hill top town with lots of charm. You can go to other places from there. Le Hameau has incredible view down to the Med. from some of the rooms and from the swimming pool. You can do as much or as little as want from there.

Absolutely Le Hameau--it's our long-time favorite for the Nice area unless we're actually staying in the city on the Promenade des Anglais. Le Hameau would be a delightful place to honeymoon, and from there you can go all over the coast and up into the hills and mountains.

WoW it looks so sweet!!! Would you know of any hotles on the med?

Hi K,

Four days in Paris and 7 in the provinces? Are you sure?

((I))

6 days Paris 5 days Nice or somewhere. Not really sure where to go.

I traveled southern France in a car for about 2 weeks with friends. Our favorites were: Saint-Emilion, small and perfect romantic city, stayed at Mme Musset's bed and breakfast. I felt like I was in a "Town & Country" photo shoot. Beautiful rooms and garden!!! LOTS of great wineries! The Dordogne River valley - Beynac (the film Chocolat was shot there) but a must is SARLAT. It is like a fairy tale. I bought a CD from a band playing outside one night and I love to play it in the summer - it takes me back. Best Sat. market I've ever been to. CARCASSONNE is the double walled medieval city where Robin Hood, I think, was filmed - really neat, but more touristy than Sarlat and St. Emilion.

If you go to Nice and have time, the hill towns of the Cinque Terre are awesome. (take the train over) If you decide not to go to Nice, (and you love wine) the wine area outside Bordeaux will leave you speechless. We stayed at Cordeillan-Bages. They can set up tours for you at all the great wineries - Mouton Rothschild, Ducru Beaucaillou, Chateau Margaux, Latour, etc. we did 3 - 4 a day.

4 Days in Paris are more than enough - could even cut it to 3. The smaller towns are what you will fall in love with!!!!!
A GREAT restaurant we found in the St. Germain area was Le Relais de l'Etrecote. It is across from the Hotel Bel-ami and a restaurant called La Petite Zinc, which was one of Hemmingway's favorites. Le Relais serves only 1 thing. For approx. 20 Euros you get a salad and ALL of the steak and fries you can eat. And they are awesome. We got the last table at 7:30 and when we left, people were lined up for over a block to get in.
Eiffel Tower tip-best view and pictures are from the Trocadero bus stop.

I love Paris (hum along) and would happily return there to live. But having lived there and visited many times, I think your plan to limit yourselves to 4 days there and then moving on is a good one. I have often observed that Paris stresses out romantic-minded couples more than any other city I know. I think it is just because people want everything to be romantic and lovely, and in reality, Paris is quite a challenging, fast-paced city -- while at the same time being romantic and lovely, especially if you take time to enjoy the gardens, the Seine, spare your feet by occasionally taking the metro or a taxi, and compromise on what you want to do each day. It is easy to return to Paris if you fall in love with it.

My husband and I HM'd in Paris and Provence last year. We loved Provence so much, we are going back in 2 weeks (and this time adding on Languedoc and Sarlat, a decision based on reading these boards).

We live in NYC, so being in Paris wasn't a priorty for our HM, though we spent our first and last nights there.

You can read my trip report if you like--

Trip Report: HM In Paris and Provence- long

Sorry, when I cut and paste, the link doesn't hold. But that's the title of the report.

Hi K,

I respectfully disagree with nessun's assessment of Paris.

You currently have the 12, 13, 14 and 15th of Sept to see Paris. On the 11th you will be jetlagged and you are leaving on the 16th.

Should you find Paris too stressful, you can daytrip to Versailles or Chartres.

From the 18th to the 24th you can visit Dijon and Beaune in Burgundy, the Loire Valley or Provence.

>how close is [Nice] to Cannes , Italy.

I think that Cannes is in France.
See www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com.

Are you planning to go to Italy?

From where are you flying home?

((I))




I suggest departing on the 18th.

From the 18th

OOOPS,

Please delete

"Are you planning to go to Italy?

From where are you flying home?






I suggest departing on the 18th.

From the 18th"

Can you tell me where you stayed in Provence ?
We are also in NYC.

Wow I just looked into your hotel it looked amazing. Would you sugest to stay there on a honeymoon? How far is it to Nice? That's were we are flying out of.

kittpom

My wife and I had the most romantic supper that we ever experienced (30 years this October) in a suberb of Cannes. The place is called Mougins. The restaurant is a culinary school.
Try to get the window overlooking the mountain side. You are talking about a fairly significant Euro outlay however I can guaranteee that you will remember that night for the rest of your life.
From Nice you take the autoroute (toll) to Cannes. At the Cannes exit you'll also see directions toward Mougins.
Be sure to make reservations and visit the village perhaps during the daytime to take in the local shops.
Everything is very close, by North Amercican standards, so don't worry about distances in the Cotes d'Azure. Be sure to visit the Wal*Mart of France known as the (le) Carrefour. It's located in Juan les Pins, only a short distance from Nice. It's frankly huge and the wine celler section is unbelievable...the rose section is frankly impressive...now we are talking about a huge grocery and non-grocery store. There must be 50-80(??) checkouts.
I would highly recommend renting a car.
Just as you enter Italy there is a border town that sells fanatastic shoes and purses at excellant prices especially at the time you are visiting. Everyone stops my wife and asks where she bought her purse....there is just so much to see...

Domain Le Vallon is about a half hour north of Avignon. We loved it as a base for Provence. We're staying there again for the first three nights of our upcoming trip. I would definitely recommend it for a honeymoon.

I just checked the travel between Nice and Le Vallon (which is technically in aubignan) and it says the drive is just under 3hours. You could take the TGV to Avignon from Paris (about 3hours) and pick up a rental car there. If you plan on staying for at Le Vallon, you will need a car. And it is well worth it. If your heart is set on spending time in Nice before you cross over into Italy, you could always spend a few days at Le Vallon and then a few more in or around Nice.

Back to staying by the Mediterranean...what's your price range for that? There are many excellent hotels in various price ranges.

We were in Provence a few weeks ago and stayed at Villa Gallici in Aix. The service is excellent and the facility is beautiful.

www.villagallici.com

Some on this board have said that Aix is not a perfect base for the area, but we've been to Provence before & chose it because it's a real city (as opposed to a tourist-only village).

We also like the location for touring. The Med (Marseilles, Cassis) are only about a 30 minute drive. Avignon, St. Remy, Arles, and the Luberon are all easy daytrips-more than enough to fill the 4 days we were there.

Have a great trip.