Honeymoon Discussions

France honeymoon!

kahluakoalakahluakoala member
First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
edited July 2018 in Honeymoon Discussions
Hi knotties - 

FI and I are beginning to map out our honeymoon and we’re pretty settled on France as our destination. We’ll have about 10 days at the end of May. 

Were looking for advice and tips creating our itinerary! We’d like to spend about 3 days in Paris and the rest is up in the air! I’ve heard great things about Marseille / the south coast area and I’m also envisioning like, relaxing in the country side wine tasting with fresh cheese. 

So who’s been to France? What’s a must-see? A must stay area or hotel? A must eat? Tell me all the things!

edit: also would you recommend using a travel agent? I’ve never used one and I travel relatively extensively, but I also don’t usually do things high end (which we plan to) nor have I planned a vacation while planning a wedding

Re: France honeymoon!

  • I can help a little as I've been to Paris and Versailles, but not the rest of the country. I have some friends who did wine tasting in the countryside. You either need to rent a car or join a tour though, because it's hard to do on public transit. 

    Tip one- check out Versailles, it's amazing!
    Tip two- you know Rick Steves? Watch his France episodes if you can, or grab his guidebook. 
    I spent a week in Paris and it was too much at my pace- by the last two days my mom and I were like, ok, what now? We'd already seen so much, haha. It's SO full of major touristy things that you can really pick and choose and still be fulfilled. I think the Louvre is fantastic (buy tickets in advance). But there are other museums of course- we saw a medieval one which was really cool but I can't recall its name. 
    Just strolling along the Seine or taking a boat trip along it would be a romantic idea for a honeymoon. 
    They have so many outdoor cafes- definitely take the time to just sit outside and watch the world go by while drinking coffee.

    I think Paris is probably my favorite city ever- it's so beautiful. One day I want to see more of the country. Have fun!

    ________________________________


  • I can help a little as I've been to Paris and Versailles, but not the rest of the country. I have some friends who did wine tasting in the countryside. You either need to rent a car or join a tour though, because it's hard to do on public transit. 

    Tip one- check out Versailles, it's amazing!
    Tip two- you know Rick Steves? Watch his France episodes if you can, or grab his guidebook. 
    I spent a week in Paris and it was too much at my pace- by the last two days my mom and I were like, ok, what now? We'd already seen so much, haha. It's SO full of major touristy things that you can really pick and choose and still be fulfilled. I think the Louvre is fantastic (buy tickets in advance). But there are other museums of course- we saw a medieval one which was really cool but I can't recall its name. 
    Just strolling along the Seine or taking a boat trip along it would be a romantic idea for a honeymoon. 
    They have so many outdoor cafes- definitely take the time to just sit outside and watch the world go by while drinking coffee.

    I think Paris is probably my favorite city ever- it's so beautiful. One day I want to see more of the country. Have fun!


    Thanks! I’ve been to Paris before but FI hasn’t. We both kind of agree that a city isn’t the honeymoon vibe we’re looking for, but he definitely wants to see it.

    Good of tip on Rick Steves - will definitely check it out! Thanks!
  • I would suggest 2-3 days in Paris (Louvre … buy tickets in advance online and go early in the day, Notre Dame … go early in the day, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe ... climb to the top), a 1 day side trip from Paris to Versailles, 1 day in Normandy (war monuments), 3-4 days in Marseilles/Toulon/Cannes.

    I never use a Travel Agent and we do high end no problem. Book hotels and flights/consult train schedules first, then book high interest activities next. You should be able to do city to city transport by train (choose first class for a nicer experience) and book a wine tour via private company to be able to relax.

  • edited July 2018
    I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  
  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  
    Same here, I didn't think there was anything in Marseilles that's worth a specific trip there. 
  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  

    Omg I just looked up St. Paul de Vence - swoon! A medieval village sounds so charming and romantic. 

    my mom suggested Marseille since it was a port on a recent Mediterranean cruise she and my dad did and she really enjoyed it. Haven’t looked into it extensively yet so good to know it’s skippable. 

  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  

    Omg I just looked up St. Paul de Vence - swoon! A medieval village sounds so charming and romantic. 

    my mom suggested Marseille since it was a port on a recent Mediterranean cruise she and my dad did and she really enjoyed it. Haven’t looked into it extensively yet so good to know it’s skippable. 

    That's actually how I went to Marseille too. Personally, I feel there are so many other cities/areas in France that are better. 
  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  

    Omg I just looked up St. Paul de Vence - swoon! A medieval village sounds so charming and romantic. 

    my mom suggested Marseille since it was a port on a recent Mediterranean cruise she and my dad did and she really enjoyed it. Haven’t looked into it extensively yet so good to know it’s skippable. 

    That's actually how I went to Marseille too. Personally, I feel there are so many other cities/areas in France that are better. 

    Yep - think it’s a pretty popular stop!

    have you ever used a travel agent for European travels? I’m a planner and typically enjoy mapping out a trip (I’m actually just returning from a big trip and kind of in a travel high which is why I got started looking into it) but I’m worried in the months leading up to the wedding I won’t want to add an extra thing to my plate (or more likely, I’ll put off essential tasks like my seating chart because I’d rather look up restaurants in Paris)
  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  

    Omg I just looked up St. Paul de Vence - swoon! A medieval village sounds so charming and romantic. 

    my mom suggested Marseille since it was a port on a recent Mediterranean cruise she and my dad did and she really enjoyed it. Haven’t looked into it extensively yet so good to know it’s skippable. 

    That's actually how I went to Marseille too. Personally, I feel there are so many other cities/areas in France that are better. 

    Yep - think it’s a pretty popular stop!

    have you ever used a travel agent for European travels? I’m a planner and typically enjoy mapping out a trip (I’m actually just returning from a big trip and kind of in a travel high which is why I got started looking into it) but I’m worried in the months leading up to the wedding I won’t want to add an extra thing to my plate (or more likely, I’ll put off essential tasks like my seating chart because I’d rather look up restaurants in Paris)

    A travel agent won't necessarily be the best person to provide restaurant recommendations. I can usually vet restaurants/activities for an entire trip in a good 4-6 hour searching session. I think it is worth it to do your own research. If you want to use a TA, use for hotel/train/plane stuff and perhaps thoughts about specific activities.
  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  

    Omg I just looked up St. Paul de Vence - swoon! A medieval village sounds so charming and romantic. 

    my mom suggested Marseille since it was a port on a recent Mediterranean cruise she and my dad did and she really enjoyed it. Haven’t looked into it extensively yet so good to know it’s skippable. 

    That's actually how I went to Marseille too. Personally, I feel there are so many other cities/areas in France that are better. 

    Yep - think it’s a pretty popular stop!

    have you ever used a travel agent for European travels? I’m a planner and typically enjoy mapping out a trip (I’m actually just returning from a big trip and kind of in a travel high which is why I got started looking into it) but I’m worried in the months leading up to the wedding I won’t want to add an extra thing to my plate (or more likely, I’ll put off essential tasks like my seating chart because I’d rather look up restaurants in Paris)
    No, but what I have used is Tours By Locals, and we loved it. You get your own personal tour guide. 

    As far as restaurants, we just winged it, and we didn't have one bad meal. Just avoid the touristy places. They're easy to spot. If you're staying a hotel, you can also ask them for recommendations. 
  • Since you've never been and this is your honeymoon, you might consider using a travel agent. They really do know what they're doing, and can get you better rates on things than you might find for yourself. We have been to France many times, but a few years ago, when we wanted to visit our daughter who was studying in Aix-en-Provence (HIGHLY recommend, as it's a great base from which to explore all of the lovely medieval towns in Provence), we used a travel agent. She got us a much cheaper flight and booked us a room in a hotel for about 25% less than than we could find on any of the discount sites.

    If you don't use a travel agent, consider sticking to a particular region and theme, such as chateaus of the Loire Valley, Basque Country, Brittany, Provence. You have a lifetime to go back to places you miss this time.
  • Since you've never been and this is your honeymoon, you might consider using a travel agent. They really do know what they're doing, and can get you better rates on things than you might find for yourself. We have been to France many times, but a few years ago, when we wanted to visit our daughter who was studying in Aix-en-Provence (HIGHLY recommend, as it's a great base from which to explore all of the lovely medieval towns in Provence), we used a travel agent. She got us a much cheaper flight and booked us a room in a hotel for about 25% less than than we could find on any of the discount sites.

    If you don't use a travel agent, consider sticking to a particular region and theme, such as chateaus of the Loire Valley, Basque Country, Brittany, Provence. You have a lifetime to go back to places you miss this time.

    This may be true, but if you have status on airlines or with hotels, it may not be true. It is worth looking into but I have gotten better deals for sure on trips than my friends have with a travel agent but my H has significant airline status/hotel status and knows how to get good deals online.

    For example - we just booked 2 business open airline tickets starting in London England … flying to NYC … flying to our home city … stop for 3 months and then flying to Montreal … to Barcelona for the price of a single business class ticket to London from our home city. H's friend who is a travel agent didn't even know that was possible (but it is).

    It may be worth lurking on a site like flyertalk to get ideas on how to save money like a pro.  

  • Re: travel agents. We used one for our trip to Italy last year, and I was able to get better priced airline tickets on Expedia. You just need to do your research. 
  • But TAs are not just about discounts. The really good ones have a wealth of knowledge that can be very useful to a couple going somewhere they've never been. Yes, you can find a lot out from forums like this, but sitting down with a pro, giving them your specific tastes and interests, can result in a more personalized trip.
  • Marseille is totally skippable- it’s a Navy/ Port town and not nice. All the Euro crime shows take place in Marseille. For Provence/ Cote- spend time in Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Eze village, and Menton. 

    Take the train/tgv everywhere. Its beautiful and you will love watching the countryside go by. Get some wine and cheese and picnic on the train as Provence goes by out the window. My Yank friends are always shocked there are no "open container" rules in Europe. Just be responsible. 

    In Paris book Joël Robouchon for the tasting menu- everyone should do that at least once. Don’t eat at restaurants with pictures on the menu or with English menus in the window, or where people approach you in English. You can easily pick up a little French before you go as well as get a quick tourist french/ english dictionary to help you translate, and having lived in France, the French are wonderful and welcoming when you at least try with the language. The stereotypes of French rudeness is really from loud English speakers going up to them and saying things even louder. To be fair, if you were shouted at in French in your home town constantly, you might not be happy.

    If you like wine and chateaux, visit the Loire valley. It’s amazing- beautiful stately homes/ Chateaux and great wine.

    Any chance you could spend more time? It just sounds like a whirlwind trip with jet lag. 

    Definitely do not use a travel agent, you will end up in places with only people from your country.  No one uses a travel agent in Europe and and so their recommendations are dated and for people who still use travel agents (ie: older people). And why go to France for that- you can save money and go to Epcot. The real French high-end places don't work with travel agents (and honestly, would sneer at the idea) - so instead you will end up with bookings at big chains. Of course they will be nice but why stay at the JW Marriott when you could stay at a 16th century chateau near Aix that has been made into an 11 room boutique hotel with its own vineyards once owned by Henry III ( Villa Baulieu).

    Plus, once you book travel and hotels, you will want some flexibility. Ask the concierges at the hotels where to dine that night etc. You want to end up in great places the locals eat, not tourist traps recommended on trip advisor. I'm a planner too, but in France it will just lead to stress when things are closed, or strikes are on etc (ie: a lot of restaurants/ etc close for the week when the owners go on holiday. Its just no big deal there). Part of the French Ennui is to just go with the flow. By all means, book your train, hotels and a few key restaurants, but the trick with French restaurants, a bit like fashion, once you start to hear about it in English, it is passé in France. Plus you also miss the happenstance strolls that you stumble upon cute bistros, cafes, wine shops, bakeries where you just buy a baguette and sit by the fountain in the town square people watching. The reason the South of France is so relaxing is because it forces you to sit and enjoy 3 hour lunches with no mobile phone service. Or getting lost in a beautiful local artist's gallery because your train is late. It makes you surrender to the stress of plans and timekeeping. Enjoy it. 

    ETF typos
    A million times yes to all of this. If you have friends that travel, see if they have recommendations. 

    My H and I honeymooned in Florence. I booked our plane tickets through Expedia, rented an apartment through Airbnb and booked a rental car. We made a list of things we'd like to see, but we had no firm plans. When we arrived to the apartment, we asked the hosts to recommend some restaurants. Others we found just by walking around. We took the train to Venice on a whim, and I got a great last minute deal on a hotel. And we did this all without a travel agent. You really don't need one for Europe. 
  • I was in Paris last year, late May. We had such a great time. 

    Book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower well in advance. Pick something that offers skip the line, and goes ALL the way to the top. We went at night time and it was beautiful. Check what time the sun is setting if you want to do this. (Random, I also met Amanda Knox on our ET tour). 

    Get the Paris Pass. You get access to a lot of attractions, the hop on/hop off bus and a river cruise. Well worth the money. 

    I would skip Marseille. I only spent the day, but I wasn't really blown away by anything there. I would rather do Nice or Cannes. We went to Cannes, and then drove to this little town called St Paul de Vence. Ahhh, it was so great. We also spent the day in Monte Carlo.  

    Omg I just looked up St. Paul de Vence - swoon! A medieval village sounds so charming and romantic. 

    my mom suggested Marseille since it was a port on a recent Mediterranean cruise she and my dad did and she really enjoyed it. Haven’t looked into it extensively yet so good to know it’s skippable. 

    That's actually how I went to Marseille too. Personally, I feel there are so many other cities/areas in France that are better. 
    I passed through Marseille on my way to Aix en Provence. I thought it was fine, but nothing special. 
  • @LondonLisa , your info about travel agents is outdated. They aren't using ancient brochures and info that has been mouldering for decades (the elite ones are jaded travelers, not the tour bus sort), although I think you're probably right about younger people not using them. Even we hesitated, and we're in our 50s.

    But we had to book the trip quickly and didn't have time to spend hours online finding flights that stopped at Heathrow, but not De Gaulle, and a hotel that included valet or free parking onsite. Our agent had the whole thing booked in 12 hours, and all I had to do was make one call telling her of our situation and our need to get to France within a few days.

    We were pleasantly surprised by how au courant our agent's info was. We didn't end up at a chain (would have walked away if she'd suggested that) but a lovely, independent boutique hotel. So a trip that began for a sucky reason (family emergency) turned out to be a 2 week vacation at a really posh hotel for less than any advertised fee. We were one of only two American (or they might have been Canadian) couples there. 

    Of course, people usually have more time to plan a honeymoon (unless you're my son in law, who booked the whole thing a week before the wedding), so you may be able to do a lot more online browsing. I just wouldn't assume that this will get you a better deal or a more unique experience than a person with whom you have a personal relationship might.

  • LondonLisaLondonLisa member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited August 2018
    @LondonLisa , your info about travel agents is outdated. They aren't using ancient brochures and info that has been mouldering for decades (the elite ones are jaded travelers, not the tour bus sort), although I think you're probably right about younger people not using them. Even we hesitated, and we're in our 50s.

    But we had to book the trip quickly and didn't have time to spend hours online finding flights that stopped at Heathrow, but not De Gaulle, and a hotel that included valet or free parking onsite. Our agent had the whole thing booked in 12 hours, and all I had to do was make one call telling her of our situation and our need to get to France within a few days.

    We were pleasantly surprised by how au courant our agent's info was. We didn't end up at a chain (would have walked away if she'd suggested that) but a lovely, independent boutique hotel. So a trip that began for a sucky reason (family emergency) turned out to be a 2 week vacation at a really posh hotel for less than any advertised fee. We were one of only two American (or they might have been Canadian) couples there. 

    Of course, people usually have more time to plan a honeymoon (unless you're my son in law, who booked the whole thing a week before the wedding), so you may be able to do a lot more online browsing. I just wouldn't assume that this will get you a better deal or a more unique experience than a person with whom you have a personal relationship might.

    There are literally filters on google flights/kayak/hotels.com (really any booking website) that do this for you in 15 seconds. In this day and age, it should not take anyone 12 hours to find any of this information.

    I am glad it worked for you, and I’m sorry to hear your circumstances of travel. But you aren't really selling that this is anything but an outdated convenience for a different demographic. I am sure there are plenty of people that still swear by going to a film hire shop over netflix, and are equally happy with their results. Their personal experience might have been great and met their needs, but it doesn't mean blockbuster truly understands how local people stream videos, or have access to the original netflix content that is creating all the buzz. 

    When in Rome doesn’t finish with “do as the jaded American ‘elite’ travellers do”. 


  • LondonLisaLondonLisa member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited August 2018
    @LondonLisa , your info about travel agents is outdated. They aren't using ancient brochures and info that has been mouldering for decades (the elite ones are jaded travelers, not the tour bus sort), although I think you're probably right about younger people not using them. Even we hesitated, and we're in our 50s.

    But we had to book the trip quickly and didn't have time to spend hours online finding flights that stopped at Heathrow, but not De Gaulle, and a hotel that included valet or free parking onsite. Our agent had the whole thing booked in 12 hours, and all I had to do was make one call telling her of our situation and our need to get to France within a few days.

    We were pleasantly surprised by how au courant our agent's info was. We didn't end up at a chain (would have walked away if she'd suggested that) but a lovely, independent boutique hotel. So a trip that began for a sucky reason (family emergency) turned out to be a 2 week vacation at a really posh hotel for less than any advertised fee. We were one of only two American (or they might have been Canadian) couples there. 

    Of course, people usually have more time to plan a honeymoon (unless you're my son in law, who booked the whole thing a week before the wedding), so you may be able to do a lot more online browsing. I just wouldn't assume that this will get you a better deal or a more unique experience than a person with whom you have a personal relationship might.


    There are literally filters on google flights/kayak/hotels.com (really any booking website) that do this for you in 15 seconds. In this day and age, it should not take anyone 12 hours to find any of this information.

    I am glad it worked for you and I am sorry about the circumstances in which you had to book.  But you aren't really selling that this is anything but an outdated convenience for a different demographic that misses out on truly understanding local je ne sais quoi and the art of French relaxation. I am sure there are plenty of people that still swear by going to a film hire shop over netflix, and are equally happy with their results. Their personal experience might have been great and met their needs, but it doesn't mean blockbuster truly understands how people stream videos now, or have access to the original netflix content that is creating all the buzz and conversations. 

    The phrase doesn't end with "do as the American jaded 'elite' travellers do".

  • Ageism is really, really ugly. As ugly as sexism, racism, or fat shaming.  You used a nasty stereotype that has no basis in fact. That was my point. It's possible to use a TA or not and still have a lovely trip. I pointed out that the dated, ignorant view  (shared by many, including us before we used one) of TAs as tour bus booking travel gurus for the lazy, tacky t-shirt wearing masses is not correct. 

    My intention was to offer a suggestion, backed up by real experience, to help the OP. Like all suggestions, it was to be accepted or ignored. But to bash someone for offering something that you personally have no experience with isn't helpful.

    To reiterate, Expedia, Hotwire, et al are useful. (I use them frequently). Good travel agents are useful. Isn't it good to have choices and advice from people's own experience?
  • LondonLisaLondonLisa member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited August 2018
    Nothing I said was agist in the slightest. I said that it is an outdated model that tends to follow an older demographic. I also said that travel agents by nature of geography can't be up to date about the zeitgeist of restaurants and travel halfway around the world.  That isn't agist. Agist is saying "ugh gross, you don't want to be stuck with a bunch of old people. They're the worst (sung like Jean-Ralphio Saperstein)" which I certainly did not say. 

    A couple on their honeymoon who wanted an experience of how to travel around France wanted tips. The overwhelming tip echoed across this board is "don't overplan. Book a couple key things, but give yourself time and freedom to make last minute plans". That is incongruous with a Travel Agent. 

    Again, I am glad it worked for you. I can see the convenience of not wanting to deal with it. Do I think it is the best way to travel around France? No. But everyone has different holiday goals. An American sitting behind a desk in America, no matter how cool and well travelled, is simply not going to know the trendy, fun, and on the pulse type things that you get to know in a city by being there. So again, my recommendation isn't "only idiots use travel agents". That is ridiculous. My recommendation is: a honeymooning couple on the Cote in  France for the first time should try to do as the locals do, and not make too many plans (pick 3 key things they want to do). It is hard at first, but it is the best way to truly understand the local flair and unwind from intense work life. Go with the flow, be ready for the happy accidents. Hop on a train and go on an adventure. Don't be stuck to an itinerary. 

    I mean, if you really wanted to call me something, I think it would be more likely "Anti-American" for my sad attempt at an Epcot joke. However, (I hope) you would find most of the lovely Yanks on this board would recognise this as silly banter landing flat rather than any sort of rabid sentiment. 
  • Ageism is really, really ugly. As ugly as sexism, racism, or fat shaming.  You used a nasty stereotype that has no basis in fact. That was my point. It's possible to use a TA or not and still have a lovely trip. I pointed out that the dated, ignorant view  (shared by many, including us before we used one) of TAs as tour bus booking travel gurus for the lazy, tacky t-shirt wearing masses is not correct. 

    My intention was to offer a suggestion, backed up by real experience, to help the OP. Like all suggestions, it was to be accepted or ignored. But to bash someone for offering something that you personally have no experience with isn't helpful.

    To reiterate, Expedia, Hotwire, et al are useful. (I use them frequently). Good travel agents are useful. Isn't it good to have choices and advice from people's own experience?
    Nothing I said was agist in the slightest! I said that travel agents are an outdated model that tends to be used by an older demographic and not the best way to see the Cote/Provence. That isn't agist. Agist would be saying "Ugh gross, you don't want to be stuck with a bunch of old people. They're the worst (sung like Jean-Ralphio Saperstein). 

    Again, I am glad a TA worked for you. I can see how the convenience would be a major benefit in a stressful situation. However, everyone has different holiday goals. It seems that this posters holiday goal was to really get the feel of the Cote and relax/ enjoy as the locals do. The overwhelming response on this board was to not overplan/overschedule, allow yourself to wake up on the day and decide what you want to do (sure, pick 3 key things you must do on a 10 day trip, but I wouldn't force any more). Stop for a night in a local town that looks beautiful from the train. Eat a meal at a wonderful bistro that has intoxicatingly delicious smells coming from it. Go dancing at the Jazz club recommended by the bell boy at your hotel. Hop on a train, go somewhere completely different and have adventures. That is incongruous with a Travel Agent. 

    It forces you to unwind from stressful life, and enjoy the south of France like a local: unphased, impulsively, and multi-sensory. 

    And really, if you wanted to call me anything, I would think it would be "Anti-American" for my sad attempt at an Epcot joke. Although (I hope), you would find that the lovely Yanks on this board recognise my terrible humour and pathetic attempt at banter more than any sort of rabid sentiment. 


  • @LondonLisa, LOL! I am never offended by anti-American jokes! Much of the time, we deserve them!
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