Highlights of France (Sept 1-11, 2025)

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Highlights of the trip:

  • Paris - so much to see and do! Streets are jam packed with cafes, tabacs, boulangeries, bistros, and brasseries. There are also many parks, monuments, museums, etc. Glad I started my trip with this so I had the energy to explore a good chunk
  • Lyon - the food capital of France! Rich food culture, many famous French chefs trained here

  • Marseille - diverse culture, almost feels like a different country! Lots of food I still have to try


  • Provence (Aix, Avignon, Saint Remy) - people are more fiery here but you can also find more charming landscapes! Every tourist shop sells candies, soaps, and lavender - take your time and you will find a reasonable price

  • L’Ecrins (the Alps) - such stunning beauty! Trails are well-marked and lined with refuges but don’t underestimate the difficulty :)

  • Les Calanques - such precious well-preserved nature!! Next time, I’ll bring hiking shoes to the beach


Other things I noticed:
  • People read more physical books on the train and scroll less
  • People get off work earlier - rush hour starts around 3pm.
  • There are a lot more female police officers than in the US - I wonder why?
Things I will miss:
  • Public transit coming frequently and actually on time
  • Pianos in every train station, even if they're just upright and out of tune (I would have used them more if I had learned my music better before coming.)
  • The easy accessibility of nature, the outdoorsy vending machines, and the general culture surrounding the outdoors
  • All the outdoor / patio seating at restaurants
  • The quality produce and meat...and cheese and bread, even if I got tired of the latter two by the end
  • Especially the fragrant but not overly pungent garlic and the super creamy potatoes!! If they allowed agricultural products on planes, I would have definitely brought some back and started my own plant
FRENCH GARLIC 😍😍😍

Alas, thank you France for welcoming me and putting up with my broken French, but PSA for the well-being of your own country (even if you don't care about stupid tourists like me) - please cover your cough πŸ˜‰

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