Hey everyone! This is Alexia, the oldest sister of the three, also known as the family travel agent. I absolutely love planning trips of all types, and although it has taken awhile (sorry!), in this blog I am excited to share where we stayed, what we did, and what we ate and drank during our trip to France last month!
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So this particular trip came to be because I applied to the French Open ticket lottery thinking, "It's like the Masters, no way I'll win." Well, I got an email in March of this year saying I could purchase tickets, and I did just that without asking my family, knowing at least someone would be in.
For those of you who know Chuck (our dad) it's to no surprise that France didn't "speak to him," so he was out, and it ended up being a girls trip: mom + my two sisters!! So fun.
We ended up obviously doing Paris, since that is where the French Open is hosted, but we had a big decision on where to go after Paris. I looked all over France and decided to stick to the South of France - I looked at Bordeaux and Lyon, but didn't want another large city, so the South of France it was!
Also, a quick shoutout to a best friend of mine, Emily Kirby, who taught me how to plan a European trip and who also joined me when we went to France to watch the Ryder Cup, and to see Omaha Beach, talk about a powerful experience. If you have ever wanted to experience WWII in that way, I highly recommend.
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Below, I share where we stayed in Paris and Aix-en-Provence, what we ate, drank, and did - not only in those two places, but also in Reims, Epernay, and Marseille!
PARIS
Where to stay:
I feel like you're either team right bank or team left bank, but I LOVE the 6th Arr. - also known as Saint Germain - it's lively, walkable, and has everything you need while also close to the "main attractions." We stayed in this AirBNB and it was wonderful, big enough for 4, has its own kitchen, and also has a washer and dryer which is a total deal breaker for a family who only carries on for international flights. We booked through AirBNB, but I think you can also book directly with The Lander website, and they have other housing options available for you to look at as well. 
Click here for link to our Pairs AirBNB
Now onto Paris food, bev, and things to do!!!
Lunch restaurants:
• Les Deux Magots(6th Arr) - A classic Parisian lunch spot! We didn't have a reservation, and were able to walk right up and get a great table outside. Love the vibes here.
• Café de Flore(6th Arr) - Another fun lunch spot that happens to be a block away from Les Deux Magots! You can also come here for happy hour or lunch.
• Le Café Marly (1st Arr) - The perfect place to have lunch or drinks before or after going to the Louvre. If you want to sit outside, I recommend that you make a reservation. We didn't have a res, so we had to sit inside which was still great!
Dinner restaurants:
• Le Hibou (6th Arr) - Dare I say it's our favorite restaurant in Pairs? It has a relaxed feel to it, we went twice on our trip, great place for lunch or dinner. We love sitting at the outside tables, but inside is nice, too!
• Agata Pizzeria (6th Arr) - We went here for dinner one night and split a couple of pizzas, they were very yummy! When you make a res, ask if you can sit outside.
• Marco Polo (6th Arr) - We ate dinner here our last night in Paris, and highly recommend it. The pastas were great and the service was perfect!
• L'Absinthe(1st) - We didn't eat here on this last trip, but I went a couple years back and really enjoyed it. To be completely honest, we don't really love French food, but their menu was super fun and yummy and their wine list is great. Ask for a table upstairs!
Bars:
• The Moose (6th Arr) - This place is known as a sports bar, so we went here to watch the PSG soccer game and it was CRAZY. If you are in Paris during a French sporting event, watch it here!
• Harry's New York Bar(1st Arr) - Solid place, we went here after a long day at the French Open. This is a spot that's great if you're just looking for somewhere to have a drink and hang out.
• Bar Hemmngway (1st Arr) - This bar is inside The Ritz, and good luck getting in. I've tried a few times and have only succeeded once. They don't take reservations, so it's pretty much whoever they decide to let in, but it's worth a shot! A perfect place when you are dressed up.
• Hôtel Costes (1st Arr) - We came here twice during the trip, one night after the PSG win, and asked if we could have a cocktail and dessert, and the second time was with friends who were staying there and we hung out at the bar where hotel guests are welcome. What we loved - espresso martinis, dumplings (served in the hotel guest bar), and we also tried their famous Costes cracker cheesecake which was yummy!
Things to do:
• Louvre- Make sure you buy your tickets before hand. The best time time to go is Friday afternoon/evening. We went at 4pm and waited MAYBE 10 minutes to get in. Tip: Enter at 99 Rue de Rivoli. It's the entrance to the underground mall, and you can also enter the museum, too.
• Odéon Théatre(6th Arr) - See if there are any plays or shows going on at the theater, we have never been, buy I've always thought it would be fun!
• Musée D'Orsay (6th Arr) - I personally have never been here, but have heard amazing things and that you should also buy your tickets before.
• Tuileries Garden (1st Arr) - The garden is right outside of the Louvre, and is perfect to walk around and enjoy! You can grab a bottle of wine and some cheese and have your own little picnic.
• L'Orangerie Museum (1st Arr) - I also haven't been to this museum, but have heard amazing things.
Shopping:
• Flabelus (6th Arr) - The French flat of the summer is sold here! There are a few stores around Paris, but these shoes are so cute and come in some really fun colors.
• Officine Universelle Buly (6th Arr) - Famous for their custom combs, scents, and chapsticks, this store is fun (we have featured their comb on The Six!) There is usually a line, but their products are great so I recommend you wait in it to experience it in person. You can also order their things online, they are a great birthday or holiday present.
• Hermès(multiple locations) - We always think that it's fun to go into Hermès while in Paris, some stores require an appointment, so make sure you plan ahead!
• Vintage thrift shopping - Every time I have gone to Paris, I've wanted to check out some of the vintage markets that pop up, usually on Sunday, but I've never done it! If you have an Instagram, follow @kissa.vintage.paris she posts the markets that are open.
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REIMS AND ÉPERNAY
It's time for bubbles!! If you like champagne, I highly recommend doing a day trip out of Paris to visit Reims and/or Épernay - the two towns are only a 30 min Uber apart so it's doable to do both in a day. We booked this trip super last minute and weren't able to get into any of the big houses, but I'll list the ones I've been to before as well as the house we visited this last trip!
Transportation:
• Paris to Reims - Take the TGV from Gare de l'Est to Gare de Reims (only an hour) - I booked this ticket through the Omio app and also used the Rome to Rio app to plan it. Once you get to Reims you can either get a Taxi, Uber or walk!
• Reims train station to Daniel Dumont in Rilly-la-Montagne - We called an Uber and it was super easy!
• Daniel Dumont to Épernay - Also called an Uber here, it took about 20 min for them to pick us up so plan ahead.
Champagne houses to visit:
• Tattinger(Reims) - This house is super fun to visit, they teach you their Champagne making process, and then they take you down into their cave to show you all of the bottles they have down there! Highly recommend.
• Mumm(Reims) - I also really enjoyed Mumm, we did Tattinger and Mumm in the same day, but I have to be honest - Tattinger was better!
• Daniel Dumont(Rilly-la-Montagne) - Daniel Dumont was the house that we did on this last trip, and it was completely different than the other two, which is what I wanted! It was a small house in a small town that is operated by the son of the man who started it, Jean Michel is his name. This was a very intimate experience, that reminded us of the joy of family business!
• L'Ecurie (Épernay) - We didn't have any champagne houses booked in Épernay, our goal was just to walk down the Avenue de Champagne and try some different glasses, but Andrea found L'Ecurie and it was perfect! We honestly wished we had more time here. 
Things to do:
• Reims Cathedral- If you have time, walk from the train station to Reims Cathedral and spend some time there. It is so beautiful!
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MONTMARTRE
Montmartre is such an easy place to get to from pretty much anywhere in Paris, and it's well worth it! You can spend an entire day exploring the area, but we only spent an afternoon so here are a couple of recs. Warning - in order to get up to this little part of town, you half to walk up a pretty steep hill. There are also little trains that can take you to the top, or Taxis. 
Food and drink recommendations:
• Grenouilles Paris- If you go to Montmartre, you have to stop by this place for a beer and a sandwich! You can take both of them to the steps of the basilica and look out and see all of Paris!
• Au Clairon Des Chasseurs- We stopped here for a Hugo spritz, french fries, soup, and escargot! The food was alright, but the spritz and the views were what we were there for.
• Place du Terte - This is the square where you can find all of the local artists who are showcasing their work that is available for purchase. It truly amazing and you can find some beautiful pieces.
• Sacré-Coeur Basilica - I have yet to go into this Basilica mainly because the line is always so long, but I've heard it is beautiful. If you are also team no line, just sit outside on the steps and soak in the views while people watching.
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AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Aix... what a special little town!!! I am so happy that I chose this as our second city that we stayed in. It's a very slow paced French town, with a dash of Florence, if you can imagine that.
Where to say: The town of Aix isn't big at all, so you would honestly be fine staying anywhere in the main town. We stayed right off the street, Court Mirabeau, and we thought it was a great location. It also looked like there were other fun AirBnbs further into town that would be nice to stay at. 
Click here for the link to our Aix-en-Provence AirBNB
Food recommendations:
• TiTa - Mediterranean food that was TO DIE FOR. I wish this restaurant was in Fort Worth. It's only open for lunch so make sure you make a reservation! If you go to Aix, this is a must.
• Trattoria Da Aldo - Had the best pasta of the trip here, it's off the beaten path just a little (was only a 10 min walk from our AirBnb) but so worth it!
• Maiipo Coffee Shop - This is a small, local coffee shop that we stumbled upon! It's owned by two sisters and they are so sweet. They obviously make coffees, but they also serve breakfast and lunch.
• Hélène Darroze at Villa La Coste - This restaurant is on property at Château La Coste (mentioned below), we ate an early dinner here after wine tasting and it was one of our favorite meals of the trip!
Things to do/shop:
• Hermès - I mentioned this before, but we wanted to wait to go to Hermès in Aix knowing that it would be less busy, and it definitely was! We walked in without an appointment and we were immediately greeted by a Sales Associate who helped us find the perfect pieces!
• Aquabella Hotel and Spa - We spent an afternoon here and I honestly think I could have spent the entire day here! (If you are wanting to stay at a hotel in Aix, you should take this one into consideration) We bought the day pass for $80 which allowed us to use the pool, hot tub, sauna experience, and lounge areas. So worth it!
• Château La Coste - This property is AMAZING. There is a hotel, art gallery, restaurants, and a Rosé vineyard and wine production. We spent the afternoon and evening on property doing a wine tour and then walking up to the hotel to have an afternoon snack and glass of wine. It was perfection. This place is about 25 min outside of Aix. If you are looking for a very private, calm, and quiet getaway I would recommend you stay at the hotel on property - there are two to choose from!
• Maison Saintenoy-I don't know if any other families do this, but this is now the second time one of us has gotten a haircut in Europe. The experience is so fun to us!! Whether you need a haircut in Aix or just a blowout, this is where you need to go.
• Back to Bac -For those of you who know us, you know we love a good karaoke bar, so after a couple of glasses of wine, we thought, why not find one in Aix. After a quick google search we found Back to Bac, it's a karaoke bar where you can rent your own room and it was a BLAST. We were the only ones there on a Wednesday night, and we did not care. Was so fun!
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MARSEILLE
Marseille was added to the itinerary simply because we wanted to get on a boat in the Mediterranean Ocean! We spent the afternoon here, and it was absolutely perfect. If you are staying anywhere in the South of France, but not directly by the ocean like we did, you HAVE to find a way to get on the water. It's beautiful. 
Boat options:
• Bleu Evasion - We chose the afternoon Lemon Catamaran tour with Bleu Evasion and it was awesome. Very laid back, relaxing and fun! They had standup paddle boards, snorkel gear, and a driving board for us to use. If I could do it again, I would honestly book a longer day on the water, we loved it.
• Le Don Du Vent- We have never used this company, but their full day sailboat excursions look amazing!
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French Pharmacie recommendations
The French Pharmacie was heaven on earth for us. I'm sure all of you know, but French skincare products are amazing. Although they have some of the same brands that we have here in the US, they have a lot cleaner ingredients in them, and they are better for our skin. Also, while the branding might look similar, not all Pharmacies are the same in France but they usually carry similar items!
We really went to town, so I will list out what we have tried so far:
• La Rosée Masque en stick -This clay mask is awesome, I keep it in my travel bag and use it all the time.
• Embryolisse Masque Hydration Intense-I use this mask a couple of times a week when I work from home and just leave it on all day on top of my serums.
• Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrate -Andrea uses this cream on her face every morning and night and recommends it.
• Caudalíe Resveratrol-Lift -Alyssa loves this and uses it morning and night. She has used it for the last 2 months and has seen a visible difference in her skin.
• Caudalíe Vinoperfect-I use this morning and night along with other serums and love the way it feels on my skin.
• A313 Retinol-Alyssa and Alexia both use this once a week because it's an intense retinol, but it works and is way cheaper in France.
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios 30 spf invisible fuild -Alyssa is obsessed with this sunscreen, uses it every day!
• Homeoplasmine -This is great for burns and scars.
• Isidin Fotoprotector FusionWater Magic Light Spf 50- I actually used this in Marseille while we were out on the boat, and it worked really well. I love how lightweight it is.
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If you have gotten this far in the blog, #1 thank you! and #2 I hope you enjoyed it and use it for your future trips to France!
If you have any questions about planning your trip, shoot us a DM and I'm happy to answer them!
XO -
Alexia
