In May of 2016 I went back to the regions of Provence and Rhône-Alpes in France as well as the country of Monaco. 11 years earlier, I visited Provence and then came back to Rhône-Alpes 3 years later to study abroad. This is one of my favorite parts in Europe and I came back to show my family around as well as to explore new parts I’ve missed on previous visits.

Nice

From Chicago, I flew direct to Madrid and then on to Nice. Being the first to arrive out of my family I found myself in the vieille ville or the old city, where it was still somewhat chilly but at least the sun was out. The great thing about the Provence region of France is that the Alps block the cloudy weather of the north and usually there is nice temperate sunny skies year round.

Vieille Ville

The old city sits along the coast in a small section of Nice. The area is very nice with boulangeries, cafés, and of course several old bright buildings. We stayed in one that use to be an apartment of Henri Matisse, who painted and stayed in the city for many years. From here it’s also easy to walk to the main commercial strip of the city that starts at the Fontaine du Soleil and is highly suggested. On our first night we were able to meet up with a couple of my friends from Texas at this gay bar called Le Bar Bitch!

Colline du Château

This is a must in Nice and we went on our second day! This is the castle that sits to the east of the city and offers great views of Nice from the top. It’s a hike to get up but well worth it for the views.

Market

One of the delights of France and Nice is the open air markets. Usually the markets will sell all sorts of crafts and souvenirs along with goods like flowers, cheese, fruits, fish etc. I ended up picking up handmade scarves that I still love to this day.

Birthday Dinner

One of the best parts about Nice was my birthday dinner. Given that it was around my birthday during this trip my family took my brother, his boyfriend and I to a special French meal at a restaurant called Mon Petit Café. Having a birthday dinner in France is not like in the USA. The service is usually spot on and never rushed. We spent hours talking and eating excellent French food while sipping some champagne.

Èze

While staying in Nice we took a bus over to the city of Èze. I had been to this village years before but I’m glad I got a chance to come back. This village sits on a rock and you have to climb around the rock to get up to the highest point. It’s super unique and only a bus ride away from Nice or Monaco.

Fragonard

But before we climbed we first went to the Fragonard factory at the bottom of the village which is a must. Fragonard specializes in high quality perfume and gives you a chance to see how they actually make perfume. This id a working factory and you get to smell different types of ingredients used in all of their perfumes. I picked up two amazing perfumes and still have them because they last for so long.

Garden

From the bottom of Èze, it’s a hike to the very top. On top there is a magnificent garden that I think is worth the admission price for the views alone. Also a great opportunity to take beautiful shots of the ocean and village below.

We spent the day roaming around the village, going up and down to visit the many shops. Some shops are literally built into the rock, making you feel like you’re in a cave. Èze is somewhat of a tourist trap and so food can also be kind of touristy. We ate at a pizza shop, and although fine, it wasn’t too inspiring. It’s also kind of expensive but for me you go to Èze for the views and the unique experience.

Monaco

We also opted to take a train from Nice direct to Monaco. This is very simple and you can easily reach Monaco in 45 minutes from Nice. The Monaco main train station is also sleek and modern. Be ready to walk steep heights from the train station though as Monaco is a very condensed country with steep hills.

This was my second time to Monaco and in a way looked exactly the same as before. Monaco can be described as a rich mans paradise and the people who live here are usually rich foreigners who are looking for a tax haven. It’s also famous for the Grand Prix and we got to see some of the course the day we visited!

Le Palais des Princes de Monaco

The Palace of Monaco is small but very beautiful and sits at the southern part of the city-country on top of a hill. It actually dates back to the 13th century! It’s quite a walk to get to and we had to walk up a steep hill but it’s well worth the effort especially at noon when they do a changing of the guards. It’s also close to the Oceanography Museum, which I recommend, and the Saint Nicholas Cathedral where Grace Kelly and her husband, Prince Reinier are buried.

From here we had stunning views of the entire country. Monaco is very tiny, basically a small city in size and from certain spots in Monaco, you can get views of the entire country. In the picture below you can see basically the entire country with the green part representing France while the buildings are Monaco. Off in the way distance is the border of Italy.

Grand Prix

The Grand Prix of Monaco is the annual Formula 1 race that takes place on the roads of the entire country. While we were there, they were setting up the 2016 race, so we got to see some of the tracks and routes used by the race. On top of that, my dad got to take a Lamborghini around Monaco! Pretty cool actually and it was right in front of a famous turn in the Grand Prix race called the Grand Hairpin in front of the Fairmont Hotel. That’s where you rent expensive cars and drive them around Monaco.

Lyon

We left southern France and took a 4 hour train ride to Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region. I’ve traveled to Lyon many times before and is easily one of the best cities in France to eat in. It’s also very metropolitan and is Frances second largest city.

Vieux Lyon

From the Place Bellecour, in Lyons city center, we walked across the Saône River and into Vieux Lyon. If I had to suggest the first place to visit, this would be it, as it’s one of the most scenic parts of city. Here you can run across Lyon’s famous traboules, or old passageways that provided covered protection for old citizens of Lyon.

From here we went up the Fourvière cable line to get to the top of Lyon. Here there is a very nice park that looks out over the city as well as the famous La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière. This 19th century church is gorgeous and is well worth exploring for at least 30 minutes.

Take some time in Vieux Lyon as well. This is actually my preferred spot to eat but unfortunately many of the restaurants are touristy. They don’t offer the same quality as some other famous restaurants in Lyon so my advice would be to do research before you commit to a place.

Lyon Center

From the east of Vieux Lyon there is the city center, where I stayed in, and the newer parts of Lyon to the east of that. I recommend staying in the center because of how easy it is to reach everything else in the city. In the city center there is the famous Place Bellecour, one of the largest public squares in Europe, as well as shops and museums. On certain days there are open air markets that are well worth a visit.

From here, one day I walked to the Parc de la Tête d’Or or Golden Head Park which is about a 30 minute walk from Place Bellecour. I actually recommend the walk on a sunny day because you get to see many parts of the city. It’s a huge park and certainly worth a visit if you’re looking to relax.

The best part about Lyon is the food and views. This city is beautiful and more manageable compared to Paris.

Annecy

Northwest of Lyon, there is the mountain city of Annecy. It’s a beautiful city and often called the mini Venice of the Alps due to the tiny canals in the city center. The train ride is about 2 hours from Lyon crossing beautiful French countryside.

City Center

Off the train, we went straight for the city center and luckily came across a weekend market. We didn’t buy anything but it’s always nice to walk through an open air market and take in the local goods. The city is walkable with the center concentrated in a couple of streets leading up to beautiful Lake Annecy. We got some gelato in one of the touristy shops next to the lake and climbed up the steep hill to a museum that ended up being closed. However the area is scenic so I recommend the hike up to the Château d’Annecy.

Annecy is a half day city so there really is no rush to get things done. Enjoy a nice meal on the waterway and walk along the lake. It is possible to take a boat ride but it’s something we weren’t interested in doing. Annecy is a cute French city and close to both Lyon and Geneva, Switzerland, making it a great half day excursion.

Grenoble

Ah Grenoble; it’s like my second home! I studied abroad back in 2010 and it was great to come back to visit. Grenoble is often called the gateway to the Alps with beautiful French alpine cities nearby. One of the things I love about Grenoble is how big the city is yet it also sits around stunning mountains.

La Bastille

We only had a day so we decided to show our family to some of the highlights of Grenoble. On any visit tourists should definitely go to Fort de La Bastille, a fortress that overlooks the city. We went pretty early so we wouldn’t have to wait in line for the Grenoble Bastille Cable Car. They are kind of iconic in the city of Grenoble, looking like giant bubbles. From the Bastille we got a commanding view of the Grenoble valley and of the surrounding French Alps.

City Center

From here we traveled in the city center where there are some sites to see like the second oldest café in France! Also this part of Grenoble has older buildings to admire and lots of shopping. While we studied abroad we would get cheap food at this place called “Les Tacos de Lyon,” and I still highly recommend it. It’s cheap taco food but one of the best restaurants in Grenoble. Near this restaurant this is the Place Notre Dame which is a good jumping off point of the city and area to catch trams to other parts of the city.

La Tronche, Corenc & Université

I use to live in a neighborhood of Grenoble, called La Tronche and it’s only about a 4 stop tram ride from the city center. My brother and I use to walk down from these neighborhoods to catch the trams to either the university or downtown. We showed our family the homes we stayed in and then took the tram over to the university we attended.

Jardin du Thé

Back in 2010 we use to study for tests and drink tea at this café in downtown Grenoble. Honestly I only found it because I needed wifi the first week in Grenoble! It’s a great, cheap place in downtown to relax and enjoy a nice cup of tea with dessert. From here they’re a many great local shops.

Review

France will always be special to me and I was happy to return with my family to show theme experiences I had in 2010. This part of France will always be special to me and I’m glad I got the opportunity to retrace some of the most beautiful parts of France.