A perfect work trip!
France
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Sep 14 - Sep 27, 2024
I'm a Kimkim staff member, and I was on a work trip to Nice, Marseille, Aix-En-Provonce, Lyon, and Paris. I stayed in wonderful hotels; my favorite was Globe et Cecil H么tel in the heart of Lyon, the Inwood La Bourdonnais, where I was in close proximity to the Eiffel Tower, and Hotel Des Grands Hommes in Paris, where I looked directly at the Pantheon and was blocks away from the Luxembourg Gardens. The hotels each left their personal touch on my stay and made sure every need was met.
I enjoyed the day trip from Aix-en-Provence to the beach village Cassis, where I took a boat to see the cliffs (falaises) and the sheltered inlets called calanques. The bike tour through the Luberon Valley, where we visited villages and vineyards, was beautiful, with the most enjoyable Caesar salad in M茅nerbes at Bistrot le 5 overlooking the grape vines in the valley below. In Paris, Les Caves du Louvre wine and cheese tasting was very informative and a great sampling of the cheeses and wines that were available at the time of year I was there. I enjoyed the Pastry and Chocolate tour of the Sainte Germain the Chocolate, where we walked in the Sainte Germain neighborhood and visited shops specializing in all the desserts and breads I could have dreamed about. The guide also provided a great deal of information about the history of the neighborhood, France, and the contemporary Parisian culture.
The various tours I took were a perfect mix of activity, culture, and visiting key landmarks. I left feeling very fulfilled and wishing I had more time to explore the other regions of France. Until next time..... Au revoir! 馃嚝馃嚪馃馃馃檶馃徏
Hotel Reviews
I am a kimkim staff member, and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Hotel Florence in Nice. This hotel has 2 restaurants below it and is close to the main shopping street of Av. Jean Medecin, which also leads directly to the promenade and Plague Beau Rivage Beach. Accommodations were cozy and functional.
I am a kimkim staff member, and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the NH Collection Marseille is a very nice hotel with great staff members.
This hotel offers a kitchenette for travelers who would like to eat in their rooms. A hot breakfast is also provided in the lobby restaurant.
This hotel is located right off the Bastille Monument. The decor was nice, with a cozy lobby and a large bathroom. The breakfast was fulfilling, and the staff even provided fruit for me when I was leaving before the breakfast was open.
This hotel allowed me to leave my bags at 6:00 am the day I checked in so I could go on a tour. When I arrived, my bags were in my room with a personalized note followed up by a phone call once I was settled in my room, making sure I had everything I needed.
This hotel has a spectacular view of the Pantheon, which is right across the street. The location is close to Notre Dame and Sainte Germain and has a great view of Sacre Cure across the city. I would recommend the top-floor suites, which include a balcony with a spectacular view and a nice sitting area. When you leave the hotel and turn the corner, the Eiffel Tower is in plain view. If you climb the Pantheon Tower, you'll see one of the city's best views.
This hotel was a boutique hotel with lots of character and a location in the city center. Excellent access to shopping, old town, and landmark
Activity Reviews
The description of this activity isn't accurate. It isn't meant for travelers with physical sensitivities or who have endured recent or ongoing injuries due to the possibility of rough seas on a boat going at a high rate of speed. The excursion takes you to Monocao and lets travelers see super yachts from the water level. Travelers can swim in a cove with a cave and drive past other villages along the French Riviera. Things you see are spectacular, but the possible harm to one's body needs to be considered when booking this trip. The tour operators did not go out of their way to interact with guests or solve problems.
This activity took riders to spectacular views that are not easily accessible and around town for a city tour.
This tour takes travelers to the coast of the French Riviera, Monaco, a perfume factory, and the village of脠zee. Beach time was not an option, and we were not gone for 10 hours, but still worth it.
This is a very informative tour and would be a great activity upon arrival. The socca that we got to eat was great, and the guide did a great job sharing historical and cultural information.
This tour was informative and enjoyable to see Le Panier neighborhood, the old port, and the Bonne M猫re.
I loved riding bikes through the Luberon Valley and visiting the little villages. The e-bikes made the trip easy and fun.
Erin Jordan, the guide in Aix-En-Provence, was excellent! She was knowledgeable and provided history, information on architecture, and insight into the city's economic evolution. She did a wonderful job.
This half-day tour went too fast; if I were to say anything, it would be to allow yourself the full-day tour so you can enjoy all that Cassis has to offer. We took the boat to see the Parc National des Calanques. The blue water was so striking. The village had a great market and neat eateries. We were also taken to the Cap Canaille overlook to see the cove and city and admire the steep drop-off.
The guide was knowledgeable, showed me all the passages or Traboules that made up the city of Lyon, and earned it the UNESCO classification. We talked little about World War II but focused more on the city and the silk industry.
Biking along the Rh么ne's banks was a treat. This path took the tour along the Rh么ne River to the Golden Head Park, where there's a free zoo and open space for city dwellers to enjoy.
The experience on the boat provided a great vantage point to see all the buildings along the shore of the Seine River lite up. The food was good, and the live singer created a nice ambience.
Our guide led us through the Sully and Denon wings, seeing all the masterpiece artwork.
This was one of my favorite activities in Paris. The sommelier explained why the wines and cheese come from the different regions in France.
This was a day well spent in Chablis. Our guide did a great job taking us to three different wineries to taste the wines each location produced. We learned about the numerous ways to make wines. It was nice to meander through Chablis, pick a restaurant of our choice for lunch, and, of course, a bakery for dessert.
This was a great tour, introducing me to the essential things about the chocolates and pastries in France. The Guide did a great job leading us to all the different locations to taste the other foods. He included things about history, guided us through a church, and shared historical information about the area.
It was fun to stop at different shops and pick up items for our picnic in the park. We visited a fromagerie, a market for fresh produce, a p芒tisserie, a charcuterie, and a wine shop with red and white wine ready to sample.
Monet's paintings come alive when you visit his gardens. I highly recommend this tour to see the flowers and other inspirations in his paintings. The guide did a great job sharing his life story on the bus ride to Giverny. Lunch and the Palace of Versailles were great stops. The guide did well keeping the group on time and ensuring we saw everything necessary.
This tour will take you up the hill step by step to where the Sacre Cure is located. It's interesting to hear the cultural stories of the artists who have lived here in the past. The final stop is the highlight of the tour. It's either the Cathedral or the view of Paris- probably both!
Bonjour Liz and merci beaucoup for leaving such a detailed review, it helps a lot in improving our services :)
I'm happy to read you enjoyed your French escapade, it was a pleasure to design your trip!
脌 bient么t!
Mathilde