1) Ile Sainte Marguerite Island and Ile Saint Honorat Island
If you plan to head on down to the French Riviera, and make a pit stop to either Cannes or Nice, then I highly recommend taking a visit out to Ile Sainte Marguerite Island or Ile Saint Honorat Island. When standing on the beaches of Cannes/Nice you can see Saint Marguerite out in the center of the ocean. Behind it is Saint Honorat (which is hidden behind Saint Marguerite so you cannot see it from the main land).
To get to these islands, you will need to go by boat. We took a public Ferry from Cannes port out to Saint Marguerite for half of the day. It is about a 10-15 minute boat ride, and before you know it you are in paradise. It is very common for people to take sail boats or yachts and park right in between the two islands which you can see in the above photo! It truly is a sliver of paradise. We laid out out in the sun for hours on the beach relaxing and soaking it all in. The island also has some local residents as well as a small school. It is great to walk around and a perfect escape from the more crowded Cannes/Nice.
2) The Eiffel Tower
Alright, this is obvious, the Eiffel Tower is a must when in France. This structure is an iconic peace of Paris and missing it would be like going to London and not seeing Big Ben or going to New York and not seeing the Statue of Liberty.
Some Quick Tips When Visiting the Eiffel Tower:
Scams: People will constantly try to sell you small key chains or bracelets. The biggest scam you need to watch out for is someone putting a bracelet on you to "see what it would look like" and then you come to find out it can't come off. They will try and charge you just to take it off of you.
Eiffel Tower Prices: If you don't want to spend a dime, then you can happily look at the tower for free! But, if you want to go up to the top it is going to cost you a pretty penny. Luckily, they have different prices for different levels. So, if you decide you are fine with only going up a quarter of the way, you will pay less than if you go up half way or to the very top. Definitely a personal choice, but it is always free to see it from the ground!
Come back at night! At night the Tower lights up in gorgeous lights and on the hour every hour there is a light show causing the entire tower to flicker like a sparkler.
3 Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
Sadly, visiting Notre Dame may not be in the cards at the moment. Since the recent fire, tourists and locals are not able to go inside. Located right in central Paris and not out of the way at all, it is still worth a visit!
4) The Louvre
You have seen it in countless movies and history books and it is most well known as home to the Mona Lisa. Get ready, she is a lot smaller than you will expect. A very small painting hanging on a wall surrounded by hundreds of people trying to grab a selfie with Mona. This museum is massive, and trust me she is not the only thing to see. Depending on how into art you are, I would dedicate anywhere from 1-3 hours here. There is so much to see and endless corridors to be taken down!
5) Versailles
Surprisingly, Versailles is something many people choose to skip when visiting France. I am assuming this is because it can be a small hassle to get there, but to be honest I found it pretty easy. There is a train directly from Paris right to Versailles. The train ride is about 45 minutes to an hour and it drops you off 2 blocks away from the Palace. I don't see what is so hard about that! The palace and gardens is a major part of the history of France and to skip it would be crazy!
Paying to get in: When visiting Versailles there are different types of tickets you can buy. You can choose to see inside the palace only, walk around the gardens only, or do both. Personally, I paid to see both. If you would only like to see one, I must admit this is a personal choice but I would choose the gardens. It is truly amazing how massive they are but also the intricate details that are scattered throughout them. Every bush is trimmed to perfection, each blade of grass is the same length, and you can turn into any corner and suddenly come across fountains, statues, or another path to take you to another section of the garden. It is a masterpiece and honestly a work of art.
6) Eat!: Yes, it sounds obvious, but you need to just treat yourself while in France and indulge in some of the best foods around. To learn more about some of the amazing foods you must try before leaving France, check out my post on "Don't Leave France Before You Eat This:" under the Tips and Advice Page!
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