Christmas in Lille with Eurostar

With the Christmas season in full swing, I wanted to make the most of an opportunity to do shopping and sightseeing on the readily accessible Eurostar service from London. Having previously visited Paris and Brussels courtesy of the reliable service, I wanted to try somewhere new, hence opting for Lille.

Located in northern France, Lille is 1 hour 20 minutes from London St. Pancras International with travel offered at very reasonable fares as low as £69 return.

Say It With Pictures: The City of Marseille, France

Have you ever visited somewhere that went completely above and beyond your expectations? Well, most recently, Marseille had exactly that impact upon me.

I had originally planned the trip to the market town as a family getaway to see the city but most importantly, to meet a relative that would be sailing on the Carnival Sunshine cruise.

Located on the south-east coast of France, a flight from London takes just 2 hours to arrive at the main airport (MRS). Upon arrival in the 2013 European Capital of Culture, I was immediately taken aback. I’d previously visited Paris and Lyon, so I expected something similar to these cities. Yet, in my opinion, France’s second and oldest city offered a far more delightful and memorable affair.

Must-see places in Lyon, France

Steps descending Fourviere Hill to the city

In May 2013 I spent a long weekend in Lyon for a quick getaway with my partner. We ate, drank and enjoyed the beautiful weather that bathed us throughout the sunny weekend.

It was blissful to walk from our conveniently located accommodation at Mercure Lyon Centre Château Perrache into the city to enjoy the vibrant energy of the day. Gathering with locals around the food and clothing stalls of a daily market, we enjoyed browsing around the shops, stopping for lunch and of course taking in some of the sights around the second city of France.

A New Years stay at Oceania Paris Porte de Versailles, France

Oceania Paris Porte de Versailles

On a trip to Paris in mid-2012, we had stayed at the Hotel Ariane Montparnasse, a mid-range hotel that we enjoyed. On this occasion for new year, we wanted something a little more comfortable.

We were staying for a slightly longer duration of five days over the new year, so sought accommodation with a pool and gym, yet still in a good location near to the metro. Oh, and we didn’t want to break the bank, particularly difficult with it being the holiday season…. in Paris. Luckily,  the Oceania Paris Porte de Versailles made this very easy.

My growing travel list for 2013; what’s on your itinerary?

I’ve been reflecting on the year of travel that was 2012. It’s officially behind us and gosh, it was a busy one.

From changing jobs to founding The Ad-lib Traveller, discovering new getaways to learning more about those close to me,  it’s been an exciting learning curve that has enlightened me at every step of the way. I’ve enjoyed group travel in Bangkok and Koh Samui, Thailand, trips with my partner to destinations like Budapest as well as dates in and around our home city of London to places like Banana Tree and Wong Kei’s. Not only this, but I’ve also shared company with friends at places like Caribbean Scene Royale and other trips like taking my younger sister on her first city break to Dublin. I’ve also been fortunate enough to help out with the London 2012 Olympics – a once in a lifetime opportunity that was again a fun experience.

It’s been an amazing year and has continued to go from strength to strength; I’ve appreciated and enjoyed every trip that has come my way and there is so much more to come – which brings me into this blog post. Whilst reflecting on 2012, I’ve been busy setting out a growing list of travel plans for 2013 – get a sneaky preview of the first quarter of the year outlined below.

5 Ways to Immerse Yourself in Local Culture

Following my last contribution to the Travelling Brown Girls Carnival, the theme for this post is ways to immerse yourself into the local culture. I’ve selected five ways to help all tourists to leave a destination with more than a few photos.

Highlights of the Musée du Louvre, Paris

Musée du Louvre

Following a recent post about my return to Paris, I questioned the best way to maximise time in and around the Musée du Louvre. It’s such a daunting museumthat having a ‘plan’ (even in the loosest of ways) is essential.Now, I’m not usually a big fan of museums. Unless I’m in the right mood, I tend to switch off a bit and rush through the pieces, keen to get outside and see the rest of the destination – plus I don’t like being told that I ‘should’ admire this official piece. I blame school trips that sometimes lacked substance. People are receptive to different things and that in itself should be respected (for instance I really love the skill and creativity of street art).

Musee D’Orsay, Paris – An ex-train station and museum all in one

Having previously travelled to Paris, my boyfriend and I were already becoming familiar with the city and some of the sights to be seen. Despite this, for the latest trip we decided that we would like to get some recommendations for sights that we must see on this visit.

With the help of ParisInfo, we were able to be add Musee D’Orsay and the Louvre to our itinerary for a fun-filled weekend in a city that we love.

ParisInfo are the official Convention and Visitors Bureau for Paris aiming to welcome, inform and promote the city. They offer tourists an insight to attractions around the city through the provision of their ‘virtual tourist information’ styled website, as well as tourist information centres dotted around the city providing detailed information.

The Notre Dame: A Photo Essay

On a recent trip to Paris, we took the metro from our hotel in Montparnasse over to the Notre Dame by the River Seine, for a chance to take in the sights in and around the Cathedral. It was a great opportunity to experience the Sunday service, whilst also absorbing the atmosphere. Below are a few of the snaps that I took on the day – enjoy.

Hotel Ariane Montparnasse, Paris

On a recent trip to Paris, I chose to stay at the Hotel Ariane Montparnasse for a boutique style hotel experience. Located in Montparnasse and a few minutes walking distance from Pernety and Alecia metro stations, it was an ideal place to spend a night. The ease of the location meant that it was an easy ride on the metro into the centre of Paris. Not only this, but the hotel also included breakfast, which was much needed after spending the previous day wandering endlessly around the beautiful streets of Paris. An added bonus was in the free WiFi which worked well, even for us on the 4th floor of the hotel.