This spot was so wonderful that I had to dedicate a post to it. La Maree was a phenomenal seafood restaurant overlooking the Monaco yacht harbor. It was our last night in Monaco so it was the perfect experience to be able to take in some of the scenic beauty that this small but extraordinary country offers. We had several small dishes and each one was delectable, but I have to say I was a major fan of the dessert. Although it took extra time to prepare it gave us more time to take in the ambience and when it finally did arrive, it was well worth the wait.
Guide to 14 hours in Paris
Paris
I love Paris. It’s such a beautiful city with so much history. On this trip Paris was a stop over between Dublin and Monaco but we packed as much into 14 hours as we possibly could, so I’m going to share our itinerary so you can get the most out of Paris as well.
We stayed within walking distance of the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel tower so that we could see both fairly easily and walk around the areas that we enjoy the most, including strolling on the Champs-Elysees.
It’s not right to go to Paris and not try as many of their pastries as possible. Everything we had was unbelievably delicious especially the Drop from a La Petite Marquis.
We also explored the area around the Louvre, which was a haven for all the french designers; well known and obscure. We’ve visited the Louvre before which is why we didn’t go this time, and I would suggest choosing specific pieces you want to see before going because you really could spend multiple days inside the Louvre taking in all the artwork. If you have a passion for fashion you can stroll the entirety of Rue Saint Honore and indulge in the finest haute couture houses known to man.
We went on a riverboat cruise down the Siene and while we’ve done the bus tours before this river cruise was a real treat. Tons of information, seeing the whole city by water, and getting a new perspective on the famous and infamous locations around Paris, such as Notre Dame.
We went to one of our favorite spots for dinner the roundabout adjacent to the Eiffel tower across the river. There are several great restaurants in this vicinity and Cafe Le Malakoff is one of the best for people watching, enjoying the view, and sampling excellent french cuisine.
The next morning we boarded the train for Monaco and waved Paris farewell for now!
Adventures in Nice
Before arriving in France I discovered there were these fantastic antique markets in Nice, where we would be visiting. We took the train from Monaco to Nice and spent the afternoon strolling the promenade, enjoying cappuccinos beside the ocean and searching for this antique market. Just when we were about to give up, assuming it wasn’t operating during the week, we saw the street tents across the street in the distance. We spent a few hours strolling all of the beautiful vintage clothing, handbags, home decor, jewelry, and furniture. It was an absolute dream for someone who likes to antique! We saw vintage Chanel, Dior, Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton, antique french linens, beautiful fabrics, and some of the most unique items, like the vintage hand decorated toilet! We then stumbled upon the most decadent creperie, Ballanger, and overindulged on the sweetest of treats. I also found this great vintage shop called Depot Vente Luxe, which had lots of excellent treasures. I highly recommend discovering these spots for yourself, they were magical, and the market in particular reminded me of Midnight in Paris. You’ll notice I’m wearing a backpack in a lot of these shots, which is new for me. I was never a fan of backpacks until I found this perfectly sized Cole Haan bag, it fit all my travel essentials, kept my hands free, and still looked effortlessly chic.