Poe Clients on the Go: Explorations in France
Last month, a couple of our dear clients made a September escape to France for just over a week of discovery. They split their time between Paris and Avignon and made sure to share all their fabulous findings with us!
Photo courtesy of Léonard Cotte on Unsplash
Longtime Poe Travel clients Terry and Joseph jetted off to France in September, a truly glorious time of the year to return to Europe. After their overnight flight, they landed in Paris and met their private chauffeur for transfer to their Paris hotel. The two enjoyed the rest of the day and the next full day settling in and exploring the City of Love on their own.
Paris & Surrounds
For their home-away-from-home in Paris, they chose the charming Hôtel de Lutèce. Located on Ile Saint-Louis (Saint Louis Island) in the historical heart of Paris, this recently renovated 17th-century hotel is surrounded by the Seine. This was the perfect place for Terry and Joseph to explore on their own, given that it is only a short walk from the Ile de la Cité, Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the center of intellectual Parisian life. Also nearby are La Marais, the Place des Vosges, the Place de la Bastille, the Pantheon, and the Latin Quarter.
Photo courtesy of the Hotel de Lutece
After a couple of days to acclimate to their new surroundings, their private driver-guide met them at their hotel to take them on a full-day tour. In the morning, they headed out to Giverny to view Claude Monet’s gardens, where the celebrated artist painted some of his most famous works. In the afternoon, their expert local guide gave them a unique tour of Paris that focused on the birth of the United States, following in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and many other important historical figures. Their guide also showed them Paris’s oldest coffee house along the way!
View of Avignon from Terry & Joseph’s room at Hotel d’Europe (photo courtesy of Poe Travel clients)
The next morning, their private driver-guide took them on a half-day tour of Saint Denis. Just outside of Paris, they found fascinating museums, a stunning cathedral, and acclaimed art galleries. The Basilica of Saint-Denis is a former medieval abbey and place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages. This treasure trove of cultural hot spots made for a great morning, and the rest of the afternoon was theirs to enjoy in Paris on their own.
Avignon & the South
Next, it was time to head south. Terry and Joseph’s private driver transferred them to the train station, where they boarded a train bound for Avignon. On arrival, they picked up their rental car and made their way to their hotel, where they enjoyed the rest of the day at leisure to explore Avignon on their own.
Cooking up a storm (photo courtesy of Poe Travel clients)
For their four-night stay in Avignon, Joseph and Terry chose the Hotel d’Europe. This five-star luxury hotel can be found between the Palais des Papes and the Sainte Bénezet Bridge and is a magnificent house dating back to the 16th century. With only 44 rooms and a Michelin-starred restaurant to boot, this boutique hotel is an enchanting place to call home in Avignon.
During their first full day in the south, they ventured to Eygalières for a private cooking class with a local chef. Their guide for the day, Chef Gilles, showed them around the market to purchase ingredients for the meal they would create together. They all headed to the chef’s home, where they were given expert instruction on creating the perfect meal with their wonderfully fresh produce, and then they sat down to enjoy it together.
The next few days were spent exploring the area on their own. From Avignon’s medieval streets to the picturesque villages of Joucas and Gordes to the stunning port city of Marseilles, Terry and Joseph found no shortage of fantastic stops to explore. Hidden nooks and crannies, open-air markets teeming with tasty morsels, and history aplenty awaited them during their time in the south of France.
Exploring the market in Eygalières (photo courtesy of Poe Travel clients)
They made sure to visit a pharmacy in Avignon for an easy antigen COVID test before their departure back to the United States. The test only takes about 30 minutes to receive results, and they didn’t even need an appointment (though this does vary from destination to destination). The team at Poe Travel is always happy to check the various COVID regulations around the world to ensure our clients are prepared for travel so that everything can go as seamlessly as possible.
On their final night, they drove to Marseilles, where they returned their rental car and checked into an airport hotel for ease and convenience for their early-morning flight the next day. We’re sure it was with great reluctance that they left the early-autumn sunshine of the south of France to return back to the real world, but at least they took their memories with them as they went.
If you would like to Go Away to France like Terry and Joseph (or anywhere else in the world!), simply contact us. We will put together a completely customized itinerary based on your interests and preferences to ensure that you explore the world the way that suits you best.