France — Paris and Beyond
France, the country famous for its wine, cheese, romance and Paris. Needless to say, I was excited to be going to France for the last leg of my solo journey. I was headed to France from Helsinki via Norweigan Air, which I have to say was pretty smooth all the way through [good job!].
I have to say, I am very satisfied with the buses I took in France [Flixbus] as they weren’t late and the facilities onboard the bus were pretty good. I was initially cautious because of the many bad reviews online about the company, but I paid only 3 euros from Paris to Metz [4-hour journey] and my expectations were not high. However, it was not the case and I have no regrets going with Flixbus.
Metz is a small town in Northeastern France, which I found out isn’t high on many tourists’ radars after asking my host. It was quiet and slow, which was perfect for me because that meant I could take strolls around the city without hearing or seeing heavy traffic anywhere. The city centre was beautiful and was where most of the activities were at.
It is a perfect place to relax for a few days before heading off to another city, especially if you need some me-time or just some quiet time. Metz doesn’t have any spectacular places [in my opinion], but they do have plenty of nice places with a rich history such as Église Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains.
After 2 days in Metz, I took a bus [which was 1 euro (!!!) by Flixbus] to Strasbourg, a border town next to Germany just 2 hours south of Metz. This town has a very interesting history, having been passed between Germany and France so often that some places and food have German names pronounced in French [what?]. It is also an extremely bicycle-friendly city with bicycle lanes everywhere. Being one of the three capitals of Europe [Brussels and Luxembourg being the others], it plays an important role in the European Union.
A relatively bigger city known for its Christmas markets, there was nothing much going on when I visited in mid-April. However, it does have some nice attractions such as the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg and Petite France, both worth a visit if you’re there. I spent the remaining of my time just wandering around the city, exploring the many streets around the city centre area.
Two things which I particularly enjoyed during my time in these two cities were exploring the local supermarket chains and the many [i mean every street corner many] boulangeries selling amazing french pastries! I spent the remaining of my time just wandering around the city, exploring the many streets around the city centre area.
There is Carrefour [does this sound familiar to Singaporeans?], which in my opinion is slightly more upscale as compared to Lido, the cheapest supermarket I think there is in France. Cheese and other goods which are found in Singapore go for so cheap here and I couldn’t help myself but make my way into the supermarket every day even if I didn’t have to buy anything.
Boulangeries [french bakeries] can be found on every street and you can usually smell them from the other end of the street. With baguettes going for under 1€ each and other small pastries like croissants and pain au chocolat [I had one every single day in France because it is my absolute favourite] for slightly more, how can you not love this place?
Also, I love how everything from the decor to me greeting and ordering pastries ties in so perfectly with my imagination and perception of French clichés [I assume many of us outside of France when asked to picture France and French culture might say something along the lines of the Eiffel Tower and baguettes from boulangeries]
After another 2 days in Strasbourg, it was time to move on. This time, I took the train [SNCF] to Lyon. The journey took 4 hours, and it was pleasantly comfortable.
Lyon, the capital of gastronomy. I would say it was my favourite city in France with its beautiful outdoor markets selling all kinds of produce, artist and book streets as well as the various wonderful neighbourhoods [Croix-Rousse area, along the River Saône and Rhone] filled with quirky shops and architecturally mesmerising cathedrals and monuments.
If you can only do one thing in Lyon, I have to recommend the outdoor markets along the River Saône in the morning. It transported me to food paradise, as the smell and sights were overwhelming. After you’re done walking through the market ten times, just cross the bridge over the river and you will end up in an outdoor book market where you can find plenty of second-hand books for sale. Continue walking long and you might stumble upon a street filled with artists setting up their makeshift booths to sell their beautiful paintings and other artwork.
I spent 2 days in Lyon, and it definitely wasn’t enough. Personally, I will have to recommend the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, where you can find a Roman amphitheatre as well [really cool] and Café Luna [nice service, nicer food]. There is so much more to see and do, and I am sure to come back in the future.
I dragged myself to the train station as I prepared to leave for my last city on this solo journey. I was sad because this trip took me across 2 continents and 6 countries over the course of 2 months.
It has forced me out of my comfort zone time and again and taught me plenty of life lessons along the way. Travelling from East to West also allowed me to compare the differences between cultures gradually, instead of rushing across by plane. Slowing down and covering distances by land allowed me the opportunity to slow down and appreciate everything around me and I have no regrets taking this path throughout my journey.
I took another train [SCNF] to Paris [which took 5.5 hours] where I will spend 2 days before finally going home to Singapore.
I met up with a friend in Paris, and thank goodness I did. Turns out that French homemade meals are so much different from the food you can find in French restaurants (She made me quiche!). We visited the Jardin du Luxembourg, Jardin des Tuileries, the Eiffel Tower [of course], the outside of the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera, Pompidou, the Marais, Pont Neuf and all along the River Seine. She even planned for a nice evening picnic by the River Seine! That is a lot in 2 days. I have to give a shoutout to her because she was basically my personal tour guide and her energy and enthusiasm made it seem as if she was a tourist herself.
Paris, a city I believe is a hit or miss. For me, it was a miss initially because of my mistakes and bad luck in general (arriving late at night at a shady hostel in a shady neighbourhood which was so expensive ugh). However, coming back for the last 2 days of my journey, I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed this city and what it offers. A wonderful blend of gastronomy, romance, architecture and culture. It is unlike any place I have been to, and I feel that everyone’s experience in Paris will entirely depend on the people you travel with.
It will be a while before I am able to take a long solo journey again, but I can’t wait to get back on the road. Thank you for joining me on this journey, it was a pleasure having you onboard.
Duration: 7 March 2019 to 25 April 2019
Distance: 31,352.81 kilometres
Accommodation I stayed in
Metz: Airbnb Céline [Really friendly!]
Strasbourg: Airbnb Vu [Also friendly!]
Lyon: Airbnb Armelle [Apartment was really French and lovely]
Paris: Airbnb Yun [Also friendly!]
These were originally posted on my blog, which I found more tedious to manage than Medium. These are stories from a trip I embarked on in March to April 2019.
