Rosé + Sunshine : A Quick Stopover in Paris

August 3, 2017

When we were booking our trip to Provence, I knew I couldn’t be in France without a quick stopover in my all time favorite city of Paris. And while we knew it would be a very short stopover as the whole trip itself was pretty short, we still wanted to make it happen. So we arrived around 7pm, spent the night in Paris and then had the next morning to explore a bit before heading to the airport around Noon.

In short, we arrived, checked into our favorite spot to stay in Paris at the Le Notre Dame Hotel – honestly I’ve tried staying all over Paris and I keep coming back to this spot for the location and the incredible views. And while there are things I don’t love about the property, the views and location make up for it! We then headed over to our favorite restaurant in Paris, the St. Regis Cafe on the Île St. Louis and enjoyed a meal I think about year round: chicken paillard and a glass of French Rosé. After finishing up our meal, we strolled back in the twilight to our hotel and watched the lights light up on Notre Dame from our hotel windows.

The following morning, we slept in and when we finally got up and around, we meandered around the Left Bank, with no where in mind, just letting our feet take us where they may. We stopped for breakfast and an omelette at at favorite spot of ours and people watched, taking in our last few minutes in our favorite city. Finally, we headed back to the hotel, packed up our stuff and jumped on the RER to the airport. All in all, while quick, it was an amazing stopover in Paris!

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Tiny Provencal Towns + Fields of Lavender : Exploring Sault

August 2, 2017

With just a short time to explore Provence, for our one true full day in the area we headed to Sault, an area I had found in my research that seemed to hold everything we were looking for in traditional Provence. We wanted lavender fields as far as the eye could see, we wanted amazing little Provencal towns on hilltops, and we wanted little shops to wander through and brasseries to sit outside and sip Rosé. Well, we found all of them in Sault, a tiny little hilltop town surrounded by lavender.

We started our day mid-morning, driving from our hotel near Gordes, making our way North East in Provence. The roads were tiny and curvy, the landscapes gorgeous. Though once we turned the corner where the whole general area of Sault begins, we stopped at a pull off from the road to look down on a whole valley of lavender. Seriously, the fields were purple for as long as we could see and it looked completely surreal. Then once we descended into that valley, it was field after field of purple and I could hardly contain my excitement. We stopped at a few fields on the way to Sault and then a few more on the way back and my dream of the Provencal Summer in fields of purple lavender came true that day.

We finally made it up to the hilltop town of Sault (Sault refers to both the town and surrounding area) and spent a few hours eating in a little al fresco cafe, wandering the shops and taking in the views of the landscape around the town. It was filled with blue shutters and cobblestone and stone buildings and basically everything you could think you’d want in traditional Provence. We remarked multiple times that we’d love to come back and stay in one of these tiny towns for a week or two, just taking in all the area has to offer.

All in all, Sault was gorgeous and I would return in a heartbeat. If you’re in Provence, this is definitely not a stop to miss!

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Travel Tips : Driving in Provence

July 31, 2017

I’ve driven in a lot of countries now and I’ve written a number of posts about driving in certain places and what to expect, though Provence came with it’s very own set of unique challenges. While overall driving in Provence was totally fine, there are certain things that it would have been helpful to know beforehand. So if you’re headed to this beautiful area in the South of France, here’s everything you need to know about driving in Provence!

Rent an automatic when you do your booking if that’s what you’re used to.

If you drive an automatic car at home, rent an automatic car in France. While sometimes it’s a little bit more expensive as they don’t have as many, it’s well worth it for the peace of mind. There are a ton of hills and tight spaces in Provence and you’ll be super glad you’re not trying to remember how to drive a stick in the harder driving conditions.

Get the basic insurance.

There are some places I don’t buy the extra insurance for car rentals as most of my credit cards have coverage, but there are some places that it really is well worth the small amount of extra money. Iceland for example is one of those place to always buy the insurance due to the conditions you’ll be driving in. Provence is another one of those places. The roads are super narrow and often one lane width where you’ll be passing with inches to spare. Just in case, I would highly recommend getting the basic insurance coverage here.

Roads are narrow and often one lane.

Expect narrow roads once you get off the highways and most end up not much wider than one lane roads. You’ll have to pass slowly and carefully.

Tolls on the highways.

The highway from Nice to Provence has a ton of tolls, so be ready for that. Go to the lanes that have signs showing coins, as those lanes have spots to pay if you don’t have a pass. And make sure you have cash with you as many didn’t take cards.

Rent a small car.

While most cars in Europe are on the smaller side, make sure your rental is as well. The tiny town in Provence don’t have a lot of parking and the spots they do have are tiny, so you’ll want a small car. You’ll also be better off on the super narrow roads.

Use GPS on your phone but also follow the signs.

We used GPS on our phones on this trip to get from one place to another and always had service, but the roads in Provence are actually also really signed well. So if you get lost or don’t have signal, just follow the signs.

Country roads take longer than you think.

We found that the driving times that Apple Maps gave us took longer on the country roads as they are tiny and narrow, and you might encounter traffic or not be able to pass. You’ll also find yourself wanting to stop and take photos along the way, so give yourself a cushion on your timeframe.

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From Seaside to the French Countryside : Nice to Gordes

July 28, 2017

A week before our trip to Provence, our travel plans changed a bit being re-routed through Barcelona instead of London, which in turn changed our flight then from London to Marseille where we were originally going to pick up our rental car and drive out to Provence. I could only get a flight to Nice from Barcelona at the last minute, so we re-routed and picked up our rental car in Nice instead. While it added about an hour to our drive time, it ended up being completely fine and offered us a little different drive.

We started at the Nice airport and while we didn’t go into Nice itself, we’ve been before and it’s beautiful and I’d highly recommend it! Heading North West from Nice, we made our first stop in Fréjus, which was totally by accident as we were got off the highway in search of some lunch. We parked the car, and wandered the little town, enjoying a lovely al fresco lunch.

After lunch we jumped back in the car and headed toward Gordes, where our hotel was nearby. The drive was gorgeous, on tiny country roads once we got off the highways in Provence. Driving through tiny towns and amazing landscapes, we eventually ended upon Gordes, an amazing hilltop Provencal town. And while we didn’t get to explore Gordes this trip, it’s a must see even from afar and we’ll for sure be back to explore more in the future. We eventually ended up at our hotel about 15 minutes past Gordes, set in the countryside with views across the whole area. For our first day in Provence, it was definitely a beautiful one!

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A Summer Evening in Barcelona

July 26, 2017

When our plans got changed a bit a week before our trip, re-routing us through Barcelona instead of London, we were actually really excited about going through Spain for a night. We fell in love with Spain a couple years ago and were so excited to return to one of our favorite cities, even if only for a night en route to France.

We arrived in the late afternoon and headed straight to our hotel, a spot I had found really last minute but ended up loving. We freshened up after our long flight and then headed out in search of tapas. Nick and I love food and especially when we travel, food is a huge part of our experience in different places. We happen to LOVE Spanish food, so it was a real treat to get to pass through Barcelona. We ended up at La Boqueria market and stopped at a nearby restaurant to fill up on Tortilla Española, Bombas, Paella, Jason Croquettas and Sangria. The meal was slow and amazing and we savored every bite.

On our way back to the hotel we meandered through the tiny streets of the Gothic Quarter and happened upon a little churros shop, where no one spoke English. Ordering churros con chocolate and café con leche in Spanish, we dipped churros in chocolate and sipped our coffee in the tiny hole in the wall place. After a while savoring our treats, we headed back in a round about way through the city, savoring every bit of our Summer evening in Barcelona.

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Favorite Moments : Provence in July

July 25, 2017

Last year when we were looking at our travel schedule for 2017, we knew this year would be a little different for us in terms of our usual travel dates. We usually travel over Labor Day in early September to use the holiday, though this year Nick really wanted to play in a golf tournament over the holiday, so we adjusted our travel schedule to do the trip we usually do then to earlier in the Summer. And since we usually don’t travel abroad in the early Summer, during peak season, it left us open to certain places that we’ve always wanted to see at that time but never really had the chance to see. One of those places was Provence, in Southern France, where the lavender is in bloom for a very short period of the Summer from late June to early July. We figured we should jump at the chance (and were able to do it pretty economically) since our schedule had opened up this time of year and I’m so glad we did!

We also had a slight change of plans when our flight to Europe got re-routed through Barcelona (long story you can read here), and all in all, our 5 day escape in Europe was a dream and looking back, here are my favorite moments!

An evening in Barcelona.

When our flight got changed and we were headed to Barcelona instead of London for a night stopover en route to France, I couldn’t have been more excited! We fell in love with Spain a few years back and we spent our evening wandering the Gothic Quarter of the city, stopping for tapas, exploring La Boqueria Market and ending with café con leche and churros. All in all, it was an amazing Summer evening in Barcelona!

Surprise adventure in Fréjus, France and an amazing al fresco lunch.

We landed in Nice after our stopover in Barcelona, grabbed our rental car and headed toward Gordes, where our hotel was nearby. En route though, we were starving and we veered off the highway in search of an amazing little Riviera town to grab something to eat. After rounding tiny curvy hilly roads, we came upon Fréjus totally by accident, parked our car and wandered through the tiny streets to the main square of the town to have an amazing al fresco lunch. Sometimes it’s those happy accidents that are the best parts of a trip!

Lavender fields en route to Sault.

Since our main reason for visiting Provence this time of year was to see all the lavender in bloom, our second day there we headed to Sault, which was about 45 minutes away from where we staying. For a while on the drive, we saw a field here and there, but once we got closer to the town of Sault, the fields started getting bigger and then we happened upon a viewpoint that when looking out, it was fields and fields of purple!

Exploring Sault.

Sault is a little town in Provence famous for the lavender in the area, but the town itself is fantastic too. We stopped here for lunch and then wandered a while as well. The charm in the Provencal towns of France are really just surreal and it’s so incredible that these little hilltop towns have been preserved the way they have all these years!

A Summer evening in Paris.

For our final night before flying back home, we stopped in Paris. We spent the night at our favorite hotel in the city with views of Notre Dame, ate dinner at our favorite restaurant in Paris and took in the incredible Summer evening sunset over the Seine. All in all, it was a magical night in my favorite city in the world!

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Things to Do in Vienna

July 24, 2017

Vienna, Austria is one of those places that a lot of people want to visit just because of how it looks. Images of the city evoke feelings of eras gone by. There’s a historic air to much of the architecture, a natural beauty on the horizon, and the occasional photo of a horse-drawn carriage passing by a monument or landmark only adds to the charm.

But when a city is so charming by its looks alone one can easily overlook what it has to offer to a curious tourist. Below, are a few of the things you can do if you ever get the chance to visit this beautiful Austrian city.

Take In The Hofburg

Austria is home to several interesting palaces, but none in the country, or perhaps anywhere in Europe, can top the Hofburg. It’s been home to nearly every Austrian ruler since 1275 (counting restored versions of the palace), and specifically housed the infamous and influential Habsburgs until the family lost power after World War I. As fascinating as the history of its inhabitants is, the Hofburg is every bit as neat with regard to architecture. There are influences from many periods of architectural history, each added by a different ruler over time, and that makes the building itself amazing to behold.

Visit The Opera House

There are multiple opera houses in town. Vienna has a very rich history with art and performance, but the Vienna State Opera House is a can’t-miss stop on any trip to the area. There are performances there throughout the year, and not all of them relate to opera. Whether you get to see an orchestra, a soloist, a dance or an opera, it’s one of the best places in the world to catch a show.

Play Games At Casion Wien

It can be hard to find great casinos these days. But some of the bigger and more popular cities in Europe still have them, and Vienna is no exception. Casino Wien (or Casino Vienna) is a particularly elegant place with pristine gaming areas, fine dining on site and happy crowds of gamers coming in and out. There are both table games and slots, though the blackjack tables may be the biggest draw. That’s because strategy can be learned, and players can turn it into one of the more winnable games at the casino with the right approach. All in all gaming is gaming, but there’s something nice about dressing up and heading for a night out at a real venue in the heart of Vienna.

Wander Around The Zoo

A zoo isn’t always the best place to spend time when you’re in a foreign city, but here, the Vienna Zoo is actually quite unique. It’s the oldest zoo in the world and still features Baroque buildings in between the enclosures housing hundreds of different kinds of animals. Most importantly to many visitors, those different kinds of animals include healthy panda twins! The Vienna Zoo is a wonderful destination for families and is absolutely worth a stop.

Dine At Café Schwarzenberg

As with some other European cities like Paris and Amsterdam, Vienna is known for excellent cafés and coffeehouses. It’s difficult to pick just one, but Café Schwarzenberg is as good as any. It’s a very old café where you can enjoy terrific coffee and decadent desserts, as well as traditional savory Austrian meals. Plus, the place itself is a draw with its blend of elegant furnishings and a well-lit, casual vibe.

This post provided by guest contributors to Land of Marvels.

How to Vacation in France for under $2,000 in the Summer (for 2 people)

July 19, 2017

I often hear people lament about how expensive travel is, and most of the time, it’s true. Travel is expensive and takes money to be able to accomplish. However, one of the things I wish more people would be aware of, is that it doesn’t always have to! It IS possible to not spend a ton of money on a vacation and today I’m sharing my tips with you on how to do that! And while it’s cheaper to travel in the off season, sometimes there are places we want or need to travel to in the peak Summer season which is often the most expensive time of the year to travel. We usually don’t travel in the Summer due to high prices and high temperatures, but this year we’re headed to Provence to see the lavender in bloom in July during peak season and only spent a total of $1,800 for 5 days in Provence and Paris for 2 people in nice hotels the whole time! How did we do it? Here are all my secrets to book your own vacation in France for way less than it would actually cost if you paid money for everything!

For an overview of our itinerary, we’re headed to London for a night (because it was cheapest and easy to get there versus Paris). We’ll have a day to explore the English countryside, then flying to Marseille in the South of France the next morning. We’ll spend a few days driving around Provence and then fly back to Paris for a night, before flying back to the US from Paris directly.

Airfare

The trick to getting cheap airfare? Book on miles or book on low fare carriers like Norwegian Air from the US to Europe. We found the cheapest deals out of LAX for the way to Europe, so we’ll fly from Portland to London on the way to Europe. Here’s how we booked our flights and what we paid!

PDX – LAX airfare for person 1 – $42 using partial points from Chase Sapphire credit card points on Alaska Air

PDX – LAX airfare for person 2 – $200 paid in full through Alaska Air for 1 person

*LAX – London Gatwick airfare – $878 for 2 people on Norwegian Air (booked directly through Norwegian Air’s website)

*London Heathrow – Marseille airfare – paid $0 using Chase Sapphire credit card points for 2 people

Marseille – Paris Orly airfare – paid $0 using Chase Sapphire credit card points for 2 people

Paris – San Francisco – Portland airfare – $188 for 2 people using Alaska Airlines miles on Air France

Rental Cars

*Rental Car pickup at London Gatwick for 1 day – $163 through Orbitz

*Rental Car pickup at Marseille – $170 for 3 days through Orbitz

Hotels

*Hotel at Heathrow – $100 through hotels.com

Hotel in Provence – paid $34 using free hotels.com night

Hotel in Paris – $26 using free hotels.com night

Hotel in San Francisco before Portland morning flight the following day – paid $0 through Marriott points

Total for 5 days in France during peak season in July: $1,800 for 2 people!

*Note: I wrote this post before our debacle of flights being changed (info coming in a post tomorrow!) and we ended up getting $893 in compensation due to our flight from LAX to London being oversold, so we actually ended up paying less than $1,000 on this trip! The items above that are starred didn’t end up being part of our trip, but I wanted to leave them to show what we were planning on doing in case you want to do the same trip!

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What to Wear for National Parks in the Western USA

July 18, 2017

More What to Wear posts for more destinations here!

When I was packing for our road trip to Yellowstone and the Western USA, I was unsure of what exactly I would need and want to bring. I ended up going more toward a bunch of simple pieces that could be mixed and matched and layered, which ended up being perfect! These outfit ideas would be great for any national parks or exploring around the US in the Spring or Summer, or even early Fall! The key is to layer, t-shirts, vests, jackets, so that when it’s color you can have your layers on, and when it’s warm you can shed layers as needed.

What I Wore:

Outfit Details:

Madewell Denim | Navy Long Sleeve T-shirt | J Crew Navy Vest (similar) |

Baseball Hat | White Converse Low Tops

Outfit Details:

Madewell Denim | Gray T-shirt | J Crew Navy Vest (similar) | Madewell Scarf (similar) |

Boden Rainboots (similar) | Barbour Yellow Jacket (similar)

Outfit Details:

Madewell Denim | Madewell Jacket (similar) | White Converse Low Tops

Outfit Details:

Madewell Denim | White Long sleeve t-shirt | Green Cargo Vest (similar) |

Baseball Hat | White Converse Low Tops| Madewell Sunglasses

Outfit Details:

Gap Cargo pants (similar) | Madewell White Tee Shirt | Old Jean Jacket (similar) |

Barbour Yellow Jacket (similar) | Madewell Bandana (similar) | Baseball Hat |

White Converse Low Tops | Old Zara Leather Backpack (Similar)

Outfit Details:

Gap Cargo pants (similar) | Madewell White Tee Shirt | Old Jean Jacket (similar)| Madewell Bandana (similar) |

Baseball Hat | White Converse Low Tops | Old Zara Leather Backpack (Similar) | Madewell Sunglasses

Roadtrip to Yellowstone : A Video Tour

July 17, 2017

As we made our way from Portland to Yellowstone, every stop we made was unique in its own way and offered an incredible journey through some of the USA’s most beautiful landscapes. So today, you get to join in on our road trip with this video tour of our road trip to Yellowstone!

Rent an automatic when you do your booking if that’s what you’re used to.

Get the basic insurance.

Roads are narrow and often one lane.

Tolls on the highways.

Rent a small car.

Use GPS on your phone but also follow the signs.

Country roads take longer than you think.

An evening in Barcelona.

Surprise adventure in Fréjus, France and an amazing al fresco lunch.

Lavender fields en route to Sault.

Exploring Sault.

A Summer evening in Paris.

Take In The Hofburg

Visit The Opera House

Play Games At Casion Wien

Wander Around The Zoo

Dine At Café Schwarzenberg

Airfare

Rental Cars

Hotels

Total for 5 days in France during peak season in July: $1,800 for 2 people!

What I Wore:

Outfit Details:

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