When people ask where is my favorite place to travel to, my answer is always the same – Paris. I love everything about the city and even though we’ve been there numerous times, we can always find something new to do or see.

On this trip, there was a great deal of construction all around the city as Paris prepares for the 2024 Olympics. Some new venues were being built, while some old buildings were getting a facelift. It seemed like some upgrades to the Metro lines were taking place, as well as some new train cars. Of course, all the construction led to some traffic delays. Was it a nuisance? Yes! Did it ruin the holiday? No!

We spread our wings a bit venturing to the 12th and 16th arrondissements. Both areas had much to offer, with differing views of the city. The 12th was home to the Bastille, the Grand Palais Immersif and the Arsenal, plus we discovered the Viaduct des Arts. It was a busy area with residents and tourists co-mingling.

In the 16th, we went to the Marmottan Monet Museum, rubbed elbows with the rich at La Rotonde and enjoyed walking through the parks watching the nannies rounding up the children. This area was relatively quiet, except for car traffic and young children playing.

Harking back to the Metro, we used it much more extensively this trip. There were a few characters that we ran into, but nothing more than an annoyance. Using the ‘Navigo Easy’ passes we bought made it easy to just hop on and go. It was the same with the buses: a simple tap and we were on. I’d highly recommend that you consider purchasing the card and a carnet of tickets. Oh, and the card is reloadable using the App or a machine in the metro station.

We had some wonderful meals in Paris. At the top of my list is Frenchie – I would return every time I go to Paris. The food is delicious, inventive and always offers a surprise combination that you wouldn’t think to try. Additionally, the staff is so attentive, professional and friendly. It gets 5 stars in my reviews.

Honorable mention goes to Willi’s Wine Bar. Our meals were excellent, as were the desserts. The wine list is awesome, so the overall meal was a delight.

However, we didn’t stay in Paris the entire trip. Traveling on to Èpernay, you shift your focus to Champagne. There are some interesting experiences and places to visit, but two days is more than enough, unless you are a champagne aficionado. The nearby town of Hautvillers was a treat, as was our tasting at Domaine Julien Chopin.

Running into the rain was a disappointment for me, as I was really excited to visit Provins. The little that we did see was enough to whet my appetite if we ever return to the area.

The drive to Chablis was peculiar. Long winding roads with nothing but farmland; then small, seemingly abandoned villages, then more farmland. As we were driving along, I kept waiting to see vineyards, but instead we saw dead sunflowers and windmills. We’d finally see a sign with a town that I knew, but we would be pointed in the opposite direction. Then suddenly: vineyards, a hill and the town.

Chablis was a delight. It started off with our hotel. It was in a great location, was extremely comfortable and close to everything we were planning to do. The wines there were tremendous. We had excellent meals and our tasting events were splendid. The only downside was the rain on the first full day that scuttled our plans to drive to nearby towns.

If you are staying in Chablis, there are at least ten wineries that are easily within a ten minute walk from wherever you are. No car means no worries about driving. That’s a huge benefit, as French DUI rules are strict.

Onward to Beaune, the drive from Chablis was an easy one, especially without any rain. The roads only got busier when we approached the town itself. We were using the WAZE app and it guided us right to our hotel without a problem.

I could write all day about Beaune. I really love it there. I’ll spare you the fanboying and just point out the highlights.

Our hotel was located in the center of the old town. It was a comfortable place that was run by very friendly and nice people. The rooms weren’t huge, but they were comfortable. There was a sitting room and a lounge so you didn’t have to just sit in your room if you wanted to relax. Since the weather was still nice, they also had the outdoor tables for a snack or beverages.

As Beaune is the Wine Capital of the Bourgogne, there were plenty of places to buy it, drink it, and visit. There were also many really nice restaurants with great food to pair with the wine.

Since we had the car, we were able to explore the area a little bit. Exploration here is chateaux, vineyards and small towns, with the focus on wine. If it is your passion, it’s heaven. I’m only sad that the harvest was mostly over before we arrived. It’s a special time and an event in the region.

We did sneak off to Dijon for a day. Dijon is a much bigger city and is the capital of the Bourgogne. It’s where the Dukes took up residence, so it’s where the fancy stuff was built. Palaces, museums, churches and residences take just one look to know where the money flowed.

A little drive into the Montrachet area was fun. Our stop in Puligny-Montrachet for the tasting lunch and meeting Olivier Leflaive was pretty cool. Also, driving through the vineyards to get a feel for the size of the climats was interesting.

The trip back to Paris was a breeze. The French rail system is a good one when they aren’t on strike and the combination of regional and high speed trains can get you anywhere within a few hours. Get the SNCF-Connect App for your phone. You can check schedules, buy tickets and monitor your train with it.

We headed back to Paris to enjoy several days before traveling back home. A big thumbs up to Air Canada – we had great flights both to and from Paris. Their on-board meals were very good and our seats were comfortable.

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Here are a few items I’ve picked up along the way:

Sundays and Mondays are the days that many places are closed. This would include restaurants, museums and some shops. Be sure to check what days the venue you want to visit is closed.

In the small towns, be sure to check out market days. They are fun to browse, plus you can find some great souvenirs and tasty treats

A smile and a “bonjour” always seem to be appreciated

And a last one: learn a few words in French, even if they aren’t in your regular vocabulary – like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Talking LOUDER does not translate your English into French. So many people just don’t get it. French people are lovely when you use the niceties.