France made up for the largest portion of our 3-week adventure to Europe so, I had to split this into two parts in order for the guide to not be too overwhelming.

After Switzerland, we made our France. We took a 6-hour train from Grindelwald, Switzerland to Lyon, France. The trains in Europe are so magical from the scenery so, I wouldn’t recommend traveling any other way, they are so easy. In France, we went to Lyon, Gevrey Chambertin, Champagne and Paris. In part one of the guide, I will break down the first three spots, and I will save Paris for part two.

Stop 1, Lyon

Lyon was our first stop in France. Lyon was a great location to start our journey to France and made it a quick trip to get to our next destinations.

Stay:

We got an Airbnb in Lyon, which was a lovely, eclectic French condo. It was centrally located for us to easily walk around.

Eat:

• Local farmers markets – the markets are held in Lyon on Saturdays and Sundays and we were lucky enough to be there both of those days to enjoy it. Awesome snacks and we grabbed some olives and other goodies before we headed out of Lyon.

• Chez Jules – we ate here for breakfast on two separate mornings because we enjoyed it so much. This place has hands down, the best eclairs I have ever had. Very good espresso as well.

• Casabea – we dined here over lunch and the vibes are of a true French lunch spot. It has a great outdoor patio and delicious drinks and food.

• Restaurant Un Deux Trois – a great local spot with an outdoor patio.

To-Do:

• Basilique Norte Dame De Fourviere – this church has beautiful views and is absolutely stunning. We walked 19,000 steps this day and climbed 59 floors to the top. Well worth the exercise.

Stop 2, Gevrey Chambertin

Our next stop was in Gevrey Chambertin. This is a very small town and nothing is open Sunday-Monday which was the days that we were there. It is very quiet in the early summer but, so beautiful and we felt very safe. We had a great experience here but, I wouldn’t stay in the town of Gevrey again, simply because it is very small and there isn’t as much to do.

Stay:

Another lovely Airbnb during our trip was in Gevrey Chambertin. The pictures truly don’t do it justice, it was gorgeous and very updated.

To-Do:

• Truffle Hunting – we found a truffle hunting excursion on Airbnb Experiences at Maison Aux Millie Truffes. This was such a fun and unique experience that is truly only something you can do in these regions of Europe. The experience included a truffle lunch which was so fresh and absolutely incredible.

• Wine Tasting – on our last night in Gevrey Chambertin we went to a wine tasting in the Burgandy vineyards. We booked this on Airbnb Experiences as well, and highly recommend it.

Stop 3, Champagne

Stay:

Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa – this hotel is part of the 2023 Forbes Travel Guide and had incredible views and dining experiences.

Eat:

• Le Royal – a Michelin-star restaurant located inside of Royal Champagne, our hotel. Delicious and an experience full of gastronomy.

To-Do:

• Veuve Cliquot Tour – we did a champagne tasting at Veuve at this had to be one of my favorite tours/experiences. Another one that I highly recommend.

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