Join Us in France Travel Podcast

In this episode of the podcast, Annie and her guest Michael Grove give you many reasons to fall in love with Corsica. Specifically upper Corsica or Haute-Corse. Michael spent a whole month exploring Corsica and wrote about it on his travel blog. He shares his favorite places, hidden gems that took his breath away, details about the food you'll find in Corsica and more. Hotels Michael Used on this Trip Bastia—Hotel Napoleon, 43 Boulevard Paoli Rogliano—Hotel U Sant Agnellu (perched village with great view from the dining room and from rooms facing Mediterranean Sea) Centuri—Hotel Vieux Moulin (overlooks small port and has good restaurant) Cargèse—Residence Roc E Mare Places Michael Visited He'll take us to (not necessrily in that order, see map in the show notes) Bastia, Rogliano, Centuri, Saint-Florent, L’Île-Rousse, Calvi, Porto, Cargèse, Corte, Patrimonio, the Calanques de Piana, the Réserve naturelle de Scandola, Pigna, Nonza, and Sant'Antonino. Great Foods from Corsica And the foods sound out of this world: brocciu, beignets au chaud sucré (ou salé), coppa, lonzu, figatellu. Don't know what those are? I didn't know either! Let Michael explain! If you're having a hard time with all the Corsican words, follow along with the transcript. I've done my best to spell all those names correctly 🙂 Corsica: Recipes and Stories from a Mediterranean Island The restaurant Michael mentions where he couldn't remember the name in Pigna is called A Mandria di Pigna. To see more of his restaurant recommendations click on Guest Notes below. Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Balagna Area [04:16] Bastia [10:04] In the high or medium season don't try to wing it with the hotels [11:34] Strong regional culture in Corsica [12:10] Prices in Corsica [16:12] Corte and the citadel [17:51] Nonza and La Sassa outdoor restaurant [20:32] Col de Teghime {23:06] Calanques de Piana [24:55] Réserve naturelle de Scandola [25:21] How to visit the calanques [26:12] Hicking in the Haute Corse [28:04] The village of Pigna [29:47] The village of Sant'Antonino [30:23] The gastronomy of Corsica: we mention a lot of local specialties in this segment! [34:05] Is Corsica a vacation for couples or families or adventure seekers? [40:31] How is Corsica different from the rest of France? [42:01] Thank you patrons and donors! [45:05] Annie's new Saint-Germain-des-Prés tour on the VoiceMap App [47:07] A little bit of a health scare [48:03] Quick update about the current strikes in France [50:42]

We all make mistakes sometimes. But when your vacation time is precious, it's best to learn how to avoid them! In this episode I am not talking about tourists who are totally clueless and unprepared. My podcast guests are typically well informed about France! And yet they still find themselves making the same mistakes. So, this episode is all about helping you make small changes in mindset that will help you be better prepared for your trip to Paris. What Are the 3 Common Mistakes Tourists Make in Paris? Here are the small snafus people commonly run into in Paris: #1 Opening and Closing Times [01:12] Check opening and closing times more than once because you will forget! This is especially true if you are forced to make last-minute changes and assume you'll push today's visit to tomorrow. #2 Beware of Distances Between Paris Attractions [06:16] You've heard your whole life that when in Paris you'll get the most enjoyment when walking. And while that is true, for those of us who are not athletes it's important to make good choices. You don't want to be exhausted by the time you arrive at the Orsay Museum! This map shows walking distances between metro stations in Paris. Even better, check walking times on Google maps before you decide to walk![/caption] #3 Don't Schedule Any Timed Visits on Your First Day [09:49] Flights get delayed. You might be terribly tired from the flight. Because things happen, it's best to avoid visits that require you to show up at a specific time. What can you do instead? Walk around your neighborhood, try some cafés Take a river cruise Take one of my self-guided walking tours with the VoiceMap App Show notes for this episode are here:  https://joinusinfrance.com/266 Email | Annie's VoiceMap Tours | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Today’s episode is a trip report with Michelle Donnell Adzhemyan on a trip to Paris she took late August 2019 with her husband and two preschool children. Paris with Preschool Children: Good Idea? You may have wondered if taking your 4.5yo and 2.5yo to Paris is a good idea, and it probably wouldn't be for every family. But sometimes it works out great as you'll hear from Michelle on today's episode! Since Annie lived in the US when her only daughter was born, she made the long trip home to France to visit my family on many occasions, and traveling with young kids is not something most people look forward to. But it can be done, with class and panache, and it can be a very positive experience for the whole family. Tips for Enjoying Paris with Preschool Children In the episode Michelle talks about why they decided to take their two children and how they prepared them for the trip. They asked themselves all the right questions but still ran into a couple of minor mistakes you should avoid. And how difficult will it be finding bathrooms in Paris for a little boy who is in the middle of potty training? It wasn't hard in Paris, but it was a little more difficult in smaller cities. Michelle gives some great recommendations for apps, books, children's camera, stoller rental, French music, and where you can store your bags in Paris while you wait for your apartment to be ready. Discussed in this Episode 3 days in Paris [06:21] Why did you decide to take your preschool children? [07:21] Preparing preschool children for a trip to Paris [08:12] Language Apps for children [08:39] Most French people react positively to young children [10:25] Learning about the Thinking Man before the trip [[10:44] Paris Hide and Seek book [11:18] Mission Paris book [11:50] Bringing Up Bébé book [12:47] Annie's Spotify French music playlist [[14:41] Teaching the kids about pickpockets [15:53] Getting cameras for the children [16:50] Debating about taking a stroller or not [18:01] Company in Paris that will rent you a stroller if you need one [18:37] Strollers are not cheap in France [18:53] Dropping off bags at Nanny Bag [20:04] Check opening and closing hours! [20:50] Kids loved Notre Dame because they had seen the Disney movie [21:10] Quick visit to the Sainte Chapelle [22:02] River cruise with Vedettes du Pont Neuf [22:03] Don't schedule anything on your first day in Paris! [23:38] Enjoying the Place des Vosges [24:58] Listening to Annie's VoiceMap Tour in advance [26:08] Getting food at Maison Plisson [27:07] Plan on dinners at the airbnb [27:41] The Louvre isn't good for preschool children [28:09] Great visit to the Luxembourg Gardens [30:03] Save your legs for the venues by using Citymapper [30:20] No walking on the grass at the Luxembourg Gardens [32:16] French people don't understand Mexican food at all [33:23] Do a photoshoot! [33:55] Pickpockets at the Eiffel Tower [34:54] Preschoolers love the Eiffel Tower [35:21] A lovely dinner at Qui Plume la Lune [36:18] The Rodin Museum is great with preschool children [38:04] Dinner at L'Entrecôte [38:16] Going to Bordeaux and the Gers [39:38] When traveling with kids it's good to get out of big cities [40:10] The price of Uber rides in Paris [40:35] L'Atelier des Lumières is great with kids [42:40] Potty training in France [43:06] Have a separate room for the kids [43:48] It was all worth it! [45:20] Thank you Patrons and Donors! [46:56] Annie's Itinerary Review service [49:06] Support the show without spending a penny more [49:56] Top 10 Join Us in France episode of 2019 [50:34] 2020 plans for the Join Us in France Travel Podcast [55:35] Share the word about the podcast! [58:39] Show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/265 Email | Annie's VoiceMap Tours | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

On today’s episode Mary White tells me about her trip to France with 10 friends and relatives including a child, a teen, adults, in all this was a big group of family and friends. Now, when you have a big group like that everything gets more complicated, but Mary planned it really well and they had a great time. Ready to hear her secrets? Click play! Hotel recommended in this episode:  Le Petit Belloy Discussed in this Episode Paris with family and friends [02:47] How to pull off a trip with a big group [03:54] Using a custom Google map [05:49] Don't overwhelm your group with every detail [06:43] Use the rome2rio app [08:30] Keep everyone informed of changes via text messages [10:19] Get the Museum Pass [10:51] Use official taxis [12:47] L'Alsacienne Restaurant [14:45] Berthillon ice cream [16:35] Great hotel at a reasonable budget [17:11] View to the Eiffel Tower [18:30] Don't make that mistake when going to Versailles [20:26] Uber problem [21:24] Have a good attitude [25:23] Strategy for Versailles [27:09] Éclairs and Millefeuilles [29:44] Pickpocket on the RER [30:23] What do you do if someone in your group gets left on the platform? [34:12] Reserving restaurants using La Fourchette or messaging them on Facebook [36:33] Watching Bastille Day fireworks from the hotel window [38:04] Taxis in Paris are cheaper than in New York [39:16] You'll walk a lot in Paris! [40:19] Bourguignon du Marais restaurant [41:14] Can you agree on not splitting checks? [44:08] Hiring a van to take all of them to Normandy for the day [45:56] Don't get upset if you need to make last-minute changes [49:27] Don't be afraid to split up if you need to [49:47] Get the Museum Pass [50:04] Enjoy mealtimes [50:46] Choose a hotel with lots of options nearby (more reasons why Petit Belloy was a good choice) [51:20] Sometimes touristy places are great [52:42] Advice for foodies [53:42] Pre-purchase as many things as you can [54:11] Buying tickets for the Eiffel Tower [55:05] Thank you Patrons [58:49] Trip planning consult with Annie [59:41] Support the show without spending a penny you wouldn't have otherwise [01:00:06] New Year's Resolutions [01:00:42] Be an Ambassador for the Join Us in France Travel Podcast! [01:03:56] #joinusinfrance #podcast #parisgroup #pariswithfamily #parisfamilytravel #grouptravelplanning

On this episode of the podcast, Annie talks to Amanda Brikerhoff about her visit to Christmas markets of Northern France and Belgium. On previous trips Amanda had also visited Christmas Markets in Germany and Austria, so Amanda compares the experience. They spend one week split between Northern France and Belgium. They landed in Paris and picked up a car at CDG (make sure you reserve before you arrive or you'll be stunned at the prices!) Then they drove around starting with a short stop in Beauvais, then to Amiens, Arras, St. Valery-sur-Somme, Etaples She definitely has her favorites and she explains why! Christmas markets are not all created equal, and some things about them are a little off-putting to tell you the truth. Stay tuned, we’ll help you choose the best! Hotels Recommended in this Episode Amiens: Une maison en ville (maison d'hôte) Lille: Grand Hôte Bellevue Ghent: Ganda Rooms & Suites Reims: La caserne Chanzy Discussed in this Episode A quick stop in Beauvais [04:48] Staying in Amiens [08:11] Visiting the Amiens Christmas Market on a Sunday [10:27] Macarons d'Amiens [11:24] They don't sell a lot of Christmas ornaments at French Christmas Markets [12:57] A stop at the Medieval town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme [14:53] The WW1 military cemetery at Etaples [15:03] The festive Christmas Market of Arras [15:51] Belgian and Flemish architecture in Arras [17:11] Looking for local handmade items [18:04] Mulled wine and regional foods [20:44] Saint Leu district in Amiens [22:18] Light show at the Amiens Cathedral [22:46] The Christmas Market at Lille [26:09] The Lochnagar Mine Memorial [26:36] The Christmas Market in Bruges Belgium [29:21] The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges [30:34] A night in Ghent [32:33] The Ghent Alterpiece in Ghent [33:05] Enjoying Belgian Waffles [35:49] The Reims Christmas Market [38:58] The Reims Cathedral and light show [40:46] What was your favorite Christmas Market of all these towns? [43:48] Comparing Christmas Markets in Europe [45:31] Email | Annie's VoiceMap Tours | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter #joinusinfrance, #christmasmarkets, #arras, #ghent #beauvais, #amiens, #arras, #lille, #bruges

Today's episode is all about Collioure and the Côte Vermeille which is the last stretch of coastline between France and Spain on the Mediterranean side of the Pyrenees. Locals call that part of the Pyrenees the Albère. This part of France (pretty close to the city of Perpignan) is part of Catalonia and local people speak Catalan as well as French today. Like all regions of France, the area enjoys strong local culture, it's a great place to enjoy beautiful views, good weather (all be it windy at times), and fantastic local food and wine too! Are you ready to discover the best there is to see around Collioure and the Côte Vermeille? Click play and enjoy! Email | Annie's VoiceMap Tours | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Discussed in this Episode Elyse's Voicemap Tour of Toulouse [03:06] Collioure on the Vermeil Coast [06:18] Historical development of Collioure [08:31] Catalonia and the Kings of Majorca [10:06] Counts of Roussillon [11:15] How this area became part of France [13:55] General Vauban and the fort he built in Collioure [15:04] Collioure as a Navy Base [15:43] Spanish Refugees and the Retarida [17:41] The arrival of artists in the 1870s [20:57] Matisse and Derain [25:45] Fauvist Movement [26:57] Collioure Today and the Fauve Trail [31:40] La Maison du Fauvisme [32:38] Notre Dame des Anges [31:40] Le Musée d'Art Moderne de Collioure (outside the old village) is not as good [32:38] Enjoying Collioure and the Bay [32:12] Local Gastronomy and Wine [39:59] Anchovies in the Catalonian style [39:59] Port Vendres and why you should see it [39:05] Driving to the Point Béar Lighthouse [41:04] Anse de Paulilles and the Nobel dynamite factory [44:21] German bunkers on the coastline [47:33] Banyuls-sur-Mer [49:35] Terraced wine fields [50:04] Spas at Banyuls and La Table de Jordi Restaurant [50:04] Show Notes and Transcript for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/262 #joinusinfrance #collioure #post_impressionist #colliourerouge #colliourecoast #occitanie #banyuls-sur-mer #port_vendres

Thinking about visiting France to attend a major sports event? Listen to this Women World Cup Trip Report so you know what you can expect! This is a family that travels A LOT and loves to attend sports events all over the world. They compare sports events in France to what they've seen in other countries and explain how you can be prepared. Women's sports are huge in America (probably because of Title 9) and are still behind in many other countries. We talk about the impact of having the Women's World Cup in France and what we hope will happen in future years. We also talk about practical issues like getting the tickets, getting to the venues in smaller French cities, the fan zones, the atmosphere, using e-tickets in France, and feeling safe in big crowds. Email | Annie's VoiceMap Audio Tours | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Discussed in this episode How was the Women's World Cup? [02:17] The US women's team in soccer Is in a league of their own [03:07] How women's sports got so big in the US [05:37] Buying tickets for the Women's World Cup [06:19] Seeing the game in a Fan Zone [09:22] Comparing games in France to other countries [10:09] Using the Metro and Uber to and from the game [14:26] You can't move around freely once in the stadium [16:28] Paper tickets or e-tickets? [18:46] Ambiance at French stadiums [19:59] Seeing players in minor French cities [23:39] The culture of sports in France vs the US [25:21] Games in France felt "more civilized" [28:53] What to do about obnoxious fans [30:34] Security and machine guns in France [31:44] The French are proud of their culture [33:00] French people are NOT rude [35:00] Paris has free WiFi in public parks [37:01] It's worth getting the Disneyland fastpass in Paris [37:44] The food at Disneyland Paris and at sports venues in France in no good [38:25] The best food is in France is in places you've never heard of! [38:51] Eating vegetarian in France [39:39] Thank you for supporting Join Us in France [42:29] Check out my self-guided walking tours on the VoiceMap app [43:46] How to pronounce La Croix [44:06] About strikes in France [45:31] Thank you for spreading the word about Join Us in France! [46:06] #joinusinfrance #sportsinfrance #womenworldcup #tripreport Show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/261  

This is a Join Us in France Short episode. Bonjour, I’m Annie Sargent. Strikes happen all the time in France. But you're not helpless! Here are 8 steps you need to take so your trip to France goes off without a hitch no matter who's threatening to strike next! Don't make reservations for your first day in Paris [00:30] Stay calm if your flight is delayed [01:05] Stay in central Paris! [01:10] When the train is on strike take a regional bus [02:18] How to find out if venues and museums are open today [02:52] Do not approach demonstrators [03:17] No-one can predict the future [03:40] Look into travel insurance [04:08] #joinusinfrance #strikesinfrance #strikesinparis #yellowvest Email | VoiceMap | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

When you visit France from as far away as Australia, you might not get a chance to come back very soon. So, of course, you'll want to pack a lot of action into your holiday in France with kids! My guest Joanne Scott on today's episode experienced a lot of France in a short time. She shares some fantastic tips we all need to hear to make our trip to France more enjoyable. We'll talk about their week in Paris, their quick visit to the Loire Valley and another quick hop to Burgundy. Some of these things went great. But some were not as great and things got a little stressful at times. We like to keep it real on this podcast, let's hear about what Joanne would do if she had a do-over. Take a listen so you get inspired and don't make the same mistakes! [3:49] Booking a private transfer instead of a taxi in Paris [6:20] Apartment rental in Paris [7:44] River Cruise in Paris [10:03] Storing suitcases in Paris [12:54] Bike tour of Versailles [18:39] Disneyland Paris [20:20] Walking tour with David Blanc in Paris [22:44] Tips for visiting the Catacombs [25:05] Amboise bike adventures and how to visit the Loire Valley easily [30:16] Spending Bastille Day in Paris [32:46] Nintendo Switch Guides in the Louvre for kids [33:30] Taking the train for a visit to Beaune and doing a private car tour of Burgundy (Flaviny-sur-Ozerain + Fontenay Abbey + Chateauneuf du Pape) [36:49] Going all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower [37:54] Taking the Eurostar [44:55] Do you need "Skip the line" tickets? #joinusinfrance #francevacation #francewithkids #holidayinfrance #franceholiday Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Are you coming to Toulouse for the first time? Not sure what do see and do? Let's find out with this Toulouse trip report! Show notes and transcript for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/258 Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter #joinusinfrance #toulouse #toulousecity #toulousefrance #toulousevillerose #toulousefood #toulousetourisme #toulouseoccitanie