StringGrrl sees the World

StringGirl kicked off 2023 with an energizing and impactful workshop as she crafts a GoToMarket INTENT for her travel blog and digital travel consultancy; hosted by Broadleaf Global in Paris, Marne-la-Vallee. Ben and Uncle Steve

Inscriptions in the Limestone walls of the former quarries mark the dates of the excavations Breaking from long habit of only enjoying our travels from what we can see for free, we took the chance to venture into an area where the only legal entry is via the tourist trap. Our travel companions this trip wanted to see the catacombs, we tagged along. Limestone fortifications to shore up walls Underground adventure is something that we are fundamentally not that in to. Caving, Mining, and other subterranean explorations are not usually our cup of tea. It is creepy, dirty, and not achievable while travelling on business so often. But here in Paris there is a chance. For around 30-35€ one can enter a once forbidden part of the city and check it out. The Halls of Moria It takes just under 1 hour to walk the length of the Catacombs that are open to the public. There is a lot to say on the topic but I won't paraphrase all the writings here. That is not what this blog is for. W...

I am sure we all know what is in the background, lame caption... A trip to a cafe for Breakfast in Paris. Vikram's suggestion French Breakfast in a small cafe attached to a Bakery was on the list of "To-Dos" for Vikram our in-house foodie. He had been scheming where and what to eat for the weeks leading up to this trip. Very much hoping for new pictures and reviews for his food blog " Breaking Naan ". For weekend breakfast we ventured into the Saint Germane area of Paris for Petit Déjeuner. This outlet for a famed bakery in Paris was a nice break from a week of not so super breakfast at the worst hotel in Rungis-Orly (maybe not the worst, but I hold up hope that the rest might be better) but that is a different kind of post for another day. Poilane is bakery established in 1932 and run for three generations of the same family. First with the founder Pierre, then Lionel, and presently Apollonia Poilane they maintain the original premises at 8 rue du ...

Biot is a small village perched high above the Cote D'Azure in France. Located only a few klicks away from Nice and Antibes it was our stop for purely touristic endeavorer before heading off to the Beach in Antibes. Sheri and the Girls stop for a short while in the streets of Biot Biot main street is pedestrian friendly and full of charm View Larger Map Famous for its glasswork we stopped to have a look at some of the local crafts shops to see what we could find. We found some nice Wine Glasses (stemless) as well as many other beautiful items we were afraid to buy and ship. We chose to take the wine glasses home. not our exact glass (ours are green and lavender) but same make and style The city map of Biot shows just how into their local crafts they are. It was tiled mosaic.

The boat ride tour out to the Calanques was pretty good overall, though now I wonder if it would have been better to rent a boat outright and explore independently. The tour was in French so the narrative was pretty much lost on us, but the sights were universally great. The sea has carved many of the fissures in the rock into magnificent tunnels through the rock that our boat could not manage, but a brave kayaker might be able to paddle through this hole in the rock. The water here was so clear that divers in 40 feet of water could be spotted easily swimming through the underwater formations and against the rocky and sandy (alternatively) bottom.

Just short drive north east from Aix we visited the Gorges of Verdon (acclaimed to be the Grand Canyon of France). There we partake in a short hike (3 hours) from an area of the Col de Olivier. Starting from a small roadside parking area you can hike 300 metersdown from the road to the banks of the river Le Verdon. View Larger Map The Rue de Saint-Maurin hiking path takes you from the Col de Olivier over varied terrain to the river below. The hike was fairly family friendly, allowing those with reasonable shoes or boots to make the hike without too much trouble. We came across some families with flip-flops who may have struggled more than we had to. The vistas afforded us along the hike made the 3 hour trek all worth it.

StringGirl visits the Ochre hills in Provence. Area of Luberon in Rousillon, France. The Ochre hills really feature some unbelievable colors, that unfortunately will be done little justice by this poor camera and photographer. Mixed in with the ubiquitous red rock, were bright streaks of yellow, purple, and blues; as the chemistry of the rock includes greater or lesser amounts of specific compounds. We get to take a walk directly into the ochre and a whisked away into a Technicolor canyon.

In Aix-en-Provence StringGirl and the family visit the Market. The market is a daily affair from Tuesday through Saturday here. Sellers of Fresh flowers, produce, and arts-and-craft products all gather to hawk their wares here in the center of town. Fresh spices and other smells awaken the senses. Colorful displays of all sorts stimulate the imagination and appetite. These lucky shoppers have found a bright display of stamps to add to their collections.

Went to visit the Calanques d' Cassis. Absolutely breathtaking. Of course my camera dies only a few minutes into the ride (completely touristic boat trip). My preference was for the hike but it turns out that taking 10-12 year olds on hikes through near desert conditions for the 1 hour it takes to get to these remote beaches is a little much to ask. View Larger Map

The view behind the train is the end of the Italian portion of the Alps, as we wait to cross into France (apparently many of these Alps passes have only single tracks and we had to wait for the northbound train to clear before proceeding). Ten hour train rides always sound better when plugged into a good book. The Girlz highly recommend the Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. Next Stop: Provence and the BEACH View Larger Map