If you hadn't heard already, I'm off to France in July to explore the countryside for three weeks. There has been plenty of planning that has gone into the trip and I'm now a connoisseur on all things Paris, the French countryside and the Cote d'Azur. I have exhausted every map, trip advisor suggestions page, hotel site, French travel guide and local person with knowledge that I know of!! Seriously, ask me any question and I'm pretty sure I'll know the answer.
I must say it has actually been rather a lot of work. France isn't the easiest place to plan a trip for a number of reasons: so many things provide limited information, their English translations are misleading and often mean something completely different to what I read in French, and France is culturally quite different to Australia [forgive me for stating the obvious]. One particularly sticking point is the state of the plumbing in Europe. You wouldn't believe what difficulty I've had trying to find hotels to stay in that actually have showers - you know those 21st century things where you stand up to wash rather than sitting down. I would have thought they were as basic as having a bedroom with a bed but not quite so!
I did so much research to find places to stay and always had the same problem. I'd be getting excited about my latest find thinking this is definitely the one - "great location, reasonably sized room, balcony, good price......... oh wait, bathtub - no shower. Back to the drawing board!" I don't know how the French manage, particularly the women. They are always so chic I can't possibly envisage them washing their hair in the bath... It's a mystery how they get themselves looking so good.
So, a word to the wise. If you're planning a trip to the land of the croissant and you don't want to be stooped over in the tub you better do your hotel research, or alternatively come to me; I've now got a short-list!
Photos via Pinterest.
