My First Week Living in France

Hello, again! So, we landed in Paris a day later than anticipated due to our flight having to be rescheduled for the following day because of maintenance issues. I coordinated my travel with my daughter so she could help me my first week living in France. My daughter, Gillian, had arrived in Paris Saturday morning as scheduled. Knowing that we were not to arrive until Sunday she reserved an Airbnb for 2 nights in a quaint neighborhood of Paris. Unexpectedly, she was able to visit Paris both Saturday and Sunday. Making the most of her time she visited the impressive Louvre Museum and wandered in some of the historic and picturesque city parks. She happily strolled through Paris exploring the charming shops and cozy restaurants. 

Getting To Our Accommodations

The dogs and I arrived Sunday morning at 1 a.m. Gillian met us outside of the Airbnb. The Airbnb was in a historic hotel which exuded a timeless elegance with old world charm. The lobby had antique furniture and black and white checked marble floors. The hallways were covered with vintage wallpaper and golden framed mirrors. The elevator was small and decorated with red and gold lacquer paint. Arriving at the hotel you knew you were in a very historic city.

We decided that we needed to get up early as our car rental had been lost due to arriving a day later. Our job for the following day was to secure a car for the road trip to Menton. Unbeknown to either of us most of the car rental offices were closed on the weekends in France. After some research on the internet it appeared that the train station Gare de Lyon had open car rental offices on Sundays.

Pet-Friendly Ubers in Paris

We called a pet friendly Uber to take us to the train station but when the car arrived the driver told us he wouldn’t take the dogs, even though it was listed as a pet taxi. We were a bit surprised, but no worries – we quickly called another pet taxi. The driver was absolutely wonderful. In fact he insisted that the dogs sit up front with him because he loved dogs and Lily and Lucy returned the affection. 

While we were on our way I checked the Uber app and saw that the first driver had already charged us for the ride. We reached out to Uber, explaining what had happened and they were super understanding. Not only did they refund the charge, but they also gave us a $5.00 coupon as a nice gesture. 

I just wanted to share this in case you find yourself in a similar situation – it’s always good to know how things work and how responsive Uber can be. 

We spent the afternoon at the train station, finally after a 4 hour wait we were able to leave with a rental car. Whew!! We were told that usually most of the cars are spoken for on the weekends. What a learning curve during my first week living in France.

Driving South

Off we went with a sense of renewed spirit to continue our journey. The luggage was in the car, the dogs were in their seat belts, the phone was ready with the navigation on. Here we come, Lyon! We had a four and half hour ride ahead of us. My daughter is very good at driving in foreign countries, her mother not so much. For both of us it is a relief that does  all of the driving. The drive down was just beautiful! The further south we drove the landscape slowly changed from cityscape to more undulating hills with mountains in the background.

Each mile was as beautiful as the next. Along the highway we could see the rooftops of some of the smaller towns we passed. The highway was a well maintained road and the driving pace in general appeared to be fast. There were several tolls we encountered at “Le Peage”. Much like in the USA there are lanes for individuals who have a toll card as there are lanes for cards and cash. 

The rest areas are pretty similar to those in the United States with one notable difference. The toilet seats don’t have seats. Apparently, they’re easier to clean that way – though I’m not sure who decided that was the best approach! So if you’re ever in need of a quick pit stop just remember to hover with grace.

One Night in Lyon – My First Week Living in France

We arrived in Lyon in the evening and after dropping off our bags, we made our way to a charming Italian restaurant. The meal was absolutely delicious and made the long drive more than worthwhile. The next day, we still had the second half of our journey to Menton ahead of us. The drive went smoothly, with one exciting  exception, the road from Monaco to Nice -Les Corniches (The Cliff Roads).

These coastal roads in the south of France are a trio of breathtaking routes along the Cote d’Azur hugging the cliffs and offering stunning views of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. The stretch of highway is simply stunning providing panoramic vistas that make the drive feel part of the adventure. The road twists and turns dramatically, with several tunnels of varying lengths carved into the mountains. This is the very same road used for the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a thrilling heart pounding experience but absolutely worth it for the views alone.

We arrived in beautiful sunny Menton and found our Airbnb with relative ease. It was such a relief to finally have arrived. 

Thanks for being here,

-Soraya

Interested in learning more how I decided to move here? The Time Has Come To Move