Paris, Lyon, Mont Saint-Michel: A 3-night, 4-day journey in France over Easter. April 2023【87】

I traveled to France from London during the Easter holidays.

Departed from Paddington station early in the morning.

Arrived at Gare du Nord in Paris in about 2 hours via EURO STAR.

After dropping off our luggage at a hotel near the station, we planned our sightseeing route while having breakfast at a bakery.

For starters, we headed south from Gare du Nord.

While touring beautiful buildings and squares, we arrived at the Louvre Museum.

It was swarming with tourists because of the holiday season.

We couldn't get tickets for the museum, so without going inside, we headed to the next tourist spot.

The line for same-day tickets was incredibly long.

Walking east from the Louvre Museum, you'll reach the Champs-Élysées.

As expected, we were tired from walking, so we decided to enjoy croissants and macarons at a stylish restaurant-cafe.

The weather was warm and nice, making the outdoor dining delightful.

After taking a break, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe, admired it from below, and then proceeded to the next tourist spot.

We couldn't get tickets for the Arc de Triomphe either.

Heading straight south from the Arc de Triomphe, we reached the Eiffel Tower.

Satisfied with the view from below, we decided to head back to the hotel for a while.

Took a nap at the hotel for about 2 hours.

Even the view from the hotel window felt stylish.

That evening, we dined at a French restaurant we had booked in advance.

The dishes all had names I hadn't heard of before, but they were delicious.

Second day.

We left the hotel around 6 in the morning to join a tour.

We gathered near the Eiffel Tower and then headed to our destination by bus.

We stopped once at a place that seemed like a service area on the way.

After about 5 hours on the bus, we reached Mont Saint-Michel.

Once you get off the tour bus, you can choose to either take a 5-minute shuttle to Mont Saint-Michel or walk for about 40 minutes.

I took the shuttle.

I was excited as the island, which I've seen many times on TV and online, got closer.

As soon as you enter the island, there are souvenir and food shops lined up, but it was overflowing with people that day.

First, we used the tickets included in the tour to visit the inside of the church.

I wondered how they managed to construct in such a remote place, and how difficult it might have been just to transport materials. Regardless, it was beautiful.

The weather was good, and the sunlight streaming into the building added a divine touch.

From the high vantage point, you can see that there are no tall buildings around.

While having a panini for lunch, I spent some time gazing into the distance.

After about 2 hours on the island, I walked back to the tour bus.

After another roughly 5 hours, we returned to Paris, where the Eiffel Tower was lit up.

For dinner that day, I went to a French restaurant with someone from Hong Kong whom I became friends with during the tour.

We enjoyed French specialties like beef tartare, frog legs, and escargot.

All the dishes paired perfectly with the wine and were delicious.

Third day.

On this day, we left the hotel just before 7 am and headed to Lyon by train from Paris Gare de Lyon.

There were many people at the Lyon train station, but it was quite deserted once we stepped out, which made me a bit uneasy.

I kept walking west from the station and as I approached the old town, more and more people began to appear.

Feeling tired from walking, I stopped at a cafe for coffee and a pain au chocolat.

Passing through Place Bellecour, heading further west, the old town came into view.

Saint-Jean Cathedral

From the old town, I climbed up towards the ancient Roman theatre.

The climb up this hill was quite challenging, so I recommend taking the train.

It's about a 5-minute walk from the theater to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière.

From outside the cathedral, the beauty of the cityscape of Lyon takes your breath away.

I'm so glad the weather was really good.

After descending the hill, I headed to the northern side of the old town.

After seeing places like Place Terreaux and the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, I returned to the station satisfied.

Although I only spent about 5 hours, I was fully satisfied with my visit to Lyon.

After returning to Paris, I headed to the Arc de Triomphe and climbed up using the ticket I had pre-purchased.

You can see roads extending in all directions.

After visiting the Arc de Triomphe, I headed to the Marais district and had wine and escargot at a place I had researched beforehand.

Sitting outside the shop sipping wine and coffee feels very Parisian.

After that, I visited several other places before heading back to the hotel.

Final day.

This day, for the first time in a while, I woke up without worrying about time and had breakfast at the hotel.

I didn't realize breakfast was free until the last day.

After checking out of the hotel and leaving my luggage, I went sightseeing for my last day in Paris.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacré-Cœur Basilica)

You can overlook the city of Paris from atop a small hill.

Galeries Lafayette

It's a department store, but the interior is artistic.

Palais Garnier (Opéra Garnier)

I'd love to watch an opera if I had the time.

Had an authentic croissant at a patisserie.

It had a crispy coating on the outside and was delicious.

Pantheon

It seems that France's greats are resting here.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Only the exterior as it's under renovation.

Had an omelette and rosé wine at the last shop I visited in Paris.

And that concludes my 3-night, 4-day trip to Paris.

The city was cleaner than I'd heard, people were kind, and I didn't feel any issues with safety.

It might have just been good timing, but I still want to visit again.

Above all, every French dish was delicious and the wine was reasonably priced, so it was the best from a culinary perspective.

HP:Paris tourist office

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