Worldwide? Probably Paris. As fun as it is to make fun of :france-cool:, I think the people there are more chill than they're given credit for (at least in Paris). While they definitely appreciate if you attempt to speak in French first, a lot them seemed happy to accommodate me and speak English if my French was a bit broken. That, and all the trains and walkable cities were completely alien (in a good way) to my American ass. I remember visiting St. Malo to make sure I visit something other than Paris, and I loved the place. For anyone who isn't familiar, St. Malo is a super walkable city that's an old French port. Eventually, I found out about the concept of walkable cities and I have been on board ever since that visit when I found out alternative ways of life exist.
So I kinda owe it to France for helping me to go from a moderate lib to eventually becoming a leftist.
It's so hard to pick some favorites, but as some general advice: take it all in. Like I said, super walkable and it feels like you're in a work of art, as cliche as it sounds. That, and if you're coming in from the US or Canada, invest in some sturdy shoes and break them in unless you already live in a walkable city. I'm sure you're picking up some French, but I would also try to learn a few "emergency" phrases by heart. If the worst happens, it's important to clearly ask for help in places outside of Paris where people are less likely to speak English. Even some phrases that explain that French isn't your first language would be helpful.
But I do have plenty of recommendations:
Go to any crepe place. Brittany is where crepes originated from, so you're bound to find some of the best crepes: sweet or savory.
If crepes aren't your thing, cider is another popular thing there. Annadatta and Le Penjab are two restaurants that have good options for vegans. Usually in France if you're looking for a bite and you don't eat meat, there tends to be a little more planning involved.
If you haven't booked your hotel yet and you're staying overnight there: check out hotel de l'univers: it's really unique four star hotel that seems to be reasonably priced from what I remember. The one thing that kept it from being 5-star is that they didn't serve dinner there, iirc. Regardless, it feels like a total steal, and you're going to a local hotel rather than a cookie cutter chain.
Strolling around the ramparts is free, and you're bound to get plenty of great pictures.
If the tide is low, you can hop on over to a small island that's a short distance away called grand Be.
The town itself, just finding some of the unique shops and other landmarks was a nice adventure, I couldn't even do it all in one day.
Have fun on your trip, those memories will last you a lifetime.
Worldwide? Probably Paris. As fun as it is to make fun of :france-cool:, I think the people there are more chill than they're given credit for (at least in Paris). While they definitely appreciate if you attempt to speak in French first, a lot them seemed happy to accommodate me and speak English if my French was a bit broken. That, and all the trains and walkable cities were completely alien (in a good way) to my American ass. I remember visiting St. Malo to make sure I visit something other than Paris, and I loved the place. For anyone who isn't familiar, St. Malo is a super walkable city that's an old French port. Eventually, I found out about the concept of walkable cities and I have been on board ever since that visit when I found out alternative ways of life exist.
So I kinda owe it to France for helping me to go from a moderate lib to eventually becoming a leftist.
Here's St. Malo, and a random Paris road that is somewhat pleasant to walk across.
My wife and I are going to St. Malo in April! Any faves?
It's so hard to pick some favorites, but as some general advice: take it all in. Like I said, super walkable and it feels like you're in a work of art, as cliche as it sounds. That, and if you're coming in from the US or Canada, invest in some sturdy shoes and break them in unless you already live in a walkable city. I'm sure you're picking up some French, but I would also try to learn a few "emergency" phrases by heart. If the worst happens, it's important to clearly ask for help in places outside of Paris where people are less likely to speak English. Even some phrases that explain that French isn't your first language would be helpful.
But I do have plenty of recommendations:
Go to any crepe place. Brittany is where crepes originated from, so you're bound to find some of the best crepes: sweet or savory.
If crepes aren't your thing, cider is another popular thing there. Annadatta and Le Penjab are two restaurants that have good options for vegans. Usually in France if you're looking for a bite and you don't eat meat, there tends to be a little more planning involved.
If you haven't booked your hotel yet and you're staying overnight there: check out hotel de l'univers: it's really unique four star hotel that seems to be reasonably priced from what I remember. The one thing that kept it from being 5-star is that they didn't serve dinner there, iirc. Regardless, it feels like a total steal, and you're going to a local hotel rather than a cookie cutter chain.
Strolling around the ramparts is free, and you're bound to get plenty of great pictures.
If the tide is low, you can hop on over to a small island that's a short distance away called grand Be.
The town itself, just finding some of the unique shops and other landmarks was a nice adventure, I couldn't even do it all in one day.
Have fun on your trip, those memories will last you a lifetime.
Thank you!