We had rushed out of our hotel in Nice to make it to the station in time. In our haste we had left our passports in the room. I sat on the train for the 20 minute journey feeling annoyed with mys...
https://www.501places.com/2011/06/monaco-another-day-another-country/
First it was the Asian guy. He was sitting at the table next to us when we arrived and had just polished off his plate of whatever it was. Although he’d done a good job there was enough left to...
https://www.501places.com/2011/05/a-night-at-chez-papa-paris/
We spent yesterday walking the streets of Paris and visiting the famous spots we’ve had the pleasure to see many times before. Paris is choc-full of instantly recognisable monuments and symbols...
https://www.501places.com/2011/05/paris-through-other-peoples-lenses-photos-of-people-taking-photos/
I’d had a bad day. And to top it off, here I was in a pastel pink Parisian hotel room, complete with a frilly lamp and that textured wallpaper that a previous generation had considered the heig...
https://www.501places.com/2011/03/crap-travel-diaries-a-naive-teenager-in-paris/
Imagine coming face to face with this creature? I was calmly munching on my baguette when I turned round and caught sight of this monster lurking in the bushes. Well, I was so shocked I almost dr...
https://www.501places.com/2010/08/cardboard-zoo-a-glimpse-of-the-future/
Planning a day trip from London? 90 minutes from the capital by train can take you to some interesting cities: Bristol, Southampton, Winchester, Canterbury, Stratford are just a few options. Unti...
https://www.501places.com/2010/07/lille-the-perfect-day-trip-from-london/
Having focussed much of our efforts of our trip to northern France on reaching Mont St Michel, I then looked at a map of the nearby area and wondered where we might take a drive. The city of St M...
https://www.501places.com/2010/04/the-walled-city-of-st-malo-northern-franc/
I went to visit the Bayeux tapestry when I was 15. Booooooring! I have a vague recollection of wandering through the darkened room in which it is hung, but I’m fairly sure my main aim was to ge...
https://www.501places.com/2010/04/bayeux-tapestry-and-the-world-of-teenage-boredom/
In the UK we grow up with a love-hate relationship with our Gallic neighbours. We love to hate them, and tell countless jokes at their expense. I’m fairly sure it’s mutual. Travelling to Pari...
https://www.501places.com/2010/04/in-defence-of-french-hospitality/