I want to share my feelings on one-storey of France. Perhaps someone here can gain useful information before traveling to this wonderful country.
First, the route that we have mastered over 5 days: Geneva-Lyon-Marseille-Cote d’azur-Geneva. Who better to travel – a matter of taste; but if You are going for this route – believe me, you will not regret.
So. Ukraine international airlines has a flight to Geneva, so in 3-5 months prior to departure tickets can be purchased at quite good price. If you want to explore the French Riviera from Marseilles to Monte Carlo, then you should know that to fly from Marseille, by far, much more. Yes, and Geneva and Lyon are having to look at them at least one eye.
The car is cheaper to rent in France than in Switzerland. So from Geneva we went by car to Lyon, local train. It is a bit better than Ukrainian intercity. Tickets for the train, as elsewhere in Europe, the need to buy online, otherwise you will get about 20 euros for a single ticket, buying it at the ticket office at the station.
What car should you rent? The principle here for tourists is simple: the more, the cheaper. So popular subcompact typically consume fuel much more than cars in more expensive classes. Therefore, if You plan to travel great distances, at the expense of fuel economy on more expensive cars, or spend the same or less than in the runabout.
Comfort and fatigue. Of course, to go to a decent sedan is lighter than a Peugeot 206 or a Smart.
Card. Another significant advantage. When You are in a foreign country is very important normally running maps with GPS. In the expensive cars they have in the built-in navigation and very unexpected help. Save time and nerves. If to speak about France, I can not imagine how I would have moved there without GPS. The fact that the interchange in this country is huge and intricate, like a puzzle. When you approach them, if you are not local and do not know where to turn, comes predinfarktnoe state. One day, turning the wrong turn, we were forced to drive about 40 kilometers to return to your route. That is why a detailed map on your GPS needs.
And it was after this trip, I stopped freaking out, moving on, I will work on the roundabout in front of the bridge Paton in Kiev. Compared to French junction is a simple primitive intersection.
Another caveat about the maps. For us, a pleasant discovery was the map Maps Me, which is pumped into the phone, works independently and is not drawn GPRS-traffic, which in Europe is terribly expensive. Upload the card to the smartphone, it initially large-scale, without details. And being connected to Wi-Fi, download detailed maps of those areas where you’re going. Once in Europe, turn off the smartphone of the so-called “packet data” so that bastard didn’t pull anything from the Internet without Your knowledge. And You have a phone that can make and receive calls, but will not bankrupt You, accidentally shaking from the Internet update or some crap.
Went by car. France I was struck by the huge number of roads. Cool roads with a very high quality coating. After one and a half thousand miles across the country, I “met” one little goldobenko.
From one place to another, you can get two or three roads. Both free and paid. Choosing which way to go, you need to clearly understand the principle: want to see France – go on the free road, ride will be long, constantly getting on the traffic lights and circles, but will see. Want to get somewhere fast ride a toll road. But You will not see anything, all the toll roads look the same – concrete rumble strips on the sides and nothing interesting seen. But will go quickly.
Once on the toll road Lyon-Marseille, we, like many Ukrainian tourists are faced with one problem: in Ukraine, the majority of plastic cards is MasterCard. And in France, they prefer Visa. This has led to the fact that trying to pay for the section of toll road on the outskirts of it, I poked into the machine all cards which were found in the wallets in the car – dollar and the hryvnia, but all MasterCard. Payment is not passed. I turned for help to a passing French. The young lady, hearing that we speak in Russian, mocking condescension said to her friend “ahh, Rus, mol, those silly Russians, pointed me to the iron box, like throw assholes out there cash. Said at the same time in the intercom something like “miss, it’s Russian,” she giggles, we remotely opened the gate and away we went.
A similar problem we faced several times, our MasterCard that worked and withdrawals of money, no. Therefore, in such a journey you need to stock up on small bills for 5-20 euros to calculate on toll roads. They can send in the bill acceptor at the gate when leaving the next section of toll road.
So that You can have on the MasterCard at least 20 thousand euros for the trip, but stuck in this case at the exit of the toll road, because it will not be able to make a payment.
Arrived in Marseille. This is analogous to our Odessa, just a lot prettier and cleaner. Ports, many Arabs, not enough Parking. We flew Marseille, looked at him from the Windows of the car went along the sea in Toulon.
On the way we discovered the area, a precise copy of the Crimea: the mass budget of the small shanties that are configured on the descents from the main road to the sea. Shanty, cheaper and more expensive was masteries to each other exactly as in Katsiveli or in Gurzuf. The difference: all cleaner, the absence of Russian speech around and everything is much more expensive, than in the Crimea (in the Crimea until 2014 and after).
Toulon. It is a very soulful little town with a alley of fish restaurants and cafes on the waterfront. Here we spent only a night and semi -, so the impression is that one big port where there are beaches – is unclear. All residents are very friendly and helpful, happy to answer any questions.
Since the time of the inspection only of the côte d’azur was not so much from Toulon we, flying in the district of Saint-Maxime, Cannes and Antibes got to nice. This dream city. Visited the home of the majority of Russian and Ukrainian corrupt officials (along with London and Monaco) 1 Nov. Imagine – the public beach was still rather thickly strewn with sunbathers. Not all bathed in the sea for them “cool” – 19 degrees, but a lot of sunbathing.
About life in nice no wonder many dream of. Here a mild climate. Incredibly beautiful architecture and friendly people. The length of the promenade, on which walk, local and visiting people – more than 4 km! A lot of tourists, thus they are not “calm” the police, they are not visible. At the same time people behave correctly. Many cafes, fountains, trams are similar to trains of the third Millennium, the cleanest sea … one word heaven. And, of course, everything is expensive.
After A Nice Monte Carlo. In this wonderful city, I was speechless. Not so much from the abundance of “luxury” as the cost of city-country. It invested trillions of dollars. The city-country Monaco Monte-Carlo built in the mountains. In the rocks. In this case, virtually the same number of floors of buildings, as you will see above ground, there is underground or under rocks. It’s Parking lots, many roads-tunnels, buildings, shopping malls – anything built in the rocks. Architects who have not built it all is wizards of their craft. I noticed one building that was built in the middle of the city, near casino Monte Carlo, right next to the walls of the other rooms. Formwork was similar to large surgical tools that “collect” the bones of a broken limb, that was incredible.
In short, this is a must see. You can call calmly, unashamedly chic and expensive. Safely Park in the underground garage and go for a walk, relax, thump – who had enough money. We quietly ate their sandwiches on the waterfront, on the bench of walking Beau Monde. For them it is the norm. With some surprise, looked just a walking fashion Russian-speaking tourists with a clear Moscow accent.
With aching heart we left this city and went to the Alps. They have the benefit of some 50 km from the coastline. Spent the night at a height of 2.2 thousand meters above sea level in the village of Thorens. The beauty of the French Alps it is difficult to describe, it is necessary to see and feel. The air in the Alps not to breathe, he is drunk.
I recommend to visit the town of Grasse. It is a Mecca of French and European perfumes. 60 km from Monte Carlo. There are three factories (Molinar, Fragonard and Galimar), which are major components for most of the world’s bestselling perfume. It is here that created Chanel # 5. It is here, in a small town, works 40 (!) miniperfumery factories.
In short, stop in Grasse and buy something You can afford in the shops attached to the factories Molinar, Fragonard or Galimard – must have.
Well, home – someone somewhere )
And another important point. The French government and the nation as a whole very strongly supports farming and rural life, regions, small and large cities. The French love their regions, they are rich, beautiful, fashionable these regions. So to visit Provence, probably, not less fascinating than to visit the Louvre.
