Travel Tips - Essential-sights in France

Connecting the Louvre with the Place de la Concorde, the enchanting Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries) occupies an area of 25 hectares and offers countless photo opportunities and areas to relax on the lawns or while taking a seat next to one of the many beautiful basins or statues.

The nearest metro station is Tuileries on line 1 and I’d really recommend taking a walk through the gardens or even stopping for a coffee to watch the world go by. The whole area is absolutely beautiful, and the gardens make a nice change from pounding the city streets or exploring the city's many museums.

But be warned, many of the cafes in the area which cater to tourists can charge around 4-5 Euro for a coffee, so choose carefully.

The Eiffel tower is another essential sight when visiting Paris, and despite the queues at the foot of the tower and the subsequent queues to get on and off the lifts at each level, the 360 degree views alone at well worth if.

By far the best time to visit is last afternoon or in the evening as the crowds are much shorter. If you opt for the evening you can enjoy a different perspective on the city by seeing the city lights as well as enjoying two admissions for the price of one. Sunset is beautiful, but expect to queue.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit the top of the tower around three times now, on various trips to Paris, and on the first occasion I opted to descend the middle floor via the stairs rather than taking the lift, which, although tiring, was quite rewarding. I’d also recommend everyone visits the very top of the tower, if only for the slightly nervous feeling you get when ascending in the last lift!

Forget Eiffel tower key rings, t-shirts and other obvious tourist tat and instead bring home some gorgeous macaroons from one of the branches of Ladurée. The packaging is beautiful, that is, if they last until you get home!

For an extra indulgence head over to their grand tearoom on the Champs Elysées.You won’t be disappointed.

Considered to be the cradle of the old town of Nice, Castle Hill is a fortified site, offers stunning panoramic views over the Promenade des Anglais and the old port of Nice and despite nearly five visits, there is something about Castle Hill that always brings me back whenever I’m travelling to Nice. Whether it’s the wonderful views, photo opportunities or merely the opportunity to work up an appetite before heading for lunch in the old town, I cannot recommend visiting Castle Hill enough.

To really make the most of your visit I would suggest allocating a good 40 minutes and accessing the stone steps on the Promenade des Anglais side (next to the Hotel Suisse), that way you can enjoy the views of the beach before descending the hill on the Port side.

There is a children’s playground at the top of the hill, toilets (0.35 Euro), a café and lift if you don’t fancy walking back down.