The Shehu/Brown family (2 adults and a daughter, age 12) traveled to France and Switzerland this summer.  Their extensive trip was designed around tickets to two games of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Paris and Lyon.  The family began their trip in Paris for a six-night stay at the Hotel La Villa des Artistes.  Located on the Left Bank in the Montparnasse neighborhood, they found their loft suite to be nice and cozy with an elegant bathroom and would gladly stay there again.  Pre-booked activities included a bike tour of Versailles and a timed visit to the Eiffel Tower.

The family then took the train to Tours for a four-night stay in the beautiful Loire Valley.  They picked up a rental car to best explore this region full of amazing castles, quaint towns and an abundance of fresh produce and wine. Highlights included renting bikes and also learning about Leonardo DaVinci, who died in Amboise 500 years ago. The family got to see a special exhibit at the Chateau Clos de Luce that included a tapestry of the Last Supper (never before seen outside of the Vatican Museum).  They learned a lot about DaVinci: the inventor, artist, musician, architect, engineer, anatomist, botanist, geologist, historian and cartographer!  They stayed in a Family Suite at Auberge du Bon Labourer located in Chenonceaux (and this castle’s former coaching inn) and raved about the hotel’s gourmet restaurant.  A 5-star experience!

Next up was a 2-night stay in Lyon to attend the World Cup Final and witness the American team win for the fourth time!  They arrived by train and stayed at the Mercure Lyon Centre Chateau Perrache in a Privilege Room.  The hotel was located in the city center and close to public transportation.

The last stop was to Geneva, also by train, for a 3-night stay in a Junior Suite at the Hotel New Midi.  They liked that the boutique hotel overlooked the Rhone River, was across from the Old Town and close to the train station to get around.  From Geneva, the sports minded family took a day trip by train to Lausanne and spent several enjoyable hours at the Olympic Museum.

They flew home from Lyon and spent their last night at the NH Lyon Airport Hotel.  They used My Day Trip car service to get there with a stop at the Cerdon Caves along the way.  The family said these caves were beyond belief despite the 40-degree temperature at the bottom.  They found their driver and car to be an upscale experience and appreciated the beautiful scenery and even the crazy mountain roads.