July usually takes these patriots to Europe to experience those glorious white nights, and this year was no exception.
We pulled out the ole map & decided west to east is the new jam. Where we come across a foreign land (quite literally), huzzah! A trip is born.
Wining around the south of France, gliding through Luxembourg’s glorious greenery & sauntering over to the Swiss Alps?
Wine not, people.
Quick facts
1. Weather – hotttt beachy high 80s/90s in Nice, 70s & sunny in Lux, and just slightly cooler in the Swiss Alps.
2. People & language –
Fr – 1 official fairly obv language, French.
Lux – 3 official, including Luxembourgish (+ German & French).
Switzerland/CH – 4 official languages, ppl. German + French + Italian + infrequently used Romansh.
We heard em all, fared well w/ English (save for a few spots in France) & appreciated the insane language skills Europeans have.
3. Getting around – We opted to Uber/Bolt in Nice & its surrounding hoods, before grabbing our set of wheels in Lux for the remainder of the trip.
4. Time zones – During this time, 7 hours ahead. Everywhere.
How to get there.
We’ve traditionally fared very well with flights, pun fully intended. Flying is simply expensive these days, and to Europe? Seemingly top of the charts given the not so far distance from the USofA.
We had racked up a combined ~200k Chase Ultimate Rewards points & threw in ~$2500 on top to fly United from Chi to Nice’s NCE and back from Zurich’s ZRH back to Chi. Premium economy for the two flights over (through Montreal’s YUL) made for a *nice* 10am landing. Chuckle.
On the way back, direct was clutch.
Nice to Luxembourg
Mid-trip, we *attempted* to fly Volotea for the first time, from NCE to LUX. Super reasonable, at a total of ~75 euros/pp for the quick hour & change flight. Unfortunately, days prior – without any notice – rather than allowing me to grab our boarding passes, a lovely cancelation showed on the app. So, beware.
We easily pivoted to Lufthansa for ~$300/pp. The downer is that only Volotea had a direct flight, so we were forced to take a lil detour thru Frankfurt to get to Lux.
Luxembourg to Zurich
You def can catch the quick hour flight over to ZRH from LUX. The only option seemed to be Swiss Air at ~$250/pp, prob because Lux is not as heavily trafficked a locale.
Given our desire to have the freedom to explore a few different parts of Luxembourg, having a lil rental in tow – to then cruise into Switzerland w/ – was the way to go.
Runabout tips:
- You know we’re all about multi-city searches. Perfectly perfect to say helloooo Nice & goodbye Zurich/here we come, Chi!
- Download the app for each airline you’re flying with, regardless of what third-party site you use to book (Chase Travel, etc.). Hugely helpful for access to boarding passes, seat selection, potential upgrades, and more. And yea, to discover a surprise cancelation.
- Per the usual strat for those shorter internal flights – that tend to operate smaller planes – we opted to do the highest seat level to avoid any baggage issues & is hardly steep. Highly recommend to sail through if you travel light but only carry on, and to get those nice roomy seats.
- We dug Air Canada’s Premium Economy. Solid meal & slept like babies.
How to get around.
Nice/South of France
I had a pretty strong debate (w/ myself) about whether to grab a set of wheels in Nice.
Pro was the usual flexibility to traverse around at our own speed, and cost was not prohibitive, but it seemed parking would be challenge, particularly in places like Monaco. We also dreamt about taking a classy ass chopper into Monaco…
Do it! Flying Monacair ran us 195 euros/pp for the 6 min flight. But damn those were a luxurious (& gorg) 6 min.
Otherwise, the TER is clutch for hopping around the French Riviera. Grab a 3-day unlimited pass for 35 euros/pp & have at it!
For lil dinner outings & such, Bolt & Uber are prevalent, altho not as quick to arrive or reliable (mostly as to Bolt) as we’re used to (spoiled). The train is def more economical.
Luxembourg & Switzerland (CH)
Skyscanner quickly revealed a multi-country SUV rental for our ~5 days in Lux & CH at just over $1k. Knowing these two countries are not known for being on the inexpensive side, we scooped this up.
Highly, highly recommend being able to get around both countries at your own pace and on your indep whims. Particularly clutch for gorgeous Lux hiking & vineyard hops.
That said, the Swiss rail system is world-renowned, and public transport in Lux has been straight up gratis since 2020.
Runabout tips:
- Why the heck are we writing CH for Switzerland?! 1. I love abbrevs, 2. CH stands for Confoederation Helvetica, meaning Swiss Confederation in Latin & representative of the country’s 4 official languages – German, French, Italian & Romansh.
- Conveniently also explains the currency being dubbed CHF, with the F standing for the Swiss franc. Voila!
- When booking your set of wheels, check cross border rules! Many rental companies allow crossing borders only into certain countries, or some, none at all. A hefty fee may also be attached (that you can avoid if you keep an eye out).
Where to stay.
Finding the right spots to recharge took a bit more effort this trip only due to the many options on where to park ourselves this trip, and that too, within each country.
Even (esp?) with gym love taking a back seat this trip, the tried & true process did the trick.
Nice, France
My heart was a bit set on this gorgeous locale dubbed Cantemerle, but with a few glorious days to bounce around the south of France, Vence didn’t seem like the most central home base. Natural compromise? Head to La Table du Cantemerle for a spectacular wine lunch.
We stayed at the more central Hotel Indigo Cagnes in part to indulge in the IHG status the Chase Reserve carries.
At ~$800, the place was a perfect home base for our 4-day stint, with breakfast, a gym & pool to boot. Location was solid, and we fell in love with Cagnes-sur-Mer in a way that staying in Nice proper would never have revealed.
A relatively quick search revealed Mullerthal, a stellar hiking area, and Moselle, a wine haven. Naturally, we craved a night in each.
Our first glorious night was spent at the Roudenhaff Guestfarm in Echternach, the oldest town in Luxembourg. For a mere 110 euros, the place was cozy, cute, and breakfast was made with love & oh so much freshness. Oh yea, fresh eggs from the farm’s chickens, ppl.
Post-gorgeous hike, it was time to hit the sauce. The stunning Le Domaine de la Klauss was our home for night #2. Part of the Relais & Châteaux group that boasts only 580 hotels around the world, this 5 star locale was sure to be the shizzz.
At $366/night inclusive of a fantastic spread for breakfast, gym, and wellness area to boot, we thought this would be our fave home away from home. Lacking in love & hospitality, it sadly was not.
After tooling around a lil on which part of CH to stay in, Grindelwald village emerged a clear winner. Well perched, more of a mountain feel than nearby Interlaken, and… those stunning views of the Alps seemed pervasive.
We tend to place heavier focus on location than luxury in pricey locales and landed at the Kreuz & Post for what seemed like a pretty reasonable ~$900 for a 2-night stint, inclusive of the most imp meal of the day. The rooftop sauna & straight up gorg wellness area did us in.
For our final night in Zurich, we hit up Acasa Suites. The single night ran ~$210, with a nice gym and (another) stunning wellness area to boot. Nestled b/w ZRH & the bustling city, we easily found our lovely Fri night dinner on foot.
- At the Le Domaine da la Klauss, gym & sauna timings are… a bit odd. Be sure to inquire if you’re on a schedule.
- Summer months can carry stringent minimum night stays. For these movers & shakers, the 5-night min at the gorgeous Glacier Boutique Hotel, for ex, was prohibitive. Time is $, people.
- Tons of lovely options as you stroll the gorgeous mountain village that is Grindelwald. We somewhat randomly ended up eating (& pumping iron) at Eiger Mountain & Soul Resort. Recommend.
How far does your mula go?
We conveniently had euros to bring w/ from the last European adventure, so cash for lil knicknacks & markets was no issue.
Otherwise, you guessed it. Plastic ruled.
As I write this…
France – the euro. ~1.14 euro = $1 USD
Lux – since 2002, also the euro
Switzerland – the Swiss franc (CHF). ~1.24 franc = $1 USD
Switzerland took the cake on $$$$, in contrast to France carrying insane value for delectable eats.
What to do.
Cagnes-sur-Mer, Nice & Monaco!
Go if you love: beaches, beach clubs, cute lil French vibes, scrumptious bites, alllll the bubbles & vino.
What to do
- In Cagnes-sur-Mer, Haute de Cagnes place De Gaulle is a must. Adorable hilltop, cobblestone old town just a 10 min walk from our hotel.
- While there, catch live music and a sunset while indulging in a mouthwatering homemade burger at Le Village. Perfect setting.
- If Michelin is your jam, snag a reso at the tiny Fleur de Sel.
- For a nightcap (and charcuterie/fromage, let’s be real), head to Lou’Bar. Super cute wine bar w/ a lovely outdoor space & friendly faces.
- The next AM, hit the boardwalk, Prom de la Plage & stroll or grab a set of wheels at Rosalia.
- If you’re into beach clubs, La Spiaggia & Ino are super cute and have a swanky but bohemian vibe. Both very chill & pretty.
- If you’re not, head to either of these for dinner in a stunning setting. Yum!
- You can’t skip out of Cagnes without hitting my fave area, Marche Couvert. Stroll the (outdoor & indoor, love. it. all.) markets, sip wine at the adorable lil bar, and hit the equally quaint surrounding grub spots & bars. Love.
- Ready for R&R? The ladies at Bann Suk Spa are the kindest (strongest!) masseuses. 5 star reviews, ppl!
- If you have one more meal left in you (when in France…), head to two very local family run joints – La Petit Pacha & Carpediem. Yum, yum, yum.
- Head to Colline du Châteaux for stellar views of the Riviera & a (manmade) waterfall to boot.
- After climbing down, stroll Vieille Ville.
- For brunch, indulge in Popote Bistro’s scrumptious French toast & cold bubbly goodness.
- Then, pop by for rose & oysters at Meraki.
- Finally, have your (first?) set of indulgent frog legs at Le Frog. Yum.
- Hit the Cours Sayela outdoor market along the way!
A train stop or two out…
- Farther out, head to Antibes for a different vibe. Visit Le Fort Carré before heading to the Prom Amiral de Grasse. There, stroll the promenade, grab an ice bold bev, and people watch your lil <3 out.
- A bit farther yet, head to Cannes for a bougie haven. Beach club it up!
- Breeze into Èze for another adventure in paradise. The Jardin Exotique looks super pretty.
- Then, on to Monaco! You’ll naturally check out the Prince’s Palace, famous Monte-Carlo casino, and jaw drop at the truly insane splendor of the yachts at Port de Fontevieille.
- Pop by Le Jardin Japonés for a lil bit of nature in the midst of giant affluence.
- After you troll thru Monaco’s Old Town, get off the beaten path a lil to stroll La Condamine, the (more) local area. Hit the market at the Place d’Armes!
- In Vence, be sure to do a leisurely lunch at La Table du Cantemerle. Stunning & delicious.
- A few lil secrets of the area, enjoy! Calanque d’En Vau, Plage de la Mala, & Calanque des Anglais.
Where to eat & drink – Monaco.
- In Monaco, Bistro Coe. Seaside, delish, and for Monaco, great value.
- Miami Plage did not disappoint for a lil vino & grub, altho the vibe at La Note Bleue was much more lively.
- Heyy Tamo Junto! What a stellar live music experience these guys delivered. Dance your lil <3s out!
- Fireworks & a raging club scene to round out the night? Say less.
Runabout tips:
- Looking to make a grand entrance? Check out Monacair, Blade & Heli Air Monaco. As I write this, one way runs about 195 euros (~ $231 USD)/pp or 700 euros (~ $839 USD) for a privately chartered heli, ooolala.
- Heads up. The TER from Nice to Èze is… an easy (& pretty!) 15 min. However, there is a lil 45 min uphill trek involved once you arrive. Make the Nietzsche climb to get your juices flowing (for a solid ~2 hours) with awesome views of the Mediterranean to boot, but you can just as easily grab a bus direct from Nice to (the top of) Èze to avoid this.
- If you have a bit of time, stay at Cantemerle!
- Head to Colline du Châteaux in Nice proper in time to catch the noon cannon blast! If you really don’t want to make the climb (do it!), there’s also a lil elevator that you can scoot up to the falls.
Mullerthal & Moselle, Luxembourg!
What to do
- Hike the Mullerthal trail! Tons of options, and like many, we opted for trail #2. A moderate trek, ~3 hours displayed insane fairytale-like surroundings and perfect greenery. Ahhhh, nature.
- Just minutes from the trail, stay at the Guestfarm Roudenhaff! Super unique and lovely. Hiii adorable puppers!
- For more strolling (or jogging) goodness, an AM visit to Lac d’Echternach makes for a perfect start to the day.
- Thirsty after all of that trekking around? Head to Domaine Sontag & Gloden Lucien Cellars for a one-of-a-kind tasting experience one-on-one w/ the winemakers themselves. Heyy Lucien & Mel!
- Hit Moselle’s finest wineries as you traverse the oh so fun (& pretty) Rutes des Vins along the Moselle River! Our host suggested Vins Purs, Domaine 64, Domaine Kox & Caves Gales, to name just a few.
- In between tastings, grab a lil bite in a ridic lovely setting at Wäistuff Leuck Sàrl.
- On the way in or out of Moselle, don’t miss this gorgeous viewpoint.
- After tasting your lil <3 out, indulge in the amenities at Le Domaine de la Klauss.
- Climb the Châteaux de Vianden. Stunning at sunrise.
- In Luxembourg City, catch sunset at the Chemin de la Corniche, Europe’s most beautiful balcony.
- If you have time, hit up the stunning Upper Sûre Lake and Petit Suisse, little Switzerland.
Where to eat & drink!
- Best breakfast of the trip, and oh so fresh – Guestfarm Roudenhaff, where else?
- La Grappe d’Or in the super cute town of Echternach for a special dinner (closed on Mondays).
- Aal Eechternoach – also in town and also very cute for bite or after-dinner drink outside.
- Biem Gina for pizza.
- Wok Saveur – bomb Chinese in Lux, oh yea.
- La Commedia Dell’arte & Restaurante Saporeaeno for solid Italian.
- Eat at Le Komptoir (in the Domaine de la Klauss hotel)! Followed by an awesome breakfast spread & to die for French omelettes to convince yourself last night’s gobs of wine were defff a smart choice.
- An absolute must – Auberge de la Klauss. Freshly made… everything, a stunning wine cellar, hanging meats, and the best foie gras a girl could dream of. Ahhhh. Pop in to grab the perfect treats for an unforgettable French picnic.
Runabout tips:
- Moselle is dangerously close to… several different countries. You can find yourself sipping a glass in Lux, suddenly in France for your next pour, and having quickly crossed over to Germany within minutes. Totally different feel of Lux at these borders than w/in the country itself.
- Visiting with both Lucien Gloden & Mel Sontag was an absolute treat. Hiiii Luna, you lil cutie. Lucien’s special rose blend was my fave of the trip, and he’ll be thrilled to hear it if it’s yours as well!
- We’d def recommend renting a car. Howevvvver, public transport in Lux is 100% free, all over. Howevvver, that transit is not going to get you to the lovely Roudenhaff farm for ex, and we understand the single taxista in Echternach is… not always the safest bet.
- The best transport? Bicicycle! Biker’s dream. Alll the bikers.
Ahh, Switzerland!
Go if you love: unreal mountain views, nature at its best & prettiest, cheese! (fondue), Alpine happiness & of course that mouthwatering Swiss chocolate.
What to do + Where to eat & drink!
- Head to Jungfraunjoch, aptly dubbed the Top of Europe (because it boasts the continent’s highest railway station), for stunning views & glacier hiking.
- The Mönschsjochhütte hike takes you to the highest serviced hut in Europe, wowza! This is a challenging hike, mainly due to altitude, but less than an hour each way & worth. every. gorgeous. step.
- Stroll the oh so cute Grindelwald village! If you have Javanti luck, hit the summer street fest each Wednesday night from July to August.
- For more adventure, hit Grindelwald First, aptly dubbed the Top of Adventure, for the pick of the litter adrenaline rushes at its summit. The 4 mile Bachalpsee hike offers surreal views.
- Try the Cliff Walk, zip line, eagle fly (yea), or fast cart around while your’e up there! Or, Trottibike back down to Grindelwald.
- Head to Glacier Canyon, with awesome charm both during the day & at night. Glaciers carved this beast, and you can catch a trail alongside or get your Spiderman on above the water, dammnnnn.
- For another cable car to stunning hike scenario, check out Pfingstegg. Don’t miss the loooong toboggan! In summer months, obv.
- If you have the time to venture out a bit, you might try the Grütschalp to Mürren trail. There are multiple variations, but this one is short (less than 3 mi) & pretty. To get there, you take short cable car from Lauterbrunnen, to Grütschalp. Then, trek it into lovely, car-free Mürren!
- From Lauternbrunnen, you can also visit another sans-car, even more quaint mountain village, Wengen. To do this, take the Wengernalpbahn (WAB) train. If you head to Wengen, do the Maennlichen Romantic Trail hike!
- Need more hiking in your life? Check out stunning trails at Schynige Platte. To get to the Panoramic Trail, make the short drive (or train ride) from Interlaken, to Wilderswil Station. From there, the historic cogwheel train will run you about 50 min & run you about 17 CHF (~$21).
- Fondue in a gondola! At the lovely Hotel Belvedere. Opt for the bubbles & fresh truffle at 198 euros/2 pax. Worth. every. truffling. penny.
- Restaurant Glacier in the Glacier Boutique Hotel. Unreal backdrops to accompany every. stunning. bite.
- Cork Club Bistro was cozy, cute, and champagne happy. Yum.
- Barry’s had a solid lunch/brunch.
- We hear Pinte has awesome fondue & Stallbeizli Heubode is well rated as well.
- GoldenIndia was bumpin… including with many Indian ppl.
Interlaken
- Boat cruises! Lakes Brienz & Thun each offer their own character, and there are many length options to choose from, some complete with chocolate fondue & Swiss treats, wowza.
- We chose the scenic jetboat, a 50 min adventure over Brienz, at 119 CHF/pp (~$153). So. highly. recommend. Tons of fun & the views are ridic all over Lake Brienz.
- Post-boat ride, make the 20 min to drive to Grandhotel Geissbach, incredibly perched over the Geissbach falls. Hike the falls, grab ice cold bubbles, and split a cheese board while you wonder if you’re dreaming.
- From the Top of Europe to the Top of Interlaken, Harder Klum, we go! Less adventuring at the summit, but you can still hike (2.5 mi, ~2 hours) or grab a gorgeously scened bite. The hike starts at the Panorama restaurant & ends at Ost station.
- For the (more) insane (than us), the renowned 10+hour Hardergrat hike may tickle your fancy. With “harder” in the name…
- Daredevils, rejoice. This area boasts paragliding, skydiving, night sledding (followed by fondue? but ofc). Adventure capital of Europe!
Zurich – spent our final evening at stellar dinner at the lovely & local Ustaria. Beautiful, cozy back patio, bold & delish flavors, and a wine selection that served as the perfect send off. Not to mention local brews for Jeff Gordon. Next time, Alpenrose for a classic Swiss meal!
Runabout tips:
- Grindelwald station is about a 20 min walk from Grindelwald Terminal, so when booking tix from either, choose wisely! We walked to the latter from our hotel to shave time off the journey to the Top of Euroope.
- You should not have to book terribly far in advance, but opt for a least a day or 2 prior to secure the time you want to get up & down Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe.
- Giant one – when buying tix, you might opt to take the Eiger Express gondola – avail from Grindelwald Terminal – for a short 15 min cruise to the final train ride up.
- Bring those hiking boots for these high altitude adventures!
- Bring a postcard with on the cable car up (or buy one at the gift shop up top, more likely…)! So that you can send it off from Europe’s highest post office (at Jungfraujoch), with an official, nowhere-else-found stamp to boot. Huzzah!
- (There is also a Jungfrau passport stamp should you care to bring your along)
- If you’re going to be up & down those Jungfrau cable cars, consider the unlimited ride few day pass! This includes all mountain railways, cable cars, trains & boats in the Jungfrau region. Just flash a toothy smile & handy QR code to get around. Price varies w/ length ofc, and like everything in CH, is not cheap.
- Winter months offer a few additional (moving!) fondue gondola experiences. In the summer tho, looks like the oh so cute stationary fondue gondola at Belvedere is your best bet.
- Check out the Eiger Spa, either as a guest or w/ a day pass for 30 CHF. Cute gym to boot. Javanti thumbs up.
- Coop supermarkets are all over Switzerland, should you need a lil veggie or other fix.
Top 5 magical moments.
- Javanti loves glaciers. Did we really just exit sweltering temps below to jet up to a snowball fight at the top of Jungfrau? Insane.
- Jetboat over Lake Brienz, followed by even close(r)-up encounters with the magical Geissbach Falls we had jusssst encountered on the lake.
- Getting up close & personal w/ Lux’s talented winemakers!
- Heli to date night in Monaco, obv. The ultimate surprise? Tamo Junto’s live jams!
- Celebrating a decade in a gondola! Come oooon, truffle cheese was bound to make the mix.
