Bonjour!

Hello! Welcome to my scrapbook! In July 2023, I took a Rick Steves Tour called Paris and the Heart of France in 11 days. I'm creating this scrapbook so:

I can document the joy of these 11(ish...more on that later) days and remember it for years to come
readers who are considering a Rick Steves tour (do it!) will see what this tour is like
others might be inspired to travel, explore, and discover the world around them

I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Marjorie. I'm a pharmacist living in a small community a couple hours away from Seattle. And I tell people if I'm not at work, then I'm probably on vacation. This trip is my thirteenth trip to Europe, and my third Rick Steves Tour. I've also been to all 50 states, a lot of Canada, Machu Picchu, and a little bit of Mexico.

And nearly all these trips have been on my own. Being abroad by myself is just a little bit scary, but it has become the kind of scary that is actually really fun, exciting, and exhilarating. With each trip I learn more about the world, but also more about myself.

So if I love solo travel so much, why did I book another group tour?

This time, it's because I had no time to plan on my own. I had a little more than a month's notice that I would have 11 days off from work. Luckily, I always have a few Rick Steves Tours itineraries in the back of my mind (whether I book them or use them as templates for my own trips), and this one fits my days off perfectly. The Heart of France itinerary has been high up on my wishlist because it goes to places that are hard to reach by a girl without a drivers license. The length is also appealing. I am one of only two pharmacists in this small community. As long as our residents need medications (and I want to continue receiving a paycheck), I can't go away for long.

The itinerary hits sights on my wishlist: Loire valley châteaux, Mont St Michel, the D-Day Beaches, the Bayeux Tapestry. I will come to discover places I didn't know I would love like Giverny. And Paris will get a second chance to win me over (spoiler alert: it did!)

The route as depicted on ricksteves.com. Be sure to click it for full details of the tour, or explore other itineraries and book a tour yourself!

I was initially worried about spending so many days with other people. The pandemic has tucked me into my shell a bit further than I already was. What if I don't like anybody? What if other people ruin my experience in these destinations?

But those concerns have been completely erased. It didn't take long for my heart to be completely full with new friendships and allies in travel. I truly got to know the heart of France as I was taught and led by a most remarkable guide. Every trip to Europe is magical, but this experience exceeded every expectation and filled me with joy. Expressing this joy through words and pictures poses quite a challenge, and this scrapbook represents the attempt. Prepare yourselves for page after page of superlatives describing this wonderful, awesome, and amazing trip. Allons-y! Let's go!

Start the tour!