A Honeymoon Itinerary

Dylan & Kira

Fourteen days through the heart of France

Lyon · Nice · Paris
Begin the journey
May 2 – 3, 2026 · Outbound
Atlanta ✈ Boston ✈ Paris CDG
Flight 896 ATL→BOS · Flight 33 BOS→CDG · Arriving 10:30 AM Paris time
Conf UXARGP · Then TGV to Lyon Part-Dieu at 2:56 PM (ref D2KT5S)
Lyon
Gastronomic Capital · UNESCO World Heritage
May 3 – 9
Saturday · May 3
Arrival in Lyon
TGV arrives at Lyon Part-Dieu around 5 PM. Check in to Hôtel Lyon Métropole & Spa on the banks of the Saône for a three-night stay. Settle in and explore the hotel grounds.
Hotel
Hôtel Lyon Métropole & Spa · May 3–6 · Conf #6558019721 · Breakfast included each morning. Riverside setting near Parc de la Tête d'Or.
Transport
CDG → Lyon Part-Dieu TGV · Ref D2KT5S · €244.40 · Departs 2:56 PM Paris time
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TransitHotel Check-in
Sunday · May 4
Relaxation & Riverside
A gentle first full day — spa massage at the hotel, followed by an afternoon strolling through the magnificent Parc de la Tête d'Or, one of Europe's largest urban parks. Dinner at an Italian gem along the Saône.
Morning
Couples massage at Hôtel Métropole spa (booking TBD). Take it slow after the transatlantic journey.
Afternoon
Parc de la Tête d'Or — 117 hectares of gardens, a lake with rowboats, a free zoo, rose gardens, and botanical greenhouses. Just steps from the hotel.
Dinner
Osteria Bella Vista Da Antonio e Marco · Italian/Sicilian · 4 Quai Clémenceau, Caluire-et-Cuire · Open 7 days 11 AM–11 PM · ~10-minute walk from hotel along the Saône riverside.
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ExploreDinner
Monday · May 5
Birthplace of Cinema
Visit the Lumière Museum — where Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinematograph in 1895, literally creating the art of motion pictures. Housed in their Art Nouveau family villa in the Monplaisir quarter.
The Museum
Institut Lumière / Musée Lumière · 25 Rue du Premier Film · Four floors of exhibits in the ornate family château, including the very first cinematograph, Edison's kinetoscope, and screenings of the first films ever made. The nearby hangar is where "Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory" — the first motion picture — was filmed in 1895.
Did You Know
The Lumière brothers invented nearly 200 products beyond cinema, including a prosthetic hand for WWI veterans and the Autochrome — the first commercially viable color photography process, using microscopic grains of potato starch.
Dinner
TBD — Open slot. Wish-list options: Duclef Café Pâtisserie, a brasserie in Presqu'île, or something Mediterranean to complement Le Musée later in the trip.
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CultureDinner TBD
Tuesday · May 6
Hotel Move & Beaujolais
Check out of the Métropole by noon and walk into the heart of Vieux Lyon to the boutique Hôtel des Célestins. In the afternoon, a guided wine-tasting tour through the golden-stone villages of Beaujolais country.
Hotels
Checkout Hôtel Métropole by 12 PM → Hôtel des Célestins check-in 1 PM · Ref SWDMC3 · 4 Rue des Archers, Lyon 2nd. Charming location in the Presqu'île, near Place Bellecour.
Wine Tour · 2:00 PM
From Lyon Golden Stones Beaujolais Wine Tasting Tour · ~4.5 hours · Meet at Place Bellecour (Lyon tourist office) by 1:50 PM · GYG ref GYG99666VH52 · Operator: TASTY LYON · Visit rolling vineyards, medieval villages, and taste Beaujolais wines with local producers. Mobile ticket.
Cancellation
Free cancellation before 2 PM on May 5. Auto-charge May 3.
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Hotel MoveWine Tour Booked
Wednesday · May 7
Sacred Heights & Lyonnaise Cuisine
Ride the funicular up "the hill that prays" to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière — a Byzantine-Romanesque masterpiece overlooking all of Lyon. Then explore the adjacent ancient Roman theatres. Evening: traditional Lyonnaise dinner at Restaurant Le Musée.
Fourvière Basilica
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière · Built 1872–1896 on the site of the ancient Roman Forum of Trajan. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who is credited with saving Lyon from the plague of 1643. The interior is breathtaking — floor-to-ceiling golden mosaics, Carrara marble, and six monumental stained glass windows. Locals call it "the upside-down elephant" because the four 48-metre towers resemble legs. Free admission; rooftop tour €7.
Roman Ruins
Theatres Romains de Fourvière · Built 15 BC, the oldest Roman ruins in France. A large theatre and smaller odeon nestled into the hillside, with stunning acoustics and panoramic views of Lyon. Free entry.
Dinner · 7:30 PM
Restaurant Le Musée · Traditional Lyonnaise cuisine · 2 Rue des Forces, 69002 · Tel 04 78 37 71 54 · 2 people · Credit card hold · Free cancel until May 7 at 4:30 PM. This is the trip's designated bouchon experience — quenelle, andouillette, praline tart.
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CultureDinner Booked
Thursday · May 8
VE Day in Lyon
A French public holiday — expect some closures but also special energy in the city. Kira's ideas: explore the secret traboules (hidden passageways) of Vieux Lyon, watch any ceremonies at Place Bellecour, and wander the bookshops and markets.
Possible Plans
Traboules Walking Tour — Vieux Lyon's Renaissance-era hidden corridors connecting streets through buildings. Originally used by silk workers, now a UNESCO treasure. Self-guided or join a tour.
Wish List Spots
Le Bal des Ardents — beloved independent bookstore · Les Ateliers de Marinette — artisan workshop · Duclef Café Pâtisserie — pastries · Street markets · Jazz bar in the evening
Note
VE Day (Victoire 1945) — many shops and some attractions closed. Museums typically remain open. Public ceremonies may occur at Place Bellecour.
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HolidayFlexible Day
Nice
Côte d'Azur · French Riviera
May 9 – 14
Friday · May 9
Arrival on the Riviera
Morning TGV from Lyon to Nice, arriving around 1 PM. Drop bags at Hôtel Suisse, then stroll the legendary Promenade des Anglais along the turquoise Mediterranean. Evening tapas at Bocca Nissa in the Old Town.
Train
Lyon → Nice · Departs 8:06 AM · Ref WZD8LJ · €100 Standard Première · Arrives ~1 PM
Hotel
Hôtel Suisse · May 9–14 · Superior sea-view room with balcony · 15 Quai Rauba Capeu · Expedia #72069907691371 · €1,954 total · Check-in 3 PM. Perched at the foot of Castle Hill with panoramic views of the Baie des Anges.
Dinner · 7:30 PM
Bocca Nissa · Mediterranean tapas/rooftop · 3 Rue Saint-François de Paule, Nice 06300 · Res #35ZTW93ZRRPM · Inside seating · 24hr cancel policy; 15 min late = reassigned.
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TrainHotel Check-inDinner Booked
Saturday · May 10 · 💍 Proposal Anniversary
A Day to Remember
The most special day of the trip. Morning at the rose-pink Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its nine dream gardens on Cap Ferrat. Lunch at Restaurant Béatrice overlooking the sea. Evening: a sunset aperitif boat cruise along the Riviera coast.
Morning · Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild · Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat · Opens 10 AM · Bus Line 15 to Passable-Rothschild stop. A Belle Époque palace built 1907–1912 by Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild — the daughter of a Rothschild banking dynasty. She filled her rose-pink villa with 5,000+ works of art and surrounded it with nine themed gardens: French, Spanish, Florentine, Japanese, Exotic, Provençal, English, Stone, and Rose. The French garden was designed to resemble the bow of a ship, and the Baroness required her gardeners to wear navy berets so she could imagine herself at sea.
Lunch · 12 PM
Restaurant Béatrice at the Villa · Mediterranean cuisine with panoramic sea views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Evening · 6:15 PM
Sunset Bliss Boat Excursion with Aperitif · Departs Port Lympia · Viator conf #1755892265 · Operator: Nissa Croisières · Cruise along the Côte d'Azur coastline as the sun sets over the Mediterranean. Aperitif drinks included. Mobile ticket. 24-hr cancel policy.
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AnniversaryVilla BookedCruise Booked
Sunday · May 11
Beach Day
A languid morning at Castel Plage — reserved sunbeds on Nice's most iconic private beach, set against the dramatic backdrop of Castle Hill. An afternoon to wander the Cours Saleya flower market and get Fenocchio gelato.
Beach · 10 AM
Castel Plage · Reserved sunbeds for 2 · Pay on arrival (€30/person half day, €35/person full day) · Cancel 12 hrs ahead; 30 min late = reassigned. Nice's legendary beach club at the base of Castle Hill.
Afternoon Ideas
Cours Saleya Flower Market — daily except Monday · Fenocchio — famous artisan gelato at Place Rossetti with 100+ flavors · Wander the narrow lanes of Vieux Nice
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Beach BookedOld Town
Monday · May 12
Snorkeling in Villefranche Bay
A free morning to explore at your own pace — perhaps the Cours Saleya market or a café along the port. In the afternoon, a guided snorkeling tour through the crystal waters of Villefranche-sur-Mer Bay.
Morning
Open — market browsing, café stop, or a morning dip at the beach.
Snorkeling · 1:40 PM
French Riviera Villefranche Bay Snorkeling Tour · Viator conf #1755880785 · Operator: POSEIDON Dive Center · Meet at Quai Lunel/Quai Amiral Infernet, Nice 06300 · Explore underwater marine life in one of the Riviera's most beautiful bays. Mobile ticket. 24-hr cancel policy. Auto-charge May 10.
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Morning FreeSnorkeling Booked
Tuesday · May 13
Matisse & Final Riviera Evening
Morning at the Matisse Museum in the elegant Cimiez neighborhood, followed by the serene Cimiez Monastery gardens. The last evening on the Riviera — a special dinner steps from the hotel at Le Patio, a Gault & Millau-recognized restaurant.
Morning · 10 AM
Musée Matisse · The artist lived in Nice for nearly 40 years; this museum in a 17th-century Genoese villa houses one of the world's most important Matisse collections. Confirmed open (closed Tuesdays — May 13 is Wednesday).
Afternoon
Cimiez Monastery & Gardens — Franciscan monastery with peaceful Italian gardens and panoramic views over Nice. Nearby Roman ruins of Cimiez arena. Then revisit any favorite spots from the week.
Dinner · 7:00 PM
Le Patio at Hôtel la Pérouse · 11 Quai Rauba Capeu (steps from Hôtel Suisse) · Gault & Millau "Table Gourmande" · Chef Damien Andrews · Mediterranean cuisine · 2 guests · Note on reservation: "Last day of honeymoon." Cancel 12 hrs before or €60 charge.
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MuseumDinner BookedLast Riviera Night
Paris
Ville Lumière · City of Light
May 14 – 15
Wednesday · May 14 · Ascension Day
One Perfect Day in Paris
TGV to Paris arriving at noon. Check in to citizenM near Gare de Lyon, then head to the Eiffel Tower for that iconic first glimpse. Close the trip with pizza at a neighborhood favorite — Pizzou Aligre.
Train
Nice → Paris Gare de Lyon · SNCF 6174 · Departs 9:58 AM → Arrives 12:00 PM
Hotel
citizenM Paris Gare de Lyon · Conf #72070428877939 · Check-in 2 PM · One night. Modern, compact, walkable to the 12th arrondissement.
Afternoon
Eiffel Tower — even from the Champ de Mars, it's unforgettable. Note: Ascension Day (public holiday) — expect crowds and possible closures at some shops.
Dinner
Pizzou Aligre — recommended as the best fit near citizenM. Casual, delicious, and the perfect low-key finale.
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TrainHotel Check-inHoliday
Thursday · May 15
Au Revoir, France
Early checkout and taxi to Charles de Gaulle. Flight 34 departs at 11:10 AM Paris time, connecting through Boston, landing in Atlanta at 10:03 PM Eastern. Home — with a lifetime of memories.
Flights Home
Flight 34 CDG → BOS · 11:10 AM Paris time
Flight 697 BOS → ATL · Arriving 10:03 PM ET
Conf UXARGP
Reminders
Keep all receipts for US customs declarations. Mobile Passport app for re-entry.
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Flights Home
May 15, 2026 · Homeward
Paris CDG ✈ Boston ✈ Atlanta
Flight 34 CDG→BOS · Flight 697 BOS→ATL · Home by 10:03 PM ET
Conf UXARGP