This trip was two fold, a trip to Paris with a side trip out to Normandy and the D-Day Beaches.

I flew with my mother to Paris for a 4 day stay in a great hotel just off the Champs Elysees. Little did we know that when we were there the Paris Marathon was on and also the Olympic flame was visiting!

Paris, as everyone knows, has limitless tourist attractions and I think we managed to visit the important ones for us.

I definitely recommend that one of the first things you do is a Bateaux Mouche trip along the Seine, a great way to orientate yourself and get some history of the city.

The Eiffel Tower, we found is best visited early in the morning to avoid the queues. Personally I prefer the view from the Arc De Triomphe and the Sacre Coeur.

If you are looking to treat someone special afternoon tea in the Laduree "Salon Du The" is excellent, they do the most delicious and mouthwatering pastries you could possibly imagine! Expensive but a great treat and way to pass the time watching chic Parisian ladies shop on the Champs Elysees.

We spent one full day driving out to Normandy to visit a war cemetery where my uncle is buried. The whole region is covered in poignant reminders of the war and the lives that were lost. The D-Day museum in Arromanches Des Bains is fascinating and it overlooks where the D-Day landings actually occurred.

In actual fact in summertime I imagine this area would be stunning and I can easily see why flocks of families come and holiday here in cottages and campsites as there are endless activities to pass the time.

A wonderful break from everyday life was enjoyed and we thoroughly enjoyed Paris and its surrounding areas.