Summer looks as though it’s really on its way at last. So in this Wednesday’s blogger round-up, Experience France by Bike shares 5 lessons learned biking the Atlantic Coast, Like Home in Paris takes us up into the skies of Paris and Mary Kay from Out and about in Paris tells us about a magical candlelight evening at Château Vaux-le-Vicomte.

Top 5 Lessons Learned Biking the Atlantic Coast

by Experience France by Bike

Traveling by bike is always a huge adventure.  No matter how well you plan, how organized you are, or how experienced of a cyclist you are, you never really know what you will encounter until you get there.  And, each trip seems to have its own unique adventures, so you don’t always benefit from your learning curve.  My latest trip along the Atlantic Coast of France was no exception.  It was full of adventure and challenges, but it was also full of new friendships, breathtaking scenery and an opportunity to see France in a way never experienced by normal tourists. Read more.

Taking to the Paris skies with Air de Paris

by Like Home in Paris

When I heard that you could go up in an air balloon in Paris to have some lovely views, I was determined to go and try it out. Forget fear of heights and all those other things instinctive things that tell me that going up 150 meters in the world’s largest air ballon – the de Mongolfier brothers would be proud. What a thrilling sensation (don’t ask me about the decent if you have a bit of trepidation). The ride lasts roughly 15 minutes and there is a flight every 15-20 minutes depending on the weather conditions. Thankfully if there is too much wind they are not going up. Read more.

“Night of the Muses” – 2,000 candles, fireworks and champagne at Château Vaux-le-Vicomte.

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

Decision, decisions, decisions. Perhaps one of the most difficult things about living in Paris is that there’s always so much going on that it’s hard to choose what to do. Take last Saturday as an example – the dilemma of the day was deciding if we should celebrate the 5th anniversary of theVelib bike sharing program on the Champs-Élysées, watch the Euro-Cup quarterfinal soccer game between France and Spain on the big screen at Trocadero, see the seven-time World Champion pétanque player in action at the Hôtel de Ville or go to the candlelight evening at Château Vaux-le-Vicomte. Read more.