At the beginning of our tour, Lisa asked each of us to share what we were looking forward to the most. Remember our response? First blank panic, then we said everything – meeting people, seeing new places, experiencing local culture, trying new food, seeing famous pieces of art.

Well, we did everything, and I mean EVERYTHING and enjoyed every minute of it. But upon reflection, we realized there was a particular highlight from our trip that rose above the rest. No need to sing Julie Andrews this time, just a drumroll please… the FOOD!!

We certainly would not have described ourselves as foodies before our trip. We had never eaten at a Michelin restaurant. Actually, we had never eaten at any restaurant that served an amuse-bouche. We didn’t even know what that was. But now, we have an excitement to try new foods. Since being home, we’ve even prepared multi-course meals (pretending we are still in France).

Here are some of our food tips:

• Experience local cuisine and specialities.
• Look for highly rated, small establishments frequented by locals.
• Ask your server or chef for recommendations.
• Make reservations when possible.
• Don’t be afraid to try new foods.
• Remember, calories don’t count because of all the walking.