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France/England 2025
  • Bennett Desmarais
  • Maggie-Mae
  • Bennett Desmarais
  • Maggie-Mae

France/England 2025

A 15-day adventure by Bennett & Maggie-Mae Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 24, 2025
    France/England 2025
    Passports (not expired)
    MLK ParkMLK ParkAv. Van HorneAllo Mon CocoAllo Mon Coco

    Montréal

    April 24, 2025 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I accidentally brought my expired passport (big yikes), so we had a day to kill in Montréal. We swung by Martin Luther King Park to see the neighbourhood, then went to a cute breakfast cafe called Allo Mon Coco before heading back to YUL.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    The gardens were massive!
    I am treeLots of goldBennett looking snazzy2FrogSniffScary fishLouisChandelierChandelier 2.0Much gold

    Château Versailles

    April 25, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We went to see French royalty, and (more importantly) the inspiration for Sci Formal CXXII. There is so much gold everywhere, and the inside had so much Louis XIV (he loves paintings of himself). The gardens were magnificent and we loved the funky trees and the tulips. The hedge mazes were very Triwizard Tournament-escRead more

  • France/England 2025
    Twinkle, Twinkle little Eiffel
    SparklesPicnic Spot 🧺View from the GardensOui Oui baguetteLights on!💡Praise the French overlords!Look back, pose.La SieneLa Siene + Arche

    Le Tour Eiffel

    April 25, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We made some baguette sandwiches on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower! We had a great spot for a picnic and some photos. The two fresh engineers spent hours discussing the mechanics of the structures and reading the construction history. We also found the names of some French scientists on the tower itself, including Fourier, Laplace, Coulomb, Ampere who we learned about in schoolRead more

  • France/England 2025
    Pretty Alley
    Room Tour!Looking at the CastleSaw a dog

    Hôtel Les Corps Saints

    April 26, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We arrived at our hostel in Avignon and its so cute! Avignon is the most adorable city, there's so many castles! We both got away with speaking french to the person at the front desk, Bennett’s french class is coming in handy :)Read more

  • France/England 2025
    Arches in the Park
    Town WallsGates of the BridgeSur the PontPanoramic ShotBig Potted PlantSizing up the BagelStargazing1Flower Ice CreamTown Gates (Evening)

    Avignon

    Apr 26–27, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Avignon is so pretty! The whole town is walkable and there are so many small shops and fun corners to discover! Of course we went "Sur le Pont d'Avignon" and did a little dancing. The castle architecture and the wall surrounding the whole town gives it a really unique energy.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    Palace Exterior
    The Chapel (Echo Room)Selfie with the TreesPalace GardensFound the Bees3rd Floor WindowSurviving Roof Painting2Locked in the Tower!

    Palace des Pâpes

    April 27, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Visited the Pope's Palace in Avignon (very topical). Most of it burned 500 years ago, but the restoration is still very pretty, and some of the old paintings were still visible though! There's a cute garden in the middle of the Palace, and we watched the bees on the flowers. They loved the big sage plant.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    Arènes de Nîmes was built in around 100 AD
    3The Romans came back from the deadPower pose 💪Some cool behind the scenes action!1Horses 🐎Bennett staring in aweMaggie getting photobombedSelfie :)We had to take a picture of the ceiling, the flower carvings were so beautiful!Pretty church 1.0Pretty church 2.0FountainYummy :)

    Nimes

    April 27, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We spent some time in Nimes! It was a quick 30 min train ride from Avignon, and it was so worth it! There ended up being a Roman festival which we didn't realize, but there was a little market and everyone was dressed in Roman clothes! There was even a show going on at the Arena! We sat outside the Arena and watched the behind the scenes. It was funny seeing a regular guy in a striped shirt who was the director telling Roman soldiers where to go 😂. We went to the Maison Carrée, which is a Roman temple, as well as a nice church! We walked around the pretty gardens called Jardin de la fountaine and ate some pizza before heading back to Avignon. Our French is holding up, we only had one person speak to English to us today. Overall was a great decision to go to Nimes, it was quite the Roman adventure!Read more

  • France/England 2025
    2Street Views
    The view of Nice from the Batterie du Mont Boron hikeBennett found a lighthouseBeautiful hillsGot some delicous, fresh fruit at the Cours Saleya MarketLooking at the flowers in the marketCute ceiling at the market2Had a great swim after our hike at Plage de VidurFound some hot rocks and made our own stone massage 😂More beach, it was very sunnyRented a two seater bike! Bennett was very good at driving it. They have lots of nice bike paths :)More walks along the coastSunset on the beach :)

    Nice was nice :)

    Apr 28–29, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Didn't expect to find a tropical destination in South France! Nice had so much to offer, including hiking trails, bike paths, and beautiful swimming spots. We hiked up Mont Baron to see the views of the city, then went swimming in a little cove off the promenade. We rode a tandem bike to get around, too! There were so many restaurants that made decisions so difficult, but all the food was very delicious. Maggie loved the mussels and the waffles. Sitting on the beach and seeing the sunset was gorgeous. Overall, Nice was very nice :)Read more

  • France/England 2025
    1Outside His Majesty's Theatre
    Our balcony viewA poster of one of the operas in Phantom of the Opera!Lego Phantom of the Opera Boat Scene :)The classic phantom chandelierThe end :(Monch some fish and chips

    The Phantom of the Opera

    April 30, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    The Phantom of the Opera was spectacular, and a great way to spend our first night in England. The music, the set pieces, the venue, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It's Maggie's favorite show, and I can see why. We also got some British Fish and Chips beforehand, and went around Carnaby Street, Trafalgar Square, and the Canada House after the show.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    1London Landmarks
    British Flags for VE CelebrationsM&Ms chandelierA Princess in Diana's GardensGarden SelfieLarge QuackQueen Elizabeth Gate (Hyde Park)Buckingham PalacePalace GatesRoyal CarriageTelephone BoxPelican in St James Park2 £0.99's (Costed £8) in St James ParkViews of the Eye

    London (Leg 1)

    Apr 30–May 1, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Our first leg of the trip in England was in London. London was so warm! We went to Kensington gardens and Kensington Palace. There were so many cute swans and birds, and Diana's gardens were especially pretty. We then rented a bike and biked to Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park. We made our way through St James Park and got ice cream! Then we walked back to Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square, where we went to visit the M&M store (home of the Maggie-Mae) the night before. There was a protest for May Day happening in Trafalgar Square where we saw a marching band playing which was very fun! On our way to the train station, we crossed the water and saw Big Ben and the London Eye.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    Feeding the Fish
    Group Photo in the GardensNeighbourhood cat walked in

    Southampton

    May 1, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Took a quick evening trip out to Southampton to see Holger and Nevena. We were spoiled with a lovely home cooked dinner, and got to meet their fish, and the friendly neighborhood cat.

  • France/England 2025
    West Gate in Canterbury
    1Meet Meg! Their new Border Collie puppy!1Bennett taking a beach nap near the cliffs in Broadstairs1 of 7 150 year old boababs. Their locations across Canterbury make the shape of a cross.The River Stour that flows through Canterbury. They do punting down the riverThis sculpture in River Stour is called Alluvia, who represents Ophelia in Shakespeare's HamletAccording to Tracey, we looked like we were just getting married under the arch 😂Ian and Tracey looking at the Canterbury CathedralThe Canterbury Horse is to remember animals that fought and died in war for usBennett strutting down the high streetUs in the Canterbury Cathedral courtyard1Maggie looking at the cathedral tower in aweSome gorgeous stained glass in the CathedralThis is the warriors chapelThe candle burns in the place where St Thomas Beckett's shrine once was. He was killed in 1170The cathedral was endless :)2New statues of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh

    Canterbury

    May 2–3, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We went to Canterbury to visit Maggie's family, and it was amazing! The Burrs have a new Border Collie puppy called Meg, who is adorable. Meg loved Bennett and climbed all over him! We took a quick 30 min train to the beach in Broadstairs and had a nap. We had some great Mexican dinner with Ian, Tracey, and Eve. Then we explored Canterbury. Canterbury is known as the "Christian capital of England." This is because the Archbishop of Canterbury has been the leader of the English Church since 597! We did some exploring of Canterbury on the first day, then went to the Canterbury Cathedral the next morning. The Cathedral is magnificent! Overall the trip was very fun!Read more

  • France/England 2025
    1Got lost in the Lanes in Brighton
    2Only took Bennett 10 minutes 😂 (It was his first time in the Atlantic from the European side!)The beach was rocky and we were falling. Saoirse and Olly got a good laugh out of it!Maggie-Mae found Saoirse Mai in Brighton! Had some Margaritas :)Beach bar with Olly and Saoirse Mai!The North Laines3Maggie found a flower necklace1Mirror selfie in a thrift store (called charity shop in England)2Strawberries and Bucket Hats1"I've come to make an announcement"1Sharing fudge on the beach with Saoirse MaiDinnerbone HouseClub Maggie-MaeBennett bought Maggie some flowers 🌸Saying bye to Saoirse Mai 😭

    Its bright in Brighton!

    May 3–4, 2025 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Brighton had much to discover! There's a long rocky beach along the south coast where we went for a swim and many lanes of local shops to visit. We met up with Maggie's cousin Saoirse Mai and her boyfriend Olly to explore the town, get some food, and go for a polar plunge. We window-shopped the North Laines (yes, that is the correct spelling!), and we found a bunch of adorable curiosities. Saoirse Mai was a lovely tour guide!Read more

  • France/England 2025
    Selfie at the Great Bath of the Roman Baths
    Chapel in the distanceNatural Hot Springs BubblesBennett taking a seat at the Great BathSteamy Roman Drainage SystemBath Abbey Chapel SquareTook a walk near the locks at the Avon CanalBath Lock BridgeBennett, Julius, and the BoarSlug HugWent to the Topping and Company Booksellers of Bath bookstore! Maggie climbed the ladder for a bookGrandfather Clock in the bookstore (still works)Running through the fieldsWatched the sunset on the field near the Hostel

    Bath

    May 5–6, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We went to Bath! Can't say we went into the Roman Baths because of the algae, but we did get to taste some water from the springs! It was not very tasty since it was very hard water that had an aftertaste of blood (probably because of the high iron content). But the Roman Baths were very, very cool! We saw the old roman drainage system and how the natural hot spring heated up the water. We walked around many cute little shops, saw some busking, and had some bagels for lunch. For dinner, we had Fish and Chips then watched the sunset on a field near our hostel. Overall, Bath was so relaxing, beautiful, and very historic.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    Group Photo in the Main Atrium
    Outside the Main DoorsTemple of AthensAngry-looking Greek PhilosophersBennett with the SteedGreek/Amazon Battle MuralsEgyptian Temple PillarEgyptian Boar/Bull ThingMain AtriumRoof of the LibraryMaggie in her natural habitatIron Rings

    British Museum

    May 6, 2025 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We found some Canadian engineers in England! Sophia and Tony were also traveling in London, so we decided to meet up. We went to the British Museum, which was huge. We saw the Rosetta Stone, ancient Greece and Rome, ancient Egypt, and a bit of the Japanese section. We also went into the reading room, which was massive and had many books!Read more

  • France/England 2025
    At the Ain't Nothing But The Blues Bar in Soho!
    Tony and Sophia came along for the ride :)Some great Blues music (featuring Tony and Bennett talking about movies)Carnaby Street!!Here's where we went to go eat lunch with Mario!A view of St Pancras and King's Cross station from the outsideHow many Corgis does it take to make it to the YHA London Oxford reception?An animal tea partyBennett waking up to a Leafs win at 4:30amOur final London adventure on the Night bus (only transport at 4:30 am)

    London Leg 2

    May 6–8, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We had a fantastic final leg of our trip! After the British Museum, we saw Mario (Maggie's friend from CityFibre) for dinner. We went to the El Pastor Mexican restaurant in the West Coal Drops near King's Cross and got lots and lots of tacos! Afterward, we went to the Ain't Nothing But The Blues Bar near Carnaby Street in Soho. Before that, we had tried to get into Nightjar Carnaby but realized that it was way too bougie for us. The bouncer was very scary and judged us for wearing jeans 😂. The live music at the bar we went to was great, and it was so fun to catch up with Tony and Sophia about their trip to France and England as well. The next day, we did the Harry Potter tour and then took the Night Bus to Paddington station in the morning! We got some good views of the semi quiet city at 4:30 am.Read more

  • France/England 2025
    1The Mirror of Erised (We desire each other)
    The Great HallThe Hogwarts Professors2"HARRYPOTTERDIDYOUPUTYOURNAMEINTHEGOBLETOFFIRE" Dumbledore asked calmlyThe Triwizard CupThe Invisibility Cloak (with green screen on the other side for VFX)Going to Platform 9 3/4Hogwarts Express4 Privet DriveThe Cupboard Under the StairsThe Weasley BurrowDrinking and DrivingMaggie & her MandrakeGetting the Hufflepuff Cup in GringottsDiagon AlleyDiagon AlleyHead GoblinGringotts BankHogwarts Castle Scale Model (used for all the exterior shots)Bennett with his new wand!Our Magical Dinner Venue

    Harry Potter Studio Tour

    May 7, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The last day of our trip was truly magical. We took a ride out to Watford to see the Warner Bros. Studios where they filmed all 8 Harry Potter movies! There were sets, costumes, props, models, butterbeer and so much more to see. We were smiling the whole time through the 4+ hour tour! We also splurged and got ourselves a nice dinner at the studios which was fancy and delicious. Absolutely worth the price of admission for anyone who grew up with Harry Potter.Read more

    Trip end
    May 8, 2025
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