After a stressful week, sometimes, you just need to get away from the pressure and spend a few days somewhere different. Thankfully, I have friends in other parts of France who will quickly welcome me to spend a spontaneous weekend with them in their city.

My friend Riana is doing TAPIF in Le Havre, which is about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Paris by train. A couple of weeks ago, I asked how she would feel if I showed up at the train station the next morning, and the rest was history.

While my main goal for the weekend was to get some space from Paris and forget about my stress a bit, I was also really excited to check out a new part of France and see what my friend has been up to here during the past few months. Here’s how we spent the weekend:

Shopping

If you know Riana and me, this should be no real surprise to you. We checked out two of the big shopping centers in Le Havre, Coty and Docks Vauban.

Sightseeing

Obviously, I had to check out all the sights in the area! Unfortunately, the weather was, well, terrible, so the views weren’t exactly incredible, but I did make an effort to see the following places:

• The beach
• Place General de Gaulle
• Le Volcan
• The port
• Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville

Eating and Drinking

This is clearly the most important section. As true New Orleans foodies, we had to check out the best spots for foods and drinks!

We began the weekend with brunch at PAUL in the Coty centre commercial. That evening, we enjoyed a wine tasting at W Wine Bar, which was a huge highlight for both of us and also marked the moment when I promised to return for another visit.

For dinner, we enjoyed delicious food and drink at Le Cardinal. Our last stop of the day was Black Café, a pub that Riana and her friends frequently visit.

The next morning, we searched everywhere to find a good brunch or lunch, only to find that most places were closed on Sundays. After settling for Monsieur Auguste, a restaurant that we knew had good burgers, we were stunned to find a huge buffet brunch available. It was delicious and fun at the same time!

My day and a half in Le Havre were somehow busy, yet rejuvenating, at the same time. It consisted of lots of good food, laughter, and memories, so what else could I really ask for?!