France

It has all the makings of a fairy tale. Storybook castles. Towers, flying buttresses and flawless gardens. Fertile fields, graceful rivers and idyllic biking routes. Exquisite treats at patisseries and gourmet meals. The Loire Valley—a family getaway that ends with "happily ever after."

At the end of a typical Backroads day, I find myself well fed, happily tired and awe-inspired by what I just experienced. I drafted this blog from a hotel balcony in Dinard, just across an estuary from St. Malo, reflecting on yet another one of those wonderful days. What particularly struck me about the day was how much my kids learned without even knowing the trip was actually educational. I’m sneaky that way.

I'm not writing any new material by saying that Paris is a magical place. The amount of history, creativity, fine art and architecture in this ever-gray city is astonishing. In fact, deciding what to do with only 24 hours in such a culturally rich place can be overwhelming. Here's my recommendation for a day well spent in the City of Love.

Since April, I’ve been in five countries, met hundreds of new people, and slept on more than 50 different mattresses. A full season of leading with Backroads is a whirlwind of new places and faces. After seven plus months full of nonstop travel, what do leaders do when it all comes to an end?