France
Burgundy by bike, boat or car
Paris may be crawling with tourists scurrying to monuments and museums, but in Burgundy, a mere 90 minutes south on the TGV train, sightseeing is never an object. The pace is slow, the countryside bucolic and the pleasures of gastronomy rule supreme. The chandeliers in the Michelin-starred restaurants are eternally glittering and the puffy […]
Normandy as painted by the Impressionists
Normandy is like a beret perched askew on a Frenchman’s head, the 360-mile Normand coast curls along the north and northwest of France. After visiting Rouen, I headed for the coast to soak in the beaches and soft-green landscapes bathed in shifting light. Claude Monet’s Etretat “I count on doing a large canvas of the […]
Gourmet Barging in Burgundy, France
The mere name Burgundy evokes splendid wines, fine cellars, history and epicurean feasts. The secret is out among wine and food connoisseurs — the best way to sample it all is aboard a luxury barge cruising along the Burgundy canals. Barging is not a river […]
France. Impressionist Painters in Normandy.
What exactly is a Francophile? Someone who appreciates French history, culture, fashion, art and cuisine, and that describes me. Ever since I lived in Paris, for four years when I was in my 20’s, I jump at every opportunity to go to France. Last month I jumped at a chance to go to Normandy to follow […]
Paris from the Towers of Notre Dame
Paris promises something for everyone – sophistication, beauty, culture, history, cuisines, art, escape and that nebulous quality called ambiance. Hopefully when you visit Paris you’ll carve out time to do more than rush to the major tourists sites; the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Muse d’Orsay. A Visit to the towers of NOTRE DAME […]
Tasty Travels: French Country Winter Soup
When I was a student in Paris, a classmate invited me to her home in the Loire Valley for the weekend. We took the train from Paris and visited the cathedral in Chartres and several castles. February is a cold and damp time in France. I remember the pleasure of entering the kitchen in her […]
Monet’s Garden at Giverny is a great day-trip from Paris
The French Impressionist’s final home in Giverny is where Monet lived for 43 years, and painted every day in his gardens or studio. His water garden is perhaps the best known of all his subjects; weeping willows, a wisteria-draped Japanese bridge, water lilies, rhododendrons and a vivid pallet of blooming flowers in all […]
I left my heart in … Paris
Last weekend I fell in love with a new city, Paris. For three euphoric days I ran around the City of Lights and, like most first time visitors, I tried to see all the tourist attractions. We climbed the Eiffel Tower in the teeth-chattering winter weather, fell into a trance listening to the boys’ choir […]
Paris where the summer solstice is a night of music
I went to Paris, thinking I’d visit museums and historic sites. Jazz in St. German des Pres. Instead I happened upon the summer solstice on June 21st, the “Fete de la Musique” – one of the best free, street-music festivals in Europe. The mood was electric and I got a taste of authentic Paris culture […]
Paris Free Street-Music Festival on the Summer Solstice
Best Free Street-Music Festival in Europe Don’t miss the “Fete de la Musique” on the summer solstice (June 21st) in Paris. The mood is electric and you get a taste of authentic Paris culture and performances of everything from opera, jazz and rock to hip-hop and electronic music. The music starts early afternoon in some […]