One of the best things about our (not so) recent trip was the amount of reading I was able to squeeze in. Unfortunately, reading for pleasure seems to have virtually disappeared from my everyday life. Sometimes I have to force myself to read just so I can share the Distant Francophile book reviews! But while […]
Janelle
440 posts
I write regularly about the fact that the whole country of France inspires the imagination. As a result, France brings out the creative side in many who choose to visit and in those who make the eventual decision to call France home. Artists, sculptors, musicians and culinary geniuses all flock to France. And the same […]
Whether they are running some of the world’s fastest trains or shaping some of the most recognisable trees on the planet, there is a whole lot to admire about the French dedication to precision and quality. I love how the French go above and beyond when it comes to the fine details. Let’s take French […]
I’ve just started reading the highly acclaimed book by author Elaine Sciolino, The Only Street In Paris. Life on the Rue des Martyrs. It’s far too early for me to write you a review. Given the way I’m struggling to find time to read right now, you can expect that in a few months – […]
Baby pink blossom, with an Eiffel Tower backdrop. Parisian café terraces bathed in ever brightening sunlight. Yes, the photos that have been popping up in my Instagram feed lately have been sending a clear message. Spring is on the way – at least in Paris. And while the ever appropriate Parisians won’t be looking to […]
Well, it’s time to Frenchify Your Friday and in my mind at least, it is time for something that is both French and sweet. With those two criteria in mind, it is hard for me to go past suggesting you set yourself a mission to find yourself a classic Mont Blanc. Whether you save […]
On Sunday, I shared my Top Five Reasons For Packing Light. Each one of my points were perfectly reasonable and fairly difficult to argue with, even if I do say so myself. But having a stack of motives for travelling light doesn’t make the art of refined packing any easier. These days, I can head […]
We went to a party a couple of nights ago and as it always does, the conversation turned firstly to travel and inevitably to packing. Our host on the evening is planning a three month jaunt to Europe with her hubby. It is their first big trip and it will be their introductory visit to […]
The weather in Melbourne has been more odd than usual lately. I’d almost say it’s been a bit tropical (almost). It’s summer here, so it’s been warm. But it’s also been very, very rainy. And my favourite thing about rain is the fact that I get to pretend that I’m a little bit French and […]
Is it just me or does anyone else feel like we’ve just raced through the fastest January on record? I feel like it is just a few days since we celebrated the new year and I’m already flipping the calendar pages over! But the good news is that the new year seems to have inspired […]
Start a conversation about Parisian arrondissements, as we did on Distant Francophile last week, and inevitably you will end discussing Parisian hotels. Given our love of Parisian apartments, you are probably not surprised to learn that we’ve not stayed in too many hotels in Paris. And truth be told, recommending a hotel can be as […]
This week’s Frenchify Your Friday is all about French crêpes. I know. I know. I can’t believe that I haven’t suggested that you Frenchify Your Friday with a classic crêpe yet either. Especially when you consider how yummy and quintessentially French they are. To my mind, crêpes rival crème brûlée as my favourite French dessert. […]
Do you have a signature style? Something that articulates your brand in the world? A look that everyone immediately associates as being ‘so you’? There’s no doubt about it, developing a signature style is a good idea. Somewhat akin to a uniform – and occasionally described as such – everything you’ll read on the topic […]
Last week, I provided the first instalment of a response to the question Which Parisian Arrondissement Is Best To Stay In?which was put to us by a Distant Francophile reader. Let’s be honest – it’s an extremely valid question. Paris is chock full of things to do and see, and it makes sense to locate […]
Personally, I adore perfume. I have bottles of the stuff on my dresser. I’ve had a bespoke fragrance made just for me. I love choosing a scent based on how I feel in the morning. And I am especially fond of French perfume. So, it’s little wonder that I fully relate to the […]
It probably doesn’t surprise anyone that many of the posts on Distant Francophile are inspired by the questions we receive from people who are keen to visit France. Regardless of how these queries reach us – via the website, email or in person – they always get me wondering whether I might be able to […]
I think I’ve mentioned before that my very favourite skincare is created by the French brand Caudalie. I always come home from France with a stack of Caudalie products. While I am occasionally unfaithful – usually trying different skincare brands when I run out of Caudalie, which is not readily available in Australia – I […]
Via a gift from a couple of gorgeous friends, I was recently introduced to Lillet, the Bordeaux wine based apéritif that comes in blanc and rouge varieties as well as a rosé version. Now I know many of you would be rolling your eyes right now and wondering how this self proclaimed francophile has managed […]
While they don’t quite evoke deep memories for me like they did for Marcel Proust, one of my all time favourite French sweet treats is the madeleine. Madeleines are not nearly as fancy or elaborate as some other French cakes, pastries and petits fours but they are just perfect served with a cup of tea […]
Many travellers head to France wishing to experience the amazing food. And if you feel like you want to take the ‘foodie’ experience to a whole new level, then checking out a Michelin-starred restaurant could be for you. We’ve been lucky enough to eat at a number of one, two and three starred restaurants now […]