To Frenchify Your Friday this week, I’m going to recommend a little bit of shopping! One of the ways I love to bring a little bit of France into my everyday life is to surround myself with French inspired bits and pieces. To be honest, I’ve probably taken it to obsession levels. No matter where […]
Janelle
440 posts
One of the first meals we hunt down when we arrive in Paris is Duck Confit with Sarladaise Potatoes. Our favourite version of this classic dish is served at Le Bistrot du 7ème, a lovely restaurant not too far from the Tour Eiffel. We first visited this restaurant on the recommendation of our Hotel’s concierge and […]
Close friends of ours are heading back for their third visit to Paris. It’s been a little while since they’ve travelled to the gorgeous city, so they are keen to find out about our favourite spots to shop and to eat. Given they fly next week, I decided that I’d better get my act together […]
It probably goes without saying that French women are known for their seemingly effortless, somewhat understated style. Over the years, I’ve noticed that there are a few key elements to this style – skinny jeans, a quality t-shirt, a great jacket, a scarf (bien sûr) and flat shoes. Predominantly ballet flats. Yes, ballet flats – […]
What is it about Provence that makes it so compelling? It could be the views. The light. The art. The warmth. It may very well be the rosé. Regardless, everyone who travels there falls head-over-heels in love with the place. And if you want to get a taste of the best Provence has on offer, […]
I’ve mentioned before that I am a sucker for well known Parisian brasseries. Give me just the suggestion of dining in Paris during La Belle Époque and I’m there – no matter how touristy the restaurant. I’m even willing to overlook the sometimes less than great food and occasionally, the not so fabulous service just […]
Full of smoked meats, creamy pâtés and preserved veggies, sharing a French charcuterie board is one of my favourite ways to start a meal. And it’s also the way I’m recommending you Frenchify Your Friday this week. Now, I love the fancy charcuterie boards you get in restaurants, but you can easily whip up […]
A colleague of mine is lucky enough to be spending four days in Paris soon. She has asked if she can catch up with me as she’d like my advice on what she should do while she is there. I’ve been thinking about how best to answer her. And – believe it or not […]
Autumn is my absolute favourite season. The days are still deliciously warm, but the evenings are crisp and cool. The light is divine and the colours become all soft and golden as the trees prepare to shed their leaves. And I adore the flavours of autumn, as earthy mushrooms, pumpkins and fennel all come into […]
I’m about to start French language lessons again and I’m really quite excited about that fact. I love the actual process of trying to learn a second language. But, I have to tell you, I’m surprised – and perhaps a little disappointed – at how much I’ve forgotten since our time at the French […]
I can’t tell you how glad I am that September has finally arrived – mainly due to the fact that Melbourne has just suffered through the coldest winter in 20-something years. I know I am not the only one in this part of the world who has been not-so-patiently waiting for spring. To celebrate the […]
Although it seems almost too obvious, one of my very favourite soups is the classic French onion soup. Rich and full of flavour, it’s best when topped with croutons made from toasted baguette, which are dripping with melted cheese. But while French onion soup is fabulous, it can be a bit of a bother to […]
I’ve written before about the fact that half the fun of visiting France comes from the planning stage. I can happily spend hours researching all the details – where to stay, what to eat, what to do, how to get around and what to buy all feature on my list of things to research. And […]
It’s time for me to finish up our little series of Parisian gems. And today I’m keen to share the Basilique Cathédrale de Saint – Denis with you all. Like the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée Carnavalet, the Basilica of Saint – Denis offers visitors a different taste of Paris. Legend has it that […]
Welcome to this week’s Frenchify Your Friday! I don’t know about you but there are certain foods that I automatically associate with France. Steak frites, cassoulet and French onion soup all immediately spring to mind. And on the sweet end of the spectrum, I can’t go past crème brûlée. But why would you go past […]
A little while back, I shared my first Parisian gem – the Musée de l’Orangerie. Through this series of posts I am looking to shed light on some Parisian sights that many people would have heard of but might not had the opportunity to visit. Today I’d like to let you in on one of […]
It is safe to say that Scott takes the majority of the photographs that we share here on Distant Francophile. He has been a keen hobby photographer for a long time now and has learnt a lot – through both formal and informal learning – on how to take a great photo. Scott is also […]
It’s Thursday night in Melbourne and I’ve been using my time productively…to day-dream about Paris, France and all things French. To be more accurate, I’ve probably been remembering more than day-dreaming. I’ve been recalling the flavours, the scents, the light and most of all, the colours of France. And in thinking about colour it occurred […]
I’m not much of sweet tooth – I actually prefer cheese over dessert. But the desserts I do like, I really like, if you know what I mean. One of the desserts that I always struggle to say ‘no’ to is Moelleux au Chocolat. Sometimes called Chocolat Fondant, this rich, oozing, chocolate concoction is a […]
We’ve just spent a fabulous weekend in Sydney, staying with some close friends who moved up there a little while ago. We hadn’t caught up with them properly since we got back from last trip, so there were lots of stories to share. Unsurprisingly, one of those stories centred around our enrolment in an immersion […]