It’s official! Immersion is the only way to learn French. Apologies that I haven’t given you an update sooner, but it’s been busy here in Sancerre, with lessons, cultural activities and homework (of all things). But we are absolutely loving it. Well, at least I am. Scott is loving bits of it – he’s never […]
What To Do
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I’m so excited to let you know that we are back in Paris. We’ve checked into one of our favourite Parisian hotels, on Rue de Rivoli. Rooms here have the most spectacular views of the Tuilerie gardens and we know from our time here last year that it a perfect hotel for one night’s […]
We loved our unplanned visit to Nîmes. It is such a beautiful town, perfectly located in the south of France, and just full of Ancient Roman history. It is easy to get around on foot, and there is so much to see and do while you are there. Given how much I adored the place, […]
People watching is almost an official pass time in Paris. Parisians are happy not only to watch, but also to be watched. Following on from our recent people watching practice session, I thought I would share my top 10 people watching spots in Paris. Les Jardins du Palais Royal. Easily my favourite place to watch […]
I have a confession to make. It took me a very, very long time to learn anything at all about French wine. In fact, I didn’t really get my head around it until about 18 months ago. You see, in Australia wine is labelled by grape variety first, and then the region of Australia the […]
Over all our trips to France, we have now spent 35 nights in Paris. So I’m not all surprised when people suggest that there could be nothing left for us to see. But Paris is such an amazing city, I have a funny feeling that we will never get our entire ‘Paris To Do List’ […]
Over the weekend I suggested that, if you are new to Paris, it might be worth considering a city day tour. I’m happy to take that suggestion a step further and go so far as arguing that day tours are worth considering even when you’re a regular visitor to France. Over the years we’ve […]
People seem to either love or hate guided city tours. But to my mind, there is no better way to get your bearings in a new city. And this includes Paris. Many travellers seem to avoid Paris tours. I think it might be because Paris has such a long list of must-see highlights…if they choose […]
I’m counting the days until June, when we will be spending a few days in Provence. When compared to the time we’ve spent around Paris and Lyon, we’ve not spent much time at all in the south of France and I am really looking forward to returning. This time, we are headed to the village […]
We adored our time in Lyon. It really is a magical French city. Lyon somehow manages to combine the romance of Paris with the endless charm of the south of France. And then there is the food! Lyon is a perfect the perfect place to sink your teeth into French culture and I firmly believe […]
Confession time. There are stacks of things I’m happy to do in France that I tend to studiously avoid at home. Taking public transportation is one example. And climbing copious amounts of stairs is another. I’m always amused at how often we end up taking the stairs while we are in France and particularly Paris, […]
No matter how busy my day job gets, I take every available opportunity to share my passion for France. In that spirit, I have again worked in collaboration with one of my favourite sources of French inspiration, the online magazine My French Life. This time I share my tips on travelling to Paris as a solo […]
When choosing accommodation in France, it seems to me that most travellers go with one of two main choices. They either a opt for a hotel or stay in an apartment. Now let’s be clear. I’d stay in a tent if it meant I was in France (Scott will raise his eyebrows at this. It’s […]
As a rule, I love the lead up to Christmas, and this year is no exception. Yesterday, we selected and decorated the tree and we are now enjoying the gorgeous, once a year smell of fresh pine. I’ve also started planning the menu – I am always happy leafing through cookbooks, searching for the perfect […]
Over the weekend, I suggested that a Parisian dawn has the power to change you. And I believe that to be true. But let’s face facts here. Spending any time at all, anywhere in France, has the potential to change you.
A whole lot of different ways to think about France, and specifically Paris, have been jumping out at me lately. They are mainly coming from books, but of course, they are also coming from the on-line world too. Quotes. Comments. Questions. And I feel like I really need to dig deeper into some of […]
The French love lingerie. This fact, I know, does not constitute news. Reams have been written on the topic. Brands. Styles. Amounts spent. They all attract interest. But I have to admit being surprised (and amused) when we came across a men’s lingerie store in Lyon.
I work with a lovely young lady who is marrying her sweetheart next year. And, in what I consider to be an excellent decision, they are honeymooning in France.
I’m starting to get a bit excited. We are looking at travelling back to France next year, and it’s only a few short weeks now until the early bird flights become available. And once the flights are booked, the planning can really commence.
Seriously, there are so (SO!) many things I should be doing right now. But instead I am daydreaming about Paris (again). And I wonder why I never get anything done!