Scott and I have not long returned from our very first visit to the United States, where we spent two weeks in New York. We had an absolutely wonderful time. We did all the things you are supposed to do when exploring a new city. You know, things like walking for miles, eating more than […]
Our Team
66 posts
Time for a change of pace today. As I’ve shared so many times before, I love, love, love it when Distant Francophile readers reach out to me with questions. I’m always happy to answer these queries. After all, questions require answers. Regardless of the topic – style, confidence, packing for France, potential itineraries, French culture […]
One of the many things I’m really looking forward to on our upcoming trip to Paris is a photo shoot. We had the pleasure of doing a shoot with the beautiful Paris based photographer Carla Coulson a couple of years ago. It really was one of the most sensational and memorable ways to spend […]
It’s funny how many people automatically assume that the only destination Scotty and I spend any time in during our French holidays is Paris. I guess it makes sense. Paris is spectacular, coveted and, for so many of us, somewhere towards the top of our bucket lists. The City of Light has cast her spell […]
I find other cultures completely fascinating. I’m quite sure this is the reason that I’ve always been compelled to travel. Actually being in a place gives you insights that you will never find in a book or on-line. But no matter how many times you visit a destination, you never quite develop the same understanding […]
I love the fact that the French are completely committed to the very best of everything. I find their dedication to quality both fascinating and inspirational. As a result, I continually try to upgrade the quality of every area of my own life. With those words as background, I’m sure you’ll understand why I was so […]
I’m breaking my own rules today. Regular readers will know that I rarely recommend accommodation options here on Distant Francophile. To my mind, choosing where to stay while travelling is a very personal thing. Tastes, budgets and expectations of a perfect getaway all come into play when we decide whether or not we like a […]
Well, after a rather long count down, our trip is finally here. We try to travel to France at least once a year and we are spending almost five weeks there this time. This will be our longest stint ever in France – and I just can’t wait to get there. I’ve got to tell […]
For a little while now, I’ve been getting a feeling that it is time for me to make some changes in my life. I’ve become quite fascinated by the idea of increased simplicity, and the associated concept of ‘quality over quantity’. My longing for less but better has manifested itself in all sorts of changes […]
I’ve been thinking about inspiration this week. If you spend any time at all reading Distant Francophile you’ll know that I am a big fan of taking inspiration from all things French. In fact, it is the premise of this entire blog. If you suddenly decide, as I did, to look up the etymology of […]
I’ve been very busy at work recently, delivering a big project that has been equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. Unfortunately, I’m not getting any comments about looking exhilarated. I am however getting stacks of feedback about how tired I appear. Which, I guess, is fair enough. I’ve been working long hours and can’t say […]
I absolutely adore the Distant Francophile community. It is full of beautiful, caring francophiles who also happen to be both talented, amusing and clever! Last week’s post – 20 Things I’ve Learned From The French – certainly got a conversation started between these amazing people. So many others had their own ‘French lessons’ to share […]
Of all the Australian Capital cities, Melbourne is considered the most ‘European’. Melbournians can thank the large influx of Italian and Greek immigrants back in the 1950s for that title – their culture and customs have meshed with ours over years. As a result, our city is known for atmospheric laneways overflowing with great delicatessens, […]
Travel is an excellent opportunity to learn. About yourself. About your travelling companions. And of course, about the country you travel to. Over the years, I’ve come to see the French culture as my ultimate mentor. I’ve learned so much over the years and sometimes it surprises me just how many of these lessons I’ve […]
One of the things I always notice when I return from France is how easy things are. It feels like I don’t have to think when I get back to Melbourne. Driving is straightforward, as is getting a table in a restaurant. Crossing the road is simple and asking for directions takes no thought at […]
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 – […]
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 […]
Our regular Frenchify Your Friday post is having a little holiday tonight so we can take a moment to wish all of our fabulous Distant Francophile readers a safe and happy Christmas. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing we hope you have a wonderful day. Maybe you’ll even have a chance to incorporate […]
I love the comments that Distant Francophile readers share – they always get me thinking. A comment earlier this week had Scott and I discussing how generic cultures can become. Australian culture is a great example. Post white settlement, the Aussie culture was driven by the British Empire, prior to being deeply and positively influenced […]
When Paris was so tragically attacked last month, many people questioned whether we were still planning to travel to France, and specifically Paris. While our travel plans were never in danger of changing, we were curious to understand what had changed in France after the Paris attacks. Personally, I was hoping for nothing – but […]