Regular readers will know just how much I love answering questions from this awesome community. As with my day job, and my coaching, I prefer sharing things you’d actually like to know, rather than just guessing what you’d like to read about. So you’ll know that I was very happy to write this post, given […]
Travel Tips
51 posts
The thing I love the most about creating Distant Francophile is all the fabulous francophiles I’ve met over the years. And one of my favourite fellow francophiles is the very fabulous Jo Karnaghan. I first introduced you to Jo in episode two of The Franco-Files. Jo is the very clever founder of frugal first class travel. […]
The world moves in mysterious ways sometimes. Recently I launched a podcast for my coaching practice titled Self.Styled.Life. The feedback on it has been fabulous. And interestingly, because I’ve been sharing how Distant Francophile has been such a part of my own self-styled life, I’ve been getting a stack of questions about my love of […]
Squee!!! I’m super excited for this post. Why? Because I get to update you on the success of Planches & Plonk! Planches & Plonk is the dream business of our friends Graham and Damon. Graham and I got to know one another years ago when we started blogging at around the same time. When Scotty […]
In the seven year history of Distant Francophile, one post has stood out clearly as the most popular. Since it was posted in 2015, it’s had far more views than any other. Curious to know what francophiles and travellers are keen to learn about? Champagne. And specifically our do-it-yourself visit to the Champagne region. Now, […]
Choosing accommodation in France can be tricky. Like really tricky. In fact, tricky might not be the right word – especially for first time travellers. Downright challenging might be better. Or perhaps even outright difficult. You see, there are so many choices. Do you opt for a hotel or a short stay apartment? Which part […]
I’ll never forget our first visit to Paris. Although we’d travelled extensively within Australia, Scott and I had never left our home country together. And our joint international travel experience amounted to me visiting Singapore with my parents when I was 16 years old. We honestly had no idea what we doing. We didn’t understand […]
Do you want to know a secret? I rarely shop for clothing while I’m Paris. I’ll occasionally pick up shoes, lingerie or accessories. But I just don’t find myself devoting time to shopping for clothes while I’m in the City of Light. This is despite the facts that I hold style qualifications and that Paris […]
One of the great joys of travelling is the opportunity to stretch and challenge yourself. It also gives you a sense of freedom and a chance to try something you might not try at home. These moments of personal growth are multiplied when you choose to travel on your own. I was recently asked by […]
I absolutely love this time of year. Everything has a fresh feel to it, and the Australian summer days are tailor made for slowing down. For me, it is the perfect time of the year to make plans. And this year, I’ve been having a lovely time planning for September and October – the two […]
This week, an email from a Distant Francophile reader prompted two things: A smile from me; and This blog post. So what was so compelling about this particular email? Well, it reminded me of the challenges travellers face when they try to book almost anything for their visit to France online. Now, don’t get me […]
Someone asked me the other day about the things that light me up. Once upon a time I might have struggled to respond to that question. But these days the answer flows easily. And while the list of the things I’m passionate gets longer all of the time, two items are consistently at the top […]
As I promised I would be, I’m continuing to ponder the stack of questions I’ve received recently from Distant Francophile readers. One query that I realised I’d better answer in a hurry was around the success – or otherwise – of my most recent vacation packing efforts. I was also asked to share the […]
When it comes to visiting France, do you consider yourself an independent traveller? If you happen to be reading this, there’s a strong chance you do. It’s also likely that you enjoy making your own bookings and plans, as well as doing your own trip research. And I’m almost certain your research often involves scouring […]
More than a few years ago now, I made my first solo visit to Paris. I learned a lot, about travelling alone and about myself. Later, I shared that initial experience over at My French Life™, along with my thoughts on why Paris is an excellent destination for solo female travellers. Nobody will be surprised to […]
Well, our countdown is finally over and I’m writing this post as we travel to Europe, and our first stop, Prague. I promised regular readers that I would let you know the outcomes of my packing decisions, which I’m pleased to report were super easy after I’d sat with my Step Four questions for a […]
Packing for Paris. Once upon a time, those words made me feel more than a little apprehensive. It’s such a stylish city, and it is easy to feel like you might muck it up. Thankfully, visiting Paris at least once a year for the past decade has removed my packing nerves. But I won’t pretend […]
Not that long ago, I spent a very lovely amount of time dabbling around in my fragrance collection. We’re travelling again soon, and although I’m not in full packing mode yet, I’m certainly starting to think about the bits and pieces that will be joining me in France. (Side note: If packing is a chore […]
So far in this ‘Stylish Travel Essentials’ series we’ve explored two of my ‘must pack’ items – comfortable shoes and the cross-body bag. This week, I’m keen to examine a group of items that can take your travel wardrobe to a whole new level – accessories. Now, many definitions of accessories include both shoes and […]
I won’t go so far as to say that that travelling stylishly takes work. In fact, I’d argue that it can be incredibly easy. But elegant, graceful travel does require a strategy or two. Last week we took a look at my first stylish travel essential – comfortable shoes. This week, it’s time to explore […]