I’ve really been looking forward to writing this blog post. Why? Because I love it when the Distant Francophile community reach out with a specific question for me to play with. And I had a super question come up recently in the comments of My Top French Travel Tip post. Denise is a long time […]
Packing Tips
19 posts
The latest Franco-Files episode is a bit different. Why? Because I don’t I have a guest. Nope, it’s just me sharing my tips on how to pack lightly. I’ve been travelling a lot for work lately. And Scotty and I are about to head back to Canada which means that the need to pack lightly […]
I haven’t really talked about it that much here on the blog, but it’s not that long now before we head to France for two whole months. (Over on Instagram it’s another story – I’ve been subjecting my fellow francophiles to the longest countdown of all time. But I digress.) We’ve been lucky enough to […]
Well, spring has bloomed in Paris. And, as a result, my social media feeds are full of ‘soon to be travellers’ sharing their plans. For some it is their very first visit to Paris. Others have made the trip many times before. But all are united by the sense of excitement that can only come […]
‘If you could recommend just one thing to pack for a trip to Paris, what would it be?’ This was the tricky question that was casually tossed my way recently by a friend. And it sent my brain into a tailspin. Seriously, did she really want me to narrow the focus to just one thing? […]
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 […]
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 […]
With snow falling recently on the normally balmy shores of the French Riviera, it is difficult to believe that spring is knocking loudly upon northern hemisphere doors. Spring is a magical time for travelling. The days are getting longer, the crowds aren’t the bother that they can be in summer and the parks and […]
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 […]
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 […]
A friend of mine is facing a packing dilemma. You see, he has agreed to go on a holiday with a large group of friends to celebrate a 40th birthday. He is very close to the ‘birthday girl’ and doesn’t want to miss her special day. But he is struggling a little. Because the holiday […]
A Distant Francophile reader got in touch with me recently. She is in the enviable position of heading to Paris during December and January and was looking for some advice on what to wear while experiencing the magic of winter in Paris. It’s no secret that I’ll happily travel to Paris at any time of […]
Last week’s guest post from Claire – the Multiples Of Two Packing Plan – really resonated with the Distant Francophile community. And why wouldn’t it? Who doesn’t love picking up advice from fellow travellers. Well, luckily for all of us, Claire has generously agreed to share another of her packing lessons – thank you so much […]
You are probably aware – either via the news or the astonishing Instagram photos – that the rain has been bucketing down in Paris. To say that it has been a rather damp start to the Parisian summer is a bit of an understatement really! With so much discussion going on about the Parisian weather […]
The week before last, I attended a conference for women in finance where I was absolutely delighted to receive a Lipault Weekender bag. In a fine show of generosity the bag was actually the sponsors goodie bag – a definite step up from the standard cloth bag that normally graces that sort of event. Now […]
I’ve got to tell you – I’ve always found packing for Paris in spring a bit tricky. I always end up lugging way more weight than I want to – primarily because I’m forever trying to cater for the changeable weather. Shoes are definitely the worst. If there is ever a season that sees me […]
Since I shared the fact that I love visiting Paris in winter, I’ve had a stack of questions regarding what stylish bits and pieces you might pack for a visit to Paris when the weather is cooler and the days are shorter. To be perfectly honest, I find it way easier to pack for a […]
When we return from a trip, it is inevitable that we will get questions. And I guess it is also inevitable that these questions will revolve around a couple of common topics. As a result I can virtually guarantee that we will always get questions about two things – accommodation and packing.