Last Friday, while we were in the French city of Annecy, Scott and I were clever enough to stop into a local bar for l’apéro. The air was cool but the sun was still shining and the tables on the terrace were almost completely full. The vibe was happy and buzzy (as Scotty described it). […]
The Distant Francophile Blog
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You can learn the easy way or the hard way. Personally, I’m always a fan of finding the easy way. People watching is one my very favourite things to do in France – and one of the simplest ways I’ve found to learn about the French people. Whether we are in the big cities or […]
Today’s top travel tip for fashion loving francophiles. If you are only spending one day in Paris, make sure you time your visit to coincide with Fashion Week. Somehow, via good luck and absolutely no management whatsoever, that’s exactly what I managed to do on our recent visit. Now Paris is wonderful for people watching […]
I simply adore writing our monthly inspiration posts from France. While it doesn’t happen all that often, whenever it does I always feel like I have so much more to share with you. It’s probably got something to do with the fact that I’m focussed on taking everything in. Or perhaps it has something to […]
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 […]
My mind is definitely in packing mode at the moment. Not only am I right in the middle of packing for our upcoming trip to France (we fly next Wednesday) but I’ve also been travelling extensively with my day job. Last week, as I travelled to an interstate conference with workmates, several conversations reminded […]
It’s well known that flying equals drying. And long haul flights – which is all we can do if we actually want visit anywhere outside Australia – can be particularly dehydrating. But despite the fact that I seem to spend half my life in airports, I didn’t realise how much flying could dry you out […]
If you ask me, a truly spectacular visit to France requires more than a little forethought. If you want to experience the best France has to offer and avoid disappointment when it comes to things like accommodation and restaurant reservations, you’ll want to do some planning. We covered all the reasons trip planning is important […]
One of the things that Scott and I love about visiting France is being introduced to new wines. More through good luck than via specific design, our travels over the years have seen us experience the tastes of Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Rhone-Valley, Sancerre and Champagne. And we’re heading to Bordeaux next month. You probably don’t […]
Hello September. I’m so happy to see you! If you’re a regular here at Distant Francophile, you’ll know that we head back to France later this month. A fact which, rather obviously, explains my excitement about September arriving. This time, we’ll be travelling during autumn. I simply can’t wait to visit France during autumn again. […]
Welcome to a fresh, new Frenchify Your Friday. Speaking of fresh and new, here in Melbourne the very first signs of spring are starting to peek out from behind the covers of a long, cold winter. Every now and then we have a warmer day. Spring bulbs are starting to pop up. And it is […]
Europe – and France in particular – holds such a fascination for so many people. You rarely come across someone who doesn’t love travelling there. At the moment I have two of my staff (from my day job) heading to European destinations and another one who has just returned. With our own trip now a […]
I simply adore French markets. Whether I’m in Paris, or a long way off the beaten track, checking out the local market is an absolute must for me. The first French market we ever experienced was at Anvers in Paris. The apartment we were staying in overlooked the market square and we were fascinated as […]
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 […]
Frenchify Your Friday this week by throwing your favourite scarf around your neck. Regardless of the season, by adding a scarf you are also adding a big dose of French style to both your outfit and your day. And this week’s Frenchify Your Friday idea couldn’t be any more simple – scarves are super […]
I’m one of those lucky people who enjoys the lead up to a big event almost as much as the event itself. I’ve been like it since I was a child. I adored the lead up to Christmas, and literally could not sleep on Christmas Eve because I was so excited. And you’ve got no […]
Super busy is the best description of the Distant Francophile team at the moment. New jobs, stacks of work travel and fresh projects are the order of the day. Given this, for the next few weeks, we’ll be dipping into the archives for ideas on how to bring a splash of French fun to your […]
I’ve mentioned before that I love hearing about fellow traveller’s experiences of France. I’m intrigued by it all. Where they went. What they ate. How they travelled. And, most of all, what they learned. Which is why I’ve been so excited to have Distant Francophile reader Claire posting lately about her recent trip to France. […]
Lately, we’ve been extending a conversation that a good friend and I started about the importance of grooming. And it turns out that French women have bucketloads of tips to help you look your best. We’ve already covered the big names – hair, eyebrows and skincare – so today I thought we should discuss all the little things. […]
Recently on Distant Francophile we discussed French grooming tips for your skin. In case you missed it, the key advice included always removing your make-up and to moisturise, moisturise, moisturise! No one could argue that French people don’t have beautiful skin, so to Frenchify your Friday this week, I’m suggesting we should all do something […]