My Wishes For a Happy and Healthful and Great Traveling in 2010

Dear Readers,
We are just hours away from ending the year 2009, and for many of us worldwide, it was not so great and for me especially, it was tinged with a bit sadness with the loss of so many associates and friends, but the brightside was my travels to France and as Mr. Bogart once remarked, "We'll Always have Paris" .........Thank goodness for that!
So I wish you all ,a wonderful and exciting 2010 and hope all of you get to visit France in the coming year.
       Happy New Year
      and Bonne année à tous les lecteurs de ce blog....

The Return Of Good Old-Fashioned Candy - Paris Style

Servant Candy Store

Lovers of gourmet delights, tired of industrial candy products are rediscovering just how sweet the past can be. Traditional French candy, a culinary heritage, almost lost, has made resurgence replete with secret recipes from monasteries and apothecaries in several ‘candy’ stores throughout Paris thanks to a few dedicated professionals.

One of the best is Servant, opened in 1913, here kids and adults are whisked alike to another world and that’s even before you enter the store. Servant 30, rue d’Auteuil 16e

For penny candy try – Les Bonbons 6 rue Brea 6e

Birthday Light Show For Eiffel Tower's New year

In honor of its 120th birthday and the new decade, the Eiffel Tower is offering its first New Year light show on Thursday night. If you're in Paris, you can watch it from the Trocadero side. If not, the spectacle will be presented live on a special internet site.
http://31decembreaparis.com/ 

 the show starts at 11pm Paris time . You get an idea in the video posted above ( click on the site and then click on La Video du 31 to get a preview) . It is a special version of a display that has been running over the Christmas period which uses 400 high technology flood-lights and four-color LEDs. It ends with a 10-minute count-down to midnight

 
 
 

French Basque Country Hideaway

I must be honest, I often think about food, very often in fact, and this morning is no exception as I am looking out my window at the unusual sight of a snow covered Mt. Baldy (normally you can never see it from Beverly Hills or anywhere in Los Angeles for that matter), my mind harkens back to my stay in the Basque region of France to an incredible inn, situated at the rolling foothills (French side, but with a fabulous view of the Spanish side) of the Pyrenees, that overlooks the Nive Valley. Here on a remote 45 acre estate of meadows and forests is a hotel/inn called Ostape. It is located on a hillside in Bidarray, just a few kilometers from Biarritz. Cars ( on a very narrow road) entering Ostapé can only travel as far as the stables at the estate, so porters met you there take your luggage, and whisked you to your room in golf carts. The inn is made up of 5 villas, among which Chahatoa, a magnificent 18th-century house, is built in the traditional style of the Navarre region with white-washed facades, and crimson shutters. It is also home to a fabulous restaurant.
Interior designer Tonia Peyrot, who also decorated Alain Ducasse’s , La Bastide de Moustiers, in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie in the Alpes de Haute Provence, has given each of the 22 rooms its own expression, conveying the richness and rarity of the surrounding landscapes. My room had a stunning view of the lush hills dotted with white sheep. Everything was done in muted tones, which enhanced the feeling of relaxation and calm. A large living room, bedroom area and well-fitted bath made us feel as though I were in a lovely apartment rather than a hotel room.

 Wanting to eat right away (natch!), I tossed my clothes on the bed and made a dash for, a rustic, but elegant restaurant, Chahatoa. . Here head Chef Claude CALVET (watch out for that name,. as I predict he’ll be one of the new ‘hot’ chefs in the coming years)

                                                               Chef Claude
He blends ocean and mountain flavors into an authentic cuisine, using only regional produce and ingredients. The produce comes from the Biarritz farmers market, and is also grown directly on one of the estate’s two vegetable gardens. The restaurant boasts a lively list of regional vintages from both French and Spanish vineyards. My lunch was, in a word, superb and the service impeccable. I started with blood sausage and apple tart with salad, then shredded veal with seasonal vegetables and ended with a Caribbean chocolate fondant cake with vanilla bourbon ice cream and an almond flavored cookie, a and of course, with wines selected by the chef.
The Navarre Region has endowed the countryside with winding pathways, which lend themselves perfectly to long, peaceful walks, or to discover other outdoor activities. At Ostapé, guests may enjoy culinary classes, swim in the pool, or go for thoroughbred horseback rides from the stables on the estate. The River Nive, located at the foot of the estate, leads to the Atlantic. This is a great place to relax and decompress, to eat, sleep, read, make love and just wander. It is defiantly is not for A type personalities. I could return here, time and time again, A stay here refreshes the soul, mind and stomach! The beauty of the French Basque country is over-powering and magical!

Joyeux Noel - Merry Christmas - Happy Christmas

See France at 4 Miles an Hour

My brother and I rented a self-drive boat in Burgundy and cruised for a week, on one of the incredible and beautiful canals of  France. Because he is a chef, I steered the boat and he cooked! Actually we both took turns and there were plenty of cafes and restaurants along the way we took advantage of.
It was one of our best vacations in France.

Go where you wish and tie up where you wish.There is no more perfect or unique way to discover the beauty and to touch the very soul of France than boating on one of their canals. . The French built an extensive network of waterways or canals for commerce 250 years ago. Today these waterways and canals are yours for pleasure boating. With a self-Drive Barge (no special skills are required) and at 4 miles a hour, you’ll enjoy a leisurely pace and the freedom to do as you please. Explore a medieval canal village or town, dine deliciously at one of the many exceptional canal side restaurants, taste famous French wines spirits at their source, and gaze upon breathtaking canal side landscapes unchanged by the passing centuries. From your boat, view canal side sites that inspired the world's greatest artists - this is a vacation with a difference. There is nothing like it. Rates for a week start anywhere from $1500 to $2100 ( depending on your boat size).

Around every bend, this is what you find!

One of the many locks you travel through

Champagne On A Beer Budget in Reims

For the last 20 years or so, my favorite 3 Star Michelin restaurant in France, hands down has always been Les Crayeres (located in Reims – The Champagne Country). It has never been cheap, but great food, the talent of a great chef, and great ingredients does cost! Since lunch took 3 hours (my kind of lunch) it was a destination for me just to eat. I would travel here from Paris, just to have lunch, whenever I visited France.
NOW….I am happy to announce that along with the incredible Le Parc gourmet restaurant, Les Crayeres has added Le Jardin Brasserie. Open 7 days a week, all year long with service until 10:30pm. Les Crayeres has created a unique place entirely designed around the champagne in order to make this divine wine accessible to all and one's budget (the restaurant offers a Euro 28 prix fixe meal - incredible!). That's a bargain, as the Le Parc restaurant meal can run you around 150 Euros per person.

The chef reinvents traditional recipes from Champagne and elsewhere. Of course when it comes to the ‘cave” La Jardin benefits from the unique experience of master sommelier, Philippe JAMESSE and a menu of 400 kinds of Champagne.

Les Crayeres is also a wonderful hotel (in the heart of Reims)  and you might consider staying overnight.

Here is a review by Paris critic and author, Alexander Lobrano

Whether you live in Paris or are just visiting, Reims, the Champagne capital has always been a great day out. And now that this bubbly ville is only 45 minutes from Paris on the new TGV Est, it's more appealing than ever. They're the Champagne caves to visit, bien sur, but the locals museums are superb, too, as is the cathedral that so fascinated Monet. And with the opening of Le Jardin, the new brasserie at the famous Les Crayeres hotel-restaurant, the city also has a truly enchanting place for lunch. Le Jardin is also under the supervision of chef Didier Elena, the Monaco born chef who cooked chez Ducasse for several years, mostly notably in New York City. It's a great way to get at his cooking without spending an arm-and-a-leg, too, since the average bill at Le Jardin is about 45 Euros a head as opposed to 200 Euros a head at Les Crayeres. During a recent dejeuner a la campagne--it was such a pretty day that four of us jumped on the train and went to Reims just for lunch, we loved the superb charcuterie starter, which include some sublime jambon de Reims, red tuna and avocado tartare, and a terrific Caesar salad to start (Romaine with chicken, shrimp, a poached egg and a dressing with a perfect anchovy-Parmesan bite). Main courses were very good, too, including an excellent and very generously served gratin of crabmeat, rotisserie roasted pork belly, a textbook perfect sole meuniere, and boudin blanc with apple-onion compote. A tempting array of side dishes, a very American concept, included Parmesan-rosemary frites, haricots verts with toasted almonds, and a French take on onion rings, and in this arena, only the gnocci fell short of mark--texture all wrong and very bland. We finished up with one of the best lemon tarts any of us had eaten in a long time and also a wonderful nougat glace with caramel au beurre sale. Mark my words, someday scientists will discover that regular consumption of caramel au beurre sale (caramels made with salted butter) had been incontrovertibly proven to significantly improve the human life span. Weather permitting, Le Jardin also has a charming terrace overlooking the park-like setting of Les Crayeres, and if it's cool or rainy, a hip Soho inspired dining room by interior decorator Pierre Yves Rochon--think exposed brick walls, an open kitchen behind plate glass, factory lamps and big picture windows. The menu of 21st century comfort food has taken Reims by storm, too--many Champagne execs eat here every other day, so be sure to make a reservation. 7 Avenue du Général Giraud, Reims,

Normandy to Fete Impressionists - Summer 2010

If you are thinking about visiting France next Spring/Summer, give a though to visiting Normandy

For a truly unique experience, from Caen to Dieppe, Monet to Pissarro and Debussy to Ravel you won’t want to miss the first ever Normandy Impressionist Festival in summer 2010. A ground-breaking exhibition at the Rouen Fine Arts Museum will explore this city’s influence on the Impressionist movement through some hundred paintings by Monet, Pissarro, Gauguin and others. From May through September, towns all across Normandy will participate with exhibits, events and celebrations not only of painting, but of all the artistic disciplines influenced by the Impressionists and their works.

VERY IMPORTANT FOR PARIS VISITORS 2010 - Impressionist Paintings at d'Orsay Museum Will Be Moved To The United States For 1 year

From January 2010 to March 2011, the museum will be carrying out major renovation work leading to the closure of level 5. This section is where all the Impressionist and post Impressionist paintings are housed. The collections will be displayed in new, specially redesigned rooms in 2011. BUT....The paintings will be shown in the United States during this time period in San Francisco at the De Young Museum for a combined eight months beginning in May 2010 and ending in January 2011. Each exhibition will include approximately 100 paintings from the Musée d’Orsay’s permanent collection and highlights the work of nearly 40 artists including Cézanne, Degas, Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Rousseau, Seurat, Sisley, Toulouse-Lautrec, van Gogh and Vuillard. The Musée d’Orsay will loan the exhibitions while it undergoes a partial closure for refurbishment and reinstallation in anticipation of the Musée’s 25th anniversary in 2011. The de Young will be the only museum in the world to host both exhibitions.

I love Paris in the springtime, I love Paris in the fall., I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles

Cole Porter's song about his love of Paris took on new meaning this morning - In Paris, it’s not only drizzling, but snowing! Very unusual for Paris! But still beautiful anyway!

Christmas Display, As Only Paris Can Do It!

 CHRISTMAS TREES SPORT HAUTE COUTURE

Students of the world’s oldest fashion school, ESMOD have designed “tree couture” for 40 gorgeous, glittering and glamorous Christmas trees, which are showcased at the Hôtel Intercontinental Le Grand. Visitors can wander through the lobby and public spaces of the hotel to admire the trees at their leisure. The display is on until the end of January.

Hotel l’InterContinental Paris Le Grand 2, rue Scribe

Brittany - The Wild Coast of Southern Finistere

On day 4, I left the area of Brittany known as Morbihan and drove north (about 2 hours) through rolling farmland to the southern Finistere. This part of Brittany is very wild and rugged but also has some beautiful sheltered beaches. My object was to tour for 2 days the western part of this area and visit the Pointe Du Van and Pointe du Raz, which is the regions wildest and most beautiful places.
I used the seafaring town of Douarnenez as my base area and then did day trips from here to the West.

The drive west from Douarnenez to the Pointe du Raz is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The drive along the d765 ( I am sure you heard me wax poetic about other places in France) but this scenic drive is glorious and now has become one of my most favorite drives in France.

I arrived at the Pointe du Raz in a slight blowing rain ( I am told this is the best time to see the area, because the scenery is more spectacular). This wild and majestic spur of land is shaped by the action of waves that rise to the height of more than 230 ft. The area is now a conservation protectorate with a network of footpaths. The only sounds were the whipping wind, the surf below and the cries of gulls. The clouds, in several shades of white to gray, seemed to move quickly overhead, and a salty, wet mist hits you in the face. In this part of Brittany, like much of its 750 miles of coastline, you can't help but feel you are at the end of the world.

It’s about a mile walk to the lighthouse area with time to peer (ever so carefully) over the side of the cliff to get a better view of the raging surf (feared by local sailors). After my walk I headed south along the coastline, passing a on one side, the look of the remote and desolate moors of Scotland and on the other side, some of the most dramatic sea views anywhere. In fact, I found a place/village that I’d like to live in forever! (But that’s my secret).

Every turn and every corner was spectacular as I drive. I finished at the seafaring town of Audierne. The town is known for its catch of sea bass, sea bream, monkfish and crayfish. Since it was noon, I decided to stop and have lunch. There are several lovely harbor side restaurants and by luck, I stepped into L’Iroise (named after the bay that surrounds this area). What a lucky find…………


……………more to come on my next blog entry.

Friday Thoughts on Brittany

Besides the fabulous rugged sea coast, with its windswept dunes, rocky beaches, lobster pots stacked on salt-beached piers - looking very much like New England, the other side of Brittany is just a fascinating, for its inland scenery. Driving through it, one can only think of the rolling hills of Vermont and New Hampshire or the Cotswold’s in England.

While driving this last November, I had to stop constantly to step outside my car and look at the amazing scenery. It seemed I was doing this, every 15 or 20 minutes. I could not believe the beauty!
Above is just a small sample of what you might encounter driving inland and oh? Did I mention the historic villages? You’ll come upon, them constantly, many designated as the one of the most beautiful villages in France by the Government cultural office.
...............more to follow next week on my adventures in this utterly distinct, utterly seperate world located within France.

Brittany Day 2 - Morbihan Bay and the Quiberon Peninsula

Of all the areas of Brittany that attract visitors, the beautiful and wild Peninsula of Quiberon (Presqu’ile de Quiberon) justifiably draws the greatest number. The peninsula is 9 miles long and is linked to the mainland by a sandbar.
Exposed to the rigors of the sea are the magnificent cliffs of the Cote Sauvage (Wild Coast) with its caves and chasms and on the wonderful stormy days (they are the best here!), the windswept sea is an impressive site.

Quiberon was once a busy sardine port (there are still 3 factories left) is now a resort area, with a ferry that connects to the resort island of Belle-Ile.

La Belle Iloise is one of the remaining canneries; they offer a wide range of sardine and tuna products, especially their Vintage sardines that are akin to fine vintage wines found in France. The factory offers 1 tour a day (in French only) but you’ll get the gist of what they are talking about with movies shown along the way and overlooking the canning process. At the end is a store with various types of products to buy!

In the summer (although it runs all year long) you can visit Belle Ile (meaning beautiful island – its an unspoiled environment with lush valleys, its beaches and well-kept villages attracts French holiday makers including several French presidents),either for the day with hiking or cycling or staying over night at one of the charming hotels found here.

Belle Ile

                                                        St Cado
One of my favorite finds at the beginning of the peninsula is the little islet, of St Cado, a speck on the water dotted with perhaps twenty white-painted houses. From the mainland, you walk across a spindly little bridge to reach the island itself. Its main feature is a twelfth-century chapel that stands on the site of a Romanesque predecessor built by St Cado around the sixth century.

I'm Getting Ahead of My Story about My Visit to Brittany...But Oh! Well!

'Le Sentier des Douaniers' (smugglers path) between Ploumanac'h and Trestraou (Brittany - Pink Granite Coast) .
There are scores of walking paths (Sentier) all throughout Brittany and France as well.

IMPORTANT : RAIL STRIKE IN FRANCE

A national RAIL strike is taking place in France from Friday 11th December 2009 at 12.00 PM until Monday 14th December 2009 at 12.00 PM, which will be affecting some French rail journeys. Details of disrupted services will be forwarded as soon as received.


Customers are strongly advised not to travel during this time.

One of the surprises (there were many on this trip) was 40 minutes outside of La Baule. Inland I found the Parc Naturel Regional de la Grande Briere, which is an area of 99,000 acres made up of reed beds crossed by canals. Since 1970, it has become protected acres and contains a very large population of various birds and over 2000 traditional stone-built, thatched houses (the reeds are used to roof the houses). The best way to explore this area is by boat accompanied by a local guide. You can also explore this area on foot, bicycle or horseback or horse-drawn carriage, but the best is by boat. I can tell you……………………… it’s a magical area!
The real surprise for me; as eating, especially French food, is my life!, was coming upon within this reed/marsch area, a Michelin 1 star restaurant called La Mare aux Oiseaux ( The pond of the birds- restaurant and rooms) overseen by a young, very talented chef named Eric Guerin. Take note of that name, I am sure in the future you’ll hear a lot more about him.
Not only does this charming restaurant have scores of wild birds wandering outside in its backyard, but inside the restaurant, you dine with cages of birds (above you) chirping and singing while you eat. Wonderful! If it were in Los Angeles, the health department would have closed it down right away, but this is France and so Vie La France!
For more details on the restaurant and my dining experience, please click on to my other website..
http://appetiteforexcess.blogspot.com/
On the way back after my 3 hour lunch, I stopped along the coast and visited one of the few remaining WW2 German Blockhouses that were built to repel the allies. It’s privately owned and had been returned as it was in 1943. It’s located just outside La Baule and worth a visit.

The German Blockhaus as it appears today

As it appeared during World War 2 and if you notice, the Germans painted windows on the fortress to fool English and American photo-reconnaissance planes that was just a house.

more to follow.........................

Brittany - first report of my trip - La Baule

Brittany is a sea-buffeted peninsula jutting out from the corner of Northwest France and holds fast to its very distinct personality and culture and language. Mysterious prehistoric alignments, fascinating parish closes and medieval fortresses await your discovery. It has a long jagged coastline which really distinguishes this ‘land of the sea”, however, sunbathe in sandy coves and marvel at pink granite cliffs. Explore modern, dynamic cities and bustling ports – sampling the freshest seafood-then escape to remote, flower-covered islands inhabited only by seabirds.
Brittany is divided into 6 different areas – Loire-Atlantique, Morbihan, Southern Finistere, Northern Finistere, Cotes d’Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine.
During my stay last month I visited each area and this report starts off where I began, in the south of Brittany in the Loire-Atlantique.
I flew into Paris and from the airport caught the French bullet train (TGV) for a fast 3 hour journey (at almost 200 miles per hour) to the historic capital of the Dukes of Brittany, the city of Nantes. From here I rented a car and drove for 1 hour to the famous beach resort area known as La Baule. The resort town is known all throughout Europe for its exceptionally long, sandy beach that stretches for 5 miles. The town is filled with turn of the century (20th that is) villas and grand homes. The seafront itself (unfortunately) is now a series of apartment blocks (with a few luxurious hotels tossed in,) but get behind a block or two in from the beach and here you’ll feel what it was like during the Belle Epoch of France. The grand homes and villas are still there.
The sweep of the beach is glorious and one can see why it has always attracted the French families for their vacations. The French Riviera although beautiful, its beaches are stone pebbles and not sand, like in Brittany. Because of the Jet-stream, Brittany is temperate in climate and you’ll find palm tress growing everywhere, even thought you are close to the stormy English Channel.
From La Baule you can take day trips along the wild and gorgeous coastline to the charming seaside fishing port (very New England style) of Le Croisic.
……………..more to following in my next report

The historic Relais & Chateaux hotel - Castle-Marie-Louise

, located right across from the beach in La Baule.

Anyone Who Flies An American Carrier to Europe/France - Should have Their Head Examined!

I am well into my 60's and have been flying to Europe since 1948 and as we all are aware the days of elegant flying are long gone, especially for American Air carriers. Having just returned from France, flying to Paris on Delta Airlines and returning on Air France, I can only say, if you fly an American carrier, it’s your own fault.

I well understand that with today's economy and how the airlines are suffering, that many have to cut back on many items. That is certainly true on American carriers, not only domestically, but I find internationally.

Sure, First Class and Business have more perks and I assume that the service level is better, but I fly coach and here is what I have observed and think.

Please note, that what I am going to say is not sexiest, but just a plain observation and backed up by several friends who are ex-international flight attendants with American Air Carriers, who believe the same as I do..

I am told that flying across the Atlantic to Europe is a prime money maker for air carriers and has always been prime competition for traveler’s dollars. So, one would expect the best in all classes on that route to garner the most business. That said.............and I have taken as many US carriers across that route as foreign carriers and there is no question, as far as service (especially in coach) there is no contest. The foreign carriers have it hands above the American Carrier and it was never brought home more than on my last trip on .

Delta Airlines: The flight attendants ( and this has been true on United and American Airlines in the past when I have flown them) seem to have just woken up, ....they look slovenly, not made up, there seems to be a weight issue with many of them, their attitude seems gruff and not caring. It seems to me that their service was take it or leave it. On the American carriers I mentioned, they now charge for wine, beer and alcohol, something (at least on prime international flights in the past they did not), The meal service, was lackluster and you certainly knew you where on an American carrier, because the salad dressing was Thousand Island and the cheese was a plastic wrapped stale piece of cheddar cheese. I know that flying today, is just like taking the bus, service has gone out the door. I would accept that, but when I took Air France coming back to the US from Paris, it was a world of difference and so I’ll explain.

First of all, the cabin crew - men and women were young and fresh and personable. , extremely well dressed and made up. ( see the photo above of an Air France flight attendant) They looked like models straight from a Paris Fashion runway show. In fact during the flight, I think they changed dress styles 3 times. They were eager to please and looked like them meant it.

After take off, in coach mind you, we were first offered drinks…FREE OF CHARGE…of course I started out with a coupe of Champagne. With that, they did not give you a bag of peanuts or pretzels, no, this is France, and they handed out a bag of Croccantelle (A European cracker with sesame seeds) infused with olives. They returned and asked if you would also like some wine.

Then they handed out a menu for one of the two meals that they would serve on board. A Menu? In coach?

With that, wine of course (again free of charge) and fresh baguettes individual served. With the meal came a large bottle of water, not the mini coffee cup size that other US airlines serve. The cheese was Camembert! Need I say more?

Betweens the meals served, sandwiches, ice cream, and drinks were available in the self service parts of the coach section.

It was a 12 hour flight and yet the cabin attendants always looked fresh and eager. What a marked difference between Air France and its US competition.

There were so many other pluses about flying Air France, but I’ll stop here and only to say..

If you fly an American carrier to France rather than Air France, you should have your head examined.

The Most Extraordinary Stones In The World

During my travels in Brittany last month, on my way back from the Cote Sauvage and the Quiberon Peninsula ( where I visited my favorite vintage sardine factory) I saw a sign that said, Carnac Alignements, . To be honest with you, I am not one that is big on visiting ancient world sites but I know that many people are and so I made the detour to check it out for future clients. I did not expect much.

For those you, who don't know, The stones of Carnac, France, are probably the most famous stones markings outside of those found at Stonehenge in England. There are many, many stones at Carnac. And these stones are very old too, the earliest stones are from around 4,500 B.C. The Carnac region contains many, many Menhir or upright stones. The Menhir stones are sometimes found in a line and sometimes in a circle. They can be anywhere from 0.8 meters high to 6.5 meters high. Rows of these stones can extend for distances of over a kilometer.
Some think these standing stones were signposts, others think they marked burial plots, still others think they were astronomical in nature. Research is going on now to try to find out if these stone markings served as sites for astronomy or whether they were aligned with the Sun or Moon in a special way.

Well! (As Jack Benny use to say!) I was not expecting to be stopped in my tracks when I visited the stones of Carnac. I must admit, they were fantastic and the site was over whelming. I visited one of the three sites and I believe the best one, Menec. There is a visitor center there, to explain the mystery of the stones and right across the street are the magnificent stones themselves that seem to run for miles and miles. I must admit, it was quite humbling!
IMPORTANT NOTE: During the winter (From October to March,) one can access right into the stone area (there are spots to enter through the fenced off area and you are able walk around them) , BUT in the other months, its direct access to the stones is very limited ( they say do to the vegetation during that time, I think because of the million of tourists) ,so that one can view them only behind the fence.

In France - ITS GOOD TO BE KING!

Having just returned from France, more specifically, Brittany, I have once again fallen in love! This time Brittany has captured my heart and soul. One of the objects of my love is the fabulous Chateau de Locguenole, ( A family owned chateau for 500 years) near the village of Kervignac. This historic chateau is set in 120 hectares of woodland overlooking a unique and ever-changing landscape, reflecting the ebb and flow of the tide.

There are only 24 rooms and 4 suites, so you feel like you are staying in a private home and the staff is phenomenal and what really makes this chateau/hotel what it is.

The back door leads out to the ocean, where you can sail, lovely walks through out the area, There is a spa and the 1 star Michelin restaurant; well, it should be 3 star, the food is fabulous and the service is perfection!

The rugged coastline (the real beauty of Brittany) is only 20 minutes away.

For me, just to spend the entire day here, and to be fawned over and taken care of...is why I say...when one stays here you can say..

                                             IT’S GOOD TO BE KING!

My room - a Junior Suite # 8

The Magic Of France - "I know, I know"

In the recent movie about Julia Child (Julia and Julie), in the opening scenes Julia and her husband Paul Child ( played to perfection by Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci), Julia Child visits and experiences her first French meal. A simple meal of Sole Meuniere ( sole cooked Millers-style in tons of brown butter sauce) and as she eats, she is unable to express her delight and amazement in the taste of the dish and her husband, turns to her and says :"I Know, I Know"
That reply, "I Know, I Know" is something that I experience and hope to experience every time I visit France. There is always that moment for me again and again ( still 20 plus years on), where I am so captivated by either the food , surroundings or the people, that I am rendered speechless and I can only think now, of what Paul Child said to Julia.."I Know, I know"

Paris Winter - That Means One Thing - HOT CHOCOLATE

In 1615, the secret of hot chocolate was taken to France, where Anne, daughter of Philippe II of Spain, married King Louis XIII. The French court adopted this new exotic drink with fervor and it was considered to have medicinal benefits as well as being a nourishing concoction.
If it was good for the Royal court of France, then it's good for you! Here are some addresses which, I believe serve the best hot chocolate in Paris.


Les Deux Abeilles
189 rue de l'Université
75007 Paris
Metro: Alma Marceau


This small tea salon near the Eiffel Tower serves the most stunning home-made cakes (marron glacé cake being my favorite!) and thick dark hot chocolate. Don't order the two at the same time, otherwise a small bed may be required at the local hospital for a heart check up!

Charles le Chocolatier
15 rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris
Metro: Les Halles


The tiny chocolate shop in the bustling rue Montorgueil serving a cup of very thick bitter hot chocolate (sugar required!) from their well-polished pot belly copper cauldron. They don't always have the chocolate prepared, only "when they feel like it". Don't be disappointed if the copper pot is not there, try again another day.


Comme à la Maison
Village St Paul/Court Vert
9 rue St Paul
75004 Paris
Metro: St Paul


Sensational hot chocolate served in a generous white ceramic jug on a platter with a glass of water (de riguer with these type of hot chocolates!) It is poured out with glistening cocoa butter bubbles frothing down into the cup. Excellent.


Arnaud Larher
53 rue Caulaincourt
75018 Paris
Tel: 01 42 57 68 08
Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt


Behind the Sacre Coeur, high up over Paris, this chocolatier/patissier is worth the trek to find. The chocolate drink here is served cold in bottles which are great to take away and sneak home (makes a great gift). Either drunk cold or heated up later, it is a historical drink. Available in vanilla, chocolate orange, bittersweet chocolate and chocolate cinnamon.
Buy a bag of dark chocolate-coated freshly sliced ginger while you are there!


Steiger
20 rue des Capucines
75002 Paris
Metro: Opera


This unassuming chocolatier near Place Vendôme, Madame Constantin creates a hot chocolate so thick and rich, you need a spoon to scoop out the last bits: She melts a tablet of quality dark chocolate made of pure cocoa butter from the Ivory Coast and adds a cloud of milk and cream. She hand whips the mixture in an old-fashioned chocolate pot and serves immedicately. Takes about 20 minutes to prepare, so be patient and leave plenty of time!


Rose Thé
104 Avenue Ledru Rollin
750011 Paris
Metro: Ledru Rollin


Situated in the pretty cobbled Passage de l'Homme, the home-made cakes are the most delicous and sublime. Apple, cinnamon, honey and caramel encrusted walnut tartes with a tall glass of hot chocolate. The hot chocolate is made from milk rather than cream, so it is dark and not so thick as the others mentioned. A cake and hot chocolate can be married together quite well. Friendly service, local neighborhood crowd.

In Search Of Monsieur Hulot's Holiday

I am back from a  visit to France's north-western coast - Brittany, to be more precise.
Althought I have been traveling to France for decades, my love of France began,;well, I can give you the exact date, on the 16th of June, 1954.
On that day, my mother took me to see a French import movie, a comedy called,( in English) "Mr. Hulots Holiday". Up until that time, I had seen a few movies, The Wizard of Oz and Disney and Martin/Lewis films, but a foreign film, never.
From the opening scene at a Paris rail station with scores of holiday passengers trying to catch a train, I and the audience were 'rolling in the aisles' with laughter. It did not stop until the film ended. I was captivated not only by this sweet film, but by its genius directior/actor Jacques Tati.

Up until this time I had heard such negative things about the French and yet here was a film that made me laugh and take to heart all of the actors on screen. The real joy was M. HULOT (aka Jacques TATI) I carried away that day and still have with me, the characteristic Hulot pose  of him tilting forward, with his head at a quizzical angle, his hat tipped over his eyes, his ubiquitous pipe at a right angle to his long nose, his arms bent behind him with his hands resting on his hips. Like Chaplin’s alter ego, he always wears the same kit – trousers that aren’t quite long enough, his Tyrolean-esque hat and stripy socks. He nearly always has his umbrella handy. He walks with a lolling gait, on well-sprung tiptoes and is undoubtedly a French cousin d’un certain Basil Fawlty.

Tati’s background as a mime meant that he was most at home devising visual gags, rather than writing and delivering one-liners or trading witter banter with another actor. Terry Gilliam, the Monty Python team member who became a director, has said: “One of Tati’s great qualities is that his films contain almost no dialogue. I find this particularly brilliant – these divinely French films that create no problem when it comes to subtitling. In terms of dialogue, Monty Python learnt everything from Tati. We owe everything to him.”

Tati may only have made a handful of films, but they have made a lasting impression on generations of viewers – and it’s not just the popular vote which they’ve earned. His admirers ( besides myself!) have included Orson Welles, David Lynch, and Steven Spielberg

Tati’s brilliance as a comedy actor has influenced at least two generations of English comedians: John Cleese, and Rowan Atkinson, who described seeing M Hulot’s Holiday as “a defining moment in my life” (and paid homage to it in his 2007 film Mr Bean’s Holiday), are just some of the British comics who owe a clear debt to Tati and his very physical comedy style.

The village where the film was shot is still there, St. Marc Sur Mer ( just 20 minutes south of the French beach resort of Le Baule).
They have now erected at statue of M. Hulot at the beach.
Merci beaucoup, to M. TATI for making this child, a lover of France and all thing French! and for making me laugh so hard, again and again to this day.
I owe M. Hulot and M. Tati a lot!

Report On Brittany - A Forward

I spent almost 3 weeks in Brittany and the photo above was taken ( in the last days of my trip) in the northern part of Brittany, in the beautiful seaside town of Perros-Guirdec. This area is famous for its Pink Granite Coastline. The homes here have the feel of a quiant New England village or a village set on the English Cornwall coast. The photo was a view from my room and it was magnificent (day or night) ,even in the throws of a stormy winter day!

But I am getting a ahead of myself. In the following days, I will post a series of travel stories and photos about my stay in the Brittany area of France. It has turned out that this area is now one of my most favorite places to visit in France, and that's saying a lot.

So, as I recover from jet-lag in the next day or two, please check back for a colorful and wonderful journey through - BRITTANY.

New Year's Eve with a French Count and Countess in France's Loire Valley

Perhaps you are looking for a truly exclusive New Year's Eve
celebration? Not the same old celebrations you have year after year?
Then might I suggest -As private guests of Comte and Comtesse de Vanssay at Chateau de La Barre, in the Loire Valley, France, you will :
~ experience a Renaissance feast in Leonardo da Vinci's home on the 31st of December 2009,
- return back to Chateau de La Barre to usher in the New Year with champagne underneath the ancestral portraits of the Renaissance drawing room,
- enjoy a gala dinner in the XVIIth century dining room on New Years day, January 1st 2010,with all the family silver and crystal

Let me know if you would like to receive more information.

I'm Off To France - Brittany, to be Exact.

Even the most worldly-wise traveler must be continually struck dumb by the infinite variety of France.In the U.S., the standardization of goods and services has all but eradicated the once pronounced identity of individual regions, but in rural France long held customs are living, breathing forces, deeply cherished and lovingly nurtured.
The ethnic and linguistic differences from region to region are as startling as the swift and dramatic changes in landscape, architecture and cuisine. In Alsace one sips Gewurztraminer and speaks in a clipped German accent, in Nice the lyrical French is practically Italian in intonation and in remote parts of the Basque country the French language altogether disappears.
So on the 15th of November for about 2 weeks, I am off to the land of myth and legend, a wonderland of seascapes - the tides, the crashing waves, the rocky inlets, wide beaches and coastal cliffs - the area of King Arthur's legends, of an amazing array of fish and shellfish (Oysters and sardines my true love) and of people who are friendly,outgoing and completely without airs. The region of France known as Brittany.

France - "off the beaten tracks - The 3 B's!

If you have visited France before, have done the Paris - Provence - French Riviera itinerary, I'd like to suggest the following for your consideration:
BORDEAUX - BIARRITZ - BILBAO
Fly into Paris and take ( direct from the airport) the TGV (Bullet train) to Bordeaux ( 3 hours). Spend three nights at the new and wonderful Regent Grand Hotel ( in the heart of Bordeaux). Rent a car with chauffeur and spend the whole day in the vineyards( 30 minutes away),choose from (my favorite) the Village of Saint Emilion and it's medieval city or the Medoc and the Chateau road and sauternes with the best dessert wines to taste.
The enjoy 2 days in the city.
On the 4th day, pick up a rental car and drive to Arcachon, one hour away and enjoy this seaside resort and oyster breeding area, then climb the Pyla Dune,the biggest sand dune in Europe.
Then drive to Biarritz (2 hour drive away) and check in at the luxurious and famous Hotel du Palais. Spend 3 nights there and the basque country surrounding it.
Finally drive to Spain, San Sebastian and Bilbao ( 1 hour away) and on the way back try some local tapas.

Shoe-Lovers Dream in Paris

Shoe-worshipping shoppers now head towards the Galeries Lafayette Department Store in Paris! A space devoted to 12,000 pairs of shoes.
In a boutique atmosphere, with large aisles, brown wengé wood and white varnished furniture and comfortable chocolate brown leather sofas, any style of shoe under the sun can be found. From 10 Euro flip flops to 1000 Euro boots, hundreds of brands are gathered in this immense area dedicated entirely to shoes. Among these, 25 brands are new and exclusively distributed at Galeries Lafayette. Here, all of the must-haves of the season can be found in a very “Cinderella” like ambiance, where the models are arranged by theme and displayed on tall podiums decorated with fringes of crystals, beads and sequins. Slippers have even made it into the fashion scene (20% of shoe sales in France are for slippers) with a new area entirely devoted to sequined clogs, multicolored ballet slippers, sophisticated mules and embroidered oriental slippers. A special area “leather and foot care!” offers everything needed to take care of your shoes and feet: special brushes, shoe creams in all colors, foot-care lotions and so on…

Hip I Ain't - But This New Left Bank Restaurant Is!

La Société Restaurant Draws Fashion Crowd!
The Costes family, the hip restaurateurs behind many of Paris’ most fashionable canteens, has opened a new hot spot only steps away from left-bank legends Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots.

La Société, a 130-seat eatery located in a 19th-century building across from the historic Saint Germain church, has already attracted the Fendi family, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, Bernard-Henri Lévy and former French justice minister Rachida Dati.( who in my opinion is drop dead gorgeous!)

French interior designer Christian Liaigre, the man behind Selfridges in London and the Mercer Hotel in New York, gave the place an artsy bent with contemporary sculptures like Marc Rebollo’s “Never Die” marble work and Sara Favriau’s marble cubes. Meanwhile, the patina finish of the parquet floors and the leather and mahogany furniture lend a modern and loungelike feel.

The menu, which includes lobster and herb salad and shrimp risotto, will not surprise Costes regulars, but there are a few additions, including a “Le Club Saint Germain” sandwich or the Paris gratinée (French onion soup), that are a wink to the Saint Germain spirit.

Uniqlo, Tokyo Style Opens In Paris

The trendy Japanese mass market leader has just opened there third store ( Tokyo and New York) in Paris near the Opera.
This ultra-design brand has been all the range in Tokyo and New York - their reasonably priced cashmere in all colors of the rainbow are a great buy.
The collections are constantly renewed ,customers enjoy endless choice.. Men love their screen-printed T shirts and jeans with high-quality weaves, while women swoon over its quilted jackets and knitwear.

A Wine Tasting Tour Of France in Paris - In the Cellar of King Louis XV's Sommelier

O Chateau Wine tasting - Just a block from the Louvre Museum, Taste-Master Olivier MAGNY has several wine tasting courses available, held in a moody warren of vaulted stone rooms that were formally the personal cellar of the sommelier of King Louis XV. called the Caves du Paradis.
There are several two-hour presentations - for example
~ Wine and Cheese tasting lunch
~ Tasting Grand Wines
~ Tour de France - tasting wines of 6 different regions of France
~ Champagne tasting
~ A beginners course in wine appreciation
............ and many other courses are offer plus private tastings.
Prices range from 20 Euros to 90 Euros per person
http://www.o-chateau.com/caves-du-paradis.php

Sweet, Cool & Stylish - A new "hot" Paris Patisserie!

The brand new,Left bank, Patisserie des Reves is today the most buzzed-about pastry shop in Paris. Owned by the former Michelin-starred chef, Phillipe CONTICINI, he is a man who knows how to whet his clients appetites and the decor at his shop is every bit as delicious as the day's bake.
His mission, he says, is to reach peoples souls through their taste buds. You just try his melt-in-the-mouth Tarte Tatin served with a dollop of lime-flavored Chantilly mascarpone.
93 rue du Bac, 7e.

Vitre - A Day Trip From Paris to Vist the Best Preserved Medieval Town In Brittany

An historic day trip by TGV (Bullet train - a little over 2 hours)from Paris to Vitre.

Vitré is perhaps the finest medieval town in Brittany, with a very attractive old-town centre and lots of narrow streets lined with medieval cottages. The old town is brimming with cafes and bars - and positively overflowing with lovely colombage (half-timbered) houses. It is one of the few places where you can see a complete Gothic town.

The town is a listed Artistic and Heritage town and has many 15th and 16th century buildings remaining from the days when it was one of the most powerful towns in Brittany. A significant part of the original ramparts of the town is still intact.

Eiffel Tower - Advance Ticket Sales - Finally!

Finally, not having to wait in line to purchase your tickets to enter the Eiffel Tower!

Soon to be available to all visitors are an on-line booking sight by the Eiffel Tower Monument.

Choose the day and time of your visit (depending on availabilities), pay using the secure server, print out your ticket at home…
*Only 200 entrance tickets on sale each day
for the second floor, except weekends,
and limited periods of time.
Purchase of a supplemental tickets for
the top floor available at Tower ticket booths.

RATES
FROM APRIL 4, 2009 TO MARCH 26, 2010 Adults

Elevator entrance tickets
(to second floor) 8.00 €
Elevator entrance tickets
to top floor 13.00
Stair entrance tickets
(to second floor)4.50 € 3.50 € 3.00 €