Carre-du-Palais - a new place in Provence (Avignon) to enjoy the local areas food and wine

Finally, the renovation of the former Banque de France building has given new life as the Carre-du-Palais, a long delayed showcase for Rhone and Provence wines and food, it includes a wine bar, restaurant, wine school and much more...

Honfleur - just 2 hours away from Paris

Discover Honfleur and its area, between the cost (Côte Fleurie), the countryside and the meanders of the River Seine.
Step into the medieval town, travel along our hiking trails and enjoy the seaside resort.
Authenticity, escape, nature and let go…
Follow us on a journey in Estuary land !!!

Granville, Normandy - The Monaco **of the North

Granville ( on the Normandy coast) is an old pirate town, with stunning views of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, is a wonderful resort area of an array of  quaint fishing ports, beaches, enchanting alleyways and the home of the late French designer, Christian Dior.

** Like Monaco, it sits on a rocky bluff.

In Austria - a new dining discovery

Having just returned from my three-country sojourn ( Austria, Germany, Hungary) , even after over 50 years of traveling, there is always something new to learn. In this case, it was in Linz, Austria at the restaurant, Keintzel.

At this cozy Wirtshaus, I had wildschein ( wild boar) with red cabbage ; it was out of this world.

When dessert came, as I always do, I ordered a double espresso and the restaurant owner came over and said, its tradition in this area of Austria to also have a small glass of Schnapps along with your coffee.. I know ( Schnapps) it’s like the French eau de vie and so I asked what fruit flavors do you have and he said, ‘let me give something that is only found in this area, its called Zirben Schnapps. ‘

He presented me with a tall thin glass with a red colored Schnapps and the aroma and taste, to me was of something like the smell of a pine forest.

In fact, to my surprise, it was, it’s a high-alpine pine cone flavor that united a fine sweetness and a lightly tangy heart taste. It’s I’m told a classic among herbal spirits

It was a great discovery of not only this Schnapps, but of having Schnapps along with your coffee.

I love Art Nouveau and its founder, Alphonse Mucha

While he is famous for his posters, Mucha was a versatile artist: painter, sculptor, photographer, decorator and a valued teacher. 
Now in Paris until the end of January, the musee du Luxembourg is highlighting his work. 

Paris – A jam shop you must visit!

La Chambre aux Confitures (fruit preserves) is located on the fabulous food street of rue Montorgueil. The best thing of all here, is that you can taste all the jams before you buy.  

The walls are filled with the flavors of hundreds of their handmade creations. Spoons and tester jars await for you as long as you have room in your stomach to spare. 

All the fruit is sourced from hand picked French farms. They focus on using a high percentage of fruit so you taste the ingredients first, not the sugar.

My favorite, far and away is the Framboise Royale ( raspberry and Champagne, need I say more?)

16th Arrondissement – no tourists to speak of and glorious facades of Hector Guimard ( Art Nouveau) – My favorites of arrondismments of Paris

A new gem is opening in Paris’ 16^th arrondiseement. Shrouded in mystery, Cravan quietly opened its doors on rue Jean de la Fontaine. 

This under-the-radar eatery ( a café, but really a cocktail bistro) with décor to die for – marble counters, stained glass period windows, old-fashioned mirrors and the food is downhome French.

                          The work of Hector Guimard

Germany - A search for traditional food..Munich

Hanxbauer is an old Munich restaurant housed in a historical building, the Scholastikahaus which goes back to the 14th Century. Traditional food lovers, worldwide come here to sample their famous pork knuckles.  

Their delicately seasoned pork knuckles are marinated for 24 hours in a secret salt-herb mixture before they are grilled on a beach wood charcoal grill.
It has a unique taste, crispy crust and delicate meat that lives up to its promise.

For any foodie, this is must...

A bit of heaven, just 20 minutes south of the city of Bordeaux

Vienna good eats – Yes, I’ve broaden my horizons and have just returned from Austria and Germany

One of the many dining joys of Austria is having (and discovering) the classic dish of Viennese cuisine of Tafelspitz. It’s basically boiled beef in broth served with a mix of apples and horseradish, but before you start to wrinkle your nose, its one of the most satisfying and delightful dishes I have tasted in years. In fact, I have become a huge fan of this dish. It was said that Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria was a great lover of that dish and it was said that his table was never without a fine piece of Tafelspitz.

During the high of Austrian power, it was said that there was at least 30 different kinds of cuts of beef you could choose used in the dish.

When you are served this ultimate ‘comfort food’ there is an elaborate ritual one must adhere to.

A shinny copper pot is placed on the table with the side dishes. First of all, your served (from the copper pot) the clear consommé ( after a cup or two) , during which you scoop out the marrow from the bones soaking in the pot on to toast points.

The you are served the meal; so tender that it falls of the bone.

I must say, that words of ordinary prose have generally been inadequate to express the delights of this dish.  

To say that you have visited Vienna and have never tasted this dish is to say, you never really visited the city.

Where is the life that late I led – Memories of the Formidable M. Point

I shall never forget my first lunch at Fernand Point’s restaurant de la Pyramide in Vienne (just outside Lyon)

In 1953, I was taken to eat in what was then (and I think still) was the finest restaurant in France, run by the formidable Monsieur Point. I was 10 at the time and it was very unusual that someone my age would be eating at a 3 star Michelin restaurant; but this was a special occasion and I was well aware of it.

If you don’t know, M. Point was one of the greatest chefs and restaurateurs/food innovators in France and trained the likes of Paul Bocuse and the Troisgros bothers among others.

Some of the items we were served were Pate chaud de Caneton au Chambertin, mousse de Truites and perdreaux casserole and the sauces, oh! The sauces…

Unfortunately, French chefs no longer cook like this nowadays, sad, oh so sad.

But what I most remember from that extraordinary lunch was the humor of this large and gruff looking man (who turned out to be very kind to me) and something he said at the end of our meal and something I have never forgotten and have always carried with me in my travels and eating worldwide.

‘That anybody should come to my restaurant just to eat, instead of to taste, enjoy, appreciate and dream’.

The Secret to uncovering the soul of the world’s great cities

If I had to give advice to someone who has never been to Paris ( or for that matter of fact; any of the world’s great cities)  on how to best enjoy it as a tourist ( and lets face it first time or the 200th time ; me in Paris, we are all really tourists) One could certainly rattle off the sites and landmarks of which the cities are known for, but no, what one is seeking ( maybe not really saying it) is they want to spend the life of a local, absorbing the soul of the city.

What it would be like to truly reside there and perhaps unsurprisingly, pastimes that revolve around eating and drinking prove particularly popular.

In Paris, the answer to me and most locals is: Cafes.

Nowhere is better for soaking up Parisian atmosphere, order a café crème or a glass of red wine and settle in for some people watching. 

Whether it be the Place de la Contrescarpe in the Latin Quarter, Place des Vosges in the Marais or pulling up a chair on one of the many pavement-side terraces that line Canal Saint-Martin, this is where you’ll experience Parisian life.

Nuf said!!

PIERREFONDS - A magnificent castle just 1 hour away from Paris, a place to ‘knock your socks off…’

The Chateau de Pierrefonds although a 12-Century fortress castle, feel into disrepair and it was only at the end of the 19^th-C, that Napoleon III  took it over and had it rebuilt. It took 30 years to finish. Although Napoleon III took some liberties with the reconstruction, the castle is a WOW. Especially the drive up to it from miles away. It does have all those boyhood fantasies about what a Castle should be – a drawbridge, eight imposing defensive towers, a keep and much more…all for a Magical visit to the country of knights.

The village below is charming and if you are there on market day, that is a plus.

France’s most beautiful villages – Rochefort en Terre – Brittany

Rural France is scattered with ‘ villes fleuris’ flower villages, but few villages could possibly be more flowery than this exquisite Breton community. Along its winding lanes and alleyways, everything from fountains and wells to windowsills and water troughs  is bursting with begonias and geraniums, while the gardens of its tumble down 15^th-C Chateau are an exhilarating blaze of color.

Relais & Chateaux - Inns and Hotels that offer an introduction into the French lifestyle – through culture, history, cuisine and an oft seen thing today – a grand tradition of hospitality

Established in 1954, Relais & Chateaux an association of more than 550 landmark hotels, inns and restaurants operated in the main part by independent innkeepers (basically families) and chefs. Their properties are the living expression of a sense of place, its history, environment and culture. Food pays an important part of that mix.

The R & C ( short for Relais & Chateaux) has played an important part of my travel life for over 40 years and it’s the kind of place I got back to time and time again.

I have so many favorites in France, its like asking me who is your favorite child?

That said, one of my favorites is found in an area of France, many tourists don’t get to and that’s a shame, because the Jura region (located in Eastern France near the Swiss border) is a WOW!

The Chateaux de Germigney is a favorite. 

www.chateaudegermigney.com

Beaujolais - A visit here is just about simple pleasures - nothing more

Beaujolais just may be Frances's prettiest wine region.  For real wine enthusiasts who come to France,they of course aim at either Bordeaux (in Southwest France) or Burgundy (in the Center). 

But the terrain that produces the world's most refined wines in those regions often turns out to be, well can I say, disappointing: nothing but long rows of vines marching along gentle river valleys. 

Beaujolais on the other hand is worth a journey and a stay. Yes, Yes most of,if not all of its wine is merely fun. BUT, BUT here you will find a lovely countryside: rugged hills and winding roads,villages with ancient stone churches, forest ridgelines touched at sunset by tendrils of fog. 
Here its all about simple pleasures - walks, bike rides or lazy drives ( my favorite). 

Hurrah, here you'll find no real museums, no serious art to admire, no historical monuments to speak of - just landscapes, food and wine.
As Ira Gershwin once penned: 'Who could ask for anything more?...''

18 min to the 12th-Century - Taking the TGV within France on days trips from Paris

The time machine although a novel by H.G. Wells was set in fiction, today it can be no longer just a fiction. 
The modern day Time Machine is the ultra fast French train,the TGV. At speed of over 200 miles per hour, you can base yourself in Paris and do day trips to almost anywhere in France and be back the same day for dinner in Paris. 

Visit the 1st century ( Roman ) Provence , or the 17th-Century Napoleonic era or 20th Century Battlefields of Normandy are all possible and every Century in-between.

La Guinguette - The scene could be right out of a Renoir painting

Guinguettes - riverside pavilions: live music and dancing - have been a part of the French culture for centuries. Their heyday came during the Bel Century, when hundreds lined the rivers outside Paris.

But a few remain, like Martin-Pecheur) and here you'll find a magical, carefree place; almost out of a dreamy sun-splashed impressionist painting and if you are like me, this type of entertainment draws the nostalgic city dwellers seeking an escape into the past. 

The most beautiful drives in France

The only way to really see France, is by driving and there are many wonderful driving trips from the Mediterranean coast to dramatic winding Alpine roads to the picturesque wine routes in Alsace, driving in France ( it's easy) offers some of the most breathtaking and incredibly varied landscapes to be found anywhere in Europe.

One of my favorites ( if truth be told, my favorite area in all of France - Brittany) is the coastal stretch called Cote d'Emeraude ( the Emerald coast) here the sea turns a bright colored green along the many craggy shores are a feast for the eyes.

Brittany’s beautiful secret Islands

Brittany (my favorite French region, if you must really know) has a score of amazing islands sadly under-explored by tourists to visit for a day.

Ile de Brehat, Ile d’Ouessant, Ile de Groix, the Golfe of Morbihan to name a few.

With some drifting far out to sea and others set just minutes from mainland resorts. Local ferries let you explore and savor the magnificent seascape in all its splendor. Each island has its own ultra-mild microclimate making them idea destinations to soak up the sunshine from Spring to Autumn.

Just outside Paris - Live like Tarzan

A night (s) in the heart of nature with the tree houses of the big oaks.

1 hour outside of Paris is an area of great oaks with a sublime castle nearby. Its here in a beautiful forest that you'll find various tree houses you can stay in. The tree houses are far enough  apart to make you really feel alone in the world.
You'll love it!!

Look at www.cabanesdesgrandschenes.com

Short Hikes around France - even just outside Paris

There is a wonderful app in France ( in English) www.hikideas.com that gives you great day walking itineraries right from your Iphone.

 

Café Pouchkine – Moscow of old Comes to Paris

In Paris, a city full of spectacular pastry shops, it really takes something major to grab me and shake me to attention.

Café Pouchkine has jaw-dropping pastries that you don’t find elsewhere in the city and On of that, they also know have a full time tea parlor  And on top of that, the store and tea salon unlike the clear, monochrome boring cafes ( found in the city) with open spaces, this shop and café has decorative décor that if you are not wowed, then you are ‘dead’.

  

Nimes – The French Rome

Provence has always had a rich legacy when it came to Roman influence and sites. Scattered throughout Provence are countless Roman monuments ,but none better than the Roman city of Nimes( that over Avignon and Arles, in my opinion).

Just the Amphitheater ( one of the best preserved in Europe) is a stunner, plus a dozen or so other well-preserved temples that line the city byways.

The brand new Musee de la Romanite ( Roman Museum) is fantastic, and a must when you visit this magical city.

Avignon is only 44 minutes away, a perfect day trip.

Bastille Day - 14 July - where to watch the fireworks

The fireworks on this day start at about 11:00pm ( it gets dark later in July)
Rather than to be in the throng of thousands of people crowed into 
the Champs Elysees, One of the best spots is south of the Champs in the Tuileries Gardens.

The Route Napoleon – some of the most staggeringly beautiful scenery in the south of France

In 1815, Napoleon left his exile in Elba and with a small band of loyal troops made their way from Golfe-Juan (near Cannes) to Grenoble and then Paris, and yet only a year later was to lose it all at the battle of Waterloo.

Today you can drive the route (all the way is 8 hours) but do part of it and retrace his secret march.

The drive is one of the most spectacular in all of Europe.

If you wish not to drive, there is a lovely tourist train from Nice to Digne-les-Bains , it's a 3  hour trip, but you can get off along the way and picnic and hike and then get back on the train going north or returning to Nice.

The Most Luxurious Speakeasy in the World, is of course in Paris! at the Shangri-la Hotel

The Le Bar a Ciel Ouvert is a summer, secret bar that only serves Krug Champagne and a few nibbles like center-cut smoked Salmon.

Open only in the summer from 6pm to 11pm, the bar ( housed in a private room with a terrace)   over looks the Eiffel Tower. 
The best time to come in around 8pm to see the Tower light up ( every hour on the hour) for 10 minutes.

Room holds  only 16 people on the terrace.

Reservations are a must in advance and you'll be given a password ( a la the 1920's) 

Stop at the hotel check in desk, give them the secret code and you'll be escorted to the private room.

A glass of Krug champagne starts at Euro 55 a glass and up..Expect to spend about Euro 300 for your stay. 

In the shadow of the French Pyrenees, a confection unlikely in any other part of France or maybe the world!

In the city of Pau (  in Southwestern France), you'll find a sweet treat known as Les Coucougnettes.

A coucougnette is a confection made with almonds, marzipan and chocolate. The sweet consists of a whole roasted almond coated in dark chocolate, rolled in a mix of crushed almonds, cane sugar, ginger brandy and Armagnac! WOW!!!!!

Be Backstage, experience the best of gastronomy, five senses in the Kitchen of a Michelin star chef in the hills behind the French Rivera.

In the hills behind the French Riviera, is the perfume capitol of France the village of Grasse. We can offer you to join Chef Jacques CHIBOIS who is keen to share this part of Provence with you to discover its gardens, its scents and olive trees and to taste Provencal homemade items before entering his kitchen.  

Here you will join him and his staff to observe lunch prep before service. Then you’ll be invited to dine at the chef table while you experience the rush of a Michelin kitchen first hand.  You’ll see the daily demands and determination that it takes to run a Michelin starred restaurant.

From Euro 1300 plus.