I'm Old Fashioned ( as Johnny Mercer Once Penned) and Proud of It...

If you love old fashioned things, then one must visit a wonderful sweet shop founded in 1761....
A la Mère de Famille

Paris’s oldest sweet shop, founded in 1761 and still operating in its original location, is a marvellous little store that hasn’t changed much over the past 250 years.
Here, chocolate lovers will find ice cream in several enticing flavors, among them chocolate sorbet, chocolate-mint, and chocolate with candied orange and a hint of vodka.
Of course, there are lots of chocolates, candied fruit, calissons and other confections too!
The company now has several other locations in Paris, but a visit to the original shop is a must for lovers of Paris and chocolate alike.

A la Mère de Famille

35, rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, 75009 Paris

Métro: Cadet, Le Peletier or Grands-Boulevards

Hours: Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Souvenirs From Another Time When Perfume Was The Symbol of Absolute Luxury

As a magical place in Paris at the foot of the Sacre-Coeur of Montmartre, The Belle de Jour  gallery shows an amazing collection of old perfume bottles, atomizers, powder and cream boxes.

Belle de Jour at 7 rue Tardieu, in the 18the near Metro Abbesses) is open Monday to Saturday 10:30 to 1 and 2 to 7. Here you'll find a wonderful collection of antique perfume bottles and glassware ( from the 18th century to the 1940's). Just after you enter, you can definitely catch a whiff of perfume in the air, and during my visit, a French woman was at the counter putting her collection of antique glassware on consignment in the store. When you look for the store, go to the middle of the building front since there is another store in the same building using the same number (which is fairly common in Paris).
The prices are not for the faint hearted, as they start at Euro 200,  but Oh! what beauty they posses. .
http://www.belle-de-jour.fr/

If I could eat at only one restaurant for the rest of my life......

Since George William Wilton opened “Wiltons” in 1742, I have always enjoyed great oysters. and today ,The 1^st of September marks the start of the native oyster season.
If I could eat at only one restaurant for the rest of my life, it would be Wiltons ( I do love France, but oh! Boy! In London it’s..) . Of course, I would need very deep pockets because it has never been exactly given away. But hey, you get what you pay for: gull’s eggs, the finest langoustines, Dover sole, grouse with all the trimmings, sherry trifle. The hugely experienced and respected Andrew Turner is wearing the whites and GM James Grant runs the show with extraordinary attentions to detail. Tory MP’S ( English Senators) , heads of state, the odd actor and teenagers on a half-term treat are all served equally at this fine old aristo that has a highly developed sense of noblesse oblige.

The Seafood bar, my favorite hangout...............

Secret Paris Alleyway - Left Bank

Located in the 6th district of Paris, close to Odeon Metro is a secret passage.
Most tourists and other visitors of the Quartier Latin, would walk up (or down) the Rue Saint André des Arts, and would miss giving a second glance to the narrow passageway called Cour du Commerce Saint André.
One entrance to this partly covered narrow street is from Rue Saint André des Arts, the other one is from Boulevard Saint Germain. the small street or alleyway has an of 18th century atmosphere, is covered by centuries- old cobble-stones, has a lot of charm and a number of historical references.

The first experiments with the guillotine (on sheep) took place in this building (no. 9).
The oldest still existing Paris café, Le Procope – opened in 1686 - , (OK for a coffee, but I would not recommend eating there) has its backdoor entry here. Among its regular visitors you can mention Racine, Molière, Voltaire, Diderot, Balzac, Napoleon and his marshals, George Sand, Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Jefferson … Benjamin Franklin (who is said to have “fine-tuned” the American constitution here)… a lot of ancient times’ actors (the old Comédie Française was just across the street) .. and the Revolutionary Robespierre, Marat, Danton….and Guillotin. Marat also printed the Revolutionary newspaper “L”Ami du Peulple” in this street (no. 8) and Danton had his home at no. 20 which corresponds to a part of the street which disappeared with the construction of Boulevard Saint Germain. Danton’s statue now stands where his house used to be.
Director Vincent Minnelli filmed here, set off the alleyway, for his musical, Gigi. Take a peek and see if you can recognize whose home it was in the movie.

Magical Stones of Brittany

Brittany is home to many megalithic sites that dot the landscape of the Gulf of Morbihan. Carnac is the most famous, but for something different and out of the way I recommend a boat trip to the small island of Gavrinis.
This small uninhabited island of Gavrinis is home to what is arguably Brittany’s most impressive Neolithic site – a pyramid-shaped stone burial chamber whose interior walls are covered with artwork. The island is accessible via a guided tour by boat from Larmor-Baden.

The boat tours leave from Larmor-Baden from April to October only.

A Chicken ...like No Other... I Know ...Only in France

At every outdoor market in Paris there’s at least one volaillier who has a constantly turning rôtisserie with long metal bars slowing spinning chickens until they’re bronzed…no, make that very well-bronzed, and unbelievably moist and succulent. If you can find ‘em, the poulet Portuguese are often called poulet crapaudine, a chicken that’s been split open, rubbed with lots of spices, raw garlic and more salt than one might think prudent. Then each bird is grilled until the skin is practically rock-hard and crackly-caramelized, which you pull off and enjoy in lick-smacking, crispy, salty bits.
One of the favorite roast chicken places in Paris is available only on Sunday at the Richard Lenoir market. (t the upper end of the market is a woman, the woman they call la Reine de Poulet, or the chicken queen, which is actually a title her daughter bestowed upon her which she carved on her old wooden cash box.
Wearing oversized glasses, short bobbed hair, and cackling like a mother hen, she shrieks out to all passers-by when the chickens are available; hot and ready-to-go. There’s always one waiting for YOU, just slid off the hot metal spit and wrapped in a crisp waxed paper bag. There’s all sorts of roast chickens available, but the crapaudine seems to be the favorite, BUT . If you’re one of those people that likes juicy, moist chicken, this ain’t the chicken for you. But for many of us, this is chicken candy.

The Best Place At Dawn on A Sunday

The Roman amphitheatre...YOU HAVE NO IDEA!

( In the city of Lyon)

Paris On The Cheap - A View Not To Be Ignored

One of the secret things to do in Pairs and it won't cost you a dime ***, is to get yourself the the Paris Department store, Galeries Lafayette and head towards the 8th floor and the terrace and take in all of the famous Paris Landmarks - From the Tour Eiffel, the Opéra Garnier, and Sacré Coeur, just to name a few.

What else can you do on the terrace? Well, judging by the people in the photo, you can share a special Parisian moment with your significant other, take a photo of the stunning cityscape, or completely ignore the view of the Eiffel Tower like the family who appear to be studying a guidebook and wondering what they should see next! You can also have something to eat and drink at the rooftop cafe or get a cup of coffee from the coffee cart. And if you would have been here during the French Open in June, you could have played tennis on the terrace with a pro.

The terrace is located on the 8th floor of Galeries Lafayette. The cafe is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. until the end of September

** If course, if you want to shop here (and its fantastic) then it won't be free,............so to say.

Barging - the French Rhythm Of Life

One of my pleasures along with my brother is barging in France. In past years, we have rented a self-drive barge and cruised ourselves and it’s very very easy. BUT, for the first time barger, I would recommend taking one of the many wonderful hotel barges. Barging in France is a magical experience and once you have done it, it grabs a hold of you and never let’s go and you go back again and again. Every turn in the river seems to be more spectacular than the last. France has the most developed waterway system in Europe with nearly 50 canals. Barging is not about covering huge distances – it’s about the pace of life, The French Way Of Life and waking up on beautiful mornings on placid water brimming with fish. Boat speed is never more than slow and pastoral as you drift past Romanesque churches and vineyards, cruising down canyons of poplars from village to village, town to town through giant naves of plane trees whose branches touch fingertips over your head. And the food and wine and cheese, I could go on for hours. Do as little or much ( local tours are arranged along the way,) besides walking and using the barges bikes to tag along as the boat makes its way to the next landing.

Day Trip From Paris : Strasbourg

Because the TGV ( fast trains) in France are so good, I recommend to many of my clients with a only a short time to spend in France, to stay in Paris and use it as a base and use the fast and efficient TGV rail service to visit the French Countryside for lovely day trips.
Situated only 2-1/2 hours away from Paris, in the eastern part of France, is the historic city of Strasbourg. It is the ultimate European city. It has flavors of both France and Germany, and sits right on the border of the two countries. It's picturesque "la Petite France" neighborhood looks like something straight out of a fairy tale book, a riverfront neighborhood with timbered buildings accented by colorful flower boxes.

The city is enclosed in a series of basins and canals and is sometimes called the Venice of the North. The Black Forest and the legendary Rhine River are just at or beyond the city's edge.

From the Rail station (a WOW of architecture) it’s only a 5 minute walk to the old town section called, La Petite France and is easily Strasbourg's prettiest and most enchanting neighborhood, and arguably one of the best neighborhoods in all of France. Stroll along its streets, along bridges over the Ill River. Breathe in the scent of fresh-baked gingerbread or the inviting aromas from the restaurants. Gaze at the timbered buildings, bursting with blooming plants that earned this city the prestigious four-flower ranking.
The Food, well, when you combine the best of French and German cooking and wine and beer, I could go on for days about my love of that.

Paris River Cruise With A Twist or Shall I say, With Bubbles...

One of my favorite Wine tasting schools in Paris, O-Chateau now offers a Seine Cruise and a Champagne tasting all in one.

Their 1 hour cruise starts at 6:00pm -Thursday to Saturday held in a private salon on a river boat.. Three Champagnes will be offered along with a sommelier to answer any questions you might have, coupled this with the experience and pleasure and beauty of the Seine River away from the crowds along with good Champagne.

As Ira Gershwin once wrote ' Who Could Ask for Anything More?"

The price is about Euro45 per person.



NEW HOT AND CHIC SPOT: LA CO(O)RNICHE PYLA-SUR-MER

(Note: the video is in French, as most of the clients right now are French, but I think you'll get the idea of what the new hotel is all about)
I LOVE THE OCEAN, AND I LOVE FRANCE AND THUS I LOVE ..Normandy, Brittany and some parts of the French Riviera, but as of late, my heart belongs to the Aquitaine area – Biarritz, Landes and The Aracachon Bassin with its fashionable yet underplayed and yet undiscovered beach chic, Cap Ferret and now near the giant sand dunes (the largest in Europe) across the bay at Pilat, is a a new and modern and hip ( I hate to use that word as I am a ‘stuffy’ person, if it be known) fabulous new hotel called La Co(O)rniche designed by Philippe Starck.
La Co(o)rniche is a hotel in an extraordinary location. The key landmark in the Pilat-Plage district, the vantage point over the Arcachon basin, backing onto the highest dune in Europe, it is suspended between sea and sky, nestling between sand and pines.
It is a mythical place which evokes the golden age and invention of the Côte d’Argent. A former 1930s hunting lodge in the heart of a preserved site, where aristocracy and the upper middle classes, attracted by the quality of the air, the magic of the site and the fashion for bathing in the sea, came to have Louis Gaume construct them a Neo-Basque home sheltered among the pines.
The landscape, combining several extraordinary phenomena, could not leave anyone unmoved. It reveals the immense Atlantic and the entry to the Arcachon basin, closed in the distance by the point of Cap Ferret.
“Like all places where there are major tide patterns, it is an extremely diverse landscape,” continues the designer, who is a regular visitor to the area and loves the ocean. “It provides incredible walks, even onto the seabed, and in the primal soup which reveals itself, you sense how and why life began.”
The hotel, its rooms, its restaurant and its terrace are the gatehouse of these marine depths, a “natural theatre with gigantic dimensions, where the planet’s forces are in constant interaction.” There we can admire the variable geometry of the Banc d’Arguin, an immense sandy spit which emerges at certain times of the day and, reread in the language of reality the finest pages from Victor Hugo’s “The Man Who Laughs”, whose evocations of the moon, attraction and dangerous and beneficial currents inspired the design of the rugs which Philippe Starck designed for the hotel’s rooms.
This perpetual astonishment is continued in the hotel’s unique location “placed on a sort of magic, a sort of miracle, an impossibility which is the largest dune in Europe”. A mass of Surrealist sand, a “grand site national” over which La Co(o)rniche has a unique vantage point.
Along with this evocation of the sea and the sand, I should add that of the ubiquitous pines. The Pilat-Plage district which borders La Co(o)rniche has developed in perfect harmony with them. The clairvoyance and perseverance of the Gaume family, which managed its development, ensured that the architecture blended in completely with nature. This is how only a few minutes from Arcachon, La Co(o)rniche nestles into surroundings which are preserved and still vibrant with that atmosphere so sought-after by the elite of the last century
http://www.lacoorniche-pyla.com/

Remembering Leo Ferre - Paname

Leo Ferre was one of France's greatest singer/songwriters.
This morning, feeling very homesick for Paris, I am hearing in my head his singing of one of his biggest hits called "Paname".
Paname is a slang name that Parisians give to Paris on some occasions that is difficult to explain - namely when they think of the city as an exotic place! Apparently this nickname was first given to those Parisians who wore Panama Hats at the beginning of the 20th century.

France Takes A Tip From America's Restaurant Week........

Each February, My wife and I look forward to flying to San Francisco (One of our favorite cities in the world) to be part of that Cities restaurant Week. Here, scores and scores of the best restaurants in the city offer a prix fixe menu at great prices. It's a chance to sample food from many of San Francisco’s top restaurants at a reduced price and NOW, Paris has decided to do the same.
From September 19 to 25, France is hosting its own version of Restaurant Week, offering special two-for-one deals at participating restaurants all around the country. For its second year, celebrated chef Alain Ducasse will be in charge of this food-centric event called Tous au Restaurant (Everyone to the Restaurant), which will this year be part of the first annual national food festival La Fête de la Gastronomie on September 23.
All different types of restaurants around France, from everyday bistros to Michelin-starred destinations, will partake in this large-scale event. In the participating locations, diners can enjoy two prix-fixe meals (including an appetizer, main course and dessert) for the price of one. Reservations will open on Wednesday, September 7. Participating restaurants include Alain Ducasse’s establishments, Anne-Sophie Pic’s bistro the 7, Jacques le Divellec’s 39V, Bertrand Gautreau’s D’Chez Eux, and Alain Dutournier’s restaurants. The full list of participating restaurants, which are searchable by location and cuisine type, are listed on www.tousaurestaurant.com.
The Fête de la Gastronomie is a new national event launched by Secretary of State for Tourism Frédéric Lefebvre. Aimed to celebrate French cuisine, the festival follows UNESCO's addition of the French gastronomic meal to their prestigious list of World Intangible Heritages, honoring the conviviality surrounding traditional French meals. For the festival’s first year, all the regions of France will focus on the theme of local cuisine, or “terroir,” thereby honoring and enjoying food that is unique to each individual area. A list of some of the events happening in conjunction with the festival can be found here.

        Famed French Chef Paul Bocuse meets Famous French Chef Remy
      Watch Chef Remy in action
                                              

Les Jardins de Marqueyssac - A Dordogne Surprise

The gardens of Marqueyssac are one of France's listed 'Jardins Remarquable'.

They sit high above the Dordogne river and as you wander through the gardens you get some amazing views of the river below.
The gardens were designed by a student of André Le Notre - famous designer of the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles.
When you enter the gardens by the Chateau of Marqueyssac the surrounding garden is a sort of crazy formal French style garden. Laid out in traditional French style as far as lots of clipped box goes this has been given a dramatic twist by clipping the box hedges into a mass of swirls, whorls and rounds giving the areas a dynamism not often seen in this type of gardening.
Wander a bit further from the chateau and you will see the long promenade added to the gardens at the end of the 18th century. This is bordered with immaculately manicured clipped rosemary and santoline.
Wandering a bit further and the garden becomes a pleasant stroll along the wooded cliff top with lots of box planted in the woods. Altogether there are 150 000 hard pruned box trees in the gardens! Clearings reveal picnic areas and swings and quiet areas to sit and contemplate the views. Altogether there are 6 km of walks some parts with easy access for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
There is a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the views, as well as a tea-room and a bookshop.

During the summer, they have evening Jazz Concerts!

The Grand Canyon of Europe in France - Day Trip From Provence

                                                         ( Pont d'Arc)
Just less than a hours drive from the  city of Avignon ( Provence),is the Ardèche Gorges which sit at the base of the Massif Central, below the Cévenne Mountains. the Ardèche sits on the right hand bank of the Rhône river.  This region of southern France is a place of extraordinary natural beauty and is steeped in  history, for painters and photographers the region is truly inspiring, and for those looking for adventure it offers adrenalin combined with atmosphere among its mountains, gorges and rivers.

The Ardèche Gorges in France is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of Europe with spectacular limestone cliffs towering up to 1000ft above the meandering river below. The entrance to which is through the famous Pont D'Arc based near Vallon which at 192ft is, according to the Natural Arch and Bridge Society, "the largest natural bridge in Europe".

                                     (Mountain goats and cars share the road)
It was here that the discovery of the Chauvet cave was made in 1994 where 32,000 year old cave paintings were found. As of the moment, the cave is closed for visitors.

Here you can canoe or take up white water rafting for the day. Canoe as little time as 3 hours for 6 Euros up to a full day. Must be able to swim before you rent a canoe. At the end of the river journey, there is a shuttle back to the rental area.

Being in the great wine producing region of Côte du Rhône and Côte du Vivarais means that there is an abundance of vineyards and local wines to sample and for sale. Lavender and sunflowers are other abundant local products which surround you as you drive through the area. It is also famous for its chestnuts, goats cheese, truffles and wild boar.

Howard's Thought for Today..being His Birthday..

"The Quality of my lunch and or dinner really does influence how I feel about the places I visit"

3 Most Beautiful Chateaux In France **

** According to me and writer/historian Ina Caro.
I am a great fan of both Robert and Ina Caro - historians and lovers of France. In Ina's latest book, 'Paris To The Past'; a wonderful read, I must say,  - Ms. Caro states that to her, the 3 most beautiful chateaux in France are
1) 16th century Chenonceau
2) 17th century Vaux-le-Viconte
3) 18th century Chantilly
I was floored, only because this is what i have been saying for years and years and here is someone, whom I admire, who says the same thing.
Chantilly is the easiest to get to from Paris, just a 24 minute rail trip from the Gare du Nord or 45 minute RER and then either a 5 minute taxi ( cost Euro8) or a 20 minute walk to the chateaux.
The Chateaux's art collection is the finest in France after the Louvre. The chateau has in its ancient  rules, that all art objects are never allowed to leave the chateau and all art hung is left as it was hung centuries ago. Nothing has moved since the last owner ( The Conde fanily) over a hundred years ago.  There are over 1000 paintings and 2500 drawings.
Ah! Don't forget the Horse Museum across the way - you might say it is a Four Seasons Hotel built for horses.

                                The musuem and stables for horses and also daily horse shows

Burgundy Wine Guide – Extraordinaire

I love the Burgundy area of France. It’s only 1 hour and 20 minutes by the fast TGV train from Paris. Did you know it is about the same size as the country of Belgium?
The vineyards play only a small part (albeit an important part) of this lush and fabulous area of France.
My old dear friend and fabulous wine guide, Colette BARBIER was featured recently on Rick Steves TV show.


I have been sending clients to Colette for over 10 plus years and she is the best guide in Burgundy, (in my opinion) when it comes to wines and the local countryside.
I guess my best kept secret ………is now out……………… worldwide.

Olive Buying In Provence - The best Way to Spend A Morning

Market day is Wednesday in Saint-Rémy de Provence and it is one of the most fabulous markets in Provence. The olive stalls are so popular that they have twelve people bedecked in orange aprons to attend to all the buyers.
One of my favorite pastimes in visiting country markets is buying bags and bags of Olives
St. Rémy has become a popular spot in Provence: so much to do and see. There are the beautiful Roman Ruins of Glanum, marked sites where Van Gogh painted, horses to ride, pools to swim in, bicycles for rent, and hiking trails everywhere. The area has now become popular with the film set. The locals bring their lavender into a mill cooperative where it is processed and sold for them.
Want to go?
Email or phone me for details


 The singer on the video was one of France's best loved male singers - Gilbert BECAUD

I saw him a year before he passed away and he was 'electric' on the stage. His nickname was the  'Man of a Thousand Volts"

The City Of Nantes - Appreciate it from the Top of an Elephant

One of my favorite French cities is Nantes, situated on the Loire River, near the Brittany Coast. What was once a provincial city, is now a 'buzzing' city. It is home to one of France's top symphony orchestras and a fine Opera Company. The historic center has been spruced up and is worth a visit. One of the fun and amazing things to do is to ride its famous 40ft tall mechancial mammoth. It lumberes along at 45 feet a minute, trumpeting loudly and spraying water at the delighted children jogging alongside.
When the majestic animal goes out for its walk, it is like architecture in motion departing a steel cathedral. The 49 passengers on board embark on an amazing journey on the Ile de Nantes. Each time the pachyderm goes out, it is a unique spectacle for everyone to enjoy. Cost Euro7
From the inside, the passengers will be able to see the moving gears that power the legs. They can make the elephant trumpet and control some its movements, thus becoming truly a part of the Machine. On the back of the Elephant, it’s like being on the 4th floor of a moving house, with a breathtaking view of the banks of the Loire River. In this time-travelling carriage, the passengers can voyage to the imaginary world of Jules Verne in the city where he was born.
FACTS:
12 m high and 8 m wide
50 tons
Wood: American Tulip
Hydraulic workings lubricated by 4 tons of oil
450 HP engine
An indoor lounge with French doors and balconies
A terrace accessible via stairways
Route: Approximately 45 minutes
Speed – 1/4 km per hour

Reims Cathedral Celebrates 800 Years

To help with the celebration, The Reims Cathedral is putting on the Reves de Couleurs ( technicolor Dreams) light show until October of this year. The light show begins at about 11pm. Its a choreographed light and sound show. The thing that France does so well.

It's July - But To Me It's Always April In Paris

Come on now, when are you coming to Paris?

Call me at Protravel International to make your plans right now!

310-271-9566



IN SEARCH OF MONSIEUR HULOT'S HOLIDAY

In 1953, my mother took me to see a French import film entitled Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, or Mr. Hulots Holiday. My thoughts at that time were never on France or even about visiting that country. But what happened that afternoon was to be the start of a life long love affair with France and everything French. Looking back on it, it was it turned out to be, one of the major highlights of my life. The film had almost no dialogue to speak of or if it did, I did not understand French, but what it did have was Jacques Tati', an truly gifted hilarious actor that had both my mother and I and the audience laughing for the entire time.
M. Tati to me and to others in France and worldwide ,he was a genius, he ambled aimlessly into French national consciousness and has remained there ever since. The little-known village he chose for the film's location became etched in people's minds as the quintessential holiday destination - a place where it was forever summer, the sky was forever blue, and the ice-cream van was forever overrun.
When ever I am feeling somewhat blue about the present time I live in, all I have to do is put on the DVD of that film and I am transported back to that theatre , the laughter and a gentler time – and somehow, everything is alright again.

Last year, while spending my vacation in the seaside resort of Le Baule, I noticed on a map I had, the village nearby called Saint Marc Sur mer. I was taken back, because wasn’t that the village where the movie was filmed? Indeed it was and so, I got into my car and drove over to this spot ( 15 minutes away) .
Saint Marc sur Mer, is a sleepy seaside resort on France's north-western coast. It was here that in the bumbling footsteps of one of the greatest comic characters in the history of cinema - a man who used the Great Summer Holiday as a vehicle for gentle satire and who had people rolling in the aisles while doing so, changed my life..

 Today, Saint Marc is still little more than a quiet seaside getaway, a genteel suburb of the nearest large town, Saint-Nazaire. Perched on the rugged coastline that continues down from western Brittany, it was plucked from obscurity by Tati because it had everything he needed: a little beach with a magnificent sea-view and a nearby hotel that ticked every box of the middle-class guest house. Days after his discovery, he wrote that, after weeks of searching, he had finally hit upon "the little corner I have been dreaming of".

Decades on, the Hotel de la Plage is now part of the Best Western chain but has managed, following a complete renovation last year, to avoid becoming entirely generic. The forward-leaning, pipe-smoking silhouette of its most famous guest decorates its walls, as do photographs taken during the filming in the summer of 1951. Even the bar stools feature different scenes from Hulot's adventures in Saint Marc. (Cheesy, yes. But no-one ever said M Hulot was the last word in chic.)


Despite the passing of almost 60 years, this stretch - now known officially as la Plage de M Hulot - is recognizably Tati-esque. Families lounge, their parasols up, hampers out and buckets and spades at the ready. Couples sprawl languidly. Toddlers tumble, ice-cream first, into the sand. The bronze of Hulot, surveying them all with the expression of a benevolent grandfather, looks on approvingly.
I parked my car and there it was, almost like it was back in the 1953 when I first saw the film. Nothing seemed to change. It was surreal, because as I walked around, I felt as if I was stepping into that film.

A local resident I meet while walking on the beach said to me, "Monsieur Hulot's holiday was the first film I ever saw in the cinema,". "It has come to be so symbolic” he said “ - of the first paid holidays, of holidays by the sea for ordinary people."
Wandering around Saint Marc during the day, I try to spot parts of the village used in the film. The cemetery which Hulot accidentally drove into- mid-funeral - is still there, though made rather less picturesque by the looming hulk of the thoroughly modern sports centre next door. I look in vain for the tennis courts where he unleashed his "unique" serve on unsuspecting guests; one man tells me he thinks they were concreted over and turned into a boules surface.
For those wishing to indulge in a little on-location 1950s nostalgia, a trip to the petite Jean Bart cinema down the road from the hotel is a Saint Marc must - especially when there is a nightly showing of the digitally restored re-release of Monsieur Hulot's Holiday,
During my visit, I passed families packing up their picnics and a collie dog cooling off in the Atlantic. Further on, two men, middle-aged and moustachioed, stand in great concentration at the edge of the ocean. They are trying to catch sea bass, they tell me. "We might be here for a while", they add, and the prospect doesn't seem to bother them………………………………………………. And I realize I have no need to watch a film to rediscover the 1950s. In St Marc, in the dying light of perfect summer days, the golden age lives on.

Happy Bastille Day - 2011

Secret Corners of Paris - Place des Victoires

            ( was just a few months ago)
After several weeks of work, where half of the Place des Victoires was totally hidden by scaffolding, they finally freed Louis the 14th (the guy on the horse in the middle!)! This place is one of the most beautiful ones in Paris for it's not too large, yet extremely spacious - and not too busy with car traffic ;-) For those of you who are into history, you should know that it was first inaugurated in March 1686 and that the law stated that only symmetrical buildings could be erected there.

                                             (now)

It's Friday..Had a Hard Week with Difficult Clients...so....

 I am leaving the office early, but my mind  ( to calm me down) is thinking of sunset over the Seine.
The Pont des Arts , a pedestrian bridge that was built at the beginning of the 19th century.

Sunday In Paris for a Song! This Is What It's All About! NO? OUI!

Sundays in Paris are sacrosanct—slow motion mornings made for sleeping in or wandering empty Paris streets or lazily reading piles of newspapers, punctuated by coffee and croissants.
 For one band of merry Parisians (seemingly straight out of central casting), Sundays are a marathon of music … and a reminder of all that is good about France.
They start at the Mouffetard market singing and dancing to Piaf and Trenet—the kind of songs that make old (and young) a bit nostalgic for yesterday. The timeless melodies and a “je ne regrette rien” credo take hold in a powerful way. Even if you don’t know the words or the tune (except perhaps osmotically from old French movies or scratchy Piaf recordings), you will find yourself humming … and smiling … and pretty soon dancing.
The group then flows uphill and takes over a Mouffetard restaurant to continue the party. They drink and eat and sing and dance some more. The accordion chords vibrate off the poster-rich wooden walls, and the dancers stretch the limits of the aisle-turned-dance floor. Everyone just plain has a good time. The group then adjourns to the quai Saint-Bernard (when the summer warmth comes) for … what else? … more singing and dancing. We should all have such a good life, n’est ce pas?

Choco Museum Now Open

Who does not like chocolate? The French consume several pounds each year. Now to the delight of everyone, The Musee Gourmand du Chocolat has opened in the 10e in Paris.
From the outside it looks small, but when you get inside, you'll change your mind.
The museum is organized in three parts.
First the history of Chocolate in the new world, then upstairs is the European history with Chocolate and then finally (the most exciting part) the tasting room. There is (for a small fee) a tasting option. Also there is a shop selling chocolate souvenirs and choco accessories.
Admission is Euro 9 for adults and Euro 6 for kids and students.