2011 Happy New Year!

My Find for Paris - 2010.......A wow!

In October of this year, I visited a new 5 star boutique hotel on the right bank  called Le Burgundy.Just walking in the hotel lobby, all I could say was WOW!, the restaurant and bar - a WOW!, the rooms..a WOW! I have never in such a long time been bowled over by a hotel ( and I love the Paris Four Seasons, le Meurice, Crillon to name a few) in years. It has all the bells and whistles of the major luxury hotels in Paris plus its cozy and intimate and the kind of place you never want to leave. Located on rue Duphot, the elegant and forever fashionable spirit of Paris is evident at Le Burgundy, a boutique hotel that opts to whisper its charms as opposed to shouting them from the rooftops. Make sure to check out the indoor pool which offers color therapy.

Paris is well known for its fashion, romance, song, cuisine, and appreciation for the arts. What outsiders sometimes miss, though, is the grace and balance its residents and purveyors exude when displaying them to the world. This display is very evident at Le Burgundy, a virtual case study in what makes Paris great. Firstly, the arts: Le Burgundy honors them by way of Guy de Rougemont's marble puzzle sculpture in the front lobby. And one cannot over look the culinary arts, which get their fair share of exposure at the Restaurant and Winter Garden, where Parisian classics are prepared with a creative spirit.

Architecture and interior design can be experienced in any room or suite, where classical lines add drama among various brightly colored fabrics, flower arrangements, and artworks.

Paris and its residents always strive to look their best, and guests of Le Burgundy will have every opportunity to follow suit at the Spa & Fitness Club. Swim, sweat, steam, soak, or limber your way to a more graceful and glamorous you.



Merry Christmas From Paris..............Joyeux Noel & Bonnes Fetes de Fin d'Année

Photo of a rose in the Place Vendome after some snowfall the night before

France...A" Few Of My Favorite Things"......................

As Christmas approaches, the lyrics to one of Rodgers and Hammersteins most beloved songs...'My Favorite Things..' I start to think about some of 'my favorte things' of France and one of them is the lush Loire Valley filled with it's many magnificent Chateaux....
Perhaps the most famous of the Loire Valley chateaux, after Chenonceau, Chambord is a vast Renaissance extravagance started by Francois I in the early 16th century as a hunting lodge (seriously) it contains over 400 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 staircases. All this for a residence only used for about 2 months during Francois’s reign. He created sumptuous hunting grounds, surrounded by an uninterrupted wall of 32km to contain his potential prey of deer and wild boar plus a stable for 1200 horses which were used for riding and hunting within the grounds. You can cycle or walk the grounds via the marked out paths but even the shorter walks can take over an hour, such is the size of the park. Wear sensible footwear for this visit and take plenty of water. You can also ride horses or take a horse-drawn cart from the stables where, during the summer months, there is an equestrian show. Inside the chateau the only furnished rooms are the chambers of Francois I and Louis XIV plus a room dedicated to the toys of the Royals as the chateau had apparently been ransacked of its furnishings during the Revolution. That said you cannot fail to be impressed by the decoration, fittings and internal architectural features of even its spacious empty rooms. Its famous double spiral staircase is said to have been influenced by Lenardo da Vinci who was a guest of Francois I at Close-Luce near the royal residence at Amboise. It is interesting to send your partner down one set and for you to take the other - and pass each other without touching! The views of the external architecture from the roof terraces are breathtaking---why so much detail Francois?—I suppose because he could! As with all popular les chateau of the Loire it is better to visit before the large tourist parties arrive or after they have gone. Each evening in July and August, of 10 p.m. to midnight, the chateau façade is lit up in a way that blends the building to the forest through a sound and light show. You can also hire bikes and boats within the grounds.

Jardin ( gardens) of France - Loir et Cher - Notes from an Unabashed Romantic

On my recent trip to France, I stayed in Paris and also spent a week in the area just north of the Loire Valley, called Loir-et-Cher. Its rarely visited by American tourists, but is really a treat for all your senses. I love gardens and here, I found two romantic ones that are a 'wow'. The Jardin du Plessis Sasnieres is said to be France’s most ‘English’ garden. Featuring a lake, rose beds and walled kitchen garden, it is the home and creation of Rosamee Henrion who spent part of her childhood in England. An expert in trees, she is also a devoted gardener and got both inspiration and tips from various English gardens including Highgrove, home of Prince Charles. So instead of being formal like a traditional French garden, hers has lawns with neat English-style edges and there are intricately clipped yew trees.Mme Henrion’s daughter-in-law cultivates fruit and vegetables, making chutneys and jams that are sold in the shop. Visitors are invited to help themselves to any spare produce and can enjoy home-made fare in the farmhouse tearoom.
I was staying with the Count and Countess of Vassay ( more on that later) and the countess, Marni, suggest I visit the ( English garden) Jardin du Plessis in Sasnieres ( just 40 minutes from their chateau) and the Jarden d'Atmosphere du petit Bordeaux ( 50 minutes away).
If I had to propose to someone, either of these exquisite gardens would be the place.

The Jardin d’atmosphère du Petit Bordeaux, is approximately 20 km due South of Le Mans, at the village of St. Biez-en-Belin. Another privately owned Garden, by Michel Berrou, and a garden that, frankly, gave me goose-bumps. It has everything, and all the brainchild of the owner. The garden is laid out in a structured way, but one can't fail to be impressed by the sheer diversity he has achieved in a relatively small space.

It's Good To Be King, or at least a Prince or Princess - Chateau de la Barre

In October, on my recent visit to France, I had the great good fortune to stay with the Count and Countess ( Marni and Guy, if you please) at their palatial chateau in the Loir valley ( just 1 hour north of the Loire valley). Hidden away in the midst of the idyllic wooded hills of the Perche, between Chartres and Tours, at the entrance to the Loire Valley, Château de la Barre progressively unfolds its history. For centuries, its parkland has protected it from noise and disturbance, and it now emerges as an historical haven, close to the small Loir Valley and the famous Loire Valley Chateaux. Although having born witness to the Hundred Years War, the Religious Wars, and the vicissitudes of the French Revolution, Chateau de la Barre could tell countless tales, and delights most in joyfully extolling a preserved way of life. Today, the Count and Countess de Vanssay (she is Anglo-American, he is the twentieth generation at his family chateau), welcome you to their home, where the rooms combine elegance and authenticity with all the important modern comforts. The living rooms, with portraits of various family ancestors, rival in grandeur with the immense dining room, a veritable chef d'oeuvre of the 18th century, complete with its monumental buffet displaying an exquisite collection of china:
Just driving into the property, you take a long road through lovely pastoral land replete with grazing sheep and somehow, you feel transported back the 17th Century, The Sun King and all that. The chateau looms on the horizon and then the magic really begins.....

There are 5 bedrooms (very cozy) and each one is different. It's like sleeping in a museum, everything is original and in the Counts family for hundreds of years. Note: There is no TV, phones, internet (to speak of), its living in a true home, albeit a royal one. A perfect getaway from the madding world!
Guy and Marni are the most wonderful hosts and nicest people you’ll every meet. They make the stay perfect!

Now you can cross the street anywhere in Paris......................HA!

Charles Bremner, my favorite London Times Reporter from Paris, wrote this this morning..................................................

"If you have ever tried to use a pedestrian crossing in France, you know that cars don't stop -- no more than they do in Russia or other third world countries. The pedestrian is an inferior creature who deserves to be crushed. This reality has rather softened the impact of a revolution that was announced by President Sarkozy's government this week. Henceforward, all drivers in France must give way to anyone who crosses the road even if it they are not on a pedestrian crossing. Failure to stop will cost an automatic 135 euro fine and four points from the 12-point driving licence.This is a classic case of Gallic practice prevailing over theory. Even before this week's decree, the highway code said that French drivers must yield to anyone using a pedestrian crossing. Very few drivers, at least in the cities, have obeyed unless there were traffic lights denoting pedestrian priority. So the idea of making everyone everywhere stop for pedestrians has been greeted as a joke. "I'd like to see the first person try to walk across the Place de l'Etoile," said a news presenter on RTL radio. He was referring to the homicidal traffic circus around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
There are a couple of qualifications to the new rule. A pedestrian does not have priority over the traffic if there is an official pedestrian crossing within 50 metres. The walker must also show "a clear intention to cross". This is defined as "an ostensible step forward or a hand gesture". This will be quite a novelty because hand gestures on French traffic are usually applied after the event not before.The new rules stem from the noble intention of taming French traffic. Another new regulation will enable cyclists to turn right at a red light if the intersection carries a special sign. Again, this will have little impact since few cyclists in Paris stop at red lights, whether turning right or left or going straight ahead. I know, because I am one of them".

La Maison d’Elise – A restaurant to Satisfy Both the Spiritual and Secular ( Le Mans)

On my recent visit to France, I stayed in the Loir Valley (not to be confused with the Loire Valley – although they are only 1 hour apart and easily visited) during my stay at a 400 year old Chateaux hosted by owners the Count and Countess Vassay ( Guy and Marni to their guests, please!), Marni suggested ( as she knows I live for great food) to spend the day in nearby Le Mans, visiting this famous Plantagenet city and then having lunch at the charming La Maison d’Elise.

The outlaying area of this large city, is somewhat grey , dull and modern, but at it’s center is the old city and here ( where Henri II of England was born and Richard the Lionhearted lived) one finds oneself entering a time tunnel with a myriad of streets each with houses with magnificent stone or wood carvings. This Plantagenet city serves as a stage set for numerous films such as the Man In The Iron Mask, The Three Musketeers and basically any film taking place in Paris of the XIVth to XVIII centuries. Walking the streets, makes you want to don a cape and sword. It’s quite magical. At its center is the Cathedral St Julien with the oldest stain glass window of the Ascension. Although I must admit that Churches and Cathedrals are not a major sightseeing activity for me, I must also admit that St Julien is quite over-powering. After spending a couple of hours it this remarkable and captivating old city and Yes, even its churches, I was ready to have an over-the-top lunch and what better place, that a cozy restaurant right next door to the cathedral.

The restaurant is La Maison d’Elise is housed in a former 18th-century mansion. Hosted by chef, Jean-Yves HERMAN, you are in for a treat. I had a lunch based on fish alone, in many courses and each course topped the previous one. I love a cozy restaurant, with tables spaced nicely apart, of starched table cloths and heavy silverware and sparking glasses and fresh cut fresh flowers on the table and of course- perfect service.
And may I add, a fantastic Lunch for only Euro 29!!

                                                                            My table- #11

London's new Pedi-bus Tours

Having just returned from a wonderful trip to the French Loire and Eure-et-Loir valley and then on to London for a few days, I will report more in detail on my trip, but I want to advise you of a new and fun way to tour the city. It's by a Pedibus ( see below). I did not take one (to much exercise for moi!)  but saw plenty of them all around the city. They have theme tours, like  a pub crawl or market tour. 

With a seating configuration similar to that of a dinner table, The Pedibus is the most fun and sociable way to cycle, chat and hang out with friends or people you have just met.

Edwardian Super-Size Me.........

On the 24th of October, I am off once again for France. This time, I will spend 3 nights in the lush Loire Valley at the 400 year old chateaux home of the Comte & and Comtesse de Vanssay ( who have opened their home to guests). This stay is in line with my 'It's Good To Be King" hotel stays throughout France and England. I plan to tour the unknown area of the Loire Valley called The Loir.

 Then it's off to Paris for 2 nights, to dine at some of my favorite Bistros and Brasseries. It's revisiting old friends of 20 plus years.

On Friday, the 29th, I board the Eurostar for a 2.15 hr trip from Paris to London. A most civilized way to travel.

 Once in London, my eating adventure begins in earnest. As some of you may know (if you read my other blog - Appetite for Excess)  - that I am a gentleman living in the wrong era, as I much have would preferred to have lived during the Edwardian era, as my maternal Grandparents did. But, I look on the bright side of things, as there can have been no better time for a chap like me to be alive. For in London, I can dress, drink and eat like an Edwardian gentleman for a weekend. My goal is to eat and drink like an Edwardian man of means. I am not daunted by the prospect of four whopping meals a day, rivers of grog and hardly any fruit, vegetables or water for the entire weekend. I plan to eat in only Edwardian restaurants (there are still a few left) and to eat as my antecedents did during the early 1900's. In fact, on my first morning at breakfast of my new Edwardian lifestyle , I foresee that my Edwardian breakfast will take so long that the chef will ring the lunch bell before I am through. I have planned with the menus I have created with the various restaurants I'll be eating at, to end up consuming about 5,000 calories during the course of the day!
 Game is in season and that can only mean one thing - Grouse, Grouse and more Grouse.
For many weeks now, shots have rung out across heathercarpeted moorland from Wales to the Scottish Highlands. Toffs and pretenders alike have been tearing across the soggy British country-side in pursuit of grouse since 12 August - and so in he fall game including pheasant, hare, venison ,partridge and Grouse come into season. YUM!
Please follow me along on the blog as I spend my Edwardian weekend in London.
London restaurants that are entertaining my Edwardian meals:
Rule's - Potted Shrimp, Roast gray Leg Partridge on toast, Steak and oyster pie, Gypsy tarte and Soft herring roe and capers
Wilton's - Smoked duck and Foie Gras Terrine, Venison Brodquin, honey roasted parsnips, roast goose fat potatoes, Stilton with celery
The Goring - Roast sirloin of Castle of Mey Beef, Glazed Scottish lobster omelette, Cumbrian black pudding with piccalilli and Poached pears in wine
The Ritz -  Need I say?..... Kippers in mustard butter
The Wolseley - Kedgeree with poached egg and crispy bacon roll
Corrigan's - Wild boar and Damson Jelly, Poached haddock with Indian rice, Loin of hare and sprouting Broccoli with blue cheese
....................and more.............
All of the above, finished  off with a Cuban cigar from James Fox's establisment in St James.

 

Reminder! Online Eiffel Tower Reservations

More than seven million people visit the Eiffel Tower each year. Just a reminder that online reservations are open for business and travelers can avoid the ordeal of waiting in the once inevitable long lines.
Here’s how it works:
• Visitors can make reservations up to one day prior to their visit.
• Create an account with basic information (similar to ordering theater or concert tickets)

• Choose date, time slot, number of visitors, and ages (for prices)

• Tickets are designated for visits EITHER to the Second Floor OR the Top

• Payment is made online (via secure server)

• Ticket must be downloaded and printed out. OR, download the bar code onto cell phone for presentation.

• Visitors with e-tickets simply go to the designated area at the Tower, according to time and date.

• NOTE: Visitors who wish to climb the stairs to the top do not need to pre-purchase tickets.
EIFFEL TOWER RESERVATION WEB SITE:
www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/index.html

Images Light Up Le Baux in Provence - One of my favorite "WOW's in Provence

Hailed as “one of the most beautiful villages” in France, Le Baux is perched high above the Provence countryside with views of Arles, the Camargue, and the Alpilles Mountains. Only 500 residents make their home here and visitors arrive solely on foot. Meticulous restoration showcases Le Baux’s storied past and 22 architectural wonders are on the list of “Historic Monouments.” The History Museum and the fabulous Citadelle at the peak of the town are not to be missed.

Just on the edge of town lies a magical place—the Cathédral d’Image—a natural stone theater projection screen which uses the rock walls from regional quarries as photographic canvasses. Created by the photographer Albert Plécy, a journalist and World War II correspondent, the intent was to bring the visitor physically into the photographs. Themed shows are projected daily, with more than 50 projectors lighting huge images against the walls of stone. Beautifully synchronized soundtracks are written for each production and envelope the visitor in a sensory kaleidoscope as you walk “through” the photographs, observing and interpreting the images from different angles.

Current show (Through January 2, 2011):

Terra Australis Incognita (the landscapes of Australia and the culture of the Aborigine people)Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each presentation lasts 30 minutes.
Admission: Adults 7.50 €; children 7-17 3.50 €

Physically accessible to all

The Hamptons of Bordeaux - A Secret Spot for Tourists to France

As the labor day holiday weekend approaches and 2.5 million Los Angeles citizens are getting ready to flee the city, I sit here and dream of a time spent 2 years ago in France in a little known area (by tourists that is) just 40 minutes west ( based on traffic and its never 40 minutes as it always crawls) to get out of the city of Bordeaux.
The area is known as the Bay of Arcachon or you could cal it, The Hamptons of Bordeaux. The setting is so enchanting that Napoleon III decreed it a bathing resort in 1857. The aristocracy duly flocked. Their legacy is an enclave of 230 palatial villas in the ‘winter city’ where Bordeaux’s elite spend their holidays. It’s not trendy, not by a long shot; it’s a look at the past, the past of 1899 France. It’s quiet and serene, but great sea views.

The bay is known for producing 60% of the oysters eaten in France. There are scores of oyster fisherman shacks all along the La Teste de Buch and one can sample their finds; try Angelika Herman in hut 166 for her catch right off the boat. There is even an oyster museum. Seaside cafes line the beach ( Café de la Plage being the oldest since 1915) and there are lovely boats rides in the large bay.

Nearby is the fantatic and largest sand dune in Europe, the Pyla-sur-Mer and a new hotel has just opened next to it, designed by Phillippe Starch called La Coorniche.

I dream of sitting near the bay, watching the birds sweep in and out over the azure blue water and putting down a dozen or two oysters.

LOUIS VUITTON - A MAGICAL NAME

This is a first in a museum in Paris; the world famous brand exhibits trunks and luggage that made its world reputation.
"Journey in capital, Louis Vuitton and Paris" gathers treasures from its heritage, the exhibition tells the story of the brand as well as Vuitton's family.

From the Empress Eugénie in 1854 to Catherine Deneuve or Madonna today, the brand with the famous monogram has become dominant throughout the world, always attracting a fashionable and demanding VIP clientele.

Around a hundred trunks and bags gathered together for the first time illustrate this fantastic epic.

Rally to the heart of the changing trends of a very Parisian luxury under that very famous monogram!
Louis Vuitton was created over 150 years ago, the brand travels through time and space, here, visitors could discover its unique know-how that made thrench showcase abroad.

This exhibition is also the opportunity for Louis Vuitton to release its new book entitled "Louis Vuitton, 100 legendary trunks".
Hôtel Carnavalet  n23, rue de Sévigné  75003 Paris
Métro : Saint-Paul (ligne 1) or Chemin vert (ligne 8)Open every day from 10h00 am to 6h00 pm , except on Monday or National Holidays.Entrance fees: 4,50 €

The Secret Cote d'Azur

If you hanker for the easy, sun-kissed charm of St Tropez 50 years ago, then just look a few miles west along the coast to Cassis. To my mind, the French Rivera is swamped by tourists, traffic jams, its ocean front is lined with high-rise ugly concrete condominiums and its beaches are mobbed with sun loungers packed cheek to jowl.

To be honest, it is not my favorite area. But....west past St Tropez and east of Marseilles is an area of almost secret, under-appreciated places. You won't find 5 star hotels here, hardly even a 4 star hotel, but the scenery and charm make up for the lack of grand hotels. I will at length later, talk about what there is to do and see, but for the moment, One of the drives in this part of the France is the 16 kilometer Route des Cretes ( road of Crests) where you can drive a car, a motorbike or walk eastward from Cassis to La Ciotat. The journey starts from the base of Cap Cannaille; the highest sea-coast cliff in Europe, and when you reach the top you can see Cassis, The Mediterranean and Les Calanques (inlets ranging from shallow indentations to jagged, deep water canyons).

( seasonal boat rides to view the French Fjords are possible)

The road along here is narrow and winding, but is not for anyone who suffers from vertigo; but the route is very high and exciting  and every turn brings a new unbelievable view., BUT if the wind gets too strong, the road is closed.

The Champagne Bus - Only in France!

                           Paris sparkles at night! On the Champagne Bus
Every Monday evening, O'Chateau ( the Paris wine tasting institute and classes) now invites you to take an extraodinary journey - on the Champagne Party Bus. Simply hop on near the Louvre at 9:30pm for a two hour ride across Paris from the Champs-Elysees to the Bastille via Saint Germain, taking in the capital's liveliest neighborhoods and tourist attractions, including the Eiffel  Tower. Stops are included so you can enjoy a breath of fresh air, which might well be needed, since you are treated to a selection of five different Champagne's ( yes! that's right , you get 5 glasses!!!)  in an energetic musical atmosphere. The tour costs Euro 60 per person.
http://www.o-chateau.com/

The French Riviera – Look Westward - 50's Chic Without The Lipgloss

To many, including myself, the Cote de Azur ( French Riviera) has become a ‘theme’ park; what with over built massive ugly high-rise condominiums cheek to jowl that run from Nice to Cannes, horrendous traffic jams, over priced restaurants and shops and certainly for me, not a relaxing place to vacation. I much prefer the area west of Cannes, actually, passed the lovely, but packed as hell, St Tropez in the area from Cavalaire-sur-Mer to Le Lavandou. Trendy its not, in fact, it’s unfashionable, that is one of the things that is endearing to me, but it’s beautiful and relaxing with great beaches.
One of the great drives for me is (coming from Provence) is to tack south of the super highway, across the edge of the magnificent Maures Mountains (mountains of the Moors). Climb along a scenic route to the hillside village of La Garde-Freinet ( have lunch) and then drive down towards Grimaud and into La Croix-Valmer ( skirting St Tropez.). The cornice coast from here westward rises and falls with wooded headlands, creeks and beaches. Stop where your fancy takes you, for me, its the small and unfashionable town of Cavaliere.

The hotel, Le Club de Cavaliere ( a Relais and Chateaux property) is a great spot to spend a few days or a week in fact. We'll get to that in just a minute, BUT..............
Keep driving west, and just after Cavalaire something extraordinary happens....You come around a great curve, rise up on the coast road, past an exposed white mansion on a cliff top and bang!.............you are suddenly in the 1950's. At any second ( it's the romantic in me) an open-top sports car will come around the bend towards you, with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, all dark glasses and Hermes scarf.
Sleepy villas sunk in gardens, an old petrol station, a little grocery shop and a wonderful fish restaurant with a wodden terrace overlooking the sea. The roads itrself winds dramatically, vistas explode ahead of you to reveal tantalising glimpses of wooded promontories, golden beaches, pine forest, crags and cliffs and flower tumbling through balustrades and down banks. Here is a secret place...called Le Rayol. This stretch of coast is the most beautiful and atmospheric on the Southern French coastline. This is how the Riviera used to be and is no more. How long this area remains so, I don't know.
so.....Back to Le Club de Vavaliere and Spa, at the end of the road in Lavandou...
One of the main draws is it sits on a sandy beach –a proper beach – so you can tumble out of bed, stroll to the restaurant and you’re right by the sea. It’s bliss! The hotel owners are fantastic hosts and it’d not just me, but the celebrated chef, Raymond Blanc (who vacations here yearly with his family) thinks the restaurant is fantastic in its own right. Chef Blanc says he loves coming out of the sea and heading straight for the buffet area by the beach, which always boasts a huge selection of fresh fish, meat and vegetables, not to mention the best pastries on the French Riviera.
Just a bit westward from here is village of Le Lavandou; and the nearby , villa of the French President Sarkozy is located and if this area is good enough for him, it’s good enough for me. Chef Blanc says, you might drag yourself away from Cavaliere to Tahiti Beach – east of St Tropez – Tahiti restaurant right on the beach – it’s friendly, it’s chic and it offers great, simple, top quality food all served under palm and coconut trees, with the sea just beyond.

Leaving this area, head back to Provence over the Maures by way of Bormes-les-Mimosas and Collobrieres. It’s a stirring drive through ancient hills that scorn trivial summer pursuits.

France Takes A Holiday..............Periode Estivale

(France's President, Sarkozy and his music star wife, Carla Bruni

at their villa in the south of France near Le Lavandou)

The whistle has blown. School's out. The Tour de France, is starting, Paris is emptying tonight and France is taking off for the summer. That at least is the illusion that is lovingly maintained by the media and much of France. The news is leading with reports from the highways and resorts on the annual migration south and westwards. The sound of cicadas and clinking wine glasses replace political sound-bites as radio cultivates the idea that France is on holiday.
It is not, of course. One third of the French take no leave at all and throughout the période estivale a majority of the people are at home and working. But it's pleasant to observe the tradition that life pauses in July and August. Business is put off until la rentrée -- the first week of September. Government offices work in slow motion and ministers manage to disappear for long breaks after July 14, the national holiday.

A Different View of Mont-St-Michel - An Untourist View

Most visitors to Mont-St-Michel see it and approach it from the south, The best way to take it all in, in a spectacular view, is to view it from the East, at the Grouin du Sud. Here the views from across the flat sands and channels, is one of the most extraordinary features of this unknown peninsula.

In contrast to the frantic, 4 millions tourists who visit Mont-St-Michel a year; the Grouin du Sud is a place to absorb the rare calm of this place and the real beauty of basse-Normandie.

Dreamin' Of Brittany Butter.............

( Handmade Brittany butter by Jean-Yves Bordier)

The Brittany coastline is a virtual lunar landscape of jutting rock formations, with pristine beaches tucked in between. Consequently, Upper Brittany is somewhat remote and not a popular tourist destination and it has become one of my favorite areas in France to visit. . Most of my days begin at a almost-deserted beach with a dip in a frigid, but clear water, and finished at a lively crêperie, picking through a mound of moules frites, aromatic mussels simmered with white wine and local shallots, served with a overly-generous pile of frites . Unlike the rest of France, the Bretons don't eat much cheese...in fact, there's no cheese that I can think of is produced there , but they make up for it by consuming lots of butter, which they're justifiably famous for. When you compliment a local pastry shop or restaurant on their cuisine, they will invariably respond proudly, "C'est la buerre de Bretagne!" ..in fact, the butter; it's the best I've ever tasted. I even dream about it!
Breton butter is notable since it's almost always flecked with large, coarse grains of salt that crunch when you bite into them. THE BEST!

And unlike the rest of the country, Bretons often butter their bread, which is never done elsewhere in France except with oysters, which are customarily served with buttered rye bread, pain de seigle. (So next time you're in Paris and that waiter gives you a funny sneer when you ask for butter, tell him you're from Brittany.)

A Guilty Pleasure Found In Paris

One of my food guilty pleasures since I was a boy, is the hot dog. Not the skinless, tastless things you see in the super market or at ball games,but the real kind made with a lamb casing. In fact, I have mine especially made and shipped in to me from a local meat market in Nebraska. Hot dogs, good hot dogs are one of life's treasures.

Adrian Moore ( a Paris food maven)  recently found a hot dog stand in Paris and this is his take on it. When I return to Paris in October, I will certainly check it out.
"A recent article in L'Express on "Paris' Best Sandwiches" brought me to this cubby hole snack stand in the Marais, offering apparently, New York style hot dogs. The 3€ sandwiches are offered in three different styles: the "American", ie ketchup, mustard and caramelized onions, the "Tex Mex", otherwise known as a chillidog, and the "Alsatian" (no Asian restaurant jokes here, please..) , or a sauerkraut dog. They were doing a roaring trade , and there was always a little crowd of Rayban wearing hipsters quaffing away, wiping ketchups off their chins, bobo families, and gawking passersby.
Verdict: decent, fun for the price, but as always, the unexceptional elsewhere often seems more exotic here. Especially where "American" food comes to play."

DERRIERE - The “home away from home” restaurant

If you are looking for something special and yet crazy,you must go to Derriere.
The idea for this family apartment-style venue was to be able to entertain friends “at home” every night. The name comes from its location, right at the back of the 404 and Andy Wahloo.
Customers can choose where they want to sit, whether it’s in the lounge, dining room, bedroom or boudoir. The décor and furniture are an eclectic mix of styles. The food is French, simple and wholesome, made with the finest quality products.
www.derriere-resto.com

Shopping For A Cause In Paris

A new concept store has opened in the Marais district,it's called MERCI, .It's a three-floor extravaganza with designer and vintage clothing, home furnishings, a used-book cafe and floral shop. Even better, some of the proceeds go to childrens charities. Since mostly all of the boutiques in the Marais district are open on Sundays, where as the rest of Paris is closed, this is a great spot for Sundays in Paris.

SAVEUR Magazine Taps Howard For It's Travel Advisory Board

SAVEUR has formed an alliance with Virtuoso, an invitation-only network of the world’s finest travel specialists, to bring you dream travel packages and authentic culinary experiences in locations all over the world. We are pleased to announce that Howard E. Lewis has been elected to service in 2010/2011.
Since culinary travel is one of the fastest growing travel trends today, we hand-selected the top 50+ culinary travel specialists from the Virtuoso network to make up the SAVEUR Travel Advisory Board to build culinary travel offers, exclusively for SAVEUR readers.
The board brings destinations to life through the language of food and wine—geared towards travelers, not tourists.

Keys To The Kingdom in the Loire Valley

Chocolatine, my agent in France just emailed me about a new pass in the Loire Valley that allows you at a discount to visit ten of the most famous Chateaux.
Visitors to the Loire Valley can now purchase a Chateaux Pass (Clefs des Temps) and enjoy entrance to ten beautiful castles, ranging from the medieval Castle of Châteaudun to the opulent Renaissance masterpiece, Chambord. The pass, which includes admission to both the interiors and stunning gardens, costs $42.75, a savings of nearly 50 percent over individual admission prices.
The castles included in the pass:
Azay le Rideaux • Chambord & Chaumont • Chateau de Chambord • Castle of Châteaudun • Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau • Chateau de Chaumont sur Loire • Chateau d'Angers • Chateau de Talcy • Chateau de Fougeres sur Bievres • Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud • Chateau d’Oiron
To purchase Le Clefs des Temps online: http://www.discoverfrance.net/Boutique/Travel/Passes/

Sunday Thoughts on My First Trip To Paris on a Sunday, a Long Time Ago

Its Sunday and I am making my plans for another visit to Paris and France in November and my thoughts turn back to the fist visit to Paris, a visit that changed my life forever.
Hundreds of people I am sure have had the same experience and here is what I remember on that Fall Paris day ( written for the movie, "Paris je T'Aime" and perfectly captures my feelings on my first arrival day)  - sitting on a bench overlooking the Seine.
'Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me. It was like remembering something I'd never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn't know what. Maybe it was something I'd forgotten or something I've been missing all my life. All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness. But not too much sadness, because I felt alive. Yes, alive. That was the moment I fell in love with Paris. And I felt Paris fall in love with me. '
What do you, my readers, remember from your first trip to Paris and France?
~ H. E. Lewis

Finding The Sweet Life in Southwestern France

Southwest France according to many surveys in France is the number one place in the country ( maybe the world!) to live if you are seeking the best lifestyle.

The Southwest is as diverse as its size, 15,400 square miles of it and the countryside changes dramatically from the majestic snow-capped Pyrenees to the verdant valleys of the Basque country, the soft rolling hills of the Gers, the luxuriant vineyards of the Dordogne and the strange rocky majesty of the Causses.

The Medieval village of Puy-L'Eveque is a favorite and for the moment, I'll leave it there, I am not sure I want to tell you exactly where it is Let it be my secret for a while. I will need to think about this.

It's villages like this that made me fall in love with France!

Monday food thought....................

"The only irritating thing about eating in France , is that when you are done, you are no longer hungry" - H.E. Lewis

The South Of France - This Side of Paradise...... Found!

This March, in my whirlwind trip, 3 week trip across France, I had the good fortune to be in the South of France and to stay at La Reserve Ramatuelle near Saint-Tropez., Its in a gated community east of St Tropez ( actually the famous beaches of St Tropez are really in Ramatuelle,) it's a true retreat nestled among hundreds of pines and a view of the sea that is to die for. The plus for me here, was the fact that even though it was close to the action of celeb central Saint-Tropez ( in the summer – its season is from June to August and- it attracts hundreds of thousands of people a day) and the pretty medieval village of Ramatuelle, (up the hill) yet it felt a world apart from the tourist crowds with only 23 rooms perched over the Mediterranean. The resort was masterminded by French designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte who focused on creating airy, light-filled spaces that were still very luxurious, the perfect aesthetic for a place where the focus should be on the view. The rooms (all with a fantastic view) are large, and when I mean large; its large!, my room ( #50) could have held a USC football team and yet still had plenty of room left over. The walk in shower was huge on top of that!

The hotel also has a spa, Some European "beauty centers," while they look good are a little lightweight on treatments, but the spa at La Reserve Ramatuelle was a standout. It was obvious that my technician (Isabelle) was just as concerned with my alignment as making sure I was relaxed as I was. And I loved the spa's internal pool, the counterpoint to the huge outdoor swimming pool that also seems to hang above the sea. It was hard to leave my room, but I did manage to make a couple of stops into Ramatuelle for the market and also to Saint-Tropez to admire the über-yachts (if the economy is bad, these seafarers didn’t seem to have gotten the memo). Even in March it was a mad house. So if you are heading to the South of France you'll want to make La Reserve a part of the itinerary.
The staff is phenomenal, from Nicolas VINCENT (the GM),to Lionel, the Matre D to Isabelle, my masseuse. The food is spa cuisine, but not the insipid spa cuisine you find in the United States, after all this is France! Everything is weighted, but its so good and so French, you can hardly call it Spa Cuisine ( but it is). The joke is they hide the croissants in the morning, but if you want some, they will gladly give them to you.
The resort is not for everyone; it’s quite, restful and relaxing and its not cheap, but what is anymore that is luxurious. You’ll need a car to get to the beaches (about 8 minutes away).

Paris - A Paradise for 13 - 19's - Parents Pay Attention!

Paris – secondhand and retro clothes shops - Rue du Roi de Sicile,

This intersecting triangle of streets in the heart of the Marais – the city’s original Jewish neighborhood – reveals all you’ll need to know about what is one of the hippest quarters in Paris. On rue des Rosiers you’ll find a multitude of Jewish epiceries, bakeries, falafel outposts and, among them, the avant-garde boutique L’Eclaireur (01 48 87 10 22), where adventurous and knowledgeable fashion types go for the great collection of brands, including Yohji and Maharishi. Next take a stroll along Roi du Sicile for edgy street duds or head to rue des Franc Bourgeois to discover a mix of well-known and boutique-name brands. Recognized as the heart of the city’s gay district, men’s fashion features highly. Once night descends grab a drink at The Lizard Lounge, just off rue du Roi de Sicile. The quarter’s maze of winding, cobbled streets is in stark contrast to the ultra-mod outfits of the area’s stalwarts. It’s a great, vibrant scene and one of the only areas of Paris open on Sundays.
Vintage Bar.
They will buy your coolest items too, and have a fantastically cool collection of vintage jewelery. There is a downstairs full of items too, don't miss that.
16 rue de la Verrerie
Frip'irium.
The owner of this place is a lively fun guy who went into a long description with me about why his shop was the best on the street. They apparently clean all items before selling them, only sell the nicest vintage items and apparel, and indeed had gone to great lengths to make a clean, organized, nice shop, with oils burning so that even your nose was happy to enter.
2 rue de la Verrerie
Mamz'Elle Swing.
The women working in this place is all decked out in 30s swing attire. It puts you in the mood as soon as you walk in, as does the swing music being played. A nice collection of 30s and 40s vintage items and clothing. Very cool.
35bis rue du roi de Sicile.
The King of Frip.
This place is a bit more disorganized than the other establishments mentioned, and seems to care a bit less about being choosy in what they sell. That said, there are some pretty good finds here, for great prices, if you dig. Don't miss the downstairs too.
33 rue du roi de Sicile.

Vintage Desir.
A cool place to get selected, collected, vintage shoes, clothes and accessories.
32 Rue des Rosiers
Chapellerie Simon.

This is one of my absolute favorite hat shops in all of Paris. They are filled to the roof with hats from all decades. Whether you want that sweet little 30s hat, or a stylish one for your man, or a summer wide-brimmed straw hat...this place has it all.

11 rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie

Noir Kennedy:
is a blacked-out dream destination in Le Marais for vintage hunters and rockabillies alike. Aged Converse shoes, choice selections of reconditioned baseball and Levi’s jackets and collections from new brands such as Cheap Monday line the walls and racks of this store. Far from being one of those junk-filled thrift stores overflowing with stretched XXL t-shirts and Mickey Mouse sweaters, the emphasis here is on wearable, quality vintage and the selection simply smacks of cool.The prices are cheap (for a Parisian clothes shop) and the oodles of favorable gems have been tastefully hoarded from vintage outlets far and wide with stock updated and added to regularly. Expect to bump into some of the skinny minnies of Paris’ indie scene as you hop in and out of the lovely old English telephone booths that function as the changing rooms whilst you fashion your new Pete Doherty look against the moody twang of the old school soundtrack.

12 and 22 rue Roi de Sicile 4th arr

Viewing The Famous Bayeux Tapestry - A Secret Way To Avoid The Crowds

Listed as a “Memory of the World” by UNESCO, the Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidery, 70 meters long, made in the 11th century. Celebrating the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, this linen canvas was probably embroidered by monks in the south of England after the Battle of Hastings on October 14th, 1066.Legendary animals, ships, Vikings, Norman and Saxon cavalries illustrate the exploits of William and his opponent Harold, another pretender to the throne of England. The tapestry is a highlight of the Normandy area along with the nearby  D Day beaches. Because it is visited by 460,000  people every year, here is a secret to having it all to yourselves ( well almost).
The museum closes at 5:00pm for entry, but is open for another 1-1/2 hours, SO, arrive at 4:45pm, buy your ticket and then after 5pm,the doors are shut and you'll have a quiet 1-1/2 hours to explore this wondrous Tapestry plus see an informative movie on the history of the Tapestry.

The town of bayeux is a treat to visit and walk around also. So allow yourself time to do that also.

A Day Trip To Strasbourg From Paris - A City Of Flowers and Sauerkraut

I have often told clients visiting Paris on a short stay, to use Paris as a base and do day trips into the French countryside. Provence is only 2 1/2 hours away, Dijon is 1 hour and 30min, and The Loire Valley is an easy hour away. On my last visit to Paris this past March, I did three day trips from Paris , One to Nancy (The Art Nouveau capital), one to Lille ( close to the Belgium Border) and one to Strasbourg (Eastern France). My favorite overall of these trip was my visit to Strasbourg. Just 2 1/2 hours away from Paris, the city of Strasbourg dominates the fertile vineyards and walled towns of the Rhine river plains and the dark, impenetrable Voges pine forests. Wonderful barge trips in the area. The city, French, yet German in feel (the population is bilingual (French and German) is shaped by the gently meandering Ill river which carves islands out the of cities most historic neighborhoods. The most atmospheric area (just an 8 minute walk from the rail station) is the area called: Petite France". Here half-timbered houses are nearly toppled by the weigh of their flower boxes and it looks as much as it did in the 16th and 17th centuries. Here Swans and bateaux-mouches paddle through the tranquil canals and past covered bridges. Strasbourg is a modern capital that has kept a small town feeling.Strasbourg

Cathedral de Notre-Dame is known as one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in Europe. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a roman temple built on a little hill above the muddy ground and is today, the 6th tallest Cathedral in the world! As a world class city,

Strasbourg also boasts its share of world-class restaurants where chilled white Riesling is served in delicate green-stemmed Rhine wine glasses. The 3 Michelin stared restaurant Le Crocodile is the star here, but so are many informal bistros and winstubs located in the central area. Here the luxurious (which I came to really sample) Choucroute Strasbourgeois - is served at the historic Kammerzell Restaurant (within the shadows of the Cathedral). Unlike the traditional Choucroute served with 'tons" of Pork sausages, this one is served with three different types of fish. It was incredible! The restaurant occupies several floors and has been around since (at least the building) since the 15th century. Reservations are a must! All in all, what a great city to visit for a day! It’s an easy trip from Paris and one that hardily recommend.