You Are Only as Happy as The Era You Love - Paris of 50 years ago

As you may or may not know, I have been accused of living in the past more than once from friends and family alike and I say to that..I am guilty and proud to say so!
For me, genuine French food, the food of 50 years ago, when there was great French cooking, not the pretentious silly stuff you'll find today, yes even in my beloved Paris -food that will give your cardiologist cause for concern - serious food - you know great sauces - goose foie gras - beef with marrow - duck with peaches - chicken stewed in Beaujolais - Lobster in Port wine sauce.(.I need to stop!) and huge Baba and my list can go on and on.
Was it decadent? - oh yes! Was it delicious? oh yes! and is it what I want? oh YES!
Here and there the past for me is still alive in Paris and one restaurant ( that has been around for 50 years) is Gourmets de Ternes. is still serving the food they did years ago and it is still great. It's local, not fancy, you are there to eat. No Fusion cuisine, no foam, no stark walls (Phillip or anyone else) and chairs and tables.
This is the kind of place you come to Paris to experience.
But then, don't listen to me, I'm just old fashioned and I'll keep those special and old fashion and great food places to myself.

Beaujolais Rediscovered - And I'm Not Talking About Nouveau

Beaujolais is one of the most well-known wines and yet somewhat looked down upon because of the annual frenzy of the 15 minutes of fame of its most famous product - Beaujolais Nouveau, whose quality has always to me and many other wine lovers , has been suspect. 

The Beaujolais countryside ( locate south of Burgundy and north of Lyon) known as La Terre des Pierres Doress, the land of the golden stones - is breathtaking. Not that often visited, because its over shadowed by its famous neighbor of Burgundy, its still worth a trip to these picturesque villages and vineyards, if you have a chance. 
Lunch ( here I go talking about food again ) in one of the many villages have old-fashioned bistros where you can feast on regional specialties like saucisson beaujolais - slow-cooked sausages in red wine. 
What is interesting is today a whole breed of young winemakers are producing exceptional wines and local bistros are highlighting  them. 

Tour The Countryside Outside Paris in a Zeppelin

Airship Paris - the country’s first passenger zeppelin opened this summer. There’s only room for 12 passengers, each person getting their own spacious window seat. One-hour flights over Chantilly and surrounding areas is €376. A 90-minute flight over Versailles and the surrounding countryside is €543.

The downside? It takes off from the Aeroport de Pontoise, a good hour northwest of Paris. 

The Lost Land of Central France - Lozere

Yes, when thinking of France, one tends to think of its 1000 year old culture, heritage, museums, wine and gastronomy and of course shopping, But intense nature? Well,  to be honest, not that often, but located in Central France, an area known as Lozere has a landscape that is breathtaking striking, still pristine, the lowest density of population within France and yet only about 1 or 2 hours from the sea. Slow travel is the key here, a chance to refill your soul from the business and hectic life we all lead these days.
The highlight here is a magnificent Gorges du Tarn ( one of my clients described it as going through Bryce Canyon in the United States). 
Here also you'l find a multitude of wildlife with regional parks hosting wolves, vultures, wild horses and much more. 
Canoeing along the Tarn is a major recreation here and a must for all visitors. 

                                  (The regional Park - Wolves of Gevaudan)