The French Alps - Courchevel 2014

I was honored to be invited with a few other world-wide travel specialist's, a few weeks ago to experience the lush, rich playground of the worlds ski jet setters ( and common folk people like myself) of the Courchevel ski area ( only open 3 months of the year!) 
Its fabulous beyond belief( and believe me, I've seen a lot in my 60 plus years of travel.) Here is a video that they made for us, I hope it will give you an idea as to what it's about and yes, people did dance on the tables at dinner, it something that goes on all the time here. . The vacationers who have homes here and use the hotels are mainly made up of Russians, Middle Easterners, French and Brazilians. But they are looking to have more Americans come here too. 
It's truly a magical place, like Aspen on Steroids! The homes and condos here make Beverly Hills and Bel Air 'look like shacks!' 
The skiing is phenomenal , the ski area covers 3 valleys and thus no lines and you can ski for a week or more and  never do the same run. 
So next time, if you have a winter holiday, how about France - Paris and then skiing in Courchevel? 

Oyster outing in Brittany - Its like kissing the sea on the lips!

Brittany - next time you visit the alignments of standing stones at Carnac (Near Vannes) , some 3,000 stones across 100 acres, all stood up around 6,000 years ago; in my opinion, its just OK, but what is really wonderful is then after seeing Carnac then I suggest hop over to Baden and take an oyster outing ( in the Gulf of Morbihan) with Ivan Selo, who is unarguable the French oyster farmer of 2014.

The video is in French, but you'll get the idea.

Howard's Pick for the French Region of the Year

The winner is Beaujolais on the grounds, first, that it is the most famous unknown region of France – famous for the wine, unknown because nobody goes there, or can place it on a map. (Try north of Lyon, south of Burgundy.) Second, it is replete with hills and villages that, were they in Provence or Tuscany, would be standing-room only. But they aren’t, so they aren’t. In gorgeous goldstone spots such as Ternand and Bois d’Oingt, one doesn’t meet tourists or, apparently, anyone who has ever met a tourist. Third, and vitally, it is the only major wine region that embraces the stuff with joy and conviviality, rather than with the insane pretense that wine is a branch of high culture.

and of course,. the only place top stay is the magnificent Chateau de Bagnols!!!
ww.chateaudebagnols.com/home.php

Stephane Grappelli - A France national treasure

Paris - The Grand Palais ( Museum) turned into an Ice Skate rink during December