One of The Most Romantic Villages in France - According to Me, H. E. Lewis and ....that's what counts...

Surrounded by protective French Alps, the water of Lake Anncey is reputed to be the purist  in the world. For the romantic, its hard to image a more perfect place. Anncey is known as the ' Little Venice'.
Spend the day or two or three visiting the lake and its lakeside villages, but eat and stay at the Relais/Chateaux - Auberge du Pere Bise ( located at the northern part of the lake at the village of Tallories).
The restaurant (1 Michelin star) and and the terrace are beautifully located right on the lake side. 
The lake is home of the delicately flavored Omble Chevalier; a saltwater fish living in a freshwater lake, its a Char, but also looks like a trout and tastes like a salmon. 

https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/france/bise-haute-savoie-talloires

The restaurant is world class ( as they say today) and one of my favorites for many, many years. I was honored to eat there when  Francois Bise was the chef and today his daughter,  Sophie Bise is a key figure in gastronomy. 

Her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents made Auberge du Père Bise a very unique institution in the French heritage. Combining authentic traditional cuisine with modern and creative touches, Chef Bise only works with regional and local fresh products. She makes you discover fishes from Annecy Lake or refined dishes with a perfect combination of the most savory ingredients. Having been taught about produce by her father, she trained with Pique Pierre in Grenoble, Outhier in La Napoule, La Marée in Paris, Gaertner in Ammerschwihr. The desire to be independent sent her around the world, working in the kitchens of many restaurants. In 1987 she returned to the Auberge, to bring the restaurant to Michelin acclaim.
The hotel itself is not a 5 star resort, but a cozy comfortable and ROMANTIC place to stay at after you dine.
I love to experience anywhere, a 3 hour lunch or dinner and then get up from the table and walk just a few paces to an inviting, cozy room and just flop and nap! Nothing better in the world.

Thanksgiving....Thank you.... M. HULOT..........................for lovely memories when I was 10 years old

Jacques Tati changed my life forever, when I saw in 1953,'M. Hulot's Holiday'(Les Vacances de M. Hulot). A sweet movie from France, sweet memories and at that moment my lifelong romantic affair with France was consummated.
So on this holiday, I remember the `1950's and Jacques TATI and all he gave to me.
The film was shot in the village of Saint-Marc-Sur-Mer near Saint-Nazaire, which of  course I have visited many times. 

The area today

How it looked in 1953 during the filming

Happy Thanksgiving - but the French don't celebrate that holiday, but Happy Thanksgiving anyway!!!

Midi-Pyrenees - the next upcoming area to discover in France

Midi-Pyrenees, a truly exceptional region Exceptional is the perfect word to describe the great sites awaiting you in southwestern France’s Midi-Pyrénées region: the Cirque de Gavarnie, Millau Viaduct, Conques, Rocamadour, Montségur, the Canal du Midi, and the region’s capital city, Toulouse are just the beginning. 

 The largest region in France, featuring both the very latest technology and also traces of Prehistoric civilizations, the Midi-Pyrénées is a vast land ideal for exploration during your next trip to France




For a better look at the video, when you open it, click on full screen

It's Snowing in the French Alps and I am already missing my skiing days at Courchevel...its one fabulous experience

Courchevel is at one end of the world's largest lift-linked ski area, the Trois Vallées, which has 600km of pistes ( ski runs) and over 170 lifts. Because of the north-facing aspect of many of Courchevel's local slopes, the snow here is usually some of the best in the whole ski area, and there's terrain to suit everyone from beginner to expert. Indeed, many visitors never feel the need to leave the Courchevel valley, despite having the rest of the Trois Vallées to explore: 
Courchevel 1850, Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1550 and Courchevel 1300 

 They are linked by lifts, pistes (ski runs) and a road All resort villages are linked by an efficient and frequent free bus service and enjoy pretty woodland settings. Courchevel (1850) is by far the biggest resort village, and it’s the prestige place to stay, where the rich Russians and Parisians head to be seen and to flash their cash. It's also the main lift hub with gondolas from the centre heading up in three different directions, with mainly easy pistes (ski runs) back down. 

It’s also home to huge numbers of luxury chalets and swanky hotels, plus some pricey shops (but fewer than you’d expect for such an upmarket place, Courchevel is only the highest village in the area, where prices are almost universally mind-numbingly high – not surprising when you consider it caters for rich Russian oligarchs, Middle Eastern Royals, Fun loving and rich Brazilians and stylish, rich Parisians and it has more plush hotels than any city in France other than Paris, including three with the top “Palace” rating, 16 with five-star status and five restaurants with two Michelin stars. Think of Monaco on Steroids, but to me it’s a fabulous space to winter and there is no summer resorts here (as in the USA), the ski area is ONLY open for 3 ½ months.

 I love this place and can’t wait to go back…skiing, French style and pure fantasy, what could be better

One of the best museums in Paris, that is missed by most tourists..Musee Rodin and now after a large renovation, its better than ever!

AFTER three years of renovation, the Musee Rodin in Paris reopened its doors last week, with new displays of the French sculptor’s works. The Hotel Biron and its garden were used by Auguste Rodin in the years leading up to his death in 1917 and boasts versions of his “The Thinker” and “The Kiss” – two of the world’s best-known sculptures. 

The mansion attracts 700,000 visitors a year and has needed €16 million  worth of renovation, including urgent repairs to the floor and overhauling its interior design. The museum now boasts a new layout and previously unseen works as well as paintings from Rodin’s personal collection, including paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch. 

“Visitors will see an improved visibility of the works thanks to the furniture which allows more works to be shown,” museum director Catherine Chevillot said. The new layout and different lighting on some displays allows visitors to get very close to the sculptures, she said. 

My Secret: It also boasts one of the loveliest garden cafes in all of Paris.

A Meal in France that will last a lifetime in my memory and heart...

I’ve had everything from 3 star haut-cuisine Michelin meals to ‘hole in the wall’ country bistros to everything in between. I can honestly say, I have not met a food that I don’t enjoy and hope…….. I never will. 

 But in some reflection in my ‘twilight years” ,when I think about my favorite meals and food in dining in France for over 45 years , I always go back to those simple, hearty French country style meals that fill my soul, heart and stomach. Meals that make me smile, years and year later when I think about dining in France….

 Recently in my sojourn to France, I stayed in one of my favorite areas of France; Brittany. During a drive into the heart of this area, I came upon a small, lovely, typical Breton village (Plougasnou) at noon time and parked in the charming town square and in front of me was a local bistro by the name of Les Chaises. They served the typical hearty French country lunch and I saw something on the menu that I had not seen in any Paris restaurant and a dish that took me back to my childhood. Pork (Porc) with Prunes. 

Like the cynical and harsh restaurant critic, Anton Ego in Disney’s animated film ‘Ratatouille, who was served a simple peasant dish of Ratatouille, which brings back the memories of his mother's cooking and thus softens his whole outlook on life, well I’m not harsh and cynical, but that dish brought me back to my youth and looking back on it, it was one of the greatest meals of all in my dining in France.

Life is good.........in France...........

T.S. Eliot once wrote, “We measure out our lives in coffee spoons,” 
but I...........................I  measure out mine in morsels of foie gras.
Christmas ( not the festive season as we in America know call it...) is a time of joy and renewal of life. 
Even the tragedy that has befallen France in the recent days, will not dim the hope and celebration of life in that country.
In France, a réveillon is a long dinner, sometimes followed by entertainment or dancing, held on the evenings preceding Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The name of this dinner is based on the word réveil (waking) because participation involves staying awake until midnight and beyond.
Celebrating this is way is suppose to be good luck for the household for the next year.
...and the foods....oysters, Champagne, foie gras and roast goose........

Paris survives as it has for over 1000 years - 'for we'll always have Paris'

I enjoy a fine vinegar as much as a fine wine.......................

At the turn of the century, the French city of Orleans (also home to Joan of Arc's birthplace) was home to more than 300 vinegar producers. Today, alas there is only one, Martin Pouret, a company that refuses to abandon traditional methods

 The location of Orleans as the Loire River port closest to Paris ( because of the winds on the Loire), the shipping boats could not go any further into Paris and so this city - it is about 70 miles south-southwest of the capital - that led to its vinegar production in the Middle Ages. 

 Wine that spoiled on the trip ( up the river from the French coast) was left at Orleans, and instead of discarding it, the Orleanais made it into vinegar. A vinegar merchants' corporation was founded in 1394; production methods had been defined by 1580. An explanation of the process was eventually provided by Louis Pasteur, who discovered that the fermentation of wine into vinegar was caused by a bacterium.

 Because Salt (used as a preservative) became so expensive and was highly taxed, people found that vinegar could also be used as a good preservative. 

It takes three weeks for wine to develop into vinegar by the traditional Orleans method. It is then aged in oak for six months. The industrial methods used to produce most vinegar can convert 30,000 liters of wine into vinegar in 24 hours. Unlike the industrial method, the Orleans process does not require heating, thus preserving more flavor of the wine. ''We want to capture the quality of the wine,'' Mr. Martin said and unlike what most people think, is that good vinegar can only be made from good wine, not cheap wine...

 Come and visit the last remaining vinegar house and meet up with the local guide, Bertrand Deshayes who will take you through the history and complex producing of a fine vinegar.

Become civilized again, when traveling..............have your luggage waiting for you at your hotel..worldwide...

Have you ever stepped off the plane at the airport, excited to start your journey – but then spent hours trying to gather your luggage, get it all together, and transport it to your accommodations? By the time you get there, half the excitement you felt when you arrived is gone, replaced by exhaustion and frustration. 

It’s a problem that every traveler experiences at some point or another, and it would simply be much better if you could just hit the road and not worry about the luggage. 

I use a luggage service that picks up my luggage at home and delivers it to my hotel, waiting for my arrival. No hassle at the airport, no threat of a lost or delayed bag, a return to flying civilization, NOW if only the airlines could get their act together, but that's another story...
I now do this on all my travels to France and I recently used the luggage service to deliver my luggage to a remote hotel, deep within the Dordogne region. On arrival there it was in my room as guaranteed. Marvelous.
I use a company (Protravel recommended) call Luggage Forward,  its door-to-door luggage shipping service that is easy, safe and guaranteed to arrive on time. You can breeze through the airport when you ship luggage to your hotel, cruise line, golf course, residence or office where it will be awaiting your arrival. Luggage shipping provides total travel convenience.
http://www.luggageforward.com/

Think it’s impossible to find an original view of the Iron Lady ( the Eiffel Tower) these days?

Well I’ve got a secret for you, but this is between you and I…there’s one vantage point that still remains basically untouched by tourists. 
Ditch the hoards at Trocadéro and cross over onto Ile aux Cygnes, ( island of the swans); a slender island cutting through the Seine. This peaceful tree-lined landmass was artificially built in 1825 and offers a relaxing break from the nearby craziness. 
Despite its proximity to France’s most iconic symbol, it’s actually quite a mashup of international flavors: on its eastern end you’ll find the Bir Hakeim Bridge, dedicated to a Libyan battle, as it passes over an equestrian statue offered to the city by the Dutch. At the island’s opposite end, a quarter-size replica of the Statue of Liberty proudly stands, intentionally facing westward toward her big sister in New York.

How Sweet It is!! ( As Jackie Gleason use to say) - Monte Carlo's Thermes Marins and their rooftop restaurant - Hirodelle

If you must know, I'm mad about Monaco (Monte Carlo)..........................., 
Monaco, is a constitutional monarchy on the Riviera measuring less than a square mile, evokes high-stakes gambling, multi million-dollar yachts, Russian oligarchs, race car drivers, James Bond films, spotless sidewalks, the most beautiful women in the world and no public debt.
Its a fantasy world, an adult Disneyland on steroids.........
Naturally......... you must suspend disbelief to appreciate it fully.

One of my favorite things to do, after checking into the fabulous Hermitage Hotel, is to check into the world famous spa, Thermes Marins; a scene of luxury and Romanticism, do a spa treatment (I'm not a spa person, but I do this to get ready for lunch at the spa) , relax by the pool, then dressed in a heavy, cozy spa robe and make my way to the top floor and indulge in a fantastic, over-the-top lunch at the restaurant Hirodelle. 
Yes, they offer a separate spa menu, but forget that, please...., this is Monaco, go for the full regular menu served with  a flight of wines and take in the incredible views.
Life cannot get any better than this..........................

St Tropez - What's Hot - The Opera Bar and Restaurant - The hardest to get in these days - expect too..unless..

Located on the far end of the port, L'Opera is the latest all-day resto-lounge from the creators of Le Papagayo that's been a nightlife institution for over a decade in St. Tropez. Along a waterfront terrace shaded by Mediterranean coastal pines, a familiar all-white decor mixes circular white club chairs with long banquettes trimmed in Italian leather. In the center of the space is a large communal table that doubles as a stage by night for cabaret show, fire-eaters, electro-violinists and the occasional shirtless contortionist. A glass wall of interconnecting doors leads to an interior space with a bit more panache, lined in abstract artwork offset in white-wood paneling in all-white brasserie-style dining room that acts more as an overflow to the main bar on late-nights.

unless...................
You stay at the fabulous resort just 5 mins outside of the busy downtown area of St Tropez; at the Chateau de la Messardiere. The resort overlooks the city and also the fabled beaches of St Tropez and the concierge there can work' magic' getting you into some of the most restrictive bars and restaurants in town. 
I suggest to stay at the resort rather than in town and there is free 24 hour shuttle to the town and local beaches.
I also suggest staying in the West Indies rooms at the hotel.

This is the best advise you'll ever get from me on traveling..Do what you want to do and not what you are expected to do

The writer Anthony Peregrine (London Telegraph) wrote a column today entitled 'Nobody enjoys museums - so, why do we bother'.  although it was a funny article, in fact its true. He claims and I hardily agree, that visiting galleries and museums is what you do when traveling, its part of a conspiracy to insist we should all be passionate about art.
Go to any famous museum and you'l see hoards of people staring out of windows rather than look at famous paintings.  Are they reflecting? Naw, they are asking themselves - "Why the hell am I here among stuff of absolutely no interest to me?"
As Mr. Peregrine states "If you'be been to the Louvre you'll know that for every person engrossed, there are a couple of hundred herding through, desperate to escape".
They are there because its expected. and I say foolish and stop it right now.
You're on holiday, if you appreciate art, then by all means visit the the great museums of Europe, but if not, then you have my permission not to visit and somehow, Michelangelo, Monet, De Vinci, Renoir will survive without you, and you......... without them. 
It's as simple as that...
Below is the crowd trying to take a look at the Mona Lisa. My advise to you is skip the museums and have a long and wonderful lunch, sit in a Paris cafe and watch the marvelous world go by while sipping your favorite cocktail. 

An old hotel has become new again in Paris - Hurrah!

The Regina Hotel across from the Louvre museum at the corner of 2 Place des Pyramides and rue Rivoli for years has been a favorite of mine for a great moderate prices and set in one of the most magical places in Paris, but over the last few years it became very tired and too old fashioned; even for Mr. Stuffy ( Me!) but a year ago it was closed and the owners put into the refurbishment over 20 million euros and the hotel has just reopened and is a wow! 
The Regina is BACK!!!!!

                     My favorite  Eiffel Tower Suite is a must for anyone who is romantic

The Fountain of the Observatory at the Jardin du Luxembourg

If you don't know it by now, I am besotted with France and of course Paris.
The film Gigi was and is one of my favorite films and one of the great sites in Paris ( that almost no one knows about) is the Fountain of the Observatory.
When lite at night, its magical beyond belief.

A scandalous Art Nouveau collaboration that set Paris all atwitter at the turn of the century

Ave Rapp on the Left Bank is one of my hidden treasures that I always visit when in Paris. The avenue is home to several examples. It was built in 1901 by Jules Lavirotte, this seven-story creation is probably the most extreme example of the ornamental delirium that is Nouveau that the French capital has hidden away. Lavirotte didn't do it alone, but collaborated with his friends, the ceramist Alexandre Bigot and other fellow sculptors to create this flamboyant and voluptuous façade, making them winners of the annual architectural frontage of Paris that same year. It was also used in the film Gigi, as her aunts home.

Allard - A classic 1930's Bistro in the heart of the Latin Quarter is as good as ever, in fact even better

Located in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près, Allard has remained one of the most sought after gourmet addresses in Paris for almost 80 years. Claude Layrac, passed the torch of this institution to Alain Ducasse  in 2013. 
 The restaurant remains imbued with the spirit of Marthe Allard, a 'mother Cook" who founded the establishment in 1932. This Burgundy peasant moved to Paris with all her family recipes, all personifying beautiful, local cuisine, sincere and generous. 
In this authentic Parisian Bistro, tradition remains alive and well. People come to enjoy the dishes that made the place famous, while relaxing in a warm and friendly setting : Challand duck with olives, shoulder of Limousin lamb, le Coq au vin or Cassoulet.