The Ruins of Provence - An Adventure

One of the greatest things about Provence is that there are ruins everywhere. From the well preserved Roman sites in Arles to the remnants of a 10th century château in Les Baux de Provence, the past is still very much present. And unlike in many French gift shops, there are no signs stating “touch with your eyes.” Climbing on and around the ruins is part of the fun. the ruins in Oppède-le-Vieux is a real find. Meaning Old Oppède, this tiny village is nestled into the Petit Luberon mountains and a short drive uphill from the more populous town of Oppède. You’ll find it strange that none of the guidebooks has more than a sentence or two on Oppède-le-Vieux. The ruins there are one of Provence’s best kept secrets, with their open access and breathtaking views. To get to the ruins, you walk through the arch underneath the bell tower and start heading uphill. The walk is a bit steep, over well-worn stones. Footing gets a bit precarious once you enter the château ruins and there are some steep drop-offs. I’d definitely recommend wearing a good pair of sneakers. The first building you’ll come upon as you make your way up the hill is a Romanesque church. Dating back to the 13th century and rebuilt in the 16th century, Notre-Dame-d’Alydon is currently undergoing a renovation. Inside faded frescoes add splashes of color. The château ruins are a mix of walls, windows and arches, with passageways that test one’s fear of heights. On one side you have a view of the tree-covered mountains, on the other the valley and surrounding villages. There are no railings so you’ll want to be careful near the edges and keep a close eye on any younger visitors. After you finish exploring the ruins, the cafe beside the bell tower is a nice place for a leisurely lunch or coffee. You’ll be hard pressed to find it in most guidebooks, but with its charm and off-the-beaten-path location, Oppède-le-Vieux is a great place to discover.

French women DO NOT WEAR EARRINGS.

One of the joys of visiting France is always taken up by long hours hanging out at local cafes and watching the French world go by. I am always looking out for what the locals ( Women that is - I find their style sets up what will happen in fashion in the next couple of months.) are wearing and always trying to get a handle on what makes the French, French. 

One of my observations and now vouched for by my French friends is this, that French women do not wear earrings, or most of them, it seems don't. I have no idea why, but it's true. So ladies visiting France, lock up your earrings and leave them at home.

C'est la vie

One Of My Favorite Ways To Explore France - Hands Down

  Barging is my favorite way to journey within France. Self-driving barging is something I do year after year. It’s a bit more work and you need to be somewhat adventurous and a self starter, but there is also, passenger barges from 6 to 20 people, with its own compliment of crew and chef that is also wonderful and they do the same canals as the Self-driving barges.

Here is a video from my favorite barge rental company, ‘Le Boat’, that I hope will give you an idea as to how self-driving barging works.

                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Paris Mall "Rats"...Need A Shopping Mall Fix?

 Not that anyone going to Paris, wants to see another mall!, But if you need a Mall Fix , especially on a  Sunday ( when most things are closed on that day), I can recommend  Quartre Temps, just across the Seine in the La Defense area. 

 Looking for somewhere to shop on Sunday? There are many shops open in the Marais, at St Germain des Prés, the Champs Elysées and the Carrousel du Louvre. But for shopping addicts who are looking for a real mall, Quatre Temps (& CNIT) at La Defense are open daily, with over 250 boutiques such as the Apple Store, H&M, Zara, FNAC, Go Sport, Lacoste, Uniqlo, Muji, Toys R Us and others. There are also food chains and cinemas, as usual in malls. Shops are open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm (Apple Genius Bar open from 8am), Sundays 11am-7pm. To get there, just take the line 1 metro all the way to the end station La Défense 

A Lovely Find to Dine on The Ile Saint-Louis

A friend of my family, Clarissa, a beautiful young lady ( who knows her restaurants because she is in the business in California and a multi-repeat visitor to Paris) suggests a lovely restaurant on the  Ile Saint-Louis , l'Îlot Vache, at the corner of rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île and rue des Deux-Ponts. It is named after one of the two original islands which made up Île Saint-Louis, Île aux Vaches or Island of the Cows. For years satisfied customers have been sending stuffed cows, painted cows, wax cows, tin cows to restaurant owner Catherine Delrieu so she expand the collection. It makes for an absolutely charming décor both inside and out.
The other aspect of the décor that is appealing is the table settings. None of the tables are initially dressed the same. The service plates are different at each place, glasses vary from table to table, flower arrangements and candlesticks differ with each table. It creates a really interesting look.
The welcome is warm and friendly. The cuisine at l'Îlot Vache is classic French and excellent. The entrées include fish soup ( Clarissa says its the best in Paris and she has tried many places) , salmon crepes, pan sautéed foie gras or fresh foie gras The main courses are equally divided between meat and fish, although with a name like Îlot Vache, you should optedfor the meat dishes. the magret de canard (or sliced duck breast) is beautifully prepared with apricots and a red fruit sauce. The filet of beef served with a sautéed toast and slice of foie gras (Filet de boeuf façon Rossini) is perfect. Perfectly cooked tender beef accompanied by foie gras. . As for the desserts, they are as classic as the other dishes and as good. This is a wonderful place to come and have a very pleasant evening. She says you’ll find yourself coming back each visit to Paris.
http://restaurant-ilotvache.com/index.php?l=en&e=1&mod=0&inco=presentation

The Best Kept Secret In France....

Just a few hours east from Paris is Alsace, one of the loveliest and most picturesque regions in France. With its quaint towns and natural beauty one would think that it is always full of tourists, however it is one of France's most well kept secrets. Alsace, located in the extreme East of France, borders both Germany and Switzerland. This region has something to offer just about everyone: Great food – French and German, Wine, the area competes in the variety of wines with that of Burgundy, I am not a white wine fan, but the amount of amazing types of white wine – from simple to complex made me a white wine believer. For history buffs, the Alsace region has a rich and tumultuous history. The region has a strong German influence which can be seen by simply looking around at the architecture and tasting the food. Today there are more than 300 castles, many of which were destroyed during violent battles not uncommon in the region in the distant past. Luckily, more than 100 of these castles remain in good conditions and can be visited by the public. And for fans of picture perfect towns and scenery: driving through the so-called Route des Vins d'Alsace you will see and enjoy more than 100 different picture perfect towns: all of which seem to have come from the pages of Hansel and Gretel. Each one more beautiful than the other.
In short, I’ve been to most regions in France and this by far was one of the most beautiful. I can’t wait to go back.

Just Back From France and am I Wowed!

I have just returned from a long sojourn in France and thought in my many years, many, mind you, of traveling to each region that nothing could 'wow' me anymore, but I was wrong, I spent a few weeks in the Alsace and Jura regions and was amazed at the beauty of these two areas and areas that most American travelers do not visit. They should!!
Please look back in a few days for my observations of two of the most incredible areas in France.

Whales in the Med? It's True!

I had no idea there were whales in the Med! Or that you could get up close and personal with them on day cruises. So I was delighted to find out just recently that every Sunday between June 17 and October 31, Decouverte du Vivant offers Naturalist Discovery Cruises in the Med aboard the boat La Croix du Sud V. During the nine-hour voyage you're likely to see striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Risso's dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales and the second largest animal on the planet, the fin whale. You can also expect to encounter seabirds, sunfish, loggerhead turtles, bluefin tuna, bonito and swordfish. Cruises depart from Sanary sur Mer in the Var at 9:30 am and return at 6 pm. Prices: 55€ (under 12), 66€ (students, teens, groups of ten or more); 78€ (adult) per person.  

http://www.decouverteduvivant.fr/accueil.html
Sanary-sur-Mer ( just east of Bandol) is probably the sunniest place in France.

Paris Grand Palais - A Photo History and a Creme Cafe, Maybe?

Not that I am big on musuem restaurants or cafes, but at the Grand Palais, I must admit I do like the new cafe.Inside the Grand Palais, there is a brand new café,Starting with breakfast, the place serves food all day: at lunch try the 20€ prix-fixe menu (main, glass of wine, coffee), or nibble between 3-7pm on a range of indulgent snacks, such as a Foie gras, popcorn and caramel balsamic remoulade (7€), or the Upside-down lemon tart (7€). A la carte at lunch or dinner might propose prawns à la plancha or rumsteak (28€). But the restaurant’s magnificent stone terrace, decorated with elaborate columns and friezes, rivals that of the Café Marly, and competes with the cosmopolitan menu for your attention. Inside is sobre and spacious, brightened up with splashes of colorful cushions, and large spy holes through to the interior of the Grand Palais. After 11.30 the place turns into a ‘lounge’, a place to hang out and drink cocktails (12€-15€)

Here are some important updates if you are planning to visit Le Mont St. Michel and the Eiffel Tower this year and next:

Le Mont St Michel:
There are big changes here that you need to build quite a bit of extra time into your day. The parking area is a good 45-minute walk to the entrance, and the same for the way back. That makes it an hour and a half, in addition to the site visit. Also, there is a great deal of walking involved; if anyone has difficulty, then it will be a challenge... even if you are walking from the parking lot to the shuttle and then between the shuttle drop-off point and Le Mont St Michel. It’s about 300 yards each way.

The Eiffel Tower:
My latest information is that there is still only one working elevator. But, the good news is that tickets can once again be pre-booked... although there are fewer than normal because of the elevator situation. As of right now, tickets can be pre-booked until September 1 (June is sold out and much of July, as well). Please be sure to check the website regularly since things seem to be changing all the time. http://www.eiffel-tower.com
Attention: When you buy tickets for the very top of the Eiffel Tower, you will not be able to bypass the queue on the second floor for the elevator that takes you to the top.

A Secret Corner of Avignon to Find Some Serenity

                                 
Near the Palace of the Popes in Avignon (during the summer, in the heat of Avignon, the old city can be packed with hundreds and hundreds of tourists ), so just off the main square, there is a lovely little tea-room tucked away in a 15th century chapel and its garden next to the Musee du Petit Palais (you don't have to stump up the museum admission charge to get in.) It is a marvelous sea of tranquility a stone's throw from the tourist crowd. It is named Autour d'un Thé ( a journey over or around tea), They serve home-made patisserie and light lunches every day, apart from Tuesday,and the weekend Themed brunches here are terrific ( reservations required).
( there is also seating inside)

You're The Top - 1930's Musuem in Paris

The Thirties was a time of intense creations. Crazy years of economic prosperity and intense boiling of technics, industrials, socials, architechturals and artistics innovations.

Boulogne was the main place  in Paris for this time: The Thirties' Museum  ( musee des Annees 30) is a unique place that makes it possible to travel in this special world. In the 1930s, Boulogne was one of the most dynamic towns in France. It was here, just on the edge of the capital, that the film-makers Abel Gance, Marcel Carné and Jean Renoir and the architects Le Corbusier, Mallet Stevens and Tony Garnier came to live or work… It was also in Boulogne that several automobile and aeronautical industries based themselves, including Renault.
Based on souvenirs from this important period in the history of Boulogne – photos, posters, objects as well as paintings and sculptures – the Musée des Années 30 (Museum of the 1930s) attempts to retrace the artistic fervor and technological dynamism which marked the inter-war period in France.
Today, the museum holds about 1,500 sculptures, 800 paintings, and 20,000 drawings, plus furniture, ceramics, posters, and original records. It also contains a number of African and overseas works from the former Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, as well as works by architects Le Corbusier, Tony Garnier, André Lurçat, Robert Mallet-Stevens, Auguste Perret, and Jean Prouvé; designers Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Js Leleu; and notable residents including André Malraux.
Who else in the world of Music and culture, personified that era better than songwriter Cole Porter.

Louis XIV railway carriages take to Paris-Versailles line

Possibly the most glamorous local railway carriages in the world started operating on Wednesday between Paris and Versailles. They may look like any old beat-up railway train on the outside but inside they are decorated with reproductions of interiors from the royal château of Versailles. For the modest price of a local network ticket passengers travelling to Versailles, just outside Paris, will have a décor fit for a king. The château’s world-famous royal apartments built by Louis XIV, Louis XVI’s library and similar sumptuous scenes started running Wednesday. The others will all be in operation by the end of the year. The line carries 550,000 passengers every day, 10 per cent of the regional network’s traffic, partly thanks to tourists visiting the Sun King’s palace. Unfortunately, its confusing layout means that many end up in Versailles’ other station, Versailles-Chantiers, which is some distance from the palace and its gardens, or even in the gritty northern outskirts of Paris, which have no known royal attributes.
So the local rail network has inserted the word Château into the name of the right station, Versailles Rive gauche and added the extra charm of carriages which are also travelling artistic reproductions. The decorations are not expected to satisfy complaints about the trains’ punctuality or overcrowding during rush hours but officials hope that their beauty will discourage vandalism. Just in case its doesn’t, their tag resistant and damaged panels should be replaced within two years.
The network’s employees will not be required to wear powdered wigs.

Sunday Dancing in Paris

For a real treat, get yourself down to Rue Mouffetard, for the weekly dancing that takes place on SUNDAYS at the lower end of the street, just in front of the Saint-Medard Church. If you don't want to kick up your heels, then just sing along as lyric sheets are passed out and then afterwards, have a cafe and take in the ' real' Paris.

Breaking News- Parisian Cat Runs Five Star Hotel Le Bristol

If you’ve got more than $1000 bucks a night to spend on a hotel in Paris, make it the Hotel le Bristol. Actually call me, as maybe I can get you a deal there. As Protravel is a preferred partner with the hotel.

For it’s there you’ll find Fa-Raon (French for Pharoah), the elegant Birman cat chat who runs the hotel. Fa-Raon has had more than his share of celebrity, having brushed paws with the likes of Angelina and Brad and Leonardo. But ever the proper Frenchcat, he treats everyone with the same measure of hauty disdain, moments before his purr rumbles to a roar and he dispenses the requisite head bonks.
Like most cats, Fa-Raon has a Blog:
bloghttp://lebristolparisconcierges.blogspot.com/search/label/Fa-raon%27s%20Diary
At the end of the day with blogging and guest-tending duties completed, you’ll find Fa-Raon chillaxin at the concierge’s desk:

Enter a Lactose Induced Coma at Bordier's Best Butter In France Shop

All of France agrees that the best butter by far is made in the historic port city of St Malo on the west coast of France by the irrepressible Breton chef, Jean-Yves BORDIER. You will find his butter at all the great restaurants in France. He makes it the old fashioned way and turns out many varieties (in fact his little bistro near his shop has a butter menu, but why should I tell you about it, when you can see him in the video first hand..

Paris is the most expensive city in the world for ordering a club sandwich

Although I love everything French, I am always exposed to be an American ( to my French friends) in my love (since is was 21 years old) for a cold Martini and a Club Sandwich. Not that I don't love Foie Gras with anything mind you, but 'put to the wall' Its the Club sandwich that is my first love when it comes to sandwiches.
According to a survey of 750 hotels in 26 countries, Paris is the most expensive city in the world for ordering a club sandwich. After surveying the price of the iconic triple-decker sandwich among three to five-star properties around the world, Paris, Geneva and Oslo emerged as the most expensive -- and therefore -- the priciest cities to visit, according to online booking site Hotels.com. Their Club Sandwich Index (CSI) is meant to serve as a barometer of travel costs for globetrotters planning their upcoming vacations. Here are the averages prices of a club sandwich -- a staple on nearly every hotel menu -- around the world: Country / City Average Club Sandwich Price (USD) France - Paris $33.10
 Switzerland - Geneva $32.56 Norway - Oslo $30.50 Japan - Tokyo $27.65 Italy - Rome $24.22 Finland - Helsinki $22.66 Sweden - Stockholm $22.14 Australia - Canberra $19.76 Denmark - Copenhagen $18.87 UK - London $18.71 Hong Kong $18.35 South Korea - Seoul $18.06 Germany - Berlin $17.77 Brazil - Brasilia $17.77 USA - New York $16.93 Holland - Amsterdam $16.64 Russia - Moscow $16.38 Spain - Madrid $16.20 Canada - Toronto $16.05 Ireland - Dublin $15.57 Singapore $14.79 China - Beijing $14.48 Colombia - Bogota $14.09 Argentina - Buenos Aires $10.71 Mexico - Mexico City $10.19 India - New Delhi $9.57

60 Million Years in 45 Minutes............In Provence

Discovered in 1902 during quarrying, the Thouzon Grottos remained intact thanks to its immediate preservation. Hidden Splendors of our planet, and permanent magical spectacle of the mineral world in which work water has left its mark, it will amaze you with its stunning golden yellow fistulous stalactites that are the centerpieces. The Thouzon grottos, underground gem, is the only natural cave open to visits in Provence.

One Of The Best Places You've Never Heard Of...

At the end of May I am off for 2 weeks to visit and explore an area of France that most tourists have never heard of and yet it is one of the most spectacular and untouched areas within all of France, it is known as the Jura.
A picture is worth a thousand words..so here it is........

Dreaming Of France...............

Benjamin Franklin once remarked:
“Every civilized person has two homelands, and France is always one of them.”

So, next time in France, you should consider barging through the Burgundy Canals.

Electric Bikes To Rent in Provence

The weather was gorgeous in Provence last weekend (my friends in Avignon told me this morning). That weekend was the launch  for Sun-e-Bikes in the Luberon. They've got 200 new electric bikes for rent and you can pick them up and drop them off in any of three villages. There are battery charging stations along the way and rates are very reasonable.

On the back of the bike is very thin battery pack.

Lake St Remy de Provence ( a man-made lake) nearby and if the weather is good, a place to have a picnic.

Les Landes - Unknown Region To American Tourists..But OH!

One of France’s regions that I have fallen in love with over the last couple of years is Aquitaine. Bordered by Bordeaux on the north and Biarritz on the south. For most American tourists to France, it’s really a vast unknown area. In between those two cites lies an immense area known as Les Landes. Here you will find my favorite duck farm purveyor of Foie Gras (near the village of Baxente) and a fantastic stretch of beach, deserted it seems for hundreds of miles, with small villages and tourist hotels dotted here and there. There are no major hotels here, mainly French casual summer homes, cottages and B & B’s.
Travelling south from Bordeaux by road or rail, you pass for what seems like hours through an unremitting, flat, sandy pine forest known as Les Landes. Until the nineteenth century it was a vast, infertile swamp, badly drained because of the impermeable layer of grit deposited by the glaciers of the quaternary age and steadily encroached upon by the shifting sand dunes of the coast. Today it supports nearly 10,000 square kilometres of trees and since 1970 has been designated a parc naturel régional.
Here is a film overview of the area to tease you.

True Oysters in Paris That Are Not Farmed

70% of oysters served in France are farm raised along the French coast and as good as they are, its the true ocean grown, wild oysters of the old days that were the tastest. Today, a few oyster farmers are still doing it the' old way' and one of those is Laurence Mahéo – a fashion designer – took over the family oyster business a few years ago, and her Gavrinis ( Gavrinis is a small island, situated in the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany, France) have been served at some of the Paris's top tables. Now she has a table of her own, offering not only her famous bivalves, but a wide array of fruits de mer, some raw and some delicately cooked (with a light Japanese touch) in an airy blue and white room that will take you from Batignolles to the Brittany coast.The restaurant is called ATAO ( 17e) . Atao means eternity in Breton and all the fish and seafood come daily from their location at the Golfe du Morbihan, it can't be fresher than that!

The Trendiest Desset In Paris Done Right.......

Every Paris restaurant these days does Le Café Gourmand. While it seems to be a fixture on every single menu , along with the ubiquitous warm chocolate cake often it’s a rewarmed frozen macaron, a tiny chocolate cake (likely pulled from the same freezer), and if you’re lucky, maybe a financier from an actual bakery. At Les Fines Gueules Restaurant (best known for using organic beef and veal - and their steak tartar is the best in Paris!) Here they offer up a thick pot of ganache made with Valrhona chocolate, a generous crème brûlée and a moist, hefty slice of orange pound cake, along with a well-made café express.

The Green Venice of France - One of Europes best-Kept secrets

34 Miles from la Rochelle ( 3 hours by TGV from Paris) is an area known as - Marais Poitevin( Venise-Verte) - GreenVenice is a wetland wonder that spans 375 square miles. Here is a carved out network of canals where you can rent or charter boats and glide along poplar-lined canals teeming with wildlife. Here are charming villages and gardnes in in the village of Canneau, is a floating market that brings over 50 producers to seel their good from their boats.

I Miss My Morning Cafe Creme....(also known as cafe au lait)

"It was a pleasant cafe, warm and clean and friendly, and I hung up my old water-proof on the coat rack to dry and put my worn and weathered felt hat on the rack above the bench and ordered a cafe au lait. The waiter brought it and I took out a notebook from the pocket of the coat and a pencil and started to write.” - Hemingway

Paris Cocktails With A View

Looking for a hip new bar in paris? check out la vue, with exactly that- a great view of the city. the place boasts hip djs, a funky menu, and a special elevator to take you to the 34th floor so you can sip your cocktails with paris at your feet. so chic!
La Vue
3, place du Général Kœnig, 17th
Its in the HÔTEL CONCORDE LA FAYETTE

I have not done it myself, but friends in Paris have.

Avignon - Across The River, What A Find!

Just across the river in Avignon, home to the Palias des Papes, on the side called Villeneuve-les-Avignon is a find that seemes to be missed by tourists. I know, I know, you can do and see everything!
Is the Carthusian Monastery and Ft Andre. The monastery was built in the 14th century and unlike busy Avignon, it takes you back to an atmosphere of unimaginable transquillity.  This monastery is larger than the Palais des Papes, across the river and that's saying something.

Near by is also Sainte Andre Fort, Philippe le Bel, King of France, ordered the construction of the Saint André Fort as a symbol of royal power in opposition to the popes of Avignon and to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire. It includes a fortified wall and two twin towers that flank the monumental gate. The wall was built to protect the Benedictine abbey and the small town of Saint André.

A Secret Paris Market...Well,..... Maybe Only to Us Tourists

If you enjoy the Marais and are a history buff or a market troll, you must take the time to discover the oldest market in Paris : le Marché des Enfants Rouges.
Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is reputedly the oldest food market in Paris, built under the rule of Louis XIII around 1615. The name, which literally means the Market of the Red Children, refers to the red uniform worn by the children of the orphanage that was located nearby.
Still marked out by a small iron gate off the rue de Bretagne in the now rather chic upper Marais district, today the market is alive with the rich, vibrant colours and smells of fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers and the sounds of market clatter and chatter. Olive oil, charcuterie, wine, cheese and other such wholesome delights are also available.

The market is an ideal spot for lunch too. Freshly cooked dishes can be bought from the various stalls (Moroccan, French, Italian, sushi, cheeses, meats and so on) and eaten at the communal trestle tables at either end of the market.
There are also a couple of small restaurants, such as L’estaminet which serves simple, homely French food such as Parmentier (shepherd’s pie). A plentiful Brunch is available on Sunday for € 20.00 too.

Interpreting the French face - Who Says The French Don't Have A Sense of Humor?

The French face is what hands are to the Italians. It stretches and twists to express a wide range of expressions and emotions with the same elasticity of a rubber band. From disbelief to discontent, it can convey a message just as clearly as any grouping of words. Here’s a look at a French face , and how to interpret the meaning:

This face is probably the most common face made in Paris. It is formed by pursing the lips and blowing forcefully out, with a slight raise of the eyebrows. It is used in situations of general annoyance (for example, when walking behind someone who moves at a snail's pace).