Here, in this blog, I share my love of Paris and my Parisian experiences with you, my fellow Francophiles. This is “my” Paris, but I want to learn more about “your” Paris, too! Please share your treasured memories and the fantastic experiences you’ve had in the City of Light by posting comments. Nous serons toujours amour Paris! Continue Reading →
As the 2023 French Open tennis tournament begins in just three days, I can’t help but remember my attendance at the 2010 French Open, held in late May-early June at the Roland Garros facility in Western Paris. With the help of my temporary landlord, I bought and printed out a day pass to the outer courts, and was able to attend two junior matches involving American teenagers (they both lost) and a doubles match featuring a highly seeded French team (they won). I also sat for a bit in the courtyard outside Court no. 1 (the third-biggest of the courts in the complex) and watched on a Jumbotron as Serena Williams dispatched her opponent. It was amazing! Continue Reading →
Ah, springtime in Paris.
Certainly you’ve heard more than one visitor to or resident of the City of Light utter this phrase, usually with a wistful sigh. And while it’s true that equating springtime in Paris with extreme bliss is something of a cliché, there’s actually a very logical reason this adage developed—there is nothing in the world quite like springtime in Paris. Continue Reading →
It’s a cliche for sure, but escargots (snails) really are a staple of French cuisine, usually served as an appetizer. You can get them at any Paris bistro, brasserie or restaurant that serves traditional French fare. But if you’re interested in making a meal of snails, head to L’Escargots Montorgueil at the base of the fantastic market street Rue Montorgueil. The 182-year-old restaurant is an institution, both for Parisians and visitors alike. Continue Reading →
The Musee Carnavalet chronicles the history of Paris from its founding in 250 B.C. to today’s 21st century center of business, art and culture. The collection is massive, and only a fraction is on display in the museum’s nearly 100 rooms. The museum houses 2,600 paintings, 20,000 drawings, 300,000 engravings, 150,000 photos, 2,000 sculptures and countless other items of historical significance. Continue Reading →
While the U.S. is stuck in the deep freeze, I’m thinking about my favorite cold-weather comfort foods: mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, potato-cheddar soup. But the tastiest and most comforting comfort food I’ve ever eaten is French cassoulet, a white-bean stew with duck confit, sausage and bacon baked in a thick sauce, and then topped with bread crumbs and browned under the broiler. Delish! Continue Reading →
Perfume is big business in France. The nation emerged as a global perfume hub during the Renaissance and by the 18th century, aromatic plants and flowers were cultivated specifically for the perfume industry, particularly in the south of France. As such, it comes as no surprise that one of France’s best-known modern perfumeries—Fragonard—was launched in Grasse, a French Riviera town known as the world capital of perfume that lies just north of Cannes. Best of all, visitors to the City of Light can tour the company’s perfume museum and buy Fragonard scents at seven Paris boutiques. Continue Reading →
From my friends at My French Neighbor. Christmastime in Paris is simply magical! Continue Reading →
It’s that wonderful, pungent time of year when fresh truffles are available throughout France. The odorous—but delicious—fungi that grows underground near the roots of trees chiefly in woodland areas (and are traditionally found with the aid or trained pigs or dogs) is abundant during the late fall and early winter. And these rare—and very expensive—are available in shavings, slices and even occasionally whole at high-end markets throughout France. But one of the best places to stock up on the smelly delicacy—and one where you can buy truffle-flavored products at any time of the year—is Maison de la Truffe (House of Truffles), a small shop with an adjacent truffle-themed restaurant located directly on the Place de la Madeleine on the Right Bank. Continue Reading →
Paris is home to dozens and dozens of top-quality candy shops (boutiques de bonbons). But there is nothing in Paris—actually the entire world—like A l’Etoile d’Or (The Gold Star), a tiny shop in Paris’s Pigalle district that is jammed with the best artisan candies made in France.
The incomparable boutique is helmed by Denise Acabo, a vivacious woman forever dressed as a Parisian schoolgirl in necktie, plaid skirt and pig tails, who is widely considered one of the most knowledgeable candy sellers in Europe. Continue Reading →
I’ve got a killer cold. Here, in California, I had to track down an urgent care clinic (my doc was booked for days), pay an arm and a leg, get a prescription for a liquid to numb my throat, go to the pharmacy to get the medication, and then had to wait 24 hours while they ordered more of it because it wasn’t in stock. Fortunately, the medical system in France is very, very different than ours. When one gets sick in France, you first go to the pharmacy. Continue Reading →