Blog
In this section, you’ll find all the Oliver’s France posts: regional destinations, travel tips, France-wide activities, language tools, food, and much more. To go directly to regional destinations, click on the Regional tab on the menu, or click on one of the photos in the regional section on the home page. If you have something particular you want to find, there’s a search bar on the right side of the menu. And for a listing of all categories and posts, click HERE.
Parisian Café Culture
The Parisian café is something of an icon, one that exists everywhere. It is almost as synonymous with Paris as the Eiffel Tower, complete with the row of round tables facing outward to the sidewalk. Even though the weather in Europe can be fickle, small tables...
La Camargue…Unique Nature
There’s a place in France that can only be called unique. It might not appeal to the average traveler, but rather one who seeks the unusual experience in the midst of nature. That place is La Camargue, at the bottom end of Provence, a regional park and natural reserve...
Amboise: A Nearby Chateau…or Two
Take a TGV train for a short trip of about an hour and a half and you arrive in the town of Amboise in the Loire Valley. Of course there are many chateaux in the towns dotting this valley that surrounds the longest river in France. But Amboise is a good place to start...
Loire Valley Teaser…
There's just too much to say about the Loire Valley, known as the garden of France. The Loire River is France's longest river, over 600 miles long, and it cuts right through the center of the country. It will take several posts to squeeze out what I experienced on my...
A Twist on French Lodging
When it comes to accommodations, let’s think outside the hotel box. If you spend your vacation days on the run and use your hotel only to sleep, they are a good choice (see link below). You get exactly what you need, a bed, a shower and possibly some breakfast. But...
Paris A to Z part 3
And so we continue our promenade through the alphabet of Magical Paris… This is the third in the series of posts adapted from the Special Categories section of the book Magical Paris: Over 100 Things To Do Across Paris. The updated edition of Magical Paris will be...
French Train Savvy
Traveling by train in France has many advantages. It is the easiest way to travel between large cities. It’s easier and faster to get to stations than airports. There are many ways to get discounts, some very steep, by ordering tickets in advance. Lastly, it can be a...
Safe Travels
There was a time when safe travel meant getting good drinking water and avoiding pick-pockets. Today it is a concept that pushes deep into our fears and intentions. Do we go? Do we wait? Will we be safe? In the wake of terror attacks across the globe, we consider...
Paris A to Z, part 2
It’s time for another A to Z skip across Paris, discovering tips and treasures that will enrich your visit. Last time we covered Antiques, Family-Friendly, Flea markets, Open markets, and organic markets. (see blog post Paris A to Z part I) Today your tour will...
The Apple Culture of Normandy
Wine tours are famously popular in France. But up north there’s something besides wine that’s drawing foodies and beverage enthusiasts. Apples. Apples? Normandy is often identified with D-Day landings and World War II history, and rightfully so. But there’s a lot more...
Paris A to Z part 1
Paris A to Z….This post would be much too long if I were to include everything, so I’ll unfold a sampling of some known, unknown, quirky, interesting, and wonderful things Paris has to offer. Here you’ll find antiques, family-friendly ideas, flea markets, and open...
Grenoble…Nestled in Mountains
Surrounded by the French Alps and squeezed between 2 rivers, the Drac and the Isère, this large city of 160,000 or so people is only a three-hour train ride from Paris. It sits close to the Swiss border and is considered the capital of the French Alps. Worth a look...
