French Market Culture When I lived in Paris, I had a weekly routine for buying fresh fruits and veggies at the French market. I took my wheeled canvas bag down the elevator and headed out to the local bi-weekly market. I was consistently amazed at the lovely produce I...
No trip to Provence would be complete without a visit to Avignon, often called the gateway to Provence. In fact, you will likely need to take a train from Paris to Avignon to get there before moving on to any other nearby city. You could also fly into Marseilles (via...
CHECK IT OUT!! Oliver's France has a new look! You might say it's had a facelift, but still contains the helpful tips, articles, ideas, and resources you are used to seeing. Oliver's France has enjoyed 5 years of life, but it was time for an updated look and better...
Anytime you go to France, you’re likely to be on your feet. Taking comfortable shoes is the first advice you’ll get, and good advice it is. Walking tours take your feet and experiences to the next level, as you observe close at hand and learn at the same time....
Sports in France: Part of the fabric of French culture. We may know this instinctively as we watch the World Cup, the Roland Garros, or the Tour de France on TV or online. French high schools don’t typically offer team sports as extracurricular activities, but many...
Fresh Ideas for France Travel from Oliver's France I hope your summer is going even better than you expected, with the Covid reality still with us. Some travel has resumed, but much international travel hasn’t yet. We travelers are impatient and eager to get going,...
Many people know French specialties like foie gras, Bordeaux wine, croissants, and crêpes. You may even know about Tarte Tatin and Cassoulet. Some are national (and international) favorites and others are regional. But here are a few delicacies you may never have...
Traveling to France is back on our radar It is gradually opening up to welcome France travel-lovers of the world. As we prepare to travel again, let’s get practical. Maybe you don’t speak French and don’t see the reason to learn. There’s a very important reason to...
Do you have travel fever? With all the talk of France opening up, as it will soon to vaccinated or virus-free visitors from select countries, you may be thinking about what your next trip will be like. Will you head to the beaches, to Paris, to the Alps, or one of the...
Quiche Lorraine One of the best-known French meals is Quiche Lorraine. It originated in eastern France in the Lorraine region next to Germany. There are many variations of the recipe. Some cooks choose not to add cheese, using only bacon for flavor. I think it’s...
Oldest in France One of the things we love about France and Europe, in general, is the history we see all around us. Many historical events are remembered with the help of the buildings that still stand, giving us the opportunity to view and imagine what it was like....
Making Sense of French Architecture When you travel to France, your travel guidebook will often use words such as Renaissance, Neoclassical, or Gothic to describe French architecture. What does it all mean? For this post, I’ll give you an overview of some...