You’re visiting Paris for a week or more. But wouldn’t it be nice to take a day trip elsewhere to get a different flavor? Here are some towns you can get to in two hours or less to enjoy a day trip from Paris that offers a different slice of this wonderfully varied country! Amiens In Amiens, you’ll see the 13th-century Cathedral Notre Dame, the largest Gothic cathedral in France. It is one of the main attractions of Amiens. Then…
Happy New Year! You might need ideas for your next trip to France, since you’re planning (or dreaming about) about it in 2019. I thought it would be a great time to bring up helpful previous posts you might read (or read again) to give you ideas! Here are 10 of them. (Just click on the link!) Eastern and Northern France Try Annecy, with its pristine lake and lovely canals. Annecy, Jewel of the Alps. In the Bourgogne region, head…
In France, the word “champagne” means two things. First, Champagne (capitalized) is a sizeable province in the northeast of France. It lies between Paris and Belgium. Within this area lies the champagne wine region, the second meaning, for which the area is known around the world. Wine has been produced here since the middle ages, and it’s the only place in the world where you can find real champagne. Any other sparkling wine has to have another name. In other parts…
Maybe you’ve already seen the big sites in Paris and you’d like something a little more out of the way. Something unexpected. Maybe you are tired of crowds but know that there are more unexpected treasures to be found in Paris. Here is a list of 10, though there are many more, that you’ll enjoy. Les Galeries: what are they? These are the first malls in France, dating from the 1850s. Gas lighting was implemented right around that time. These…
Maybe going to a flea market wasn’t on the top of your Paris List. But if you are a knick-knack, bargain, or antique enthusiast, it should be! Opportunities for bargains or something simply unique abound at one of two large flea markets in Paris and in fact all of France. The Biggest, the Best First, I’ll tell you about the mother of all flea markets, Marche aux Puces de St. Ouen, with 15 different markets in one place. This market was…
Just over an hour south of Paris, France, is a place you might encounter in your dreams, yet you can go there and experience it for yourself. It’s the Loire Valley, known as the garden of France, a peaceful paradise of rolling hills covered by vineyards, fairytale castles, and charming, vibrant towns. So much awaits you to discover, eat, drink, and enjoy in the Loire River Valley. (from the book A French Garden: The Loire Valley.) For the last…
