Paris had record rainfall in the month of May this year. The rest of France was not spared, either. I was in the Languedoc region in late May and took my turn dodging raindrops. The weather in Europe can be touchy. Fortunately, the sun shines frequently in the late...
Paris and Nearby
10 Day Trips Under Two Hours from Paris
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...
10 Unexpected Places to Visit in Paris
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...
Flea Markets in Paris
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...
Compiègne: History and Charm an Hour from Paris
Compiègne, France . . . Imagine you’ve just spent a few days visiting Paris when you get the urge to get out of the city for a day. You don’t want to go too far, but you’d like to experience a smaller town, yet one with history, beauty, and things to do. You’ll find...
Paris: Magnetic Montmartre
If you have seen the popular movie, “Amelie,” you may have been drawn into the character’s world by the unique charm of the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris. Today, this is one of the top “must-see” areas of Paris, dominated by the Sacré Coeur Basilica. An equal...
3 Days in Paris
Paris . . . you’ve always wanted to go. you’ve just learned that you can sneak in a 3-day side-trip as an add-on to your Provence or Loire Valley vacation. Or your business trip somewhere else in Europe. What can you do in three days? Actually, a lot. But you need to...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...











