France
10 Hiking Trails Around the World That Will Blow Your Mind
I have always been a nature person. Cities, for me, seem unnecessarily chaotic and at times, overwhelming. Nature, on the other hand, is simple, straightforward in its beauty and comes at no extra cost. There is nothing better than walking in the peacefulness of the mountains, around the calming sound of rocks and rivers, and […]
I Took A River Cruise Through The South Of France. Yes, Really.
As I sat in the lounge of our longship nursing a freshly poured glass of wine, I looked around the room. Of the roughly 150 or so people attentively listening to the Entertainment Director’s welcome introduction (one of eight such all-hands-on-deck speeches we would hear over the next eight days), I found I could group […]
Missing Paris: Running The Paris Marathon
Seven miles into the Paris Marathon I was content, blissfully lost in the illustrious City of Light. But then I saw the pacesetter and I was hooked. So fanatically attached to the mythical four-hour mark, I missed it all. Focused on the clock, I missed Paris. Well, almost. The day before the Paris Marathon, I […]
Book Excerpt: ‘The French House’ By Don Wallace
The following is an excerpt from The French House: An American Family, a Ruined Maison, and the Village That Restored Them All, by Don Wallace. Chapter one Far Breton It’s another day in Kerbordardoué. Up at eight, before the others. The sun doesn’t set until nine thirty or ten during summer at this latitude, so it […]
Explore Paris Through Art With Your Phone
Here’s a great new app for those heading to Paris this year. TravelbyArt is a new iPhone app that lets you discover Paris through the eyes of the city’s legendary artists, writers, singers and composers of the 20th century, with twenty curated tours that reveal the important places in the lives of such artists as […]
6 Books You Must Read Before Going To France
The stereotype of the French is that they are stinky, rude and have a predilection for bad comedy, but they are also elegant, thin and have a predilection for fine art and good literature. The French are nothing if not an enigma — a study in paradoxes. How can one wear the latest Balmain creation […]
The Curious Case Of The Female Napoleon At The Louvre
I am sitting on a bench in the Denon wing of the Musée du Louvre. It is almost noon and in front of me is The Consecration of Napoleon (otherwise known as The Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Joséphine on December 2, 1804), one of the museum’s most famous works […]
5 Reasons To Include Lyon On Your Next Trip To France
Maybe it’s because the lights of Paris burn so brightly, but travelers often forget there are other cities in France. I suspect smaller French cities get skipped over on the way to the countryside, where people seek life-affirming epiphanies in a quaint, Provençal setting or for suntans on the southern beaches. I don’t blame these […]
When Paris Turns Into Saint Tropez
The Paris-Plage (Paris Beaches) kicks off in Paris every year in late July, transforming riverside roads usually congested with cars into an urban oasis complete with sandy beaches, deckchairs, food vendors, outdoor concerts and Parisian woman eating ice cream in bikinis (see above). Your welcome. This year find the riverside beaches at Louvre/Pont de Sully, […]
20 Free Things To Do In Paris
Despite the fact the euro is hitting new lows against the dollar, chances are that any savings in the exchange rate are more than outweighed by the increase you paid in air fare to the Continent. With that in mind, check out Lonely Planet’s list of 20 free things to do in Paris before you go to […]