Travel Stories

  In the last few years, high-quality tea shops in Paris such as Dammann Frères, Mariage Frères, and Palais des Thés have been doing a brisker business.   This as more and more people have acquired a taste for tea, and I have discovered that it is much easier to get a decent cup of…

  Ok. Tell me honestly.  In all of your French travels, have you ever heard a French person utter the words ‘Zut Alors?”   Damn! Darn! Shoot!  However it really translates, I have seen it in French cartoons, and even on T-shirts, but never once have I heard any French person utter that phrase in…

Have you Stumbled Across This Blog for the First Time? I invite you to take advantage of my Offer to send you Two BONUS Gifts if you SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG! It’s Free to Subscribe of course! See Below! If you are a longtime francophile and have not heard of author Peter Mayle, you have…

I learned only recently that Chanel N°5, still one of the world’s most popular fragrances,  turned 100 years on May 5th, 2021   Wow, talk about aging gracefully!   Do you remember the first time that you spritzed some Chanel N°5?   As a teen (probably casually dressed in an unattractive pair of madras shorts…

  Book Winner for The Best Story!   Last week, I launched a snap contest for a favourite book about living in France called My Good Life France; In Pursuit of The Rural Dream by Janine Marsh.     Janine was my guest contributor in last week’s blog and has kindly commented to thank everyone for sending…

  Note: Book Giveaway Challenge at the end of this blog.  Don’t miss it!   You all follow me and my blog, and I am so grateful.  I hope it gives you pleasure.   But now I am going to tell you who I faithfully follow for inspiration!   One of my favourites is Janine…

Restore a Piece of Notre-Dame Cathedral!   The devastating 2019 fire to Notre Dame brought down the cathedral’s towering spire and roof damaging much of its priceless heritage and history.   Since then, billions of dollars have been pledged by individuals and reputable charities to begin to rebuild the structure.   One of those is…

  Paris is always a good idea!  Audrey Hepburn May 4th, 1929 – January 20th, 1993     As a  young girl, I fell in love with Paris, in part, well in large part, because of Audrey Hepburn.   To me, everything that I imagined Paris to represent,  I felt was embodied by this film…

I will come right out with it.   I don’t think I am the same person that I was when this pandemic started.   Not diminishing in the least how lucky I am to be well when so many have suffered and  paid the ultimate sacrifice, there were many moments in the past year when…

Whatever happened to Julia Child’s home in Provence, France?   Did you know she had a summer home in France?   Let’s start at the beginning.   No chef may be as beloved as Julia Child.   While living in Paris, Julia discovered a passion for France and food and co-wrote Mastering the Art of…