@theartofmadeline
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occasionally subtle
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YOU ARE THE REASON
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Not today Justin
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@francetaste
Paris Museums Beyond le Louvre
Of all the many museums in Paris, of course you should go to the Louvre. But if you’ve already been there, or if you want more, or if you dislike lines and crowds, then here are a few of the other museums the City of Light has to offer. Continue reading Untitled
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The Charms of Paris
I’ve loved Paris since I read “Madeline” as a little girl. The City of Light just keeps getting better. Fewer cars. More chic. Cleaner. Greener. Quieter. Possibly more beautiful than ever. Continue reading Untitled
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Uzès
A visit to elegant Uzès in the south of France.
Final stop on the Provençal roadtrip: Uzès, an extremely charming town of about 8,000, more or less straight north of Nîmes. It was born as a Roman settlement, where the Eure springs are the source of the Alzon River. The springs also fed the Roman-built aqueduct taking water to Nîmes, of which the Pont du Gard is the most breathtaking section. Check out my post about the Pont du Gard. Continue…
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Toujours Provence
The last village of the roadtrip was Ménerbes, which became famous thanks to Peter Mayle’s books–A Year in Provence, Toujours Provence, etc. I remember enjoying the books when they came out, but later feeling more ambivalent. He is the anti-Pagnol, rolling his eyes at the paysans‘ lack of sophistication, whereas Pagnol let the villagers have the last laugh, with common sense triumphing over book…
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On to Roussillon
Yellow to orange to red and every shade in between. Welcome to Roussillon in Provence.
My pre-spring Provençal road trip moved on to Roussillon, after starting in Avignon, then on to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Gordes. As you can guess from the number of photos, I liked Roussillon. Continue reading Untitled
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Provence Pit Stop: Gordes
A walk around the gorgeous village of Gordes in Provence.
As promised a while back, here are some shots from my roadtrip in Provence. The first place after Isle-sur-Sorgue was Gordes, a hilltop village with great views and quaint stone buildings. Continue reading Untitled
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In Search of Lost Time
One way to find a meaningful souvenir while traveling is also an excellent way to uncover the soul of a city–figure out something you love to do, and then track down the little shops that might stock something relevant to that passion. Or something you will use in daily life, passion or not. Cooking-related stuff is good that way–most people cook and everybody eats, and it’s nice to think of…
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Avignon
The Provence roadtrip I mentioned earlier started in Avignon. Just a short visit, en route farther east. The weather was cold, gray and very windy, which gave all those crenellated stone walls a slightly menacing feel. It also meant there weren’t hordes of people in the streets. (more…) “”
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A Festival of Film
In honor of the Oscars this weekend, join me for a visit to the International Political Film Festival. It’s fairly new–this year was only its fifth–but growing very fast. It has an interesting concept–the point is to see as many films as possible, so you buy a pass for a day or the weekend rather than tickets for each film. There are five screens around the center of Carcassonne within a few…
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No Mo' FOMO
A trip to Provence in search of antiques unexpectedly confirms the charms of Languedoc.
Ever since I moved to southern France some two decades ago, I have suffered from a fear of missing out related to having chosen Languedoc over Provence. For years I’ve heard that the grass is greenest over there in Provence. I finally went to see and discovered the grass is just as green right here. I’m back from a little roadtrip and have to say it didn’t feel like a getaway at all. It felt very…
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Milestones
Aging: surrender or fight?
First baby tooth. First baby tooth to fall out. First words. First reads. Riding a bike. Learning to drive. Cooking. Living independently. Choosing a partner. Having children. Milestones mark the journey of life, reminding us of befores and afters so that our time on earth doesn’t just pass by in a monotonous blur. (more…) “”
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Take This Job and ...
The retirement debate rages in France.
We all know, or have been told by Emily in Paris, that the French work to live, rather than live to work. So it isn’t surprising that a proposal by President Emmanuel Macron’s government to gradually raise the retirement age to 62 from 60 has brought people out into the streets and has shut down most rail travel (not just trains between cities but also the Paris Métro). In the absence of…
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Fragments
A few weeks ago, I went to a delightful jazz concert at a winery in the countryside outside of Carcassonne. I’ve been to concerts there before, since we first moved here. This concert was by the Marc Deschamps trio, who embodied 1950s cool cats of jazz and who played a mix of beloved standards and lesser-known pieces by such pillars of jazz as Dave Brubeck. As lovely as the music was, the concert…
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Christmas in Colmar
If Strasbourg is the capital of Christmas, then Colmar is … the Vatican? I’m not sure about the best analogy, but Colmar is intensely Christmasy in December, even more so than Strasbourg. (more…)
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Sobriety
The word on everyone’s lips in France these days is sobriété–sobriety. Not regarding consumption of alcoholic beverages but regarding consumption of energy. It all just makes sense, but as usual, it takes a crisis to kick people into action. (more…)
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Tinsel Town
For the Christmas spirit that dreams are made of, check out Strasbourg.
A couple of days ago, I noticed that reindeer had landed in the square, the first ride of the “Magie de Noël” (Christmas Magic–not Magi like the three guys who followed a star with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh). And today, I shared a laugh with a municipal worker who was rolling giant “snowballs” down rue Trivalle on their way to being hung up. The sign says “Strasbourg Capital of…
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Overheard
Overhearing is like clicking through channels and catching out-of-context snippets that sometimes make your eyebrows jump up to your hairline.
Sticking with last week’s theme of sounds floating into one’s ears. First, let’s be clear that overhearing is not the same as eavesdropping. It’s like the difference between hearing and listening. One just happens, as sound waves travel through the ear canal to the tympanic membrane. You can’t decide for it not to happen. Listening (or eavesdropping), is intentional–you’re making an effort. A…
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