Chartres, a tiny town not too far from Paris, is famous for its cathedral, which is one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. But Chartres has a well-kept local secret: the Maison Picassiette. If you didn’t go looking for it, you’d never find it. It’s a small house (maison means house in French) Read More
Category: France
La Promenade des Anglais
When I think back to my very first French classes in ninth grade, a few things I learned stand out in particular. One is that even if your pet cat is a female, always use the masculine form of the word when talking about it in French. Another is that you shouldn’t wear short shorts and Read More
A quick guide to sustainable seafood in the south of France
Best Choices: Albacore and skipjack caught in the Pacific Ocean with trolls or polls. Handline caught Pacific Yellowfin is also good. In the mediterranean coastal areas, avoid locally caught tuna because tuna caught in the Mediterranean Sea is not sustainable. If in doubt let it go, because most tuna populations are overfished. Summary: Look for imported Pacific Albacore. In French: “D’où vient le thon ? Je ne mange que le thon albacore de l’océan pacifique.”
One day in Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel as a day trip from Paris: can it be done? There is plenty of debate on the subject, and while some say it’s at least a weekend-long commitment, others say it makes a great single day excursion. The people in the first camp aren’t completely wrong; it’s true that if you planned to Read More
Montmartre and Sacré Coeur
Saturday afternoon, we decided to visit the Sacré Coeur basilica and the surrounding area, Montmartre. Montmartre is known as the art district of Paris, because of the large number of artists that used to gather there. Now, since most of it has become a tourist hotspot, there aren’t as many artists around, but you can still see their influence.
Transportation in Paris
Getting around Paris doesn’t have to be hard! In fact, it’s just the opposite. Transportation in Paris is relatively simple. The metro works excellently, and when the metro doesn’t get you directly to where you want to go, the bus system is just as good. You can get anywhere in Paris or its surroundings by public transport, even late at night, once you know what to do!