The reason I moved to Paris was because my girlfriend was offered a job there, and we just went. We thought we were fairly prepared for it, she spoke fluent French, we didn’t need work permits, and the removal people were happy to look after all our stuff until we found somewhere to live.
Once we […]

When you see the word, “Antiquites” in France, that usually means antiques. I mean, REAL antiques that are hundreds of years old. Furniture that old is the reason antique dealers in the U.S. come to Europe; Europe’s where you’ll find mega old stuff! Maybe “antiques” in the typical sense of the word in France is […]

Last weekend the Canal Saint-Martin got all jazzed up thanks to the annual spring festival, Le Printemps des Rues. There were all sorts of performances and activities for the kiddies, as well as an installation by Constance Arizzoli et Marie-Caroline de Baecque along the canal. The theme was “insTemps Bleus” and while the website explains […]

Before my parents leave me and take off for Provence in search of Sistercian Abbeys, we’ve been galavanting around Paris looking for evidence of the Parisii, Romans, Francs, and Merovingians. Today I donned my chunky camera & strapped on my fanny pack ready to brave the cobblestone. Okay, I’m joking about the fanny pack, but […]

All French pupils learn how Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc) heard the voice of God telling her to go and see the King of France (Charles the VIIth) and urge him to give her troops in order to retake the French territories that had been under English dominance for years. Needless to say that, despite […]

The media gods are smiling on this blog this week. The Wall Street Journal ran a story about travel blogs and included this one among its picks for the best. And La Coquette, a new contributor here, was also singled out for praise for her own blog.
For my money, the best blogs don’t try to […]

The French don’t bathe. The French are decadent. All the French do is talk. These complaints about the Hexagon inhabitants go way back, as this tract attributed to the US Occupation Forces in WW2 shows. It has 112 such complaints, with explanations provided as to why such behavior exists, and why servicement need to get […]

I was reminded of a passage from Tropic of Cancer as yet another American friend announced they were leaving Paris. It’s sad, not many of them stick it out here, not being able to get working papers doesn’t help but maybe it goes deeper than that.
You can’t become a European overnight. There’s something in your […]

Better late than never, right?? That just goes to show you that some things take 20+ years to get adopted in France (from the U.S.), while other things are instantaneous (via the internet, I guess). Though I love salads, I’m way too grossed out by salad bars (for various neurotic reasons), but I wanted to […]

No beheading. No limb from limb tearing. Except at Cannes, where the film actually got booed. Ah well, I still loved it.
Gentry and I arrived half an hour early for the 4:30 pm showing at Forum des Halles yesterday and ended up getting the last good seats in the house. As we waited […]