French Girl in Seattle: The beginnings Happy Birthday, French Girl in Seattle! You have just turned 7. You were born in Paris, during a very cold winter when snow fell – and stuck – in the French capital’s streets, making sightseeing challenging and time spent indoors irresistible. You started as a blog meant to help…
My French family has been the main reason for my annual trips home over the last two decades. France has been the other one. Most trips take me back to Paris, because my parents, my brother and his family all live there. I may surprise some “Parisophiles” when I say I relish the {too rare}…
When this former Parisian, now a tourist, visits the French capital, there is little pressure to hit landmarks, museums, or famous parks. It is all about taking a family stroll downtown, and getting reacquainted with my parents and my brother’s family while savoring favorite locations. Paris, always a willing partner and a generous host, provides the…
French markets: They exist in most towns and cities all over the country, and within cities, in major neighborhoods where merchants gather at least once or twice a week. They can be outdoor (le Marché Saleya in Nice,) or indoor, in old buildings often referred to as les Halles, like the lively Marché des Carmes in…
“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” Freya Stark, Explorer and Travel Writer. Agreed, Freya. I love exploring new towns, big or small. I love traveling alone too. Wait. Alone? If I am fine traveling by myself, I still like to be in good company. I…
When I fly home every year, friends ask: “Where do you do your shopping in Paris?” Dur, dur. Tough call. There are so many wonderful boutiques and department stores in Paris! One problem, when shopping in Paris (and the rest of France,) is that sales are a biannual event by law. It may be hard to…
“On peut dîner plus tard? Je n’aime pas manger avec les poules,” my US-born teenager sometimes says to me around 7:00pm. Can we have dinner later Mom? I’d rather not eat with the hens. If you don’t know the French saying “se coucher avec les poules,” (to go to bed with the hens; to go to bed early,) you…
(Note: This article was written in 2015 when I lived in the United States. I live in France once again. It’s been updated.) The French kitchen (especially its Provençal version) is popular in the United States and many countries around the world. I have often visited beautiful homes where imported le Jacquard Français tablecloths and dish…
When you travel in France, you eat at least three times a day. Even if you rent an apartment and cook at home, you still enjoy a few meals out. You have already heard about French dining etiquette. Does the world need another article on the topic? Pourquoi pas, if it actually comes from a French…
However hard I tried, when I sat down in front my keyboard this week, I just could not write about the Eiffel Tower, macarons, or the latest hipster coffee shop in Paris. Many lives (including mine) have been changed forever over the last ten days. Surely, everything has been said about the terror attacks in France. Is one…