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French Girl in Seattle

Takes France!

Bon voyage passort holder

Bon Voyage passport travel holder

Your passport needs some TLC during these long international flights and fun travel adventures!

Category: Travel Essentials

Bonjour. A week in Tours, Loire Valley. My Fre

Bonjour.

A week in Tours, Loire Valley.

My French life.

Véro

#francewithvero #france_focus_on #francetravel #loirevalley #loiretourisme #tours #toursmaville #toursetmoi #frenchlife #tourainevaldeloire #touraineloirevalley #jmlevaldeloire

Bonjour! Impromptu French lesson: How to pronoun

Bonjour!

Impromptu French lesson: How to pronounce “Barbès Rochechouart,” a Metro station and neighborhood I featured on social media this week.

Hope you enjoy it.

Bon week-end!

Véro

#francewithvero #frenchlesson #speakfrench #paris75018 #saturdayvibes

Paris, 18th arrondissement. Metro Station Barbès

Paris, 18th arrondissement.

Metro Station Barbès-Rochechouart is named after two Parisian boulevards.

Many visitors do not venture into this neighborhood, passing only briefly in the Metro on their way to Montmartre.

This is working class, multi-ethnic Paris at its most authentic, not the postcard-perfect city peddled by the Office du Tourisme, social media and Netflix TV series.

Between Montmartre, Pigalle and la Goutte-d’Or, this corner of the French capital is loud, crowded, surprising, colorful and a bit daunting.

The entire world seems to meet here.

Gentrification used to struggle more around Barbès than in other neighborhoods, but these days it’s making a dent in these parts too.

After seven decades, Tati, the giant department store across the street, is now closed soon to be replaced by offices, condos and retail businesses.

Behold the New Paris.

From the window of a fun yet elegant neo-brasserie, a vantage point. Diners distractedly look down at a slice of Parisian streetscape and the old Metro station whose name continues to challenge many foreigners.

Bienvenue à Paris.

Véro

#francewithvero #paris75018 #seemyparis #barbès #thenewparis #parismetro

Bonjour. Can’t think of a better place to cele

Bonjour.

Can’t think of a better place to celebrate a milestone birthday than la Brasserie Barbès, in the heart of Paris’ 18th arrondissement.

Three floors’ worth of fun!

Great ambiance and decor, delicious food, friendly staff and decent prices. What’s not to like?

The entire room sang: “Joyeux anniversaire,” and by God, it was! (The giant chocolate profiterole was the icing on the proverbial cake.)

Merci Lily et Gail pour une autre super soirée parisienne.

@jetaimemeneither always knows the best places!

Brasserie Barbès,
2 boulevard Barbès.
Metro Barbès.

Can’t miss it! 😉

Véro

#francewithvero #seemyparis #paris75018 #brasserie #birthdaycelebrations #parisrestaurant

Bonjour, Not all birthday celebrations are creat

Bonjour,

Not all birthday celebrations are created equal.

When half your family hails from Algeria, you rejoice at the prospect of sampling couscous, tajine and oriental pastries on your special day.

What a feast! What a treat!

My selection: tajine d’agneau aux olives et citron.

Happy birthday to me. Thank you to all my friends and relatives who helped me celebrate in Tours and in Paris!

My heart is full (and so is my stomach!)

Véro

#francewithvero #tajine #patisserieorientale #birthdaycelebrations #iledefrance

Bonjour. Rain and milder temperatures are back.

Bonjour.

Rain and milder temperatures are back.

11:30pm.

Along la rue Montorgueil peace has returned. A handful of"terrasses" are still busy this late at night on a Thursday.

It's been a hectic week with a national strike impacting locals' life.

“Les éboueurs” (garbage collectors) are on strike, protesting the reform of the French pension system. Overflowing trash containers can be spotted all over the neighborhood blocking sidewalks. One reason to be grateful it's not summer.

Yet "en terrasse" no one seems to mind.

The pervasive smell of cigarettes so prevalent during the "apéro hour(s)" has dissipated. Tourists have gone to bed, exhausted by another long day walking miles along the city streets.

It's mostly Parisians now, native or adopted, enjoying a late dinner or night cap and a beloved ritual, good times spent "en terrasse."

On the way to my temporary home, I am still thinking about the excellent play I've just seen along le boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle nearby. In the background, the subdued chatter of conversations, the sound of clinking glasses.

Théâtre. Terrasses. Tensions sociales.

I smile. In Paris, some things never change.

Véro

#francewithvero #seemyparis #paris75002 #ruemontorgueil #enterrasse #parisatnight #parisianlife

Bonjour from Paris! Join me at the peaceful squa

Bonjour from Paris!

Join me at the peaceful square du Vert Galant on a stormy March afternoon.

Véro

#francewithvero #seemyparis #iledelacite #squareduvertgalant #virtualtours #tourguidelife

Bonjour Bienvenue à Paris. National strike day.

Bonjour Bienvenue à Paris.

National strike day. Update from the Parisian trenches. 🙂

Véro

#francewithvero #seemyparis #parisianstreets #paris75002 #frenchlife

There are special days in life. The Loire Valley

There are special days in life.

The Loire Valley is a great place to enjoy them.

Beauty and elegance are never in short supply in these parts I call home.

Nowhere is it more obvious that at magnificent Château de Villandry.

Visitors flock here to see the renowned Renaissance gardens. They’d be wrong to skip the lovingly restored château.

Who could be better than its owner, Mr. Carvallo, as our private guide?

The visit was impeccably organized by @loire_valley_concierge — @aprilinparistours and I just went along for the ride. And what a ride that was!

Grand moment et #petitbonheur.

Merci @chateauvillandry!

Véro

#francewithvero #francetourisme #loirevalley #loirevalleytourism #frenchchateau #chateaulife #loirevalleycastles #chateaudevillandry #tourguidelife

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All images and text copyright Véronique Savoye of French Girl in Seattle unless otherwise noted. Please contact me if you'd like to reprint or share.

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