There we sat, in the pleasant afternoon summer sun, under the sign that read “Baladobus.” Supposedly, it would take us to the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay. It was 45 minutes past two, the hour at which this supposed bus was to arrive. One of our travel companions had stretched himself out on one of […]

When I was in university, I was obliged to read Chateaubriand. While it would be very nice to wax about all the lovely things I learned and how marvellous he is, the truth is that I remember very little. Even that is a generous statement. I remember nothing. My level of French at the time […]

Humid sunshine and ominous clouds greeted us as we tumbled off the train in front of the minuscule train station. We had arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, a small village where the public transport comes only once an hour. We were already slightly sticky, and the sun high in the sky, as we followed the only road, […]

The sun beat down, mid-morning, on the pavement. Barely 11am, already humid, unbearably stuffy. La canicule.  Trees of steel and glass rose up from the ground, punctuating the skyline in a competition for brilliance. It feels…soul-less. The industrial design sucks away all that might be filled with wonder, leaving sleek monotony behind. Bienvenue à La Défense! […]

If you love France or are planning a trip, download one of my FREE travel guides! The forecast promised thunderstorms. It was the middle of June, and clouds were on the horizon. Ironically, we had postponed our day trip to Monet’s garden in Giverny because it was set to rain on our original date. Clouds […]

If you love France or are planning a trip, download one of my FREE travel guides! Paris is rife with green spaces, be it parks, gardens, or lawns. You may know a few by the names of Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Gardens), Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Gardens), and the Parc Monceau. However, there are so […]

I’ll admit: sculpture is beyond me. I’m much more of a paintings gal (Renoir is my jam, but I have a soft spot for Impressionism in general). But, I’ve heard so much about Rodin Museum in Paris (and it’s so close to me in the 7th Arrondissement) that I had to pop over, if only […]

If you know me, you know I melt for antiques. And if you tack on the word “camera” to “antiques,” well, I’ll be there. Paris is known for having several renowned flea markets, and Les Puces de Saint-Ouen is reputed to be the largest in the world. Not sure if it’s true, but what is […]

Something I love about Paris is the abundance of florists and flower markets. It’s hard to take a long stroll and not fall on something absolutely delightful. So here’s another running list for you, to be updated as I make more discoveries. My favorite florists and flower markets in Paris, voilà! Julian This one’s not too far […]

There are many lovely places to see the Eiffel Tower throughout the city, but when I visited for the first time, my family went to the same spot (Champs de Mars) at least five times because of miscommunication. It’s safe to say that this is my most-visited Parisian landmark…but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing it from all […]