There are some French castles which breathe history, the past seeps into their weathered stones and whispers to you of wars and triumphs. Their high, centuries old towers stand tall, the walls keep constant watch and the green grass underfoot has never forgotten the spilled blood from invasions and treachery. But a castle fortress, a […]
Château de Clisson Continue reading
Ah, the Belle Époque in Paris. A whirlwind of balls, galas, theatre, can-cans at the Moulin Rouge and gilded ceilings at the Paris Garnier Opéra house. Women dressed in their finest met at five o’clock at the house of Paquin to order yet more feathers, flounces and bustles, and the fashionable showed off the latest
La Belle Époque in Paris? Not for these women Continue reading
On 30 June, 1827, an enormous crowd gathered in the streets of Paris, understandably so, for the sight they beheld was quite unusual. For the first time ever, towering high above the people, there was a giraffe in Paris. Nicknamed ‘Her Highness’, the giraffe was a gift from the Egyptian Pasha Mehemet-Ali to Charles X,
Her Highness the Giraffe, and other exotic specimens in 19th century Paris Continue reading
I adore roses. My favourite time of the year is early June, when the delicious honey scent of hundreds of climbing yellow roses infuses every room of my old stone house. On another side, the gnarled trunks of an ancient rose tree rest against the cobbled wall, giving life to slowly unfurling pale pink roses with their heavenly scent. Are you a rose lover as well? If so, here are 5 places in Paris where you can go to see, admire (and smell) the roses.
5 places to smell the roses in Paris Continue reading
In the lush, green hills of the Normandy countryside, in the north of France, lies the tiny village of Camembert. Home to around 200 people and a cheese museum, legend tells us that it was here, in 1791, a priest by the name of Abbot Charles-Jean Bonvoust sought refuge whilst on his way to England,
Which came first, the camembert or the brie? Continue reading
What comes to mind when you think of French cooking? Snails cooked in butter? Fried frogs legs? Haute cuisine, or the rustic and hearty dishes of the countryside like coq au vin and bœuf bourguignon? Here are 8 things in the history of French cooking that may surprise you.
8 surprising facts in the history of French cooking Continue reading
There is a stone bridge on the outskirts of a nearby town, where fishermen cast their lines and friendly locals stop and ask about the morning’s catch. It is a bridge I see often in the distance from my car. On either side the water glistens, or glares, depending on the season and the time of day…
Napoléon’s Pavillon Continue reading
Recently my toddler was out in the garden, and as all curious toddlers must, he picked up a passing snail and put it into his mouth. “No!” I cried, pulling something slimy and half munched from his mouth. “We don’t eat snails!” Well actually, if you live in France, you do.
A short but slimy history of eating snails in France Continue reading
I met my lovely French husband whilst on a backpacking holiday. It was a coup de foudre, a bolt of lightning; we fell in love in 3 days. When I returned home, this is how I broke the news to my friends: “I’ve met someone”. “Ooh”. “He’s French”. “Ooh la la!” French men have a
Famous French lovers Continue reading
Sophie Blanchard was destined to become an aéronaute. As a little one safely ensconced in her mother’s womb, a stranger passed through her tiny village in 1778 and happened to enter into conversation with her mother. He told her that if her baby was a girl, he would return sometime to marry her. Obviously one
Sophie Blanchard, a woman who took to the skies Continue reading