It's all about France

Fragonard

2007-11-20T17:24:00.000-05:00

Until January 13th 2008
The light-hearted, playful paintings of Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) provide some of the most enduring images of France's ancien régime. His late-rococo style seemed peculiarly suited to the spirit of the times, and his bold brushstrokes and liberated technique set the stage for the Impressionists to come. The Musée Jacquemart-André, one of Paris's most appealing private collections (and itself a lavish 19th-century palace), has gathered around 100 of the painter's works, some never before displayed in Europe.

Musée Jacquemart-André, 158 boulevard Haussman. Tel: +33 (0)1.45.62.11.59. Open: daily, 10am-6pm. Metro: Saint-Augustin or Miromesnil. See also the museum's website.

From Economist.com

What eyes colors will your baby have?

2007-10-22T14:48:00.000-04:00

Nothing to do with France but this link is so cool, I wanted to share it with you and since I just had a baby, I was interested: http://museum.thetech.org/ugenetics/eyeCalc/eyecalculator.html
This allows you to estimate what colors your futur baby or your newborn will have? try it, it is fun.

I Love Touring Paris - The Fourth Arrondissement

2007-10-19T17:10:00.000-04:00

The 4th arrondissement located on the Right Bank of the Seine River is one of the smallest in Paris at slightly over 0.6 square miles (1.6 square kilometers). Its population is about thirty thousand but the district provides more than forty thousand jobs. The Ile de la Cité (Cité Island) was already inhabited in the First Century B.C. by a Gallic tribe known as the Parisii who gave their name to the city. Our first stop is world–renown, tasty, not very high in calories, and won’t cost you a lot of money. It’s on the magnificent Ile St-Louis one of the two Parisian islands in the Seine.
Berthillon makes great ice cream and has since 1954. It believes in natural ingredients and flavorings and uses no preservatives or any of that junk. It is usually closed during the last two weeks of August.
Centre Georges Pompidou (Georges Pompidou Centre), often called Beaubourg was built in 1971–1977 near Les Halles (the Halles Market) and the Marais. It contains a library, the Musée National d'Art Moderne (National Modern Art Museum), a center for music and acoustic research, and an industrial design center. You either love the building or you hate it because of its very distinct (ugly) architecture with pipes on the outside. Even if you can’t stand this building you may enjoy the art museum with it collection of painters including Kandinsky, Matisse, Miró, and Picasso.
One can only imagine how hard it is to run the city of Paris. Maybe that’s why its Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) has been in the same Fourth Arrondissement location since the mid-Fourteenth Century. The present French Renaissance structure was rebuilt in the 1870s and is said to be inspired by castles in the Loire Valley. Its site was a well-known gathering place, in particular for public executions. The local specialty was burning heretics at the stake.
In the early Sixteenth Century King Francis I decided rebuild Paris’s city hall. At that time Paris was the largest city in Europe and the entire Christian world. Building the Renaissance city hall worthy of Paris took about a century. During the French Revolution the city hall lived up to its site’s history; a representative of the ancien regime (pre-Revolutionary government) was killed there the day that the Bastille was stormed. Several years later on this same site the revolutionary leader Maximilien François Marie Odenthalius Isidore de Robespierre usually called Robespierre was shot in the jaw and his followers were arrested.
Paris’s City Hall played a role in the revolution of 1870 and the Paris Commune of the following year; first it became the revolutionary government headquarters and subsequently was burnt to the ground when surrounded by enemy troops. The rebuilt building has a split personality: its exterior is a copy of the Sixteenth Century Renaissance building but the interior reflects the luxury of the day, the 1880s. Charles de Gaulle spoke from City Hall on that great day of August 25, 1944 when Paris was liberated.
Étienne Marcel, the most important pre-mayor of the city was lynched in 1358 by a crowd which felt that he wanted too much power. And the current mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, the first elected left-wing major of Paris since 1871 was stabbed during a party open to the public. After recovering he converted his private apartments to a nursery for the children of municipal workers. Tell me, do you know of any other City Hall with such a history?
The short Rue des Rosiers in the Marais is somewhat a center of Paris’s Jewish community, the largest in Europe. Jews have been living here for six hundred years when they were expelled from Paris; at that time the Marais was outside the city limits. As often when a street becomes very popular it changes its character and Jewish butcher shops and delicatessens are giving way to upscale fashion houses. Be sure to visit the rue des Francs-Bourgeois and its many fashion stores, one of the rare Paris streets that is open on Sunday.
In the middle of the Twelfth Century, so the story goes, Maurice de Sully, the Archbishop of Paris, unhappy with the present cathedral had it demolished and sketched in the dirt its replacement, Notre Dame de Paris, one of the most beautiful churches in the world. Construction took almost two centuries, and frankly was worth it. This French Gothic church is located on the Île de la Cité and is the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. During the French Revolution, many of its treasures were either destroyed or plundered. The church interior was used as a warehouse for the storage of forage and food. The statues of biblical kings of Judea (thought to be kings of France) were beheaded. Many of these heads were found during a 1977 excavation and are now display in the Musée de Cluny located in the fifth arrondissement. Notre Dame’s organ was been computerized, requiring three local-area networks. If you like touring churches, this district is home to several other historic ones, but if you ask me none of them are in the same league as Notre Dame de Paris.
Of course you don’t want to be in Paris without sampling fine French wine and food. In my article I Love French Wine and Food – An Alsace Pinot Noir I reviewed such a wine and suggested a sample menu: Start with Flammekueche (Tart stuffed with Bacon, Onions, Cream Cheese, and heavy Cream). For your second course savor Coq-au-Riesling (Cock cooked in Riesling wine). And as dessert indulge yourself with Quetschelkueche (Plum Tart). Your Parisian sommelier (wine steward) will be happy to suggest appropriate wines to accompany each course.
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His central website is www.wineinyourdiet.com devoted to the health and nutritional aspects of wine and its place in your weight-loss program. Visit his global wine site www.theworldwidewine.com and his other websites devoted to Italian wine, Italian travel, and Italian food.

Exchange your home

2007-10-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

A great way to travel cheap in Europe (or other destinations) especially with the Euro being so strong is to exchange your house or apartment. There is a nice website where you can post your house for a small fee and exchange with somebody else . http://www.ihen.com. On this website you can both find houses to exchange but also regular vacation rentals.
Another one, more popular and larger is http://www.homeexchange.com/.

La Provence

2007-10-11T17:26:00.001-04:00

For those of you who speak french and who love the region of Provence in France, there is a nice website www.laprovence.com, that covers the news about this region. There is also plenty of information about real estate there, what to do, where to eat, shows etc. Check it out.

A good website for preparing a trip to France

2007-10-09T15:46:00.000-04:00

We gave you a nice website on hotels in Paris a copple of posts ago. Here is another website really good for a lot of information on the different regions of France: http://www.france-voyage.com/en/
It gives you a map of France with all its regions, you click on the one you may want to visit ant it gives you very detailed information on the cities, the things to do, places to visit, where to stay etc. it is really well done with nice pictures. A must if you are planning your trip to France.

I Love Touring Paris - The First Arrondissement by Levi Reiss

2007-10-04T12:11:00.000-04:00

The first arrondissement is at the center of Paris on the Seine River's right bank. It includes the western part of Ile de La Cité, one of the two Parisian islands. In ancient times this district was the heart of the Roman city of Lutetia. It occupies less than a square mile (less than two square kilometers) with a declining population of under seventeen thousand. But it employs more than sixty thousand people and attracts many, many tourists. Here are some of the reasons why.

Les Halles became the city's central market, covered in 1183. Read Zola's 1873 novel Le Ventre de Paris (The Belly of Paris) for a timeless picture of this unique setting demolished in 1971 and replaced by a huge underground modern shopping center, the Forum des Halles. The world's largest underground transportation station Châtelet-Les-Halles serves a half million train passengers and a quarter million subway passengers daily. Make sure to see the historic Gothic Church of Saint-Eustache where young Louis XIV received communion. This church boasts several Rubens paintings and offers organ concerts in the summer.

The Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) greets more than eight million tourists a year, more than any other art museum in the word. It was called the Musée Napoléon in honor of all his war booty; which was eventually returned to the rightful owners. The initial "Castle of the Louvre" was founded in 1190 at the western edge of Paris to defend the city. The oldest standing building was begun in 1535. The Louvre contains almost four hundred thousand objects including twelve thousand paintings. Two of its most famous items are the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. Plan to spend a lot of time in this fabulous museum.

The Sixteenth Century Tuileries Palace was built for Catherine de' Medicis, the widow of Henry II. Louis XIV lived there while waiting for the Palace of Versailles to be built. The Tuileries Palace was later used as a theatre but its gardens remained popular among the local upper crust. Louis XVI and family stayed there under house arrest and the building was stormed during the French Revolution. Subsequently both the revolutionaries and Napoleon used the buildings. Both Joséphine and Marie-Louise had magnificent bedrooms. Unlike the Paris City Hall and portions of the Louvre, the Tuileries Palace was not rebuilt after its destruction in 1871. The Tuileries Garden covers about 63 acres (25 hectares) and includes the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, a contemporary art museum. There is a lot of talk about rebuilding the Palace. The original plans and many photographs are archived, and the Palace furniture and paintings were safely stored prior to its destruction. The cost of rebuilding is estimated at about $400 million (300 million euros) supposedly financed by subscription and not by taxes.

In the meantime why not visit the Palais Royal, former home of Cardinal Richelieu in spite of his vow of poverty. Many other bigwigs lived there over the years. During the French Revolution a guy nicknamed Philippe-Egalité (Equality Phil) became popular for opening the Palais-Royal gardens to all Parisians. His oldest son Louis-Philippe was King of France from 1830 to 1848. An Abbé wrote a little poem about the garden "Dans ce jardin on ne rencontre ni champs, ni prés, ni bois, ni fleurs. Et si l'on y dérègle ses moeurs, au moins on y règle sa montre." ("In this garden one encounters neither fields nor woods nor flowers. And, if one upsets one's morality, at least one may re-set one's watch.") A nearby café was the rallying point for the taking of the Bastille. Today's Palais Royale is the center of many government offices and some building of the Bibliothèque Nationale (Nationale Library) most of which have been relocated to less interesting parts of town.

The Comédie-Française or Théâtre Français is France's only state theater and one of the few with a permanent troupe. It is often considered the home of Molière but in fact he died before it was built. During the French Revolution it was closed and the actors were imprisoned. The Comédie-Française is the current resting place of the heart of Francois-Marie Arouet, more commonly known as Voltaire.

For a break from so much history visit Paris's second-oldest department store La Samaritaine on the banks of the Seine River. By the way, its name comes from a hydraulic pump with a guilded sculpture of the Good Samaritan located near the Pont Neuf (New Bridge), Paris's oldest bridge. The store was closed for safety reasons in 2005 and may not yet have reopened. The plans are to make it more upscale upon reopening.

If you feel like splurging consider the Hôtel Ritz, which was originally built as a private home in the early Eighteenth Century. The word ritzy comes from this hotel and similar lodgings in London and Madrid. A part owner was the world-famous chef Auguste Escoffier who revolutionized French cuisine and once trained Ho Chi Minh as a pastry chef. Famous guests include Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Marcel Proust, Charlie Chaplin, and Coco Chanel, who lived there for over thirty years. This hotel was the last stop for Dodi Al-Fayed, son of its owner, and Diana, Princess of Wales before their tragic demise in August, 1997.

Of course you don't want to be in Paris without sampling fine French wine and food. In my article I Love French Wine and Food - A White Beaujolais I reviewed such a wine and suggested a sample menu: Start with Cuisses de Grenouilles (Frogs Legs). For your second course savor Quenelles de Brochet (Poached Fish Dumplings). And as dessert indulge yourself with Galettes de Pérouges (Pérouges Pancakes). Your Parisian sommelier (wine steward) will be happy to suggest appropriate wines to accompany each course.

About the Author:
Levi Reiss is the author or co-author of ten computer and Internet books, but to tell the truth, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website http://www.wineinyourdiet.com/ links to his other sites.

Nice website for hotels in Paris

2007-10-02T12:22:00.000-04:00

Among the numerous websites on hotels in Paris, I found this one to be very convenient, easy to use, and full of information. There are reviews from customers which I think help a lot . And you can book through them. Plus, since I know some of the hotels, I could see if the descriptions fit the reality and it really does.

http://www.hotels-paris.fr/

French recipe: tomatoes "a la provencale"

2007-10-02T09:06:00.001-04:00

This is the recipe of a dish that was often cooked in my house when I was a kid. It is very easy to do , very good and very healthy. It can be served with any meat dish (good with chicken). The trick is to let the tomatoes cook on very low heat for a long time. Many french people cook them in the oven but my mother used to cook them in a skillet, it gets less dry like this. At the end, you should have a nice sauce (combination of the olive oil and the tomatoes juice) to go on the rice. I usually put less parsley than what is shown on the picture. As for the garlic, it is up to your taste but without garlic, it is not Tomatoes "a la provencale" anymore!

Ingredients:
- 6 to 12 ripe tomatoes (depending on how many you are, count about 5 halves per person)
- 2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 tbsp of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of fine chopped italian parsley
- Cooked whole wheat rice (or basmati rice) for everybody

1. cut tomatoes in half. Remove seeds.
2. in a non stick skillet, on medium-low heat, add the olive oil
3. when warm, place each half of tomatoes in the skillet (cut sides up). cook for about 3 minutes.
4. then, reduce heat to low and let the tomatoes cook 45 mn.
5. then, carefully so you don't break them, flip the tomatoes over for about 5 minutes
6. flip them over again and add on each tomatoe, about 1 teaspoon of garlic, and half tsp of parsley, salt and pepper and leave on low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve on rice.

I'm back - a new baby - a place to rent on the French Riviera

2007-10-01T14:15:00.000-04:00

I just had a baby! Mathieu. born september 12, 2007. 8lbs 13 oz.

And,

I just bought a place in France, in Hyeres, French Riviera. Nice apartment with a beautiful view on the ocean and the marina of Hyeres. I love to watch sailboats coming in and out. Since I live in the States, I will enjoy it only a couple of times per year when I go there to visit my family and friends and to shop for my boutique (http://www.sophidepons.com/).

The rest of the year, You can rent it! I have a website on it: www.sophiedepons.com/rent-in-france/

American women in Paris

2006-12-17T07:26:00.000-05:00

I meet a lot of people in my store in Delray Beach
, people who for the most part travelled a lot throughout France or even lived there. So, from them, I learn a lot of things happening there that I can share with all of you:
For you, ladies: if you live in Paris or if you are about to move there, there is a nice association called "American women in Paris to join". For a small fee (around 80 euros), they offer a wide varieties of activities ranging from lunches, museum visits to cooking classes, yoga classes and much much more. They also have a nice fundraising program. It is a very good way to meet people, stay active, discover Paris and be around american people. If any of you know this organisation from inside, please share with us in the comments below. Thank you.

You can contact them at +33 (0) 1 42 73 36 74. Visit their website at http://www.awgparis.org/

Desig tour in Paris: a wonderful idea

2006-12-10T06:53:00.000-05:00

If you happen to be in Paris or if you plan to travel there AND you love design and decoration, there is a great tour that you should do. Every week, on wednesdays, thursdays and saturdays, during 3 hours in the afternoon, for 30 Euros, there is a guided tour (by Nicole Barre who is a famous professionnal designer) of the best design places of a specific area in Paris. You get to see decor boutiques, galeries, professionnal show-rooms and more. You will meet some of the most famous and trendy designers of Paris. Nicole Barre will show you the latest trends in design and decoration. You will also benefit from coupons in the main decor boutiques.

I just discoverd this tour so I haven't had a chance to do it but next time I go to Paris, I will do the Saint Paul Design Tour which sounds particularly interesting.

Visit their website where everything is explained (but only in French, ask me if you need help_)http://www.designaparis.com/index02.html.

You can also send an email in english at magazine@designaparis.com or call 01 74 30 16 75.

Best informative website on Paris

2006-11-28T16:13:00.000-05:00

Check that website out: http://paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/

It is full of accurate information about Paris, travelling there or living there, the best restaurants and hotels, tips to save money, in brief a lot of practical information. Very professionnal and very useful.

Recipe: shrimps flambe with Pastis

2006-11-24T08:35:00.000-05:00

This is a typical recipe from Provence, Shrimps flavored with the alcohool "Pastis" , a drink so popular in the south of France. You can find it in the States in a bottle under the name of "Pernod". Pastis is made of anis and regliss ( i think it is called Licorice in english). This recipe is so simple, so quick and yet so festive you will love it. I always make it when there is a special occasion.

Ingredients for 2 people:

- 1 lb of cooked shrimps

- 2 tbsp of butter

- 1/2 cup of finely chopped italian parsley

- 1/2 cup of finely chopped garlic (more or less depending if you like garlic or not)

- 1/3 cup of Pastis (Pernod)

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add shrimps. Saute for about 3mn. add parsley and garlic. Saute another 2 mn. remove from heat. Add Pastis and flambe with a match (in front of the guests, they will love it!). Serve right away. (there must be a nice sauce at the end made with the butter and the pastis)

Thanksgiving in France - more addresses

2006-11-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

Following my previous post, here is another address in Paris where you can celebrate thanksgiving all day long: Hard Rock Cafe. http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafes.aspx?LocationID=92&MIBenumID=3&MenuID=15

To get there: From the Metro/Subway: Grands Boulevards lines 8 and 9, Richelieu-Drouot, or Bourse Line 3. tel: 01 53 24 60 00

Also, if you are travelling the south of France, and particularly Monaco, you are in the right place to celebrate thanksgiving: visit the following website http://www.starsnbars.com for more info. and also this one http://www.amclubriv.org/node/5 which is the american club in the Riviera.

Thanksgiving in Paris

2006-11-12T07:32:00.000-05:00

Of course, French people are unfamiliar with Thanksgiving. it has nothing to do with french history or culture. But many americans live in France and many french have american relatives or friends who celebrate Thanksgiving in France. if you are visiting Paris during thanksgiving (why not), here is a good address not to miss, to feel home during this particular time of the year.

"Thanksgiving" located 20, rue Saint Paul 75004 PARIS Tel: 01 42 77 68 28 or 29. There you will find both an american grocery store and a cajun restaurant owned by a french-american couple. Of course, they speak english which makes things easier for you. It is located in one of the most pleasant area in Paris (le Marais). It is very popular throughout the year but particularly during thanksgiving. It is usually booked long time before though so it is probably too late for this year but if you plan to go next year, just book now. You can also enjoy delicious brunches on saturdays and sundays.

For more information, visit their website http://www.thanksgivingparis.com/

French recipe: tomatoes "a la provencale"

2006-11-06T15:49:00.000-05:00

This is the recipe of a dish that was often cooked in my house when I was a kid. It is very easy to do and very good. It can be served with any meat dish (good with chicken).

The trick is to let the tomatoes cook on very low heat for a long time. Many french people cook them in the oven but my mother used to cook them in a skillet, it gets less dry like this. at the end, you should have a nice sauce (combination of the olive oil and the tomatoes water) to go on the rice. I usually put a little bit less parsley than what is shown on the picture. As for the garlic, it is up to your taste but without garlic, it is not Tomatoes "a la provencale anymore!"

Ingredients:

- 6 to 12 ripe tomatoes (depending on how many you are, count about 5 halves per person)

- 2 garlic gloves, finely chopped

- 3 to 4 tbsp of olive oil

- 1 half cup of fine chopped italian parsley

- Cooked rice for everybody

1. cut tomatoes in half. Remove seeds.

2. in a non stick skillet, on medium-low heat, add the olive oil

3. when warm, place each half of tomatoes in the skillet (cut sides up). cook for about 3 minutes.

4. then, reduce heat to low and let the tomatoes cook 45 mn.

5. then, carefully so you don't break them, flip the tomatoes over for about 5 minutes

6. flip them over again and add on each tomatoe, about 1 teaspoon of garlic, and same of parsley, salt and pepper and leave on low heat for about 5 minutes.

Serve on white or brown rice.

Great park to take the kids: Asterix Park

2006-11-03T15:55:00.000-05:00

Asterix Park: 30 km north of Paris. Highway A1 Paris-Lille, direct exit toParc Astérix, between exits no. 7 and no. 8.
There is a little know attraction park ( at least by tourists) where you should take your kids: it is the Asterix Park ( from the well-known french comic book Asterix). It is a smaller park than Eurodysney but less tiring, less expensive (around 35 euros), and very fun: my kids love it. It has everything, roller costers and more roller costers, nice shows, dolphins, reproduction of Asterix villages. Everybody will have fun.
Be careful that the park is closed until April 6th, 2007.

Visit their website for more information, there is an english version: http://www.parcasterix.fr

Two museums not to miss in Paris: Musee Jacquemard and Musee Picasso

2006-10-30T12:25:00.000-05:00

These 2 museums of Paris are not necessarily the one you would think of when visiting Paris but you should: They are jewels.

Musee Jacquemard: 158, blvd Haussman. 8th. Metro: Saint Philippe du Roule or Mirosmenil. Tel: 01 42 89 04 91. 11am-6pm . Open daily
In the 19th centruty, this was the residence of banker Andre Jacquemard and his painter wife, who were both avid art collectors . The museum is truly one of the most delightful place to spend an afternoon in Paris. The Jacqemard were found of the italian Renaissance. You will discover one of the finest collection of italian sculpture, paintings, venetian arts. You will have the opportunity to visit their private appartment with geogeous antiques. And last but not least, you will enjoy their enchanting winter garden.
Also, you should not miss the museum's Cafe which is in the splendid former dining room. It features a Tiepolo fresco on the ceiling and beautiful Gobelin tapestries on the wall. It would be a great moment to have tea with their home-baked, delicious pastries. You can also enjoy a brunch on sundays.

Visit the website at http://www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/. (english version available)

Musee Picasso: Hôtel Salé, 5, rue de Thorigny, 75003 PARIS, Métro : Saint-Paul / Saint-Sébastien Froissart / Chemin Vert - phone 01 42 71 25 21 - closed on tuesdays. 9:30am-6 pm

The Musée Picasso is situated in Le Maris, the heart of historic Paris, and has a collection of several thousand works of Pablo Picasso: so if you like Picasso, this is the museum to go. And if you are not completely found of Picasso, well it is still a great visit because it is located in a spendid mension from the 17th century that is just too great to miss. You will also be able to enjoy some nice works of Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne, Miro. And the surrondings of the museum is the greatest part of Le Marais with good restaurants and nice boutiques.
http://www.musee-picasso.fr/ (only in french)

The Best restaurants in Le Marais (Paris, 4th arrondissement)

2006-10-26T11:58:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of very good restaurants in Paris and it is always very difficult to choose. I used to live in the 4th arrondissement called Le Marais which is afun, lively, and full of very good restaurants. Here are the restaurants where we used to go regularly. There are also located in historical part of Paris which makes the trip even more interesting. If you know a restaurant in this area that you love, please add it in the list in the comment section.

- Au Bourguignon du Marais: 19 rue Francois Miron, Paris 4. (metro st Paul) This is one of our favorite and if you only choose one in this area, you have to go there. Excellent food and excellent wine (upper end of the price range). here you might want to reserve a table or get there early (7pm, yes that is early for the french). As an aside, leaving the restaurant to the right, there is the oldest house in Paris (around the 13th century i believe).

- les Fous de l'Ile: 33 rue St Louis en l'Ile, Paris 4 (on l'ile st louis, Metro Pont Marie).. Casual ambiance and not expensive but great ambiance. the food is very good, try the Magret de Canard in a cherry sauce if they still serve it, really good. It is on the delightful Ile st Louis, very close to Notre Dame, so you can have a very nice stroll after dinner.

- L'Enoteca: 25 rue Charles V, Paris 4. (metro st Paul). It is right across from another good louisiana restaurant called Thanksgiving (20 rue st Paul) . L'Enoteca is an excellent italian restaurant but you have to get there early or reserve a table because it is always very crowded. This is right across from the Village St Paul where there are lots of little antique shops. Nearby, rue Charlemagne, there is also the remnants of the 11th century wall that once circled Paris.

- Nos Ancetres les Gaulois: 39 rue St Louis en L'Ile, Paris 4. (metro St Michel or Pont Marie). Old 17th century ambiance, yet not formal at all. decent food but you would go there more for the fun of the ambiance. Lots of food, all you can drink and wine, very nice location. Not very expensive. Near Notre Dame

- La Rose des Sables: 105 rue Vieille du Temple, Paris 3. This is a very good small Marocan restaurant with good couscous. Ambiance is very nice but very small. The owners are very friendly. not expensive

- L'Alivi: 27 rue Roi de sicile, Paris 4. Metro St Paul. This is a corsican restaurant (corsica is a french island in the mediterranean, see my previous post on corsica). the food is very good and the ambiance very nice, casual. there are table outside.

- Au Square Trousseau: 1 r Antoine Vollon Paris 12, Metro Ledru Rollin. Ok this is not in Le marais but very close to it, near Bastille and it is such a great restaurant that I wanted to list it here. The food is excellent and the ambiance is just awsome. The service is great too. it is very popular so you need to reserve a table. It is very parisian. A dinner you will remember for sure. A restaurant not to miss.

Travel - The Island of Corsica

2006-10-24T13:44:00.000-04:00

The Isle of Beauty, that is how Corsica is called.
Corsica island is located southeast of France in the Mediterranee. it is the main tourist destination for the french. Unfortunately, I have met very few american knowing about this georgeous french island. You have to go. It is really, really worth it.

The natural park cover a third of the island, and if you like nature, hiking, swimming, if you enjoy the sea, the mountains, the lakes, the forests, well you will love Corsica. it has it all. The GR20 is the well-known hiking trail that crosses Corsica from north to south. but they are tons of hiking trails, which are a dream and also some impressive volcanic lakes that are just georgeous.

Corsica is not just for hikers, it is also for lovers of history. It has many historical sites like the prehistoric site of Filitosa , now a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its Menhirs which is a great day destination. It has full of monuments, churches, citadells. Napoleon was born in Corsica after all and you can visit his house in Ajaccio.

Corsica is also unique for its food, traditions, festivals which make it a country by itself. You will love its markets, its delightful villages. Sunsets in Corsica are georgeous, I have never seen anything more beautiful, especially in Porto on the west cost. And the sea, oh, so beautiful. crystal clear water, it is a dream. a postcard.

It is very easy to ge to Corsica: a little bit over 1 hour flight from Paris, a night long cruise from the south of France or even from Italy. No excuse not to go there during your next vactions in France or italy. Even for 2 or 3 days, just go, you won't regret.

Visit http://www.islands.com/corsica/ which will give you the most popular websites about Corsica. I have travelled a lot in Corsica but i always enjoy when i go back because there are so many things to see and enjoy.

Travel: Most beautiful Villages in Provence

2006-10-22T09:57:00.000-04:00

I am often asked which villages are a must see in Provence since there are so many of them. It is very difficult to make a selection as they all have their charms. Here is a list of the ones I really like. Some are along the cost and some are in the countryside. I indicated the name of the village and the name of the "departement" (region) where it is located:
L'Isle sur la Sorgue (Vaucluse) : very well-known for its antiques shops
Les Baux de Provence (Bouches du Rhone) : a must see, really
Gordes (Vaucluse)
Tourtour (Var)
Eygalieres (Bouches du Rhone) : the queen of the Alpille region
St Remy de Provences (Bouches du Rhone) : another must-see with its romano grecque ruines, 1000 sheeps festival in April
Cassis ((Bouches du Rhone)
Sault : Lavender festival in august (usually the 15th)
Moustiers ( Alpes de Haute Provence) : known for well-known handpainted faience: see my previous post on it. you can see some of their products on my website at http://www.sophiedepons.com/
St Tropez
Le Castellet (Var) : you will love its numerous shops and lovely streets
Entrevaux ( Alpes de Haute Provence)
Cotignac ( Var)
Roussillon: the "red" village

French recipe: Pork with Camembert

2006-10-19T18:35:00.000-04:00

A very simple, quick recipe, yet everybody will love it ( if you love camember of course!) . you can also use Brie or blue cheese instead of camember.

Ingredients:
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche
- 1/2 camembert cheese, rind removed, sliced
- 1 1/2 teasp of dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp of chopped fresh mixed herbs - marjoram, thyme, sage... if you don't have fresh herbs, use dry provence herbs.
- fresh parsley to garnish

1. Slice the pork corsswise into small steaks. make them as flat as possible. Season with Pepper. 2. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat then add the pork. cook for 4 mn, turning once. Transfer to a warmed dish.
3. Add the wine in the pan, scraping the base. stir in creme fraiche and herbs and bring to a boil. 4. Add tge chesse and mustard and any juices from the meat. if the sauce is too thick, add a little more cream and adjust the seasonning.
5. Serve pork with the sauce on top or on the side and garnish with parsley. Excellent with rice or potatoes.

French home decor magazine

2006-10-19T18:33:00.000-04:00

I love french home decor magzines: Elle decoration or Campagne decoration or Art et decoration. the difference with american siblings? much, much less adverstising. more, more pages of pictures, big pictures and articles, tips, resources on home deco. I don't want to criticise here because, let's put it right away, I love america, ok?. but really, home decor magazines here sucks. too many advertisements. small pictures. if you want true examples, i can send you french magazines, used ones of course because I read them before. "for free?" NO. let's say for $4 plus shipping, I will send you one. although i love them so much that I tend to keep them but my pile is huge so I can't keep them all. For exemple, in the last "Campagne decoration" that my girlfriend Murielle just brought me from France, there is a great "reportage" on a house in Normandie with great, big pictures of the decor inside and interesting article. and also another "reportage" on a house in le Luberon with also very nice pictures. I just love it. Even if you don't read french, it is worth it just for the pictures.

What you should know about Moustiers

2006-10-19T18:27:00.000-04:00

When they enter my store, many of my customers go directly to the Quimper section of it and don't even look at the Moustiers display. That makes me very sad. because Moustiers faience is so beautiful, so elegant, so fine, so etc etc. I have always liked it better than Quimper maybe because my mother loved it and bought some nice pieces that I kept preciously. or maybe because i have always found the handpainted designs "plus raffine" than Quimper. Maybe because Moustiers is a beautiful village in the region of France where I grew up. or maybe also because I think that it is just unfair that Quimper is more well-known than Moustiers. to have more info go onto http://www.sophiedepons.com/moustiers.html or view some pieces on http://sophiedepons.com/store/moustiers.html