A tour of some of France’s most lively of the Christmas markets: Alsace (Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse), Champagne (Reims), Provence (Avignon, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence) and Paris.

In which the author has lunch at a middle school cafeteria in the Provencal town of Nyons, realizes that he can’t remember anything from sixth grade and goes to talk to the principal. * * [...]

In which the author takes a tasting class at Wine University (Université du Vin) in the medieval castle of Suze-la-Rousse, reflects on whether or not he’s a wine enthusiast, and wonders if it’s true that [...]

Some impressions and practical information concerning the area covered in Parts 1 and 2 of “Eat like a sixth grader, drink like a wine enthusiast,” including Nyons, Taulignan and Grignan and featuring olives, lavender, silk [...]

As Paris prepares the jubilee celebration honoring the 850th anniversary of the beginning of construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral in 1163, France Revisited pays homage to that great Gothic monument at the center of the capital and to four other Notre-Dame Cathedrals within 100 miles of Paris in a two-part series. Part II below concerns Notre-Dames of Reims and Amiens and includes practical tips for visiting all five. Part I concerns Notre-Dames of Paris, Laon and Chartres.

We are now accustomed to the tools of the trade of character assassination. But medieval warfare required tools of more penetrating assassination such as the stilettos and misericordes on display among other medieval weaponry and armor at Fort Saint Elme, overlooking the Mediterranean just north of the Spanish border at Collioure in Languedoc-Roussillon.

Horseback riding in southwest France with a stunning view of the Pyrenees over their shoulders was a dream come true for Judy and Dave Kashoff… until they mistakenly left the trail and Judy’s white Arabian [...]

Even without knowing much of the historical bla-bla about Blois, this Loire Valley town is a place of fascinating, magical, entertaining and tasty encounters. So before describing why Blois is considered the linchpin of understanding the history and architecture of the Loire Valley I’d like to introduce you to some of the people and characters that I encountered during a day of research throughout the town.

In which the author visits and revisits Chambery, the capital of Savoy in the Rhone-Alpes region, remembers old stones and water slides, tries to see the mountains through the mist, contemplates reading Rousseau, going cycling and visiting a museum, takes a cruise on Lake Bourget from Aix-les-Bains, goes skiing with Italians on Grand Revard, and reports on hotels and restaurants in and around Chambery.