Gary Lee Kraut
Gary Lee Kraut is the editor of France Revisited and an award-winning travel writer. As a long-time specialist on travel and touring in France, he has become the go-to contact for individual travelers and travel agents seeking personalized travel advice and customized tours in Paris and throughout France. See the About the Editor tab at the top of this page for his complete bio.
Benjamin Franklin, a Philadelphian Who Lived the American Dream in Paris, Then Went Home
Shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin accepted a mission from the Continental Congress to seeking an alliance with...
Christmas in Paris is but a memory
It's the rare Paris winter in recent years when Canal Saint Martin freezes over. But abandoning Christmas trees on the street (or in this case the canal) is a post-holiday tradition in Paris.
It may be January but it’s still Paris
A rare view of ice on Canal Saint-Martin.
Winter sky over gray rooftop.
Part III: The American Versailles. Not Impressed Yet? Try This!
Versailles, for all its reflection of historical French grandeur, authority, nobility, art, craftsmanship, and etiquette, is also a reflection of American power. Versailles may well be the French monument that most symbolizes American power, after the Statue of Liberty that is.
A Night at Hotel Saint Paul Rive Gauche: Infidelity on Rue Monsieur le Prince
All travel carries a scent of infidelity. The eye wanders, the senses get curious, the smile invites foreign conversations, and at night you grope...
Part II: Louis XIV’s Versailles. Purgatory and Heaven, War and Peace, Mirrors and Fountains
I’m not sure when my transformation from dread of Versailles to curiosity occurred—while listening to our guide, while visiting the Little Theater, while strolling...
Versailles, Versigh, Versails, Versighs, Versize, Versace: How I Learned to Forget the Crowds and...
Part I: Marie-Antoinette's Versailles Featuring Lolly Winston
Until recently I’d cringe when visiting friends would ask me to take them to Versailles. Too crowded, too...
Things to Know About Hotels in France
There's no harm in being surprised when you arrive at hotel, as long as that surprise is limited to a room upgrade, a free bottle of Champagne in the room or especially kind service. Otherwise it's best to know what to expect when you select a hotel. This article provides general hotel information that you should be aware of when traveling in France regarding check-in and check-out, types of breakfast served, whether you should have breakfast at the hotel or head for a nearby cafe or bakery, room size, noise, air-conditioning and taxes.
Our Hotel Review Policy
What'll it be: A luxury palace, a 4-star hideaway, a high-end chain, a 3-star charmer, a love nest, a budget delight, a den of quirky characters? By a garden, a food market, a museum, shopping, notable restaurants? With a room for romance, for friends, for families, for a single traveler, for business? Independence is of utmost importance in our hotel reviews, recommendations and commentary and experiences.