A Whiff of Napoleon in Victory and in Defeat
June 18, 2015—Two hundred years ago today Napoleon I (Bonaparte) was defeated at Waterloo. For much of the world (except perhaps for the British) Waterloo speaks far more about the fall of Napoleon and of France’s ambitions in Europe under his leadership than it does of the victory of the forces allied against him and against France.
Leslie Caron kicks off the release of her memoir “Thank Heaven”
To those with memories of Hollywood’s Golden Age, watching Leslie Caron in An American in Paris (1951) opposite Gene Kelly was enough to turn...
The Bonjour Rule
Along with Beware of Pickpockets and Travel Curiously, the Bonjour Rule is one of the top rules to live by as you visit France.
My Dear General: the relationship between Lafayette and Washington
The Marquis de Lafayette first met George Washington in Philadelphia in the summer of 1777. At 19, the marquis had left his wife and baby in France to pursue his heroic dream of helping to win America’s freedom. From almost his first meeting with Washington, Lafayette claimed the general as the father he had never known.
Profiles in Provence: Passionate Purveyors of Fine Food and Drink in Avignon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Whether they're offering coffee, chocolate, wine, friendly service or a well-cooked meal, encountering passionate purveyors of fine food and drinks is one of great delights of travel in France—a good reason to seek them wherever we go, in this case Avignon and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, in Provence.
Accessible Paris: An Interview with Architect Edouard Pastor
Meet architect Edouard Pastor, one of France’s leading experts on accessibility for those in situations of disability. He has been involved in audits and accessibility programing for a number of high-profile monuments in Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, the Palais Royal and Comédie Française Theaters, the Pompidou Center and others.
Camille Claudel’s Great-Niece Shines Light on the Sculptor’s Life and Work
The Camille Claudel Museum in Nogent sur Seine, 65 miles southeast of Paris, not only brings the sculptor out of the shadows of her Auguste Rodin, it also shines light on Claudel’s work as a talented and innovative sculptor in her own right. An interview of Camille Claudel’s great-niece, Reine-Marie Paris, by Janet Hulstrand.
Teach a man to print stamps and he’ll communicate with the world
Service at my local post office has improved over the years, but as this recent experience shows modernizing and privatizing a French post office doesn't necessarily modernize and humanize the employees.
Vincent Dallet, Master Pastissier-Chocolatier in Epernay, and His Recipe for Champagne Biscuits (Biscuits Roses)
Vincent Dallet invites us into his pastry and chocolate school in Epernay to make the Champagne region's famous "biscuits roses" or "biscuits roses de Reims," known in English as champagne biscuits, and shares the recipe with our readers.