Lectures and events from Feb. 6 to Feb. 20

On Feb. 6 at 10:00 a.m. Gary will present to the Alliance Française in Doylestown, PA, a program entitled L’histoire et le patrimoine juifs à Paris (Jewish Heritage and History in Paris). This lecture will be presented in French. Contact the Alliance Française at afdoyletown@gmail.com for details.

On Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. Gary will discuss the American presence in France during the First World War and during the post-war reconstruction period of the 1920s as he examines sights that can be visited in the Paris region and in northeast France. This free program, entitled American First World War Memories in France, 1917-1918, will be held at the Lawrence Public Library Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. Registration is suggested by calling 609-883-8294 or emailing lawprogs@mcl.org.

On Feb. 10 Gary will present A Jewish Tour of Paris: An Exploration of Jewish Heritage and History at 2:00 p.m. at Beth El Synagogue, 375 Stony Hill Rd. in Yardley, PA. A $5 donation is suggested for non-members. Register online or by calling the synagogue at 215-493-1707.

On Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Gary will present The Cycling Traveler: Biking in France at Sourland Cycles in Hopewell, NJ. He will explain how to match your cycling level and travel rhythm with your desire to explore the pleasures and treasures of France. Gary will cover routes of interest to easy-going leisure bikers, to family with teens, and to experienced road cyclists seeking challenging ride, including the Paris region, the Loire Valley, Normandy, Burgundy, and Provence. See here for details.

On Feb. 19 at 7:00 p.m. Gary returns to the subject of American First World War memories in France while also speaking about the significance of American philanthropy and culture in post-war France in a presentation at the The College of New Jersey. His lecture American First World War and Post-War Memories in France, 1917-1928 will be held at the college’s library auditorium. It is free and open to the general public. The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Rd, Ewing Township, NJ 08618. (Read this article from the student paper published after this lecture.)

On Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m. Gary presents A Toast to the History of the Wines of Burgundy and Champagne at the East Brunswick Public Library, 2 Jean Walling Civic Center in East Brunswick, NJ. Gary will introduce the audience to the astounding cast of characters, the regions, and the grapes that helped create two of the world’s most evocative names in wine and also give tips for visiting Burgundy and Champagne. See here for details.

Additionally, on the afternoons of Feb. 17, Gary will host private events in Ewing, NJ for those planning a trip to France within the next 18 months. The number of participants for each date is limited to 20. Email Gary directly at gary@francerevisited.com with your travel dates, interests and phone number, along with information about your travel party, if interested in attending.

Throughout this period, from February 6 to 20, Gary will be available for private consultations with those planning on visiting France in 2019. Email Gary to schedule a meeting.

About Gary Lee Kraut

Gary Lee Kraut has been inspiring and informing travelers to France for three decades. Originally from Mercer County, New Jersey, he is an award-winning Paris-based travel writer and the editor of the web magazine France Revisited, www.francerevisited.com, and author of the critically acclaimed guide “Paris Revisited: The Guide for the Return Traveler.” His unparalleled experience and knowledge as a France travel and tour specialist has also made him the go-to guy for individuals and travel professionals seeking highly personalized tours, advice and tailor-made events in Paris and throughout France (www.garysparistours.com).

Gary has lectured extensively in the United States and France, often using stories and insights from his travel, touring, and expatriate experiences to reveal how our most rewarding travel experiences are ones in which we find a personal connection with our route or destination. He has also lectured about travel writing, wine regions and American war sites in France. Directly and through top-flight travel agents he has assisted hundreds of travelers seeking highly personalized advice on traveling in France.

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PARIS, FRANCE/EWING, NJ (Feb. 3, 2015)—While the recent terrorist attacks in Paris caused some travelers to push the pause button on their immediate European travel plans, we can all be armchair travelers this month when New Jersey native and award-winning Paris-based travel writer Gary Lee Kraut explores France during a tour in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. from Feb. 16 to March 2, 2015. Read the lecture descriptions and schedule here.

During that time Gary will be meeting with select travel agents, travelers and travel groups. If you’re in any of those areas and would like to meet up in person or speak with him by phone, send a message to gary [at] francerevisited.com.

Back next month with new articles from France (Revisited).

Happy travels always.

France Revisited

The post France Revisited Strikes Silver, Editor Goes on Tour appeared first on France Revisited - Life in Paris, Travel in France.

Hope to see you there. Complete information below.

The post Travel and Travel Writing Beyond the Clichés, the Lecture appeared first on France Revisited - Life in Paris, Travel in France.

You see, I normally speak to groups that invite me because they’re interested in the subject of my talk, whether some aspect of travel, wine, culture, writing or travel journalism. But at this recent event the group didn’t have any prior interest in France as far as I could tell, so I was unsure about the best approach to speak to them about the country where I live.

Wine was off-limits, they were underage.
Writing was inappropriate, they weren’t very experienced readers.
Pictures, alright, but to show what? Had they even heard of the Eiffel Tower?

So the twelve 4-year-olds of my neice’s pre-school class gathered around me along with their teaching assistant and I started off with a few pictures.

To my surprise, some of them did recognize the Eiffel Tower.

When I asked if they knew anything else about France one boy proudly volunteered that his mother was French. I asked if he knew any French words but he said he couldn’t remember.

I showed them pictures of castles and of kings and queens and princesses. The girls said “Ooooooh!” and claimed to recognize some of them. The boys, not to be undone, said they saw the movie.

They gathered closer as I showed them a picture of my French cat, not telling them that he’d died two years ago, and I taught them how to say cat and dog and mouse and elephant in French.

Most fun of all I had them hold onto each other’s shoulders and taught them how to dance the can-can. One girl had a purple ribbon in her hair.

They were an attentive audience, and I was relieved that no one asked what my favorite restaurant is in Paris and no one’s cell phone went off during the 30-minute talk, which regrettably ended due to snack time, where no one sidled up to me with a glass of wine to ask how to get a work permit in France or the name of a good but reasonably priced hotel in Avignon or to tell me that their daughter would be spending a semester abroad in Lyon.

Instead they had cookies and apple slices and juice and sensed that their parents would soon arrive.

When they did, I asked the teacher to point out the mother of the boy who’d told me that his mother was French.

I went up to her and said, “Bonjour. Your son tells me that you’re French.”

“I’m as French as mud,” she said, or something to that effect.

And his grandmother said, “Is he making up stories again?,” as the boy skipped off to look for a friend.

© 2012

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