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Visiting Paris during the Pandemic
When the French government announced that as of June 9, 2021 that France would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travelers, that was the green light that many of us francophiles were waiting for. In fact my French teacher Véronique who was based in Paris at the time said that on the morning of June 9, that the Americans were already there, which meant that they left the U.S. on the 8th to arrive exactly on (re)opening day.
How to Bring Your Pet to France
With more and more travelers taking their pets along with them on vacation (because pets are family too :) or who are planning a move to France with their pets, it makes perfect sense to share tips on international pet travel with others, especially since Zoé and I have been traveling to France together for over a decade. For example, did you know that just as human travelers, our paw-friends also require a “passport”? The pet passport is…
Les Grandes Marques de Champagne
Grandes Marques de Champagne (or the great brands of Champagne) refers to the internationally known Champagne brands like Moet, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Bollinger, etc. Compared to the small producers, these big companies have a global presence and produce much larger volume of Champagne to fill the shelves that we see at our local wine retailers. The Grandes Marques will usually have…
Meeting my Zoom PenPal in Champagne
I first met Tatiana on Zoom while taking an online French class at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Like many other places, because of the pandemic, the department at the Sorbonne which offers French as a foreign language began offering classes virtually. This was perfect for people like me and also Tatiana who’ve always wanted to take classes at the Sorbonne, but could not attend in person…
Paris for the Return Visitor
So you’ve been to Paris before and have visited already the famous landmarks. Maybe you’re planning a return visit and would like to see this amazing city from a different lens? Here are some things to experience Paris a little more like a local.
Bordeauxthèque Paris
For those who are traveling to Paris, especially if you’re into wine, this place is not to be missed. La Bordeauxthèque is the wine cellar of Galeries Lafayette situated across the street (also not to be missed). It serves as a retailer as well as a wine museum featuring the most exclusive and sophisticated Grands Vins…
My Favorite Champagne Bars in Paris
Just across from la Grande Dame, as the Eiffel Tower is affectionately called by Parisians, is “La Grande Dame” Champagne bar. Created by Shahé Kalaidjian, founder of the famous Sezz hotel in St-Tropez, the contemporary style bar sits inside…
“La Vache dans les Vignes” Wine Bar (10e)
Nestled along the lovely Canal St Martin sits La Vache dans les Vignes, a neighborhood wine bar specializing in boutique style wine and cheese pairings. The two friends who own the shop, the “wine guy” and the “cheese guy”, welcome you into this friendly atmosphere to enjoy a glass of wine and cheese or charcuterie plates, all while watching the passers-by.