Australia to Paris: Cheryl and Graham’s French Property Story
Graham and Cheryl first fell in love with France in the 70’s and several decades later they decided to call Paris home …
Paris
Rural France for Aussies
For many Australians, their first (and sometimes only) taste of France is the capital, Paris. Those taking an escorted coach tour inevitably visit the romantic city for a night or two. But the rest of France shouldn’t be forgotten, says Carolyn Schonafinger…
Top 10 tips to buy property in Paris
Thinking of buying of property in Paris? Read our top 10 tips for a well-informed decision.
In conversation with Chef Guy Wolley
His move to Paris at the age of 22 marked the start of a lifetime love affair with l’Hexagone and French cuisine…
Shopping in Paris at Christmas
Take a short break in Paris this winter and see if a breath of French air can’t make Christmas shopping memorable for all the right reasons: original gift ideas, money saving opportunities, pit-stops at Ladurée…
National monuments: Arc de Triomphe, Paris
One of France’s most famous national monuments is the Arc de Triomphe, a neoclassical arch that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle.
Controversial Paris rent control comes into effect
The rent control system called encadrement des loyers came into effect in August 1st in Paris, among widespread discontent from estate agents and landlords.
Belle-Époque opulence at the Musée d’Orsay
A visit to the Musée d’Orsay unveils unexpected delights From grimy railway station to custodian of one of the world’s most important art collections, the building at 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris is a masterpiece of survival.…
Book review: Five nights in Paris
We review John Baxter’s book Five nights in Paris
Book review: The man in a hurry, Paul Morand
The man in a hurry Paul Morand, Pushkin Press, £15 This re-released masterpiece by one of the modern maîtres of French prose is a fable which criticises life lived in a hurry. The author – a controversial, cult figure renowned for…
Book review: Robert Doisneau
If photography books about France keep you riveted for hours, then this career-spanning collection of works by Robert Doisneau, who’s perhaps the most celebrated Gallic lensman – toss a coin twixt him and Henri Cartier- Bresson – will have you positively salivating.…
Book review: Taschen’s Paris
Taschen’s paris Angelika Taschen, with photos by Vincent Knapp, Taschen, £27.99 The publishers Taschen are always on-trend when it comes to chic places to stay, eat and shop, and few cities better deserve the chunky style bible treatment than Paris. The…
Property hotspot: Where to buy in Paris
The project of a home in Paris, either as a permanent or holiday home, can become a little daunting precisely because of the sheer beauty, diversity and density of the city. Each quartier has its own flavour, from the…
Buying a French property with your head, not your heart
Before committing to the home you have fallen in love with, heed some expert advice from Susie Hollands, one of FrenchEntrée’s partners for real estate in Paris, on how to buy with your head, not your heart. “Litigation concerning property…
French Resistance Heroes Inducted to the Pantheon in Paris
Four members of the French Resistance, two men and two women, were inducted to the Pantheon, in a highly symbolic two-hour ceremony in Paris led by President Françoise Hollande.
How to watch the Tour de France
Some 3.5 billion people will watch 18 teams of nine riders race 3,500km over three weeks during Le Tour de France, the world’s largest sporting event. Hannah Reynolds and John Walsh, the authors of France en Vélo, share their experiences. The Tour de France…
Infographic: 20 fun facts about the Louvre
The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world. To champion this beloved museum and art gallery, we unveil these 20 little-known facts about the Louvre.
Book review: Paris Chien
The story of Hudson, a Norwich Terrier who moves to Paris. He loves the new sights and smells, but has to learn French if he wants to make friends.
New for 2015: five great French museums
Here’s our pick of five hot museums to head to in 2015: Monnaie de Paris The old Paris mint building is now a museum featuring major exhibitions plus a Guy Savoy-helmed restaurant. • www.monnaiedeparis.fr The Giants of the Renaissance This…
France’s best museums and cultural hotspots
You’re never far from an opportunity to enrich your cultural cachet in France – the country proudly preserves and shares its heritage. Here are a few ideas to inspire your choice of cultural destinations, whether you’re looking for an in-depth…
The 2018 Ryder Cup in France
As the euphoria of Europe’s 2014 Ryder Cup win fades and with Northern Irishman Darren Clarke having been named as the captain for the 2016 event at Hazeltine, Minnesota it’s a good time to remind all Francophile golf lovers that the…
Book review: Paris Sketchbook
Paris Sketchbook Jason Brooks, L King Publishing, £17.95 Jason Brooks discovered Paris through his work as a fashion illustrator and here he shares with us the sketches he snatched of the city around him in between couture shows. Every one is worthy of a place…
Paris garden: l’Hôtel de Sens
It was a particularly cold day when I visited Jardin de l’Hôtel de Sens, 7, rue des Nonnains-d’Hyères. November days in Paris tend to be dreary and it is difficult to wake up in the morning when it is warm…
Book review: The Perfect Meal, John Baxter
The Perfect Meal John Baxter, £9.99 Harper Perennial In addition to his work as a film critic and biographer, Australian-born Paris resident John Baxter has written acclaimed memoirs about his life in France, including Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas. This time, he uses a culinary excavation for great…
Two Aussie blokes in Paris
Two Australian mates who would regularly get together to watch the football and became the unlikely authors of the travel memoir ‘Paris Tragics’ talk about their shared passion for France.
Book review: Paris Street Style, Isabelle Thomas and Frédérique Veysset
Paris Street Style Isabelle Thomas and Frédérique Veysset, £15.99 Abrams The ‘Guide to Effortless Chic’ is for those who admire the style of the Parisian woman, the art of looking good whilst showing no signs of having been getting ready for hours beforehand, the elegant yet simple form…
Book review: Paris Gourmet, Trish Deseine
The Paris Gourmet Trish Deseine, Flammarion, £22.50 There are so many restaurants and pâtisserie windows in Paris that someone like Trish – a top food writer who has lived in the French capital for the past 30 years – had to come along to help…
Interview: Richard Ayoade talks French cinema
Director, actor, comedian and author Richard Ayoade is a French ‘New Wave’ cinema addict. He speaks exclusively to Florence Derrick about France and the ‘Nouvelle Vague’.
Film review: Le Week-End
Le Week-End Director: Roger Michell Cert: 15 Running time: 93 mins When Meg (Duncan) and Nick (Broadbent) Burrows return to Paris to celebrate their 30th anniversary, you can be sure that some things will have changed since they honeymooned in this most romantic…
Literary Paris
So much has been written in and about Paris. Many renowned writers, such as Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway, chose to live and work there. Here are some of the capital’s popular literary hotspots.
Film review: Attila Marcel
Director: Sylvain Chomet Starring: Guillaume Gouix, Anne Le Ny, Bernadette Lafont Cert: 12A Running time: 106 mins This first live-action feature from the director of French animated classics Belleville Rendezvous and The Illusionist is an interesting transition into the ‘real world’.…
An Ode to Romantic French Men
We are all well-versed in the notion that French women don’t get fat. They are also the epitome of chic and have the best, unfussiest hairstyles on earth. With so many articles and books written about the style, elegance, and chicness of…
Paris Posts People’s Valentine Messages on City Billboards
For days people have been entering Valentine’s Day message of 160 characters addressed to the object of their affection and today, February 14, it’s all about romance in Paris as the messages are displayed all day on the city’s public information billboards.
Poet’s Corner: Paul Valéry
Poet-philosopher Paul Valéry was one the most significant French Symbolists of the late 19th century, alongside Stéphane Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine. Valéry was born in Sète and spent his early years in Montpellier, later relocating to Paris to embark on…
Review: An Englishman Aboard, Charles Timoney
An Englishman Aboard Charles Timoney, Penguin Books, £9.99 We all know how it goes: it’s New Year’s Eve, the champagne is flowing and, inevitably, someone recklessly agrees to take on some madcap resolution. Timoney’s proved to be more challenging than most…
Author Charles Timoney on rowing the Seine
Author Charles Timoney gives us an insight into his vie française – including his thoughts on the Gallic disposition, having bilingual children and rowing the length of the Seine…
The best gardens and parks of Paris
At times we all need to escape the frenetic pace of city life, and luckily France’s capital has no end of green spaces. Read on to discover Florence Derrick’s top three parks in which to steal a breath of fresh air in Paris.
Thoughts on Returning to Paris
While engaged in a conversation discussing the recent terrorist events in Paris, I was asked if I was going to move forward with my plans to visit France later this year. The question caught me slightly off guard. Of course…
Up in Smoke: Paris Revokes Ban on Log Fires
Keeping the flame alive! Cosy evenings in Paris by a crackling fireplace are back in the game as Paris Prefecture kills ban on open fires
French prison opens its doors to non-cons
La Santé, one of most notorious prisons in France whose former guests include Jacques Mesrine and Manuel Noriega, recently opened its otherwise impenetrable doors to the public ahead of a four-year refurbishment programme. The always excellent Andrew Hussey, who lives in the Montparnasse…
Paris Mayor: no more diesel cars by 2020
The Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo unveiled the city’s plan to fight pollution, including a call for no more diesel cars in Paris by 2020.
Memories of a French Christmas
I’m in Paris. It’s evening and the snow is falling. I’m standing before the huge open window in the parlour of the apartment on the Rue des Grands Augustins. I’m gazing at the white lights twinkling on the Eiffel Tower…
My First Trip to Paris
My first visit to Paris was a remarkable experience, which I will never forget. I booked the Dover-Calais ferry and drove with my wife from London in the cold Christmas weather. We intended to stay until the New Year in…
People Watching in the Place Dauphine, Paris
People watching is by far the most entertaining sport in Paris. Many participate in this sport while seated outdoors at a café. Others may partake in Parc Monceau or Jardin du Luxembourg. I take my people watching seriously. For me,…
A Day Trip from Paris to Giverny?
Our American contributor Cathe outlines some more of the trials and tribulations – and joys – of French in-laws! Will she make it to Monet’s Giverny?
I’ve Visited 100 Places in France… And Counting!
Jane Dunning has reached a major milestone in her French travels. I’ve reached 100! Not the great age of 100, just one hundred places in France where I have stayed for a night or more. I first visited France in 1978,…
Foreign Property Buyers in Paris at Highest Level in 15 Years
The number of foreign property buyers in Paris has reached its highest level in 15 years. There are a number of conditions that make this a perfect time for foreign buyers to jump in.
How to be a teacher in France
The weekend that followed was relaxing because I knew at last I had a job that suited and although I was now close to the end of my overdraft, I’d just about be able to dig myself out of debt.…
Book review: The Film Lover’s Paris, Barbara Boespflug and Beatrice Billon
The Film Lover’s Paris Barbara Boespflug and Beatrice Billon, Éditions du Chêne, £11.95 The brainchild of two film experts who dedicated a year to its creation, this is the essential cinéphile’s handbook to Paris. Their aim: to list the locations and…
Book review: City Sketch Paris, Melissa Wood
City Sketch Paris Melissa Wood, Race Point Publishing, £9.99 Paris has long tapped into the artistic side of its captivated visitors, and this sketchbook-cum-guidebook invites you to get your creative juices flowing by sketching your way around the city’s sites. Doodle…
