Cité Royale de Loches
Loches’ vast hilltop citadel is a small village in its own right. You can explore the gorgeous, white tufa-stone citadel, inside its protective walls, for free, except for the donjon (keep) and Logis Royal (royal apartments) which are part of a single ticket.The 36m-high donjon , a
Musée Toulouse
Lodged inside the Palais de la Berbie (built in the early Middle Ages for the towns archbishop), this wonderful museum offers a comprehensive overview of Albis most celebrated son. The museum owns more than 500 original works by Toulouse-Lautrec – the largest collection in France o
Cathédrale Notre Dame
A model for a number of its more famous Gothic sisters – Chartres, Reims and Dijon among them – this medieval jewel was built (1150–1230) in the transitional Gothic style on Romanesque foundations. The 110m-long interior, remarkably well lit, has three levels of columns and arches
Grotte de Lascaux & Lascaux II
France’s most famous prehistoric cave paintings are at the Grotte de Lascaux, 2km southeast of Montignac. Completely sealed and protected for ages, it was discovered in 1940 by four teenage boys out searching for their lost dog. It contains a vast network of chambers adorned with t
Château de Chambord
For full-blown château splendour, you can’t top Chambord, one of the crowning examples of French Renaissance architecture, and by far the largest, grandest and most visited château in the Loire Valley. Begun in 1519 as a weekend hunting lodge by François I, it quickly snowballed in
Château de Chenonceau
Spanning the languid Cher River via a series of supremely graceful arches, the castle of Chenonceau is one of the most elegant and unusual in the Loire Valley. You can’t help but be swept up in the magical architecture, fascinating history of prominent female owners, the glorious s
Living Abroad in France with Aurelia d'Andrea
1. In your opinion, what’s the most significant cultural difference expats should be aware of when moving to France?
Something we Americans take for granted is our ability to form fast friendships. We meet someone at a party or at work whose company we enjoy, and immediately begin emailing, textin
Chasing Clichés in the City of Light
Even when it’s not February in the French capital, you still get the sense that St. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.
First, there’s that ubiquitous act known in these parts as the bisou. The standard French greeting starts with a kiss on the right cheek, followed by kiss on the left che
Christmas in Paris: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
From Paris to Provence, chestnut vendors bring edible holiday cheer to the streets for a few weeks each year. Photo © Aurelia d’Andrea.
Stepping out into the nippy, late-autumn air to stroll the cobbled streets of Paris is the surest way to find oneself engulfed in the yuletide spirit. Overn
Taking the Métro in France
Entrance to the Abbesses Métro station in Paris. Photo © Ruben Holthuijsen, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Even at its packed-in-like-sardines worst, the Paris Métro is still a life enhancer for commuters in the City of Light. Extensive, fast, relatively affordable, and generally safe, it
Cell Phones in France
If you’re from America or Canada, don’t make the mistake of underestimating your carrier’s roaming fees. Photo © Ekaterina Pokrovsky/123rf.
Getting set up with a cellular phone, or “mobile” (as it’s called here), poses challenges for Luddites and techno-wizards alike. The best solution is to
Paris Neighborhood Map: Quartier Latin and Les Îles
Printable travel map of Quartier Latin & Les Îles. Click to view at full size.
First developed by the Gallo-Romans, Île de la Cité, Île St-Louis, and the Latin Quarter are the oldest districts in Paris. During the Middle Ages, French kings built the sights that the islands are known for today
Beyond Baguettes & Brie: Classically Common French Dishes
If your first trip to France was anything like mine, you spent the brief moments between visits to the Louvre and the Pompidou sitting in local squares and noshing on bread, cheese, and bottom-tier bottles of Bordeaux. If your tastes and budget have grown more sophisticated in the intervening year
Living in Paris: Housing and Transportation Costs
Both renters and buyers will find good housing values in France; you’ll probably spend about as much putting a roof over your head as you will putting food in your mouth. Students—French and foreign alike—are entitled to special housing allowances that can cut down the cost of living considerably.
Gay and Lesbian Culture in Paris
Paris in the early years of the 20th century attracted a wild and woolly lot of characters who defined themselves as “artists.” Many of them also called themselves “gay.” Even though the Assemblée Nationale didn’t vote to decriminalize homosexuality until 1982, the closet door swung wide open thro
What I Love About Paris
Whether it’s mastering the myriad meanings of “oh là là” as you bask in the Parisian sunshine or enjoying classic French culinary delights, Aurelia d’Andrea shares her abiding love of living abroad in the City of Light.
Those first glorious, sunshiny days of spring, when Parisians can’t hel
Doing business & staying in touch while in France
France: Doing business & staying in touch
France Weather, Climate and Geography
France Weather, climate and geography
France History, Language and Culture
France History, Language and Culture
France Travel Guide and Travel Information
France Travel Guide
