Shopping in France has its obvious pleasures. Creative window displays are a perpetual source of eye candy. Beautiful goods tempt in small boutiques and in les grands magasins (department stores). And when a French shopkeeper learns you truly appreciate his wares, he will bend over backwards to be helpful and informative whether or not you…

I am motivated to write this week’s post for a couple of reasons. First, this week’s New York Times Magazine ran a short article on “Where to Get the World’s Best Service” which recapped the results of an informal survey on tipping practices related to quality of service. It turns out that veteran international travelers…

French cafés are not just a place, they’re a way of life. You can drink, eat, converse, read, watch the world go by, even make it your home away from home. For the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, your café table and the accompanying cultural panorama belong to you…

If you’re like me, spending time in France’s open-air markets is an endless pleasure. The sights, the sounds, the colors, the smells, and the people all come together to create a festive and unique experience for French and non-French alike. Markets in France are a culinary experience as well as a social one–people from all classes and…

The air is crisp and cool. The sky is clear. The tourists are long gone. Transatlantic airfares are super low. And Paris is dressed up in her holiday best. Christmas-time is a feast for the senses everywhere in France but especially in Paris. The whole city sparkles with dazzling Christmas lights, fabulous window displays, marvelous gifts, endless champagne,…

Summer is here and with it a host of new books starring France. From style to fashion to novels to murder mystery to history to social commentary to gardens to things culinary, there are plenty of offerings to add to your summer reading pleasure. Check out these latest additions to the French book scene—and bonne lecture (happy reading)!…

To celebrate the arrival of this year’s warm weather, the French newspaper Le Figaro just published the results of its “Test des Meilleures Tartes aux Fraises” (the best Strawberry Tart competition) in Paris. Why strawberry tarts one might ask? Well, the paper hailed the return of individual strawberry tarts in pastry shop windows as ‘one…

Going to France at any time during the year is rich enough. However, planning your stay around certain annual special events can be terrifically rewarding. To help you decide on when to visiter la belle France, here is a compendium of events and activities in Paris and elsewhere in France that are particularly memorable: January…

Provence is a stunning region of France and its cuisine is in a class all its own. Using the wonderful cookbook The Provençal Cookbook as our guide, we’ll tour Provence through its signature flavors and foods. In our first class session on the SMU campus, we’ll immerse ourselves in the best of Provençal culinary traditions,…