Off the Beaten Track Around Burgundy
While it may be most famous for its celebrated wines, the region of Burgundy is also full of surprises, as Caroline Harrap discovers on a back-in-time tour of its lesser-known treasures
Standing atop a small...
Notorious Hotels with History in France
From Marie Antoinette’s execution to Coco Chanel’s eviction, they have been the offices of writers and the dens of thieves. Chloe Govan shares the stories behind some of France’s most legendary hotels
The guillotine has...
Finding Dora Maar: Building a Portrait of the Artist
A chance find in a second-hand Hermès address book led to a journey deep into the day-to-day life of one of the 20th century’s most talented–and difficult–women, as Lanie Goodman discovers
Call it improbable, a...
In the Footsteps of Jules Verne in Nantes
Chloe Govan reveals the remarkable adventures of world-famous novelist Jules Verne, whose literary ambitions first took shape in beguiling Nantes
Say the name Jules Verne and most people will think immediately of Around the World...
Read the Signs: Rue des Dames in Paris
The convivial Parisian street with many stories to tell
Word has it, it's the place to be when the clock strikes aperitif o'clock. Rue des Dames, in the Batignolles district, stretches from Avenue de Clichy...
Learn about the French “Secrets Under The City” in Laon, Aisne
On your way to South of France, on A26, stop and visit the beautiful medieval city of Laon with more than 80 historical monuments and an amazing labyrinth of underground passageways.
“Secrets under the city”...
Looking for Les Misérables in Paris
On the 135th anniversary of Victor Hugo’s death, Chloe Govan heads to Paris to relive the life-changing experiences that shaped one of the world’s most famous novels, Les Misérables
For those Francophiles who have seen...
Book Review: Notre-Dame de Paris by Kathy Borrus
On April 15 last year, the world looked on in horror as Notre-Dame blazed in the heart of Paris. Kathy Borrus’s book offers a fascinating look back at nine centuries of this landmark, which...
Hot Potato: The History of Hachis Parmentier
Author and French cookery expert Mardi Michels reveals that the French were rather slow to embrace the humble spud, considering it only good for animal fodder.
Hachis (the “h” and the “s” are silent) Parmentier...
Book Review: Trianon and The Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles
Created by Louis Le Vau for Louis XIV, Trianon was an oasis for the French royal family on the fringes of political life, far from the rituals of the monarchy. It was here that...
