Certainly the ghost of Napoléon Bonaparte was floating around École Militaire this weekend, proud as a peacock for sure. He was only 15 years old when he first entered École Militaire de Paris, having been already designated as a “promising student” from his former military school in Champagne. The sky was as blue and sunny …
École Militaire, Napoléon Bonaparte’s Student Days Read More »
Cité Universitaire is really a unique and fabulous residential campus, probably the only one of its kind in the world! At any given time, it houses over 12, 000 university students from 140 different nationalities in an immense lovely landscaped park in southern Paris. What started in 1920 as a beautiful, conscientious and noble idea …
Paris has many wonderful hidden sites and one of these is a pleasure boat marina tucked beyond view from the Seine, where a contemporary art show is hosted twice a year. It’s a fairly big event bringing over 500 French and foreign artists together, with their individual stands on both sides of the port. Le …
At one time there were around 150 of these beautiful covered passageways tucked throughout the center of Paris. Several spectacular ones have survived that offer wonderful glimpses back into the past. Only by chance would a tourist find them, as they are never really one of the first things to see. Maybe if you have …
Paris as you can well imagine, is full of the most famous haut couturiers, jewelers, and houses of gastronomy. The vast majority of them have their maisons meres, or home houses in this distinctive and luxurious district. I was in pursuit to see their holiday windows decor, thinking they would be as glorious as their names. …
Famous Boutiques Near La Madeleine & Place Vendôme Read More »
Toussaint or All Saints Day is a world wide Catholic feast day and in France it is a national holiday. Besides the religious significance, it is a day I like to visit the lovely Paris cemeteries, especially the majestic Père LaChaise, which many consider to be the most beautiful cemetery in the world. It is …
Paris Père LaChaise Cemetery on All Saints Weekend Read More »
Who hasn’t dreamed at least once in their lives of living on a boat? Most of you think of yachts and houseboats, but what about a barge? Top off that dream with seeing yourself floating gently along the banks of the Seine in Paris. I too, very briefly thought oh, how lovely it would be to …
I have much affection for and appreciation of this magnificent garden overflowing at the moment with ravishing flowers that please and tease my eyes with their astonishing beauty. I have many memories there too, because I spent my first eight years in Paris, in an apartment overlooking the small garden in front of La Grand …
Jardin Des Plantes; Oldest Botanical Garden In Paris Read More »
There are two museums here in Paris that certainly are not run of the mill, and one of them, is certainly not for the faint of heart! Both are fabulously interesting from a medically historic viewpoint and for those curious souls, who want a look back into the past! I visited them both again this …
If I can’t walk along the ocean, which is two hours away, then I absolutely love walking along the banks of the Seine any time day or night. Of course the great advantage of walking along this mythic river rustling powerfully through Paris is that you have the gorgeous backdrop of the city at …
A haven of beautiful peace amongst flowers and statues is tucked away inside the walls of Hôpital Sainte Anne, which is the main psychiatric hospital of Paris. Nature and art covers the whole hospital campus, offering visual stimulation of beauty as part of the healing process. The gardens are so lovely that guided tours take …
Sainte Anne Psychiatric Hospital in Paris, A Hidden Sanctuary of Nature and Art. Read More »
École Ferrandi de La Gastronomie Francaise puts out some of the most gifted and famous chefs here in France and throughout the world. Known as the Harvard of culinary schools, the name Ferrandi is well known and respected within the inner circle of restaurateurs worldwide. I have a special connection to Ferrandi, for it …
The Making of Professional Chefs At École Ferrandi Read More »