Apr 29
I am only a bargain shopper and I really only buy things at the dernière démarque, and I have never bought anything at the Galeries Lafayette, accept a couple of macarons at the in-store Ladurée. But every now and again, when I’m in the neighborhood of the les grands magasins, I like to pop in, look up, and admire the glorious dome.
Vocabulaire
dernière démarque: final markdown
les grands magasins: big department stores
Apr 25
We are just back from our warm and relaxing trip to Bordeaux. I fell in love with la perle d’Aquitaine, as Bordeaux is known, and hope that sometime in my life I get to spend at least 365 days there. At the moment, it is the newest bee in my bonnet.
Bordeaux is France’s ninth largest city (with the sixth largest metropolitan area) and is the first French city Superman could see himself living in for the long-term. Three particular aspects of the city sealed the deal for us: the laid back, sporty, friendly and slow-speaking Bordelais(es), the fresh, multipurpose boardwalk, and the balmy, sunny weather.
We were lucky to stay in a riverside apartment with a terrace in the charming Chartrons district near the historic UNESCO World Heritage part of the city and found that its inviting squares, funky neighborhoods, and lively markets made it the ideal city to meander through both on foot and bike. The city, famous for wine, is like a fine wine itself, offering the perfect balance of ageless grandeur and architecture, fresh, modern tones and more than a hint of fruitiness and fun.
I posted earlier about what I’m calling Bordeaux’s Saint Marc’s Square, but is in fact called the miroir d’eau (water mirror). In my opinion, this central feature of the boardwalk lining the Garonne River is one of the most striking urban sites in France reflecting both the joyful heart of the city and the impressive Palais-de-la-Bourse. The boardwalk is a spot for young adults, extended families, casual wanderers and serious athletes all pulsing in sync. Rollerbladers duck and zoom, runners pant and croon, old couples hold hands and beam, youngsters scoot and skip, furry friends wrestle and romp, and vélos roll by, their cheery chimes announcing their approach.
The city boasts numerous outdoor cafés, lots of spots for picnicking, live music jams, colorfully clad open-air tangoing, first-class museums, gorgeous architecture, fresh seafood (yummy oysters) and haute cuisine, and of course, caves for tasting the region’s wine. There is also an excellent farmers market on Sundays (Marché des Quais) selling all the usual suspects along with some of the unusual and distinctively Bordelaise spécialités. Comme ça:
Farcou (herb pancakes) 3/5€ or 7/10€
Kongloff…giant brioche cake with powder sugar
la petite croustades…filo, apples sauce and almond paste…
caneles de Bordeaux
As you may have noticed, I am totally smitten with Bordeaux and this region of France. The sparkling pearl of Aquitaine has a little something for everyone and is quite effectively enticing this Parisphile south…
Vocabulaire
Bordelais(es): people from Bordeaux
caves: wine cellars, storage space
Comme ça: Like this:
la perle d’Aquitaine: the pearl of Aquitaine (the Aquitaine pearl)
spécialités: specialties
Apr 22
Notre Dame à Bordeaux
Apr 17
After living in France for a while, you sometimes begin to take for granted certain things that, to short-term visitors, seem exceptional. Warm crusty baguettes around every corner? Bien sûr! Stunning architecture? Tout à fait. World-class museums? Naturellement. Fairytale châteaux? Toutes sont les mêmes.
En fait, I started this blog to help me avoid becoming one of those jaded expat, and to instead, find the extraordinary every single day.
I was reminded of the crazy wonderfulness of this country yesterday as we got turned around on our drive through Aquitaine and strayed into the Limousin region. In France, one wrong turn, and the next thing you know, you may find yourself standing in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.
Château Rochefoucauld, une petite maison, is easily the most fun and friendly château we have ever stumbled across. As I mentioned, from the outside, it is all Disney, but on the inside, it is like an Italian palazzo with a magnificent courtyard that evokes Renaissance Italy. It is a château that has been in the family for over 1,000 years, and its spiral staircases, elegant rooms, and bursting libraries are still used by the 19th Duke Rochefoucauld and his young family. Not only are there family portraits painted by French masters lining the walls, there are also black and white photographs, glossy Polaroid’s and normal Kodak moment framed and displayed for all to see. It’s like the modern regal family went out for a stroll and left the doors unlocked to (un)wanted guests.
There are lots of things to see and do at Château Rochefoucauld, from snaking through the strange cave in the basement, to touching the real roche, to pretending to cook up a royal feast in the original kitchens, to resting your weary head on the beds in the servants’ chilly rooms. But most fun of all, is an entire room dedicated to dress up clothes for all aspiring royals, the young and the old included. Think medieval kings and queens, wenches and jesters, mad hatters and knights. Once dressed, you are free to roam the entire castle, ramparts and all.
After satisfying your theatrical bent and maybe, say, acting out a scene or two from the new princess movie Frozen, the caretakers are happy to let you picnic on the daisy-filled lawn just beyond the castle doors…with your dog!
C’est bien extraordinaire…even for France.
Vocabulaire
Bien sûr! Of course!
C’est bien extraordinaire: it’s (very) extraordinary
En fait: in fact
Naturellement: Naturally
Tout à fait: quite, absolutely
Toutes sont les mêmes. They’re all the same.
une petite maison: a small house
Feb 12
Some rascal with a clever sense of humor has been altering the street signs around Paris and is mischievously guiding the way to my tragic street lamp.
Vocabulaire
Où est la Tour Eiffel? Where is the Eiffel Tower?
Roman Payne, Rooftop Soliloquy
There aren’t many days in Paris when sunglasses are essential, but we just hit a few of those days this past weekend. Coming from a state that boasts 300 days of sunshine, I was used to always having a pair of sunglasses with me, but since moving to the City of Light, I can go months without showing off my bug eyes.
Sunday and Monday were exceptionnelles. When Paris skies are blue, the whole city takes note and rushes out to soak up a bit of sunshine.
Vocabulaire
exceptionnelles: exceptional
365+ Things I Love About France 