As someone who’s long been interested in writing a historical novel rooted in literary history, I was intrigued to happen upon a recent book centered […]
Interview With Kerri Maher, Author of “The Paris Bookseller”
Paris Culture
A Look at the Bouquinistes of Paris: Traditional Booksellers on the Seine
Timeless landmarks. Cultural treasures. Precious vestiges of a less harried, pre-digital way of life. All of these descriptions can, and have been, applied to the […]
The Montmartre Vineyard Festival (Vendanges de Montmartre)
Wine, Music, Weird Ceremonial Robes & More Every October in the steep heights of Paris’ Montmartre, district, the former independent village starts to feel a […]
Decrypting French Restaurants: Brasseries, Bistros, Table d’Hôtes & More
With its some 40,000 restaurants and eateries, Paris is, as poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen quipped in a signing of his own lithograph print depicting […]
Interview: Bruno Monnier (Atelier des Lumières) on the Future of Digital Art Spaces
Bruno Monnier has stood at the forefront of digital art spaces and concepts in France for years. As Founder and CEO of Culturespaces, the group […]
A Few Paris Cafés Coveted & Recommended by (Today’s) Writers
Good Spots For Working, Thinking & World-Gazing Generations of writers have elected Parisian cafés as ersatz offices, even second homes. How many novels, short stories […]
The Interview: Pastry Maestro & Cookbook Author David Lebovitz
It’s been years since I started following the writing and recipes of David Lebovitz, a pastry chef and bestselling author of cookbooks and memoirs such […]
Champs-Elysées “Garden” Project Approved Amid Wider Greening Plans for Paris
It’s a sprawling Avenue famous not only for its expensive sidewalk brasseries and high-end shops, but also for its headache-inducing traffic, noise and air pollution. […]
8 American Women Who Moved to Paris– & Made History
Many people interested in American contributions to Parisian art or literary history beeline to the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz, but couldn’t tell you where […]
French Etiquette 101: Myths, Realities, & a Bit of History
Any cursory Google search on the rules of French etiquette can send you down a rabbit hole of exasperated forum posts on TripAdvisor or Reddit– […]
In Paris, Café Terraces Spill Into the Streets Amid Health Crisis
The outdoor café is part of what gives Paris its charm and energy. Whether it’s occupied for breakfast and morning coffee, pre-dinner apéritifs with friends, […]
Will Swimming in the Seine River be Possible by 2024? Paris Is Aiming for It.
In 2009, the stretch of the Seine River that runs through Paris made headlines– and the news was unusually good. Wild Atlantic salmon had been […]
Beautiful Bridges in Paris: Famous Appearances & A Bit of History
Think back to the films you may have seen– whether recently or not– that are partly or wholly set in Paris. What sorts of backdrops […]
Looking for a Good Virtual Tour of Paris? Start With These.
When the world was turned upside-down by a minuscule, spike-covered virus, in 2020, many of us who take joy in travel had to find creative […]
Inside Le Train Bleu, One of the Most Beautiful Brasseries in Paris
During the heyday of train travel in the late nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries, rail stations in major cities were places where wealthy travelers showed off […]
10 Memorable French Quotes, Followed by a Quiz: Who Said It?
While the art of the witty quotation is often attributed to English-speaking writers and thinkers– from Wilde to Swift– comparable quips in French tend to […]
5 French Paintings that Depict Paris (& Transport You There)
My partner and I recently framed and hung a new print to liven up a blank wall in our house: an enigmatic painting from Marc […]
25 Songs About Paris That’ll Take You Right There
Whether you’ve planned a trip to France or are simply dreaming of being there, music is a powerful and visceral way to virtually travel. From […]
Quiz: Are You More Right Bank or Left-Bank Paris?
Paris is divided by the Seine River and the Ile de la Cité into left and right banks (rive gauche and rive droite, respectively). Locals […]
Seeking Josephine Baker in Paris: A Bit of History & Places to Visit
When most people think of Josephine Baker, they imagine her dancing in some glamorous Paris venue at the height of the jazz age. While this […]
