Denim is French. The tough blue cotton twill, which was used by Levi Strauss for his workers’ garments, originated in Nîmes, and was known as de Nîmes – ‘from Nîmes’. Even the word, jeans, has France to thank for its origin; Gênes is French for Genova […]
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With more options to ski than anywhere else in the world, it’s no wonder that skiers – and increasingly, snowboarders – flock to France every winter. Despite France’s reputation for astonishingly expensive ski resorts, January and March remain the best times to grab a bargain… just […]
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With a per capita consumption of around 60 liters per year (60% red, 25% rosé, 15% white), the French drink more wine than any other nation in the world. Along with drinking the wine, France also exports more wine than any other country in the world […]
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If you’ve never been on the Beaujolais Run®, you’ve missed out on a whole lot of fun… and some superb wine too. In 1970, celebrity chef, Clement Freud was sitting down to dinner in Romanèche with restaurateur, Joseph Berkmann, when they hit upon the idea of […]
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Last week we talked about minor scams in the City of Light but this week’s ones are far more serious. We’re not talking a couple of Euros here and there – with these scams, you stand to lose not only your wallet but potentially, your entire […]
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La Toussaint (All Saints’ Day), is celebrated on November 1st, and is a jours férié (public holiday). However, if la Toussaint falls on a Tuesday, then Monday becomes an unofficial day off too because it’s generally considered a bit pointless to have the weekend off, go […]
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Cider is not a beverage one usually associates with France but traditionally, it is the favoured drink for All Saints’ Day (November 1st) and All Souls’ Day (November 2nd). Historically, apples were the only fruit still around at this time of year, whether they were the […]
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Halloween in France is a relatively new thing, and in some places, it is still met with resistance and viewed as yet another example of Americanization. As such, Halloween is of course, very un-French! In 1982, the American Dream Bar in Paris began to celebrate Halloween, […]
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Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Salon du Chocolat is THE place to be for chocolate connoisseurs and aficionados. It is the only show in the world which is dedicated to the chocolate and cocoa industry, and as such, attracts thousands of professionals and visitors from […]
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As wonderful and full of joie de vivre as Paris is, as with any city frequented by millions of tourists, there is a darker side – one of people whose sole aim is to relieve unsuspecting visitors of their cash. These scams, while usually nonviolent, are […]
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