Bonjour, Monday in Paris was cool and rainy, and we waked up to news that many parts of the city had flooded due to the violent storm the night before. Several subway stations were closed in some of the outer arrondissements as water poured down the subway entrances and right into the stations. It looked […]
Bonjour, Our time in Soultz was short but wonderful. We had our last amazing meal at noon from Chefs Laurie & Pierre (they work as a team to prepare all the food) consisting of a “starter” of langastinos and mango followed by wonderful roasted lamb and potatoes, then an “ice cake,” and of course du […]
Bonjour, Yesterday in Soultz was hot! We seem to bring the heat with us wherever we go. It must be the Alabama connection though I see where Huntsville has had storms, rain, wind, and flash floods. We did receive a thunderstorm last evening which has cooled down the weather for today. Merci beaucoup! Bernie and […]
Bonjour from Alsace, We were scheduled to leave Paris at 4pm on the 6th of July, expecting to be at our destination by 7pm. The TGV (high speed) train was an hour and a half late leaving Le Gare de Lyon because of a problem on the track. We never knew more than that, but […]
Bonjour mes amis, Yesterday, we had a new experience in Paris…a visit to the top of La Grande Arch in the modern section of Paris called La Defense. We have seen the Arch many times, but never gone to the top for the view. It was hot and hazy but very nice. Yes, the heat […]
Haussmann & the Revival of Paris Bonjour, Yesterday, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the grand boulevards of Paris, including Boulevard Haussmann, Boulevard Capucines, and Boulevard des Italienes. If you plan to come to Paris or have already been, take five minutes to read the attached article. Baron Haussmann created the Paris we all know […]
Dear Friends, Since most of you are spending your time enjoying the long holiday weekend in the USA, I will do a collective post over a few days. On Sunday morning around 11am in Paris, it was 58 degrees, cold and rainy. Incredible. I believe we are having what is usually a cool, wet June […]
Bonjour mes amis, Inevitabley, we are tourists, mais oui? And we still enjoy what some locals might find rather gauche. Our attitude is to embrace what is fun and enjoyable regardless of how it might rate on the Parisian sophistication scale. Dinner at Le Train Bleu is an example and was our way to create a […]
Happy July to everyone, We continued our fun days with Brooke and Kayla amid a cool, rainy Saturday in Paris. Temps hovered in the high 60’s. One of the “must-do’s” for Brooke was a cup of chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) at the very famous tearoom, Angelina’s, on rue de Rivoli. There are several locations in Paris […]
Bonjour, It’s truly amazing to experience the switch in Paris weather, from 100 degrees last week to mid-60’s this week. We pulled out long pants, coats, raincoats, sweaters, scarves and made a day at Montmartre with our two very pleasant guests. They are so courteous, thoughtful, appreciative, and congenial with no whining, complaining, or second […]
Dear friends, Meet Brooke and Kayla who arrived in Paris midday yesterday. Brooke is Debbie Dryer’s daughter, and she and Kayla were in the same sorority in college and best friends. Kayla works in South Carolina in the medical field, and Brooke lives and works in Atlanta as an industrial engineer for AT&T. They came […]
Bonjour mes amis, It was a rainy Tuesday in Paris after all as we finally got the steady downpour over several hours in the afternoon. That, of course, curtailed our activity, but not before we made a trip to rue Mouffetarde in the Latin Quarter near Le Sorbonne or Paris University. It’s a delightful, quaint, […]
Dear Friends, It’s Tuesday morning here in Paris, and we have a few raindrops…only a few. The city needs rain badly as it’s only rained one time since our arrival on June 1. Everything is dusty and dry with some of the leaves dropping from trees. Hopefully, the day will bring a good downpour and […]
Bonjour mes amis, Yesterday was a perfect weather day in Paris under beautiful blue skies and 70 degree temps. At least once while we’re here, we try to make a service and communion at the American Cathedral of Paris. I have written about it so, so many times. It’s high Anglican, gorgeous but not gaudy […]
Salut! The weekend began with a bit of trauma for me. I collected some of my dresses, blouses, shorts, and capris to wash on delicate cycle…only to forget to put the water temperature on cold. So you know where this is going…everything including my white blouse and capris came out a teal blue like one […]
Bonjour, Yesterday, after putting the family into a taxi, we started our day by meeting some new friends, Clive and Carolyn, who are from the UK, follow our blog, and have enjoyed our book. We had an espresso and pastry in the area, shared our stories which are a bit similar and accepted some lovely […]
Bonjour, It’s Friday morning and as the kids leave for Alabama, the temperature is about 60 degrees! The heat wave finally let go last evening around 8pm which led to a better night’s rest, hopefully, for everyone. We spent our final day yesterday in the Louvre which for the most part is air-conditioned, though there […]
Bonjour mes amis, Can one have a miserable day in Paris? Yes, it would seem so when the temps soar to 100 degrees in no air-conditioning or what the Parisians call “un canicule.” The longest day of the year didn’t turn out so well for us. We had such anticipation of sharing La Fête de […]
Good morning everyone! I hope you’re reading this in the cool of air-conditioning wherever you are, and sympathizing with us who are sweltering in the heat of Paris! Poor us, right? Well, maybe not. I’d rather be here in the heat than just about anywhere, but there appears to be no end in sight. We […]
Bonjour, Between 94-degree weather and another terrorist attack, perhaps it was a good day to be out of Paris and into the sweet peace of Normandy. Our weather was much cooler with ocean breezes most of the day…and an intimate look at French countryside for the family. Nothing is quite like winding along tiny French […]
Bonjour, A quick hello this morning before we head off to Normandy via train/rental car for another hot, hot, day in France. It’s supposed to go up to almost 90 today! Our agenda was full yesterday as we zipped around to places on the list of “must-see’s” for the family. I’ll let the pictures tell […]
Bonjour mes amis, Yesterday was a journey of steps, steps and more steps. And Bernie and I are discovering the difference in young legs and old legs! Climbing almost 600 steps in this heat was a bit of a challenge but we made it to the top of the highest “butte” in Paris…the beloved Montmartre […]
Bonjour, Well, the gang’s all here! From the first moment off the plane, it was all smiles. They opted to be brave and very Parisian by riding the train home instead of taking a taxi! We had a great first day, getting everyone settled in, answering a lot of questions, enduring some yawns, indulging in […]
Bonjour, Last evening we welcomed the Newberry’s into Paris, though not without a moment or two of complication. So it was truly a Paris welcome…ha! I had already counseled them on the phrase, “C’est complique” (It’s complicated). They faced a mighty swell of traffic trying to get from the airport to their Marriott Hotel, had […]
Salut, It’s Thursday in Paris, and we are ramping up for company with some housecleaning, grocery shopping, and pure excitement. Tonight we have the pleasure of meeting Joe and Marie Newberry from Huntsville for dinner (pics forthcoming) at a delightful restaurant called La Fermette Marbeuf. Google it and you’ll be amazed at the interior. Tomorrow, […]
Bonjour, It’s Wednesday morning in Paris, and we have a new experience to share with you. We have tried on several occasions to visit the Institute of the Arab World which is directly across the river from us. It has been under restoration, but yesterday, we found it open. It is not a museum about […]
Bonjour mes amis, It was just a year ago that Paris looked like this (see the photo above) after nearly a month of rain and dreary weather, flooding the Seine over its boundaries, stopping all river traffic, and closing the then river-side expressway to automobile traffic. June of 2017 has been the exact opposite with […]
Salut, Yesterday (Sunday) began for us just before 8am with blaring music and loud commentary outside our window as a lively 10K race for the city of Paris was staged. Around 18,000 people participated, and Bernie grabbed his camera and chased around after them. I attended church services at St. Paul/St. Louis and lit a […]
Bonjour, Our weekend was made for strolling because the weather has been terrific. We are hoping it will continue for at least another week or two until my son and his family complete their visit. Paris is a different city when it rains…not all bad but not at its total best. Just like at home, […]
Happy Saturday to all, We are having fantastic weather in Paris, especially yesterday, when it was just barely 70 degrees under blue skies and a frequent breeze. What a contrast from the year before when we had rain and flooding the first few weeks of June! The highlight of our day was a trip to […]
Bonjour, Our step meter hit almost 16,000 yesterday thanks to our great luck in once again encountering Diner en Blanc or Dinner in White. This is a phenomenon which began in Paris many years ago and has spread to other large cities in Europe and beyond. If you read Bernie’s Paris, you will remember the story. A Parisian […]
Bonjour mes amis, It’s Thursday in Paris and even here, we are smothered in the James Comey testimony. We were so hoping to get away from the politics, but it’s impossible. Yesterday was a fun, busy day beginning with some housecleaning in our apartment. We will leave it far cleaner than when we arrived, and […]
Dear friends, I know the question on your minds is in regard to yesterday’s incident at Notre Dame. Though minor, it was surely scary for those who got caught up in it. We were safely in our apartment but had been right there just the other day. Notre Dame is within easy walking distance of […]
Bonjour, Yesterday, Monday, was a holiday in Paris, in commemoration of Pentecost. However, the city was still alive and bustling with plenty of tourists. The weather was ideal for a jaunt to Montmartre, truly my favorite spot in Paris. We had a cool breeze all day under blue skies and fluffy white clouds. We have been […]
Bonjour mes amis, Sunday morning is my very favorite time in Paris, where the streets are empty of traffic, people are fewer in number, and a lazier haze rests over the city. Many shops are closed, church bells are ringing, and families and friends gather round for a brunch of croissants, coffee, and le jus […]
Bonjour, Yesterday in Paris was a surprise-much cooler and culminating in an aggravating rain which kept us from our after-dinner walk. It did not, however, keep Bernie from his nightly soirée with his buddies downstairs. They bandy about all manner of subjects which greatly increases Bernie’s French vocabulary. The group broke up abruptly to scurry […]
Bonjour, It’s wonderful to have new folks following the blog this year plus all the Facebook friends. We love hearing from you so leave us a comment, s’il vous plaît. Some communicated that they were having difficulty with that so I contacted my webmaster last night, and hopefully the issue is fixed. Many of you […]
Bonjour, We have arrived in Paris, and all is well: a good travel day, only ten minutes at Customs which was a great improvement over the forty-five minutes last year, and a welcome home to our favorite apartment on rue St. Paul. Our neighbors heard us as we came up the steps and came down […]
Bonjour, I want to go on record that turning one’s body clock around to Paris time is the pits! Yes, it’s a great help after arriving at our apartment but pretty grueling before we leave. I’m now getting up at 1am and going to bed at 6pm in the light of day! Going to bed […]
Dear Friends, Once in a while, life hands us an opportunity to step outside our present reality and see scenes from the past which are rich and enlightening treasures. Such was the last three days for me at a special reunion. If you have read my latest book “Bernie’s Paris,” you may remember a quick […]
Bonjour mes amis! No, we are not in Paris yet but eagerly anticipating our thirteenth year of summer fun. Many of you have gotten your copy of Bernie’s Paris, and we are so pleased with your feedback. God bless us as we travel into the often uneasy European stage. Many have expressed their hesitation, but rest […]
Bonjour mes amis, In case you haven’t heard, our Paris book is published and available on Amazon or with a direct order from Amazon’s createspace.com/6010540. To say we are a bit excited is the understatement of the year. We’ve been zealous in getting the word out, and truly hope we haven’t beat the social media […]
Dear Friends, You’ve heard it said, as I have, that there’s a book inside every one of us. That’s probably true, and there are hundreds of new books that come out every day, far too many to ever read. The publishing world has morphed into an entirely new creature, even in the last two years. […]
Dear Friends, We have been home from Paris for a month almost to the day. If you read my final blog which I posted on July 16, you may remember that I had injured my foot, etc. etc. This was especially challenging because of the 78 steps we had the last month! FINALLY, I was […]
Au revoir to our wonderful friends and family! Our summer jaunt is done, and it’s been a different year for us in many ways. I always like to reflect in my final blog and talk about what’s been different during this visit. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been coming for twelve years. I’m so […]
Bonjour, After a very late night, we waked up to hear about the horrific attack in Nice which is hundreds of miles from us on the Mediterranean Coast. Thanks to all who have checked on us. I had already written most of this post in nothing but fun; now, the sadness lingers. However, I decided […]
Thanks to all 50 of you who voted! The winner is # 16, the traditional Drucker chair. I think this bodes well for keeping Paris in its classic style. This chair received 17 votes. Second place goes to # 11, the purple chair with 11 votes. Third place goes to # 15, the black and […]
Bonsoir, On Saturday, we visited our very favorite museum in Paris, Musée JacqueMart-André and had lunch at their beautiful tearoom. We were lucky enough to get seating on the patio where we met a delightful couple from London who have an apartment in Paris, Malcolm and Antonia Alexander. They were celebrating their 11th anniversary by going […]
Bonjour, Our outing to Fountainebleau was quite nice, but held a surprise. The other chateaus we have visited in France have been in remote locations in the countryside. Fountainebleau is in the immediate town of Fountainebleau, lacking a sense of separation from the modern world. The gardens are massive behind the chateau, but we didn’t have time to thoroughly visit […]
Bonjour mes amis, As our time together comes to a close, I thought it would be great to have a little fun AND perhaps learn something new at the same time. Thanks to Bernie’s French cousin, Laurie, I have learned that all café chairs in Paris are not created equal. A House of Tradition, Maison […]