Bonjour, It’s almost time to bid you au revoir until next year! Today, Sunday, after we pack, we’ll make a shortened trip to the Champs to see the parade and the gaggle of bicyclists as they make a few spins around the Arc de Triomphe for the final stage of Le Tour de France. I will not […]
Bonjour, Yesterday was wonderful…cool, breezy, and such a relief from the oppressive heat. Our plan had been to have a picnic lunch down by the river but some rain thwarted that just as it was almost time to go. We will try again today. Speaking of the river, we are a bit dismayed that the […]
Bonjour, Early yesterday morning, we got a few drops of rain which only served to create a steam bath outside for the rest of the day. It’s too hot to sleep or even to eat much. We resent these hot days as our visit winds down because it prohibits our usual circulation. We chose to […]
Salut! Some days in Paris are like days at home, rather mundane and ordinary, especially when temps begin to soar as they did yesterday. Looks like the heat will be with us today with 93 the predicted high. Maybe that doesn’t sound so bad, but consider no air-conditioning; and the heat takes on an entirely […]
Bonjour mes amis, Yesterday in Paris, we visited the renovated Hôtel de Crillon on La Place de la Concorde (number 10) which has been closed for four years for major structural changes and exquisite amenity upgrades. They have added a spa, enlarged rooms, enhanced the infrastructure, but much of the ambiance of the hotel many of […]
Bonjour, It is Quatorze Julliet, the 14th of July, or Bastille Day, here in Paris. It will be a wild, crazy, loud day and night as the festivities are many. We plan to assume our usual spot on the Pont d’Arcole, a bridge on the Seine, where we can watch the magnificent fly-by of the bleu, blanc, […]
Bonjour mes amis, Yesterday was a cool, cloudy day in Paris, remaining in the low 70’s most of the day. We assisted our guests with their laundry, and then Bernie and I did all the necessary grocery shopping for a party this evening in the apartment for friends and neighbors. Jim & Peggy Bilbro arrived […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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, 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 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 […]
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 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 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 […]
Bonjour mes ami, Since I told you the bad news, I feel compelled to share the good news! We secured an apartment this morning just off rue St. Paul in the Marais where we love to be. It is tiny and the one with 70 steps, but we will make it work. We’re very grateful […]
Bonjour! The preparation for our Paris trip in about a month was met with a startling surprise this past Sunday evening. As we were watching an episode of “Madam Secretary,” Bernie looked at me with a downtrodden face and said, “Oh no! I’ve got some very bad news.” He had just received a lengthy email […]
Bonjour mes amis, Today has been a very productive day which started with a trip to the internet cafe. I received an email response from an agent yesterday who wants to see the BERNIE AND ME manuscript! We brought the entire manuscript with and without pictures on a USB stick, just in case this might […]
Bonsoir, It’s Sunday in Paris and hot as can be under brilliant blue skies. The weather forecast for next week is trecherous with a prediction of 100 degrees on Tuesday. Yikes! We are shocked at this in June, usually an August problem. Our new apartment has plenty of windows but no set of fans to […]
Dear Friends, Nous arrivons…we have arrived on a picture perfect day in Paris. The local temp is in the low 80’s with that sharp, sunny blue sky that cuts across the landscape with a fierce crispness. It creates the penetrating light that Paris is so known for. There’s a parade blaring around La Place de […]
3-2-1…Blast off! Here we go on our eleventh adventure. And what a start. At this point we have no idea if we will be able to get a taxi from Charles de Gaulle airport or not, given the recent controversy with Uber in France. Some have asked if we can take the metro and the […]
Eleven years is a LONG time to reap the joys of Paris. Three days and a wake-up are all that stand between Bernie and me and our eleventh trip. It seems like a fairy tale sometimes but oh so real. How blessed we are! Now comes the challenge of packing for Paris for almost seven […]
It’s glorious summertime and that means travel for many of us. Traveling to Europe with a major time zone difference can be more than a little challenging. It can even give rise to an unenjoyable experience if your visit is a week or less. Here are Linda and Bernie’s tips for how to beat the […]
“It’s almost ready!” “What’s almost ready?” “Why, the book, of course!” “What book?” “Bernie and Me-A Paris Love Story!” After ten years of traveling to Paris and one LONG year of writing, editing, fretting, struggling in a steel brace for ten weeks with a broken patella, and getting my life back, our book is almost […]