Posts by author Michelle Walbaum
Enjoying a cold beer, French cafe-style. Photo: Marko8904
While you may think of France as a place for only wine lovers, beer drinkers can be seen sipping away on just about any terrasse you come across in Paris. Available pretty much everywhere, beer is just as popular to drink as wine at a cafe or bar. But the typical beer experience in France » Read more
Riding the Metro? Here's how to save. Photo Aline Dassel
Heading to Paris soon? Read on for some simple tips on ways to save time and money on getting around Paris. After all, in Paris, there are far more interesting things to spend your money on than the Metro… Our guide to saving in Paris • All Paris articles • Saving on Paris transportation • » Read more
Parc de Sceaux is a beautiful and easy afternoon trip from Paris on the RER. Photo: Pier-Luc Bergero
Looking for something off the beaten path to add to your Paris itinerary? Easily accessible via public transportation from the city center, the surrounding region of Ile de France offers some interesting nooks and crannies relatively untouched by tourist crowds. With many appealing places only 20 to 40 minutes away from the center of Paris, » Read more
Discover Roman ruins in Le Parc du Saint Maur. Photo: groume
Little medieval secrets dot this wealthy suburb on the Marne River. The medieval chapel houses an elongated Virgin Mary statue that has been venerated since 1328. It was miraculously created, legend has it. (The sculptor claimed that he returned to his workshop one morning to find the statue had been mysteriously completed during the night.) » Read more
Enjoying the charming views of the River Marne. Photo: Dan Dickinson
If you want to party like it’s the Belle Époque, consider visiting the banks of the Marne river. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, riverside restaurants known as guinguettes hosted revelers over the weekends and on holidays. Wine was cheaper outside of Paris in those days, so many people chose to trek out to » Read more
Renior's famous painting "Luncheon of the Boating Party" at Maison Fournaise restaurant that still exists today. Photo: Josh
Auguste Renoir was an artist with a flair for capturing everyday life, including this famous scene of happy-go-lucky partiers out at a riverside restaurant. It turns out that the giddy restaurant he painted still exists today on the “Island of the Impressionists.” This boater-hat happy place, called La Maison Fornaise, serves up traditional French cuisine » Read more
Escape the hustle and bustle of Paris at Parc de Sceaux. Photo: Marmontel
If you just need a brief relaxing moment away from the city, pack up some baguettes, cheese and wine and head to this favorite picnicking spot for Ile de France residents. The Parc de Sceaux is a large French style park designed by landscape architect Andre Le Notre, whose portfolio includes the gardens at Versailles » Read more
Visit the home of the wife of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte at Chateau Malmaison. Photo: Thomas Letournel
For French Empire history buffs, look no further than this countryside chateau. It’s no Versailles, but this quiet, unassuming mansion nestled in the small town of Rueil Malmaison was a favorite country hideaway for Empress Josephine, the wife of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Tour the chateau to learn more about this time period in France, including » Read more
Basilique Saint Denis is as impressive as Notre Dame but without the crowds. Photo: Ninara
If you’re a fan of the Cathedral Notre Dame, but not so much of the crowds surrounding it at all hours, consider a trip out to Saint Denis. With many famous cathedrals and chapels in Paris, the Saint Denis Basilique is often overlooked by tourists. But this large, awe-inspiring cathedral, with flying buttresses and gargoyles » Read more
Parc Floral is a great spot for a picnic with over 3,000 manicured plant varieties. Photo: Randy Connolly
This city has one of the largest intact medieval chateaus in France, with the keep and dungeon open to visitors. Fortified with a moat and battlements, it then became a prison in the 18th century, hosting the likes of the hedonistic and cruel Marquis de Sade. Touring this chateau reveals not only various medieval chambers » Read more
If you’re looking for a view of Paris that doesn’t involve bumping elbows with a lot of tourists — plus you like archaeology and French history — Saint Germain en Laye is worth a visit. It’s famous for a 2.4-kilometre stone terrace built in the late 1600s that allows onlookers to gaze over the Seine river valley » Read more
