Here’s my guide to visiting the most beautiful hilltop towns and villages in the Luberon Valley of Provence. The Luberon features some of France’s most stunning landscapes — rolling hills, gnarled vineyards, mountains of limestone, crumbling castles, and lavender fields galore. Five Luberon villages have the official label “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France,” designating … Read more
Planning a trip to Brittany France? Here’s my guide to the most beautiful towns in Brittany, a dramatic and wild region of northwest France. Brittany is deliciously varied. There’s spectacular scenery — heathland, marshes, a jagged coastline, stunning sand beaches, and azure waves. Brittany is also just filled with secret medieval towns and villages where … Read more
Ready for a French fairytale? Here’s my guide to the prettiest towns in historic Normandy. Many of these pretty Normandy hamlets are easy day trips or weekend getaways from Paris. Parisians refer to Normandy as the “21st Arondissment” and its beautiful coastline as the “Parisian Riviera.” Normandy is also easily accessed from England. Some of … Read more
Ready for a French fairytale? Here’s my guide to the 30+ of the most beautiful towns in Northern France for your bucket list. Northern France is a wonderful travel destination and one of the best places to road trip in France. Some of these beautiful towns in northern France can even be done as day … Read more
Looking for some excellent museums to put on your art bucket list? Here’s my guide to 30 of the world’s best small museums. Despite their size, these small museums have giant art collections. Great art often hides in less famous sites. These little gems preach quality over quantity. They boast magnificent — and sometimes overlooked … Read more
Looking for something cool to watch on TV? Here’s my guide to the 30 best films and documentaries for art lovers, culture vultures, and cinephiles in general. If you can’t go to a museum and don’t want to gaze at virtual museums on your computer, movies are the next best way to cyber experience art … Read more
Looking for some unusual things to do in Paris? Here’s my guide to discovering hidden gems and secrets spots in Paris. I love Paris. I’m a Francophile of the highest order and it’s my favorite city in the world. Paris is cultured, sophisticated, and lives up to its hype. I’ve visited many times, and wish … Read more
If you’re visiting the City of Light, you’ve discovered that Paris can be intense. You’ll be cheek to jowl with people queuing up to see the Mona Lisa or the Eiffel Tower. You’ll never get tired of Paris. But sometimes it’s good to get away from the urban hustle and bustle. The obvious day trip … Read more
Here’s my guide to visiting the glamorous Opera Garnier in Paris. The opera house is a must visit attraction in the 9th arrondissement. A creation of Charles Garnier, it was part of Napoleon’s great makeover of Paris. It’s highly decorative, a mix of Beaux-Arts symmetry and Baroque and Renaissance elements. Visiting Paris’ Opera Garnier is … Read more
Paris is celebrated not just for its romantic ambiance and artistic heritage, but also for its stunning array of religious buildings. The city’s churches offer a breathtaking diversity of architectural styles, ranging from the ancient Romanesque and majestic Gothic to the ornate Baroque. Many of these churches are not only architectural marvels but also house … Read more