Category Archives: France

A virtual tour of the Louvre’s new branch in Lens

From France 24. Now that the Louvre’s second location is open in Lens, France, we can get a digital glimpse of what is there. Fears that this would be a second-rate installation proved to be unfounded. Click on the link … Continue reading

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French wine news – Chateau d’Yquem ditching a 2012 vintage

From France 24. Chateau d’Yquem will not be putting down a 2012 vintage of their Sauternes. The reason? Lousy weather. Red Bordeaux will also be having a rough year. Better luck next year. Actually, I never would have known. I … Continue reading

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Day old baguettes are ‘hot’ in France. Sacre bleu!

From France 24. Now, cash-starved bread hounds in Nîmes are buying day-old baguettes to save money. What next?!

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Louvre opens a new branch in Lens

From Deutsche Welle. A new branch of Paris’s Louvre is opening in the northern mining town of Lens. If you are in France after December 12, 2012, stop in.

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Burger King is returning to France. Oh joy.

From France 24. Burger King, gone from France for 15 years, has decided to open two locations, one in Marseille and one at  a highway rest stop in Reims. I wonder if the first location will have bouillabaisse on the … Continue reading

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Nutella crisis in France

From France 24. A proposed tax on one of Nutella’s main ingredients could cause a price increase. Quel horreur! This is the French equivalent to a price increase on Oreos or Coca Cola here, I think.

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a new hotel atop Mont Blanc in France not quite ready for guests

From France 24. A brand new, high altitude hotel on Mont Blanc in the French Alps has some issues that will prevent it opening as expected. There’s been a fire, malfunctioning solar cooling systems. My first thought is – are … Continue reading

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Gevrey-Chambertin chateau and vines sold to Chinese tycoon

From London Independent. A Chines casino zillionaire has bought a very prestigious Burgundy chateau. According to Wikipedia, Gevrey-Chambertin produces 8 of 33 grand cru wines in the region. My first thought upon reading the headline was whether we would have … Continue reading

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April in France – a new baguette from McDonald’s

From France 24. It’s a long way off, but if you’re in France in April, keep an eye out for Le McBaguette. It looks and sounds pretty good. I might be tempted to try it, except for a recently developed … Continue reading

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Caution – speed cameras in France are big moneymakers

From France 24. If you are driving in France, you may already know about these. Speed cameras are catching lots of speeding motorists and more cameras are being installed. Slow down! We’re all safer that way.

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Last days for English bookshop in Paris

From France 24. Not as venerable as Shakespeare and Co, but Paris’s Village Voice shop will close as of July 31st.

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Watch out! You need a breathalyzer kit in your car in France

From France 24. A new French law requires everyone, including tourists, to have a breathalyzer kit in their car. Cars rented in France will probably automatically carry one, but cars from other countries won’t.

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Napoleon’s English letter goes to auction; a look at Berlin’s Museum Island

From France 24. Napoleon began learning and writing English while imprisoned on St Helena. A letter from this time has been auctioned for a honkin’ load of money. From Deutsche Welle. Berlin’s Museum Island with five top museums clustered together … Continue reading

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Travel to Versailles like a king. Really! And Grand Palais art in Paris

The train to Versailles from Paris has added a stylish option. From France 24. A new Daniel Buren art exhibition at Paris’s Grand Palais. From France 24.

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European travel news roundup, recycling art from Dutch churches, the oldest cave art in France

Touring the Dutch coast in Zeeland.  From London Independent. Be careful of ‘tourist prices‘. From London Independent’s Simon Calder. BMI gets gobbled up by British Airways; Virgin loses out (Rats!). Other BMI subsidiaries in limbo. From London Independent. From Dutch … Continue reading

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More art news – Louvre, Bilbao Guggenheim…

New electronic guides at the Louvre. From France 24. The Guggenheim in Bilbao. From Deutsche Welle.

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Travel news updates for April

If you’re a fan, as I am, of AMC’s The Killing on US TV, you might be interested to know that a Scandinavian bridge gets a part in The Bridge, a British show from the Danish team who created the … Continue reading

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travel ideas for Bermuda and Nice

From London Independent’s Simon Calder. Continuing the ”48 hours in …” series. Ideas for visiting Bermuda. I’ve stayed at the Rosedon Hotel he mentions. It’s within walking distance of downtown Hamilton, yet private and very tropical British. Also, a sunny European … Continue reading

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The start of truffle season in Provence

Où sont les truffes? Truffle season is here. From the London Independent.

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Shakespeare & Co owner dies in Paris

From Deutsche Welle a couple of weeks ago … sad news from Paris. But the shop is still doing well.

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some info for visiting Bologna and/or Marseille

London Independent visits Bologna and Marseille

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Seeing Normandy with a veteran – Day 3 and final thoughts

Following breakfast on our last day, we spent an hour examining the Bayeux tapestry. This historic relic, more than 200 feet long, is mounted in a protective, low-lighted case in a darkened room. A recorded narrative on a cordless handset tells … Continue reading

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Seeing Normandy with a veteran – Day 2 afternoon

After lunch on Day Two, we finally arrived at Omaha Beach. The weather was now sunny and a little breezy after a lunchtime shower. There were several houses facing the beach that Dad did not remember from his previous trip … Continue reading

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Seeing Normandy with a veteran – Day 2 morning

The first stop after breakfast on day two was the German cemetery at La Cambe. It was still early enough that the mist had barely risen above the car. The German cemetery had only one or two other visitors aside from … Continue reading

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Seeing Normandy with a veteran – background and Day 1

Some background My father served in World War II in Europe. Born and raised in New York City, he began his invitational military service (he was drafted) at Fort Hancock, New Jersey, one of the forts guarding New York harbor. … Continue reading

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