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Books & Guides & Writing, Life in Paris & France, Sightseeing, Transportation, Weather and seasons, What's On In Paris

Prepare Your Visit to Paris, France

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Chair with stack of books about Paris and Champagne, Hemingway, Angels

Suitcase? Check! Camera? Check! Walking shoes? Check!
Reading material? Prepare in advance with some book ideas!
Language? Brush up on that French grammar! Frantastique is my Wednesday exercise. Then when I go shopping or chat on the street, those proper verbs just slide right out … still studying though!
Some of the books in my library are Paris walking tours. They provide enough material to stroll through Paris and explore. Another prepares you with a story and history for your Champagne tasting.
David Downie’s books are walking tours of history. Each chapter of each book weaves a tale of discovery. Tilar J. Mazzeo’s book whisks you into Champagne history with the Veuve Clicquot. (Reims is a 46-minute train ride away from Paris.) Interested in Street Art? The perfect sightseeing book with maps…..

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Book Reviews, Books & Guides & Writing, Food, Drink & Health

David Downie’s Parisian Love Affair with Food

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David Downie's latest book comes out September 26, 2017

“A Taste of Paris, A History of the Parisian Love Affair with Food” is a fun book in David’s style. David combines history, travelogue and a personal quest. David’s quest this time: “What is it about the history of Paris that has made it a food lover’s paradise?” You can follow his Paris food seduction from 53 BC to the present. Bringing Paris food history alive, David presents lots of written culinary activity between the 1300s and 1792 (end of the Ancien Régime) with all the King Louis’s, their chefs and the chefs’ cookbooks. David takes us back to the barbarian Parisiis squatting, eating with no tableware and demonstrates how the Romans were the more elegant diners and knew how to entertain and cook refined meals. In “Taste” food origin myths are dispelled.

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Books & Guides & Writing, Children and Teens, Food, Drink & Health, Shopping, Specialty

Bring France Home with Designer Souvenirs

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Image of Nathalie and Mathilde Bring France Home Paris Designer Souvenirs Made in France in front of the Eiffel Tower holding their Eiffel Tower souvenir

Bring Home France on rue de Birague in the Marais offers unique Paris and French souvenirs designed by a street artist, graphic designers, fashion and home designers. Some products are made by long-standing French firms in Gien, Limoges, by Duralex and Laulhère-France.
In the store and for shopping online they have a wide selection of products ranging from gastronomy and jewels to fashion, decoration and toys. Nathalie Crouzet tells you some stories and legends behind some of the souvenirs in my first video story.

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Books & Guides & Writing, Children and Teens, Life in Paris & France, Sightseeing, Sports

Paris Summer Activities with Kids

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Magazine Vivre Paris Kids special edition

With all the activities available for kids and teenagers in Paris this summer, I don’t know if the parents are going to have time for a romantic Paris dinner at the newly opened Ritz … Well, yes, you can with a babysitter service. What follows is a list of suggestions for finding some activities this summer. It would take a book or at least a magazine to list everything.

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Language, Life in Paris & France, Theater

French Theatre in Paris & English Surtitles

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Theatre in Paris_Logo

Have you ever wanted to go to the theatre in Paris, but thought it would be hard to understand? Understanding French is now secondary to enjoying the theatre. Theatre in Paris is “opening the doors to French theatre” with surtitles to enjoy some top-rated shows in iconic Parisian theatres. Read the surtitles from a balcony seat in a prime location, watch the actors simultaneously and then impress your friends with your experience. You have attended a potentially unknown Paris tourist attraction in French culture. Surtitles are above the stage on a screen barely visible or invisible to the audience below.

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Language, Life in Paris & France

Colleen’s Paris in Top Paris Blogs

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Foreign language books on a table in my library

The Canadian company, Languages Abroad organizes language immersion trips for students and adults. They paid me a compliment recently by naming Colleen’s Paris one of the “Top 9 Paris Blogs”. I guess it was hard to find ten. :-) They contacted me via Twitter (@colleensparis): “We’d love to write a feature on your blog…”. I like considering writing and photo contributions to Colleen’s Paris … Read more

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