REDISCOVERING THE PICTURESQUE IN PARIS
Surprising Stories: Les Champs-Elysées, from Allée to Avenue
Architecture, Architecture, News, News, News, News, News, News
This year the city of Paris will be ready for the holiday season: the colored lights will illuminate one of the most beautiful avenues of the world, adding a special allure inviting strollers (albeit safely distanced and masked) along…
Les Potirons, France's History and Love of Pumpkins
Gardens, Gardens, Gardens, Gardens, History, History, History, History, History, Versailles While pumpkins are generally associated with the Americas, and rightfully so, the French have a particularly strong affection for this New World vegetable. Although you will never find a pumpkin pie served for dessert in a French home, in autumn…
Vaux-le-Vicomte and the Famous Fête which Sparked Versailles
Versailles, Versailles
Of the dozens of castles around Paris, the château de Vaux-le-Vicomte holds a very special place in French history, not only because of its innovative design, but also for the legendary palace it inspired: Versailles. Commissioned by Nicolas…
Surprising Stories: Marie-Antoinette at the Hameau de la Reine
Surprising Stories
One of the most unexpected visits when touring the gardens of Versailles is the discovery of the Domaine de la Reine where queen Marie-Antoinette commissioned a fake village, called le hameau or the hamlet. Built to resemble vernacular architecture…
Surprising Stories: Chantilly Cream
cuisine, cuisine, Surprising Stories
Chantilly cream is a crowd-pleaser: from a dollop on fresh summer berries to a transformative spoonful that makes a cup of coffee into a tantalizing dessert, Chantilly cream is a world renown gastronomic delight. This week’s Surprising…