French Immersion …

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Bryan Pirolli, David Lebovitz, Duolingo, EuroCheapo, France, Marie Antoinette, Paris, Peta Mathias, Versailles

As I continue my reading on Paris and France in general, I keep stumbling on more great posts like this: How to Spend Three Days in Paris by Bryan Pirolli , hosted on the excellent Eurocheapo daily blog. The latest one to take my fancy is this: Fifty ways to save time and money in Paris. It has some great hints and I must remember to revisit it before we arrive. David Leibovitz continues to provide more gems via his Facebook site – I thoroughly enjoyed this :  How to be a Parisian – 11 ways to fake it, and this too: 10 things France does better than anywhere else (both via CNN).

Total immersion? – well, what do I mean by that since I am not actually there yet? It means I am completely enveloping myself in things French in my spare time, reading, watching movies, continuing my French lessons, doing French homework (which I really enjoy), and using Duolingo, to reinforce my basic French skills.

Because we are going to Versailles, I recently bought Antonia Fraser’s book Marie Antoinette : the Journey and have been thoroughly enjoying it as I knew very little about the titular character. The book piqued my interest in Marie Antoinette, so I watched Sofia Coppola’s film, Marie Antoinette and absolutely loved it. Coincidentally, I discovered the movie is based on Fraser’s book. While I admit I am not a big fan of Kirsten Dunst, I think she is perfectly cast in this movie, playing the title character. It appears that many do not like Coppola’s take on Marie Antoinette, but I have come to admire her portrayal, isolated and alone as the young woman was in the French court. Not only does the character appeal, also but also the fabulous settings (it was filmed entirely on location in France), and the stunning costumes. The dresses are beautiful and shoes are exquisite, with Manolo Blahnik having designed many of them – you can see some of them here. The scenes at Versailles and Le Petit Trianon are enticing and I am looking forward seeing it in May. To find out more about the film I recommend these reviews which resonate with my own response to it – ‘Palace Coup by David Edelstein ‘, and In Defence of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette by Amanda Dobbins.

As for my French lessons and homework, I am loving working with my tutor Marie,  and I feel I am progressing well. Marie now speaks to me in French for much of each lesson and I have found, thankfully, that I am able to understand her. We do practical role plays, reserving restaurant tables, ordering food and wine, asking directions, trying on clothes – you name it , we are covering it. This week, Marie provided me with a really useful link, which will ensure we know how to order our coffee correctly – a pretty important skill since we love a good coffee!

All my homework is based around Marie’s home town of Toulouse, which I feel I am beginning to know, so here’s hoping we can stop off for a break in Toulouse as we drive further South. This week I am learning how to give and receive directions – I have selected Grand Hotel de L’Opera Hotel as my imaginary starting point  (for purposes of my homework), as I head towards Marche Victor Hugo. Having learned the route and directions, I would really like to do it now! Talking to Marie has made Toulouse come alive for me, plus, after re-reading Peta Mathias’ book ‘French Toast‘ I would love to see what she describes as ” stylish and beautiful Toulouse” which is “another one of the luminous pink cities, bathed in the Mediterranean light.” Watch this space ….

My well read copy of French Toast, by Peta Mathias.

And speaking of Paris ….

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Bryan Pirolli, Conde Nast Traveler, David Lebovitz, Edward Rutherfurd, EuroCheapo, France, John Baxter, Paris, Peta Mathias, Rick Steves, Sarah Turnbull., Travel, Vicki Archer

Paris fascinates me – I have been there only once, for a few days in 2007, when we stopped off on our way to cycle in Provence, and it captivated me – utterly and completely. Since that first visit, I have longed to return and finally my dream will come true in May. I have been consumed over the last few years with reading about Paris – fiction, non-fiction, newspaper and magazine articles, Facebook sites and blogs. It occurred to me that there will be others who feel the same as me, so I thought I would share some recent finds that might be useful for first time visitors, and those with unfinished business like me. Some of my finds contain useful snippets of information and others are more in-depth, so I keep a travel journal beside me when I read, recording useful information as I go. Others are books I simply read for pleasure, absorbing as much of a feel for Paris as I can. Finally, there are those things I come across by serendipity…

• Appearing recently in a local Sunday paper, is this article written by expat New Zealander Margot Burton. She provides hints on what to do and see in Paris.
•  Some great suggestions appear in one of my favourite blogs, Eurocheapo – Paris here we come : 14 reasons to go in 2014. Bryan Pirolli’s blog posts on this site are always excellent and his personal blog is worth a visit too – it is well-written and informative – check out his Parisian favourites, for instance. Also see the Paris essentials list on Eurocheapo.
• Theadora Brack’s recent post on visiting Clignancourt (a huge Parisian flea market know as Les Puces) is a great read.  I have seen Parisian flea markets referred to often in all my reading, so I feel I need to see one for myself. Theadora’s blog is informative, eloquent, quirky and fun, with some great photography. View it for information on shopping, museums, monuments and much more. You can find more about Les Puces here.
• Timeout Paris is another great site and even better there are free apps available.
• Tripomatic trip planner – if you are staying four days like us, have a look at this suggested itinerary or plan your own.
• The Paris Pass, while it is a commercial site, has useful suggestions on what to do in Paris, depending on how many days you have to spend there.
• Check out some video material recently made available on Rick Steves’ new-look website – these are episodes from his TV programmes – Paris: Regal and Intimate and Paris: Embracing Life and Art. Bearing in mind these programmes are made for the American market, they are informative, and provide tips which may appeal to many English-speaking travellers.
• Search “Paris” on the Conde Nast Traveler website– there is a wealth of stuff to explore there.
• Explore some Facebook pages featuring Paris – there are numerous ones to choose from so you should find one or two  to suit your interests. I like David Lebovitz – he is informative, provides good links and features food! His blog also features many tips for visitors to Paris.
• Books featuring Paris – I particularly enjoy those written by expats as their thoughts and experience resonate, and offer an insight into the Parisian way of life from a non-Parisian point of view. Some of my favourites include: Almost French by Sarah Turnbull, The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, by John Baxter, and chapters on Paris in Peta Mathias’ French Toast, and Vicki Archer’s My French Life. Currently, I am reading Edward Rutherfurd’s Paris – it is a mission as it weaves centuries of Parisian history with fiction, and it is daunting because of its length, but nonetheless, it is gripping and I will persevere.

The above are just a few examples of some really useful information you can find if you have access to the Internet and/or a good bookshop or library. I can while away hours reading material I find, and frequently do. But soon I hope to while away an hour or two here again – in Les Tuileries…..

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French longings….

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David Downie, France, Kristin Espinasse, La Cigale, Paris, Peta Mathias, Pont du Gard, Provence

While I am deeply engrossed in When in Rome which I am thoroughly enjoying, I realised over the weekend that I have allowed beautiful Italy to seduce me somewhat, and to entice me away from my first love – France. On Saturday morning, while having my usual coffee with a group of gym friends, one of them mentioned a local supplier of beautiful French products, French Country Collections, and so the longings began … On returning home, I picked up the property section of The New Zealand Herald,  to see a well-known face on the cover – that of Peta Mathias – one of my favourite food and travel writers.  Flamboyant and fabulous Peta is selling her Auckland home to go and live in Uzes, where she has a cooking school – hmmmm – the South of France is now sitting firmly back on the agenda. We really wanted to visit Uzes and were so near when we were on a trip to Nimes, Arles and the Pont du Gard, but we couldn’t do it all – and of course it is a good excuse to go back!

The amazing Pont du Gard – I was there

Peta’s book,  French Toast (now available in a new updated edition, so I discover), was one of several I read prior to our trip to France in 2007 – it was informative, funny, evocative, honest, and useful, and I dipped into it again before we returned to the South of France in June. Reading about Peta’s imminent move set me daydreaming about going back to France yet again, and on Sunday morning the dreams became more vivid, when I opened the Sunday Star Times,  to see a piece by Elizabeth Lind with the attractive title,  “A Few Days in Paris”. Elizabeth owns La Cigale, a local French market and cafe, and is a frequent traveller to France. The excellent article is an extract from her soon to be released book La Cigale. Her advice for visitors to Paris seems excellent and I have kept the article for future reference. Check out the  Notes from France page on the La Cigale website – very helpful and interesting, so I expect the book to be good.

To satisfy my French longings, I have purchased two books for my iPad, so I can dip in and out of Paris and the South of France whenever I like. David Downie’s Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light comes highly recommended and Kristen Espinasse’s Blossoming in Provence had me hooked as soon as I saw the cover. Having dipped into it already I can see that it will not disappoint … and it may bring back fond memories of our wonderful cycling trip in Provence – here is a glimpse of one of lovely towns we staying in – Vaison-la-Romaine – overnight it turned into a hustling bustling, colourful marketplace- wonderful!

Herbs and Spices in the market at Vaison-la-Romaine.

Vaison-la-Romaine – medieval town

Market stalls in the carpark at Vaison-La-Romaine

Thinking of France …

Tags

Books, France, France-Bike, Peta Mathias, Pont du Gard, Provence, reading

I am a self confessed francophile and after a lovely Easter Sunday family morning tea and easter egg hunt, I am now flicking through my list of must read books on France, as we will be in Southern France at the end of May  –  I think it helps to get a feel for a place if you read a little about it before you go – both with regard to its history and the present day.

If you are going to France for the first time, a great book to start with is by Englishwoman Lucy Wadham. She writes honestly about her adopted homeland  in The Secret Life of France (Faber 2009).  As it was published after we returned,  I had to read it post-trip but I think it would be useful to read prior – it is a candid, funny and often quite surprising read, and hugely informative. I am certainly glad that I have read it now that I am returning.

Another book I found really helpful before we went on our France-Bike self guided tour of Provence in 2007, was French Toast  (Penguin 2006), by New Zealander Peta Mathias – Peta is a television presenter and food writer. My husband and I both enjoy her quirkiness, sense of style and tremendous joie de vivre. The subtitle “eating and laughing your way around France” is a pretty good indication of the tone of the book. It has a chapter on Provence and recipes too.

2007 was my first time in France, though I had been longing to visit since I started learning French at high school. Paris was our first stop and oh yes, it is true what they say about French women, they have that effortless chic that I guess we would all love to have. I have never seen white linen pants worn so well by so many women….. if you want to read more about French style then have a look as this book I came across last year: Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressange (Flammarion 2011)….I must study it again before we hit Nice!

If you want to read more about the bike tour we did, go to:  http://www.france-bike.com/provence_luberon.0.html?&L=1. You can see the review there by a couple of New Zealanders (i.e. me).

Here is a photo of a feat of truly amazing engineering- I would never have known I could feel so truly awestuck by large slabs of stone… the Pont du Gard: