France Miniature

Our friend Patrick Mikla always surprises us with ‘inside’ discoveries of Paris and France. From the time we met him some 15 year ago, I can remember each and every one of our adventures. The latest is France Miniature. He took the day off and took us Élancourt, a town about an hour drive outside […]

Marie Antoinette et Hameau de Reine

Finally visited the Hameau de Reine. Expected a small garden and of course, it’s fit for a Queen. It even has a little farm and a zoo. Lovely for kids to visit and the houses on the property are actually for normal people.

Mona Lisa in Camelot

Two ladies in Camelot.…. Who knew… Just read in the Vanity Fair article of how the 1963 American exhibition of the Mona Lisa in New York City and Washington, D.C., was America’s first blockbuster art show. The writer Davids recounts in numbing detail the negotiations, preparations, flummoxes and successes of the exhibit. The exhibition was […]

Travel Tips Entrances To The Louvre

When the Pyramid was new, it took literally hours in line to get into the Louvre through the main entrance. … Line ups can be long at the Louvre but there are multiple entrances. … [From Daily Photos & Frugal Travel Tips » Blog Archive » Entrances To The Louvre, Paris, France ]

Top Five things to do in Paris

Tops on my list used to be a climb to the top of La Samaritaine (sadly, no more) to the free observation deck where you could see all of Paris (like in that famous Willy Ronis photo), guided by a painted tile chart of the names of all the distinctive landmarks on view below. Now, I’d have to replace that with a climb to either the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame (almost always long lines), or the Eiffel Tower (also long lines). … At least, you can say you saw them, though you’ll spend more time jockeying for position among the tourists than in getting a good view (time that could have been spent seeing the other thousands of pieces that any other museum would build their entire collection around) 3.

Paris with Kids books

I don’t see anything new in them, but they do give quick ideas for an outing First, published by Fodors, is Around Paris with Kids: 68 Great Things to Do Together …. This set might be more valuable to spread out on the table to involve kids in choosing what to do for the day’s outings.

Is this a joke – a new look for the Eiffel Tower

I wasn’t happy when they moved the collection at the Jeu de Paume to the Musée d’Orsay (but not as upset as Hemingway when it was moved from its original spot at the Musée du Luxembourg)…. Of course, that’s what they said when they started flashing those lights every hour, and, of course, when they built the Tour in the the first place.