If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Paris on July 14, you might be tempted to greet a local with a cheery ‘Bonne Bastille.’ Best not to. In France, Bastille Day is formally known as ‘La fête nationale,’ or, more casually, ‘Le quatorze juillet’ — so throw around a merry ‘Bonne fête nationale’ or […]
Paris in Summer
Seeing La Vie En Rose at the Parc de Bagatelle
If you’re the kind of person, when in Paris, who loves nothing more than lazing about flower-filled gardens, you’re more than spoilt for choice. It’s worth making the effort, however, to venture outwards a little, to one of the most charming parks you’ll ever see. Parc de Bagatelle is situated on the western edge of […]
Fête de la Musique: The Day Paris Lets its Hair Down
Ancient France was a pagan kind of a place. Think Druidic rituals in forests (if you’ve read Astérix, you’ll well picture this) and Celtic chants around bonfires. And then along came King Clovis I, in the fifth century, who decided to convert to Christianity. One way in which he, and various other powers-that-be, successfully converted […]
Top Three: Paris Rooftop Bars with a View
Forget nuts. The best Parisian drinks come with a side serving of view, because it’s rooftop terrace season in Paris again. So if you’re in the City of Light any time soon, make space in your itinerary for one, or all, of the following bars. Hôtel Raphael Terrace Bar One of the most spectacular panoramic […]