click here to read part one Je suis Australienne, je suis Vicki Archer, je suis en vacances, I repeated over and over. No, no, no, the Inspector replied becoming more and more frustrated with me. Who are you? Where do you come from?Where is your husband? He asked me these simple questions time and time again
We have been reminiscing about our time spent in France in 1995. We had taken our three young children and travelled to Europe for six months from Australia, where we were then living. This is well before we had any thoughts of living in France permanently but on reflection this is probably the moment when my
The Francophilia Gazette published this interesting little titbit about the original names of the 20 Parisian arrondissements. Each area was known by name not by number as they are now – in fact the arrondissements have not been called by name since 1859. Bit of a shame really….it sounds so much cuter to say…I
As much as I love travelling, I love home more. Life on this farm turns with or without me. That is the thing about nature, she won’t wait and in my absence routines run, new plans must be put in place, the olives tended and the garden maintained. The French gardien, the caretaker, makes this happen. Our
I have had a little crush on martini tables for a while now and am collecting them whenever I have the chance…the philosophy that, ‘you can never have enough’ applies very well to these dear little tables. The French variety are made of beaten metal and finished with either a dark bronze or a
To see how the very glam French women ‘do lunch’ I would never look further than L’Avenue in Paris. L’Avenue, This Jacques Garcia designed eatery is in the heart of what is known as the golden triangle. The upmarket shopping area around Avenue Montaigne, Avenue Georges V, Rue Marbeuf and Rue Pierre Charon
Thinking of Paris… Scarlett Haute Couture is a favourite vintage find of mine in the eighth arrondissement. It is a teeny tiny shop that has a penchant for vintage Chanel – jewels, jackets, belts and bags. Shopping here is like playing Where’s Wally … Difficult at first and very hard to find what you are
I have often pressed my nose against the window of Didier Ludot in the Palais Royale and dreamt of the red carpet occasion where I might be royally frocked in vintage haute couture. It’s funny how the imagination can run wild with a small glance and thoughts can multiply into a thousand different
There are many reasons to spend time in Le Marais, the third and fourth arrondissements of Paris on the right banks of the Seine. Shopping, shopping and more shopping, history and museums, taking tea at Mariage Freres, a coffee at Le Petit Fer a Cheval or dinner at Le Coude Fou, all perfectly good excuses
There is public transport and then there is public transport. I would be untruthful if I told you I was a fan of the London tube or the New York subway but I am absolutely telling the ‘cross my fingers, swear on the lives of the children’ truth when I say I love the Parisian
Paris should be less about shopping and more about beauty, art and culture. We all know that, but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do. The most famous Parisian department stores are the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps on the Boulevarde Haussmann. They are grand buildings full of good stuff
Chez Julien goes with Paris and romance; mention one imagine the other. I think Paris has to be the most romantic city I know – even on the most freezing of nights the Parisian streets throw a glow that melts most hearts. The restaurant Chez Julien is one of the prettiest and romantic dining rooms.
I don’t think there has ever been a gateaux more talked about than the French macaron. A day does not go past that I don’t read about these delectable little morsels. These light as air cookies seem to conjure up all that is romantic about France. They might not be an official symbol of the French capital
Everyone who loves the hunt for trashy treasure has their own flea market story. My fabulous finds have more often than not taken place at Cligancourt in Paris or Ile sur la Sorgue, a small town about 20 minutes away from Saint Remy de Provence. I love the hunt. Antiquing (that’s what I call it) has
Thinking of Paris and’Best French Fragrances’ not ‘Best Friends Forever’ although I think I would be very happy to call Paris a BFF. There are many, many superb French fragrances and each one is special to those who wear them so my small list is simply those fragrances and perfume houses in Paris that I
You will receive my guide to, The Top Ten French Wardrobe Essentials, as a thank you.
