Again my little red car was my best ally on this trip to the center of France where roads are larger than in Cornwall but still extremely narrow. My aim was to get to Périgueux to visit an aunt who is the best cook in the world. But I stopped on the way in Alfred de Vigny‘s childhood house which … Read More
My new bistrot, Au Temps, what a delight
Each time I had American guests, I used to take them to Au Temps, the bistrot around the corner, where Catherine the owner became my friend. It was very simple, very French and the most sophisticated journalists from Vanity Fair or Air Mail, loooved it… Well Catherine has retired and the new team, a couple (Geoffroy Bret cooks, Juliette Lambert … Read More
Chez Marthe, a very moderate bistrot near the Bastille
A dear friend who lives near the Bastille in trendy Paris, always takes me to nice restaurants and we had fun over lunch at Chez Marthe, near rue de la Roquette. The service was delightful, the food mostly great and the bill extremely moderate (25 € each with coffee but no dessert) for lunch. The only drawback was the noisy … Read More
A delicious lunch at “Oui Mon Général”
A friend of mine who belongs to the Club des Cent and five other eating clubs, recommended this address, “Oui Mon Général”, in a quiet street of the seventh arrondissement and I went there with a serious eater who lives in California and was therefore eager to have a real French meal. The place is very busy, the tables are … Read More
Abu Dhabi is an emirate to discover
The stopover in Abu Dhabi on my way to Auckland, NZ, was only prompted by the tempting offer made by Etihad Airways to stay for a few nights. Well not only actually, since my nephew and his wife live there and they had for a long time extended an invitation to come and visit. And of course, there was also … Read More
Gustave Courbet, at home in Ornans
It is an adventure to visit Ornans in the middle of the winter but it is so worth it that I came back to Paris after a three hour train ride, totally exhilarated. It had snowed heavily the day before, so all the roads were iced between the train station of Frasne and the little town where Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) … Read More
At la Tour d’Argent, fabulous food and a great show!
Since it reopened last September, I have been dying to go to La Tour d’Argent but I feared getting the wrong table or sharing my meal with the wrong person. Well I got lucky! Not only did I get the best table, because they are all good, but the friend who kindly invited me was so excited at every minute … Read More
Spíti Sou is the (Greek) answer to your restaurant quest!
You always wonder where to have a relaxed dinner on a Sunday night or late, after the opera or a film in the Latin quarter? Well, Alexandre Seillière and Hugo de Mondragon, who met at Northborne boarding school when they were twelve, have the answer. A refined Greek restaurant, Spíti Sou (at home in Greek) next door to La Pérouse … Read More