Nov 23, 2009

Place des Vosges was constructed from 1605 to 1612 under the direction of Henry IV and is the oldest planned square in Paris. Originally called Place Royale, it is truly a square – 140 meters by 140 meters (approximately 150 yards square) and was inaugurated for the marriage of Louis XIII (the king of France when the square was completed) and Anne of...

Nov 19, 2009

Upon our arrival in Paris I was surprised to see these colorful treats in shop windows all over the city. I am familiar with other French treats – croissants, madeleines, chocolate, etc – but not macarons (that is not a typo, it is the French spelling of the word that I’m using because the term ‘macaroon‘ is an entirely different...

Nov 11, 2009

Originally a train station, this world class museum is one of Paris’ finest. Before it was train station, there was a palace here that held a few French government offices. It was originally constructed between the years of 1810 and 1840. In 1871 a fire tore through the building and the remains were sold to a French train company. The Gare d’Orsay...

Nov 9, 2009

The skill of making confectionery from chocolate is a difficult and revered profession. In Paris there are several world class chocolatiers who use their skills to mix together chocolate with a wide variety of ingredients and create decadent treats. This is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill chocolate. These creations are made with between 60 and 100% cacao, and...

Nov 4, 2009

Getting around in Paris is greatly simplified by the urban train system, called the Métro. The Métro, originally known as the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris, which was shortened to Métropolitain and then again shortened to Métro, was open in 1900. Construction began in 1896 and most of the main lines (current M1 – M9) were...

Oct 30, 2009

In the little over three weeks that we have been in Paris so far we have been to three markets: Marché des Enfants Rouges, Marché St Eloi, and Marché Bastille. While these markets certainly have their similarities, each has their own charm and reasons for a visit. If you’re looking for a fresh Parisian souvenir I highly recommend finding your way to...