Hi Frugalistas! I love the South of France and am always looking for new things to do and see in Provence and the Côte d’Azur. I’d travelled through Marseille to Nice by train, but never visited, despite it being one of the largest South of France cities. When I told people my friend KB and […]
Your Paris itinerary: plan your one day trip to Paris
Hi Frugalistas! If you love Paris (and I know you do), this is the series of posts you’ve been waiting for. The best Paris itineraries regardless of how long you are staying in Paris. Unlike most Paris itineraries, my Paris itinerary planner includes alternatives to consider, and how to plan a trip to Paris with […]
Has Paris changed? Should you plan a visit to Paris?
Hi Frugalistas! As Europe adjusts to a new normal of acts of terrorism, and the millions of refugees arriving from Africa and the Middle East, I knew Paris would have changed. I had seen the changes in Paris myself over the past few years. Heightened security, bollards and barricades where I’d never seen them […]
Your guide to eating out in Paris
Hi Frugalistas! I’ve written a lot about Paris. I’ve written about shopping in Paris. I’ve written about sleeping in Paris, and what to eat in Paris brasseries. But I’ve never written a guide to eating in Paris. Eating out Paris style can have some tricks for the inexperienced, and a bad experience can affect […]
Is it worth visiting Giverny in fall?
Hi Frugalistas! For reasons outside my control I often visit Paris in either spring or autumn (fall). It’s precisely for this reason that I had never made the trip to Monet’s garden in Giverny. For some reason I assumed that it was not the right time to visit. That somehow it was only a place […]
Annecy: a gem in the French Alps – the midweek postcard
Hi Frugalistas! For this week’s midweek postcard I’m visiting a little gem in the French Alps. Most trains to Chamonix stop in Annecy (pronounced ahn-see) making it a convenient “stop over”….. Where to stay in Annecy Like many midsize European towns, Annecy has an historic centre with, a rather drab, modern outer area. There are […]
Five tourist scams in Paris you need to know
Hi Frugalistas! Tourist scams in Paris are a fact of life, as they are in many parts of Europe. My readers have reported them, and travel bloggers also know them well. I have personally “experienced” (but never been caught out) by several Paris scams. This is what you need to know about Paris tourist scams, […]
Eating and drinking in Alsace
Hi Frugalistas! Friday fotos is a little late this week – but I’m sure it’s still Friday somewhere! This week I’m off to Alsace, to finish my series on Colmar and the Route de Vins. Alsace has a very specific traditional cuisine, and of course white wine (typically riesling) rules! So join me on a […]