Carnac, France: Where tradition and beauty are set in stone

St. Cornelius, known as Cornély in France, opens his arms in blessing from a niche above the old stone church in Carnac. Legend has...

France's oyster trail

Cancale and Locmariaquer are dots on the Atlantic coast of France. Also places that produce my favorite food: Brittany oysters. Served raw...

A sardine epiphany in Douarnenez, France

My father used to eat sardines, bones and all and packed in oil, out of a can, which appalled me as a little girl. When I was older, I saw...

New Paris hotels offer surprises

A suite atop the new Shangri-La Hotel in Paris boasts a 1,000-square-foot terrace overlooking a slice of heaven: the City of Light, from...

Roquefort, France: Where the blue blood of blue cheeses lives

A cool water droplet hit my forehead as I descended narrow stairs into the caves. An overwhelming smell — ammonia meets dirty feet...

Paris' chocolatey coating

Chocolate in Paris is serious business. One can hardly walk from the Louvre to the Left Bank without bumping into a chocolate boutique....

A picturesque time at the Impressionist Normandy Festival

Last spring in the Paris Metro, I paused to admire a colorful advertisement for the Impressionist Normandy Festival, a celebration of the...

In France, castle Guédelon being built to medieval standards

When my niece, Sarah, was little, she returned from a long trip to Europe with her parents and announced she never wanted to set foot in...

Gascony, France: Flavorful experiences are on the menu at Camont’s cooking school

"I was looking for a good place to park my boat" is how Kate Hill, an American woman who grew up in Southern California, explains what...

10 budget-friendly tips for enjoying Paris

Paris

Paris for beginners

Grumpy, glorious Paris — where does a first-timer start? Well, I'm here to tell you that they mold a nice cornice, these people, and...

Centre Pompidou-Metz exhibit explores what defines a masterpiece

I came late to contemporary art. If a work wasn't by Rembrandt or Van Gogh, I wasn't interested. But I had friends who were, and gradually...

Female winemakers carve out a niche in Burgundy, France

Burgundy is one of the least progressive wine regions in the world, for better and worse. But even there, one old husband's tale is...

Colette's Paris

A frizzy-haired old woman wearing sandals used to sit on a stoop at the Palais-Royal in Paris. If people took her for a tramp, what did...

Parisians, travelers get in touch

In France, a journey of faith

France's Vaux le Vicomte vs. Italy's Villa Farnese

Cognac, France offers heady aromas, centuries-old views