You won’t see all of Paris on your first visit. Not your second or even the third. I’ve been fortunate to visit the city of lights on five occasions and I still return home with a list entitled “Next time in Paris”. But with a little research and planning, you can decide what piques your [...]

If you’re travelling to Paris and you’re staying for a week or more, it pays to invest in a Passe Navigo Découverte. The pass allows you unlimited travel on the métro, bus, RER and Montmartre funiculaire within your chosen zones from Monday through to Sunday. Effective 1 July 2010, the €5 rechargeable card which is [...]

Paris. Armistice Day. November 11. 10.50 am. I am making my way towards the Arc de Triomphe. The French tricolore flaps within the arch in the cool wind. Rugged up in a heavy coat and long scarf under grey autumn skies, I am about to witness the parade on Armistice Day. In the back streets, [...]

A trickle of rain turns into a heavy downpour. We seek shelter under the rue de Rivoli archway, and like many Parisians on this Sunday afternoon, we join the long queue for Angelina Salon de Thé. Famous for its hot chocolate, or chocolat chaud, this Paris institution dating back to 1903 has been a meeting [...]

I’m usually cynical whenever an establishment likes to gloss up whatever product it is that hides behind their walls and windows. It’s often, in my mind, an attempt to make even the most inane of bubbling pits seem like pure bouncy castle bliss. So, it was with some trepidation that I approached the Heineken brewery/museum [...]

Venezia Bella. You broke my heart. When the vaporetto approached S. Zaccaria stop near Piazza San Marco, I was filled with anticipation. It was my second trip to Venice. The first was a whirlwind stay and I could barely wait to revisit some of the iconic sights that had captured my imagination. Until I saw [...]

Mention French wines and you immediately think of the famed terroirs of Bordeaux, Burgundy or Alsace. But little is often said about a Parisian wine that is produced in the heart of Montmartre. Amble along the cobblestone streets leading to the junction of rue des Saules and rue Saint-Vincent and you see a vineyard stretching [...]