Cycling, France, Paris, Travelling

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Buying French & German rail tickets – Packing cubes – Love locks in Paris

June 11, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 2 Comments

This week’s blogger round-up contains a very helpful website review by Maggie Lacoste from Experience France by Bike for hassle-free purchase of French & German train tickets at the best prices, followed by tips on using packing cubes (I had never heard of them!) by the very practical Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel and, to round off, the latest news about love locks on the Pont des Arts in Paris from a new blogger I have just discovered – Beth Shepherd from Wanderlust and Lipstick. Enjoy!

The Easy Way to Buy French Rail Tickets

by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history.

Easy. Purchase tickets for you and your bike. User-friendly. No hassles. Fast. No booking fees. No advertising.

For anyone who has ever tried to book French Rail tickets from the USA, none of these words would ever describe the experience! Until now.

A relatively new travel company, Capitaine Train offers travelers an efficient platform for buying train tickets through the French Rail parent SNCF and Deutche Bahn, two of Europe’s largest train carriers. I came upon their website quite by accident, and I am so happy that I did. I’ll definitely be purchasing my train tickets for my summer trip using Capitaine Train. It’s certain to be much faster than purchasing tickets using Voyages-sncf.com, and cheaper than Rail Europe. Read more

Real Life One Bag Travel – Packing Cubes Reviewed

by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!

I’ll be the first to admit, I was always dubious about packing cubes. I saw them on websites, I saw them in luggage shops, but I always thought they were a bit of a gimmick. Another way to spend more money on travel accessories I didn’t need. Then I asked my blogger colleagues for their favorite packing tips. Travel blogger after travel blogger raved about packing cubes. I was curious, and decided I really needed to make up my own mind. Read more

The Weight of Love

by Beth Shepherd from Wanderlust and Lipstick, an American who has travelled halfway around the world several times and is now a first-time adoptive parent in her fifties in the Pacific Northwest.

The many bridges crossing the Seine in Paris invoke a certain je ne sais quois, inspiring lovers worldwide to walk amidst their beauty, sharing romantic moments. Around 2008, the walls of several bridges—including the Pont des Arts, with its spectacular view of Île de la Cité—have virtually disappeared from view, covered by swathes of love locks, padlocks symbolizing unbreakable love.

Love locks are not unique to Paris. Bridges in Germany, Taiwan, Canada, and Italy are also festooned with thousands of locks. The tradition, relatively recent in Europe (2000’s), transpires as follows: Sweethearts inscribe their initials, names, or a message of love on a love lock or love padlock. The lock is affixed to a bridge, fence or gate. And then, the sweethearts throw away the key (in this case, into the river Seine) to show their love is forever more. Read more

Closerie Falaiseau, Cycling, Flowers & gardens, Loire Valley, Restaurants

An Anniversary Dinner in Romorantin and a Bike Ride to Mer

June 9, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 9 Comments

We’ve been to Romorantin in Sologne before and loved the fresh produce market. At the bread baking day in Les Grouets, Le Lion d’or was recommended to us as being one of the best restaurants in the region so we’ve decided to try it out for our 16th wedding anniversary.

We’re coming directly from Paris so we’ve timed it to arrive at about 12.30 pm. We leave slightly later than planned and encounter traffic jams. Traffic is obviously being rerouted for the 70th anniversary of D-Day. I’m a bit on edge because I hate being late but as we approach the turn-off to Chartres, things get back to normal.

The brick façade of the restaurant — The brick façade of the Lion d’Or restaurant

It’s 12.45 when we park outside the hotel restaurant which is perfect. I straighten out my linen skirt which maybe isn’t the best choice for a 2 1/2 hour car ride and we walk in. The garden is visible from the doorway and it looks incredibly inviting. The service is friendly and discreet and remains so throughout.

The set menu is 68 euro for 3 set courses (no choice) and doesn’t tempt us. We decide to order from the regular menu and choose local specialities – asparagus, which Sologne is famous for, a chanterelle mushroom vol au vent, rabbit and pigeon.

To accompany them, after our initial glass of champagne, we choose two local whites (a glass each, of course, not a bottle): a cour cheverny with the famous romorantin grape imported by François I and a touraine sauvignon, both of which are excellent. There is only one local red sold by the glass, a respectable saumur champigny, so we take the only other choice, a tarn, to accompany the pigeon.

We choose not to have dessert as I notice that the people at the next table have an excellent selection of mignardises with their coffee.

The perfect weather, surroundings and service help us to digest the 328 euro bill. We regret that not one of the dishes we ate flattered our taste buds which is really the only criteria for good cuisine, no matter what the price. In our books, Les Hauts de Loire, at Onzain halfway between Blois and Chaumont, remains by far the best dining experience within an hour’s drive of home.

Celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary

The weather is so beautiful that as soon as we reach Closerie Falaiseau, we unpack the car, change into more comfortable clothes and drive to the bike path on the other side of Blois. By 5 pm, we’re in the saddle.

It’s lovely to be back on our bikes after the awful month of cold and rain we’ve just experienced. We keep to the bike path that is part of Eurovélo 6 (the one that took us along the Danube last summer) and runs along the Loire.

The lavoir in Cour sur Loire with its original trestles

The roses are just stunning in some of the little villages such as Cour sur Loire. We stop to take photos of the lavoir, relieved that it’s not pelting with rain the way it was last time we were here.

We pass some free-range chickens and guinea-fowls and eventually get to the outskirts of Mer. You’d think with a name like that that it would be on the coast but in fact mer comes from mera meaning marsh.

Courtyard of L'épicerie in Mer — Courtyard of L’épicerie in Mer

I see a sign advertising a bar/grocery store/local wine store called L’Epicerie and soon see it on the left before we get to the centre of the town. We put our bikes in the racks and make our way to the inviting courtyard. We treat ourselves to a very cold local sauvignon but refuse the Iberian platter. We’re not really hungry, I have to say!

We start chatting with the very friendly owner and learn she also has a brocante. Goodness, what a find! The grocery shop is full of all sorts of local foods and delicacies, including chocolate champagne glasses.

The very friendly owners of L'Epiceire — The very friendly owners of L’Epiceire

The brocante, which is more like an antique store, is beautifully kept with quite a large range of interesting finds. Unfortunately, nothing takes our eye but we’ll be back another day.

The brocante section of L'Epicerie — The brocante section of L’Epicerie

By the time we get back to the car, after 40 k and over 2 ½ hours in the saddle, I’m rather relieved that next day is going to be relâche!

Closerie Falaiseau, Flowers & gardens, Paris

Photo of the Week – Rooftops & Roses

June 9, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 1 Comment

We started the week in Paris and finished up in Blois. We’re moving into summer at last with the return of the warm weather and the lovely long twilight. The first photo was taken at about 7.15 pm and the second around 9 pm. It’s still light at 10.30 as we approach the longest day of the year on 21st June – the summer solstice.

Rooftops from the apartment rented by Australian friends during their stay in Paris

I'd love to be invited to a cocktail party in the Louvre overlooking the glass pyramids too! — I’d love to be invited to a cocktail party in the Louvre overlooking the glass pyramids too!

We thought these roses were doomed but maybe they're just late bloomers! — We thought these roses were doomed but maybe they’re just late bloomers!

French language

Friday’s French – tort & wrong

June 5, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 1 Comment

Il a tort – elle a raison : He’s wrong – she’s right.

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of wrong and right. I just like the view!

Tort comes from the Latin tortus meaning “twisting” as in tortuous so it’s a sort of deviation from the straight and narrow, isn’t it?

Faire du tort à quelqu’un means to harm someone morally.

Tort also carries the idea of fault. Elle a un tort, c’est de trop parler: her one fault is that she talks too much. (I think a lot of us are inclined that way. The day Jean Michel taught me never to give an excuse for not being able to do something I didn’t want to do, I felt liberated! Saying “I’m afraid I can’t make it” rather than “I can’t come because”then launching into a lengthy explanation is just so much easier once you learn the knack).

Ils ont tous les torts de leur côté: the fault is entirely on their side.

But tort is not usually used to indicate an error or mistake.

I’m in the wrong job – je ne suis pas fait pour ce travail (I’m not made for this job) which shifts the onus, doesn’t it. It’s not really the job that wrong after all.

That’s the wrong kind of plug – ce n’est pas la bonne prise (it’s not the right plug).

She married the wrong man – elle n’a pas épouse l’homme qu’il lui fallait (she didn’t marry the man she needed).

It’s the wrong road for Paris – ce n’est pas la bonne route pour Paris (it’s not the right road for Paris)

He told me the wrong time – il ne m’a pas donné la bonne heure (he didn’t give me the right time).

Interesting, isn’t it ? In all the above examples, the negative is used to express the idea of wrong.

Occasionally however, mauvais (bad) is used to mean wrong just as bon (good) is used to mean right.

You’re going the wrong way – tu vas dans le mauvais sens.

He made the wrong calculation – il a fait un mauvais calcul

The reflexive verb se tromper is often used to mean wrong as well although it literally means to make a mistake.

He took the wrong train = Il s’est trompé de train or Il n’a pas pris le bon train.

“You’re wrong” can be either vous avez tort or vous vous trompez.

I’m sure you have lots of other examples.

Slovenia, Travelling, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Food shopping in Europe – Bridges of Ljubljana

June 3, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 6 Comments

In this week’s round-up, Carolyn from Holidays to Europe takes us on a quick food shopping tour of Europe while Adelina from Pack Me To provides an excellent explanation of the beautiful and fastastic bridges of Ljubljana in Slovenia, one of my favourite cities. Enjoy!

A Quick Guide to Shopping Etiquette in Europe

by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of

Whether you are on an escorted coach tour or travelling around Europe independently, at some point during your holiday you are going to need to buy something from a shop. It might just be a snack at a convenience store, a gift for a someone back home, or you might even need to stock up on groceries. Whatever it is you’re buying, it’s good to know some basic shopping etiquette and what to expect in stores and at the markets in Europe. Read more

The Beautiful and Fantastic Bridges of Ljubljana

by Adelina from Pack Me To, a Chinese American who’s been traveling for as long as she can remember and has lived in the Netherlands and Hungary. She loves telling stories, and eating and exploring her way around the world

Wandering about Ljubljana, you’d be immediately struck by how many bridges there are connecting parts of the inner city. You’d probably think that there is nothing special about the bridges – they just connect medieval Ljubljana to modern Ljubljana, more a means to an end. However, if you look closely, you can easily tell them apart. Each of them have unique features and have their own stories to tell. Read more

Loire Valley, Restaurants

Breakfast at La Cigale

June 2, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 4 Comments

Family events are not always easy, particularly when you are a pièce rapportée as they say in French. The first time I heard the expression, which literally means a patch, to describe an in-law, I was shocked. A patch indeed!

When we finally decided that everything would be much smoother if we took a hotel room in Nantes rather than stay in the family home, our visits became much easier and we always treat ourselves to breakfast La Cigale on the last day.

This beautiful Art Deco brasserie built in 1895 which has all the extravagence of the Modern Style is the work of ceramist Emile Libaudière who mostly designed sober bourgeoise homes and religious buildings.

After becoming a listed monument in 1964, it was turned into a cafeteria until it was rescued in 1982 and restored to its former splendour. Its tiled frescoes, myriad mirrors and windows are an absolute delight.

We’ve noticed its increasing popularity over the years, particularly now that Place Graslin is closed to traffic but we always manage to find a table for two in the first room, our favourite. At 15 euro each for a full continental breakfast, it’s excellent value for money – two hot beverages, a mini croissant and mini pain au chocolat, a slice of brioche or cake, toast with butter, jam and honey.

It’s not exactly Angelina’s in Paris or Caffè Florian in Venice, but we love it.

The inside is very hard to photograph with all it's windows, especially in the morning — The inside is very hard to photograph with all it’s windows, especially in the morning

We’ve never eaten lunch or dinner there, because of our family co, but Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, tried it last winter when she spent New Year in Nantes.

Closerie Falaiseau, Flowers & gardens, Loire Valley

Photos of the Week – Roses in our Garden in Blois

June 1, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 4 Comments

Back in Blois for a week and loving the roses! The previous owners told us the roses on the front steps were Pierre Ronsard, but we now know they are not. We’re trying to track down their name.

Our mystery roses, which we were told were Pierre Ronsard, no doubt a type of polyanthus, on the front steps of Closerie Falaiseau — Our mystery roses, which we were told were Pierre Ronsard, but no doubt a type of polyanthus, on the front steps of Closerie Falaiseau

A close-up of our mystery rose which we were told was a Pierre Ronsard. — A close-up of our mystery roses

Our Saharan roses that disappointed us last year but are stunning this year

Climbing roses at the back of our house that we haven't identified either! — Climbing roses at the back of our house that we haven’t identified either!

French language

Friday’s French – fauchage & faux

May 29, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 1 Comment

There was a sign in front of our house this week saying fauchage which actually means scything or reaping. The word for scythe is faux. Obviously the council workers were not going to appear with scythes. Fauchage now also means mowing or cutting with machines.

It got me thinking about the word faux which also means false. Faux meaning scythe comes from the Latin falx falcis whereas the adjective meaning false comes from falsus, from fallere, to deceive. I was a little disappointed to learn they actually have nothing in common! I’d worked out my own little scenario.

The verb faucher has a couple of other meanings. One you often (unfortunately) hear on the news has to do with car accidents. Il a été fauché par un bolide = He was knocked over by a car going at top speed.

Il a été fauché par la Mort is a euphemism for death, since the symbol of Death is the scythe.

Faucher is also slang for steal: il m’a fauché mon portefeuille (he stole my wallet) and as a result, je suis fauché means I’m broke ! If you want to go one step further, you can say fauché comme les blés (completely broke), blé meaning wheat.

The noun fauche means thieving. Il y a beaucoup de fauche dans le métro = there’s a lot of thieving in the metro. But it’s not a word you hear often.

Fauchaison is reaping or mowing time (using a scythe, that is) but I don’t imagine it’s the sort of word you would really have much use for.

To go back to the adjective faux, it has a whole lot of other uses, all similar in meaning to false. Un faux billet is a forged or fake banknote while fausse monnaie is forged currency.

Faux marbre is imitation marble while faux bijou is fake or imitation jewellery.

Faux papiers , quite logically are false or forged identity papers.

When someone says c’est faux, they mean it’s wrong or not true not that it’s false.

If you ring a wrong number, it’s a faux numéro, which somehow makes it sound as though you didn’t make the mistake.

An instrument that is faux is out of tune and not a fake which is interesting. Elle chante faux means she sings out of tune which is think is a bit hard.

And we all know about a faux pas, don’t we ?

I’m sure you’ve got other examples of faux.

Sightseeing, Travelling, Weekly Blogger Round-Up

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Car or train in Europe? – Chartres – Saint Bernard dogs

May 27, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

Three completely unrelated subjects for my Weekly Blogger Round-Up today. First, if you’re wondering whether to take the train or hire a car in Europe, Paula McInerney from Contented Traveller will help you to make the right decision. Next, if you’re looking for a weekend getaway idea, Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris has an excellent suggestion – Chartres. And to finish off, Wendy Hollands from Le Franco Phoney tells us all about the famous Saint Bernard dogs. Enjoy!

Self-Drive versus Train Travel in Europe

By Paula McInerney from Contented Traveller. When they are not living in Australia, she and her husband Gordon travel the world, trying out houseboats, tatami mats, cave houses and over water bungalows, with serendipity as their watchword.

There are pro’s and con’s to driving yourself or catching trains in Europe, however, we decided relatively early on that train travel is our preferred option. We have done both.

From our own experiences, we have looked at the positives and negatives of both self drive and train travel. Hopefully this will assist in your decision. Read more

Completely charmed by Chartres – A weekend getaway to the “City of Lights and Perfume”

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

It’s odd how much the weather impacts our perceptions of a place. The first time I visited Chartres, it was pouring. After admiring Chartres Cathedral’s magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows, we quickly toured the city’s windblown streets before seeking refuge in a café. Over cups of hot chocolate liberally topped with whipped cream, we surmised that we had seen most of what Chartres had to offer and beat a hasty retreat to Paris.

Now, thanks to some blissful, sunny weather and a four-day “Vin et Terroir” tour organized by the Loire Valley Tourist Board, I realize how much I missed during my initial visit and have added Chartres to my list of favorite weekend destinations. Read more

Visiting the Original St Bernard Dogs

by Wendy Hollands from Le Franco Phoney, an Australian who writes about all things French in La Clusaz, Annecy and Haute Savoie as seen by an outsider

Did you know that Saint Bernard dogs were originally called Barry dogs? I learnt this when I visited the Barry Foundation in Martigny, Switzerland last weekend. The foundation was only set up in 2005 to continue breeding dogs like the legendary dog called Barry, who lived at the Great Saint Bernard Pass from 1800 to 1812 and saved more than 40 people’s lives as they crossed the difficult terrain. The dogs come in both the fluffy variety that we know from films like ‘Beethoven’, and also in a more labrador-like short-hair variety. Read more

Cooking, Food, Loire Valley, Wine

Bread Baking Day in Les Grouets

May 26, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

The sky is overcast and we’re hoping it’s not going to rain because we’re about to attend the 8th annual bread-making day in our neighbourhood, Les Grouets. It’s all happening at a bread-oven I’ve already photographed in the past.

8th annual bread baking day at Les Grouets — 8th annual wood-fired bread baking day at Les Grouets

We didn’t expect to be in Blois this weekend so we’re not sure of the programme. We arrive about 11 am and things are already in full swing. The baker is busy baking, the man who sells Les Grouets biscuits on the market is busy talking, the local caterer is busy selling his wares, the local wine grower is busy pouring glasses of wine and the other female members of the Amis des Grouets association are busy selling loaves of grouetin bread and brioche.

Our neighbours talking to the biscuit baker — Our neighbours talking to the biscuit maker

After talking to the biscuit maker and the wine grower, we make our way to the main tent to buy some bread. We are welcomed by the president of the association who is squeezing an endless succession of limes for the midday apéritif – for all those present, though it’s better if we buy something, he explains.

Some of our neighbours arrive to buy pizzas so we put in an order too. Jean Michel goes off to put the bread and brioche in the car while I continue talking to the neighbours. Then I spy the lilac lady who used to live in our “house of happiness”

The temporary baker discussing his trade

I go over to see her and see exclaims in surprise, “Oh, how lovely ! You said you wouldn’t be here this weekend. Let me introduce you to everyone.” It turns out the baker (who’s not a baker the rest of the time, just the owner of the bread-oven) is her brother.

She then introduces us to her sister-in-law and two nieces who used to live in our little house. She is very generous in her praise of us and tells them all that we are très sympathiques. We recount our lilac story and they soon start reminiscing about the little house and the middle house. We learn that their aunts lived in the house on the other side of ours as well.

Who's for some wine? — Who’s for some wine? And maybe some of that paella?

We all go into the tent for our aperitif and the lilac lady insists that we stay with them. We buy some little freshly-baked bread rolls with rillettes and sardines to go with our lime, sparkling white wine and dash-of-cointreau cocktail. Better not have too many of them!

Somehow the pizza orders have gotten well behind but at 2 pm, we eventually collect ours and take it home to eat in the little house which has taken on a new dimension now that we have met the last people to have lived there!

We’re looking forward to the next event when we’re living full-time in Les Grouets – the end-of-year dinner at the little château at the end of our street. And next year, I’ll be able to take my own bread along to bake as there is little chance of our own bread oven being functional for some time yet!

Aussie in France