The French beret, that little pancake of a hat, has become the recognized symbol of all things French – at least among those outside of France…
Tag: France
Carnival Music and Gourds in Nice, France
Every year, the Nice carnival has a different theme, but music is always important…
French Jazz Fans outsmart Hitler
French jazz developed under some interesting circumstances during the Nazi Occupation of World War II….
Blockhead Building gets a Thumbs Up
Normally I’m not a fan of modern architecture. but there are a few modern structures that I really appreciate and one of them is in Nice, France….
French Expressions Pop Up in the Park
Some animal and plant related French sayings illustrated with photos from a day in the park….
Tooth Fairy vs Little Tooth Mouse
There’s no Tooth Fairy in France so who collects the children’s teeth?…
Celebrating the Gourd in Nice, France
Nice, France has a strong and proud culture all its own and the people work hard to keep their Niçois traditions alive….
April Fool or April Fish?
In many countries, the first day of April is a day to play harmless jokes on family and friends. This usually consists of telling a farfetched story in such a way that it sounds like it could be true. When the other person falls for our joke, we exclaim…
Madame Liberté
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognised symbols of the United States. But did you know that Lady Liberty is an immigrant?…
It Pays to be Polite in France
“A cup of coffee” – € 7.00″A cup of coffee, please” – € 4.25″Hello, a cup of coffee, please” – € 1.40 At this café in Nice, France, minding
Three Russian Tsarinas Leave Their Mark on Nice, France
If you can’t make it to Russia, how about a trip to Nice, France? It’s warmer and you can see a lovely Russian cathedral.
Menton, France celebrates the Lemon
They say when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. But what if you are a town on the French Riviera and life gives you extraordinarily delicious lemons?…
Nice, France: Her Relationship with Italy and How She Became French
Normally, I write about the city of Nice, but in this article, when I mention Nice, I am speaking of the historic “County of Nice”
The King Cake holds a Surprise
In France, it’s a tradition to eat pies and cakes containing little “prizes” in January. This practice can be traced back to Roman times and their winter solstice celebration…
Truffle Hunting in Provence
Our wedding anniversary was approaching and when Jeff asked what I wanted, I didn’t hesitate, “I want to go truffle hunting!” Looking a bit puzzled,
Thirteen Desserts? That’s my kind of Meal!
Christmas time in Provence and the south of France is full of traditions and, as with most good traditions, food is usually involved. Miniature wheat
A Girl Called Fanny That no one Wants to Kiss
Recently, when I was at the Christmas “santon” fairs looking at all of the little figures that make up the Nativity scenes in southern
Santons: The Little Saints of Provence
In many parts of the world, Nativity scenes make up a part of the Christmas decoration but in Provence, they are taken to the extreme…
Living the Sweet Life in Nice, France
Do you need to add a little sweetness to your life? I know just where to go for that. One of my favourite places
A River runs through it – well under it Anyway
This weekend I went to the opening of the lovely new ribbon of a park that flows through Nice, France. It is called the “Promenade
Art in the City: The Tramway in Nice, France
A few years ago, I took a course that required me to get up early and catch a bus to another town. Sometimes I would
Liberated, Proud and Glorious
Last weekend, when we went for a walk after sunset, we were surprised to see ostriches strolling along the promenade. Well, they weren’t real ones.
The English Promenade in Nice, France
The Promenade des Anglais, affectionately known as “the Prom”, is one of the most beautiful seaside boulevards to be found and lucky me, I live
Finding the Castle is a Walk in the Park
The news from Nice is… it’s hot! The app on my phone says 28° Celsius (83° Fahrenheit), but I don’t believe it – it feels
A Greek God Just Can’t Get Any Respect in Nice, France
When a powerful Greek deity arrives in Nice, he is ridiculed, humiliated, and banned from the city. If you visit Place Massena, in the very
Socca – A Niçois Superfood
What is this amazing food that has protected the city under siege, nourished the population during peacetime and inspired men to go to extraordinary lengths
Farewell to a French Apartment
The above collage is a selection of lovely bourgeois buildings in the Musicians quarter of Nice, where we used to live. It is called the
Queen Victoria in Nice
Queen Victoria spent her winters on the French Riviera. While there, she could let her hair down and relax, often touring around in a little donkey cart.
What do you mean, you can’t bring it inside???
I was sitting in a folding chair in our empty new apartment waiting for our delivery from Ikea, which was scheduled to come between 1:00
No Kitchen? It’s Perfect!
No one would ever accuse me of being a gourmet chef, or any kind of chef for that matter. Really, I’m pretty much useless in
The Old Town Knows How to Keep its Cool
Saturday we went to a crafts market in Old Nice. We were in an open plaza at midday and the sun was beating down on
May, a Month of Holidays and Festivals in Nice, France
< The month of May can be a frustrating time to be in France. There are 5 public holidays, which makes it difficult to conduct
Happy May Day! Give a Flower to Someone You Love
May 1st is a public holiday in France. It’s called La Fête du Travail, and it’s the equivalent of the US Labor Day. But it’s
Catherine Ségurane: Niçoise Laundress Saves the Day
A 16th century Niçoise laundress chased away the Turkish army and saved the city of Nice, France…
Renting a French Apartment
The Cours Saleya market proved to be the perfect place to go to forget about the stress of trying to rent an apartment here in
British Cannon Fire over the City of Nice
If you have ever visited Nice, France, you may have been startled by a very loud noon time boom. It occurs every day at precisely 12.00 and is a remnant from the Victorian times, when a British wife couldn’t remember to go home for lunch.