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Marriage or PACS? In France Things Are Changing
Here’s a tricky question about French etiquette you may need to know if you’re coming to France. How do you address the female member of a couple who are not married in the classical sense...
Tipping Etiquette in France
Tipping in Hotels
Service is included, by law, in all French restaurants bills. Unlike in the United States, however, where waiters live mostly off tips and receive very low wages (less than the minimum wage),...
French Lesson: Shopping in a French Market
Friendly fruit vendor at Marché d'Aligre. Photo credit joyousx
Your French lesson for shopping in a marché
In French open markets, there is usually a friendly, relaxed and informal ambiance. Les marchands (merchants) often like to...
Paris Plus Size Shopping for Women Size 10 Plus
Finally: Paris retailers have come a long way, baby, in recognizing that over 75% of the women in the Western world are size 10 or larger. Just 10 years ago Paris had few options...
Vanves Flea Market
Whether you’re a passionate collector or merely a lover of whimsical trinkets, a wander through one of Paris’ flea markets will always seduce and enthral. The Paris flea markets originated in the 18th-century when...
Paris Love Locks: A Love That Won’t Die
If you thought romance was passé in Paris, all you have to do is look at Paris bridges to see it is being displayed in full force.
The Paris “love locks” are back.
The love padlocks...
Recipe: Brittany Butter Cake – Gateau Breton
Gâteau Breton ~ Brittany Butter Cake
Brittany is located on the northwest coast of France and has been somewhat culturally and geographically distinct from the rest of the country. Well known for its lace, seaside...
Le Chat Noir: Historic Montmartre Cabaret
Imagine it is November 18, 1881, and you are standing at 84, boulevard de Rochechouart, just below Montmartre, in the cold of night. You hear a commotion in the distance and the sound of...
Material World: Paris Fabric Stores
Paris, home of haute couture, is also friendly toward those who can only manage what might be called basse couture—simple, easy sewing of the most basic kind, like making cushions, tablecloths, bags, or napkins....
Paris Factory Outlet Shopping: La Vallee Village and Marques Avenue Outlets
Factory outlet shopping has caught on in France for the same reasons American shoppers love it: convenience, selection, and, of course, price. For tourists visiting Paris, taking a train or driving out to a...
French Etiquette: A Special Set of Manners
People often ask Bonjour Paris to explain French etiquette—or rather what the French expect people to do and what they definitely do not like. During the 23 years I’ve been...
French Cheese Course: Selection and Etiquette Tips
French Cheese Course:
Selection and Etiquette Tips
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) wrote the most famous book about food ever published: The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy. In fact, it's been in print ever since...