France

Archive for 'France'

What to do in Clermont-Ferrand: My Personal Favorites

Posted on 16. May, 2012 by Marie.

After a year living as an expat in Clermont-Ferrand, and despite the daily challenges it implies, I find myself loving the feeling of having a selection of places I already like – knowing exactly what to expect, and that I will have a good time, no matter what. Whether it’s shopping, drinking, hanging out or [...]

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A Year in France

Posted on 14. May, 2012 by Marie.

Apparently, it’s May 14th today. The calendar tells me I’ve been in France for a year now. Has a full year really gone by since I left Montreal? Sometimes I feel like I’ve been there much shorter than that, sometimes much longer. I’m a bit ambivalent when it comes to picking a side to this [...]

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A Rainy Day in Bordeaux, a Photo Essay

Posted on 09. May, 2012 by Marie.

If you’ve been in Europe for the last couple of weeks, you’ve noticed one thing: weather is sh*t. It’s been overcast and rainy for the better part of the last two months, and honestly I wonder what the hell I’m doing in France with piss-poor weather when I could get the same exact thing in [...]

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Exploring Tours, the Loire Valley Capital

Posted on 30. Apr, 2012 by Marie.

Tours was only supposed to be a dinner and a nap, initially. A brief stopover on my way to explore more gorgeous Loire Valley Castles. But as I made my way into the city after visiting Azay-le-Rideau, I quickly realized that despite putting all my resources in planning a realistic and interesting roadtrip focused on [...]

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Traveling in France – My Personal Tips

Posted on 27. Apr, 2012 by Marie.

After spending almost a year living in and gallivanting around France, I have come to learn a few things – some of them the hard way. Whether it’s when I had to fork over 30 euros for having the privilege to park in Paris, or when I was involved in a car accident, there are definitely things everyone [...]

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Scenes From a French Train

Posted on 25. Apr, 2012 by Marie.

When I was invited to visit Catalonia with Charming Villas in February, I had two choices – pay the hefty Air France fee to fly me to Barcelona, or suck it up, keep my money and hop on a 13 hour train journey. After all, isn’t the journey half the trip? Well. I guess it [...]

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Monday’s Postcard: Chaîne des Puys, France

Posted on 23. Apr, 2012 by Marie.

Not so long ago, Auvergne was covered in a delicate white blanket, for the enjoyment of the winter sports amateurs. Spring came, did its job and took the snow away, but the last few weeks have been abnormally cold – so much in fact that the snow is back on the pointy peaks. On my [...]

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Yes… There Are Volcanoes in France!

Posted on 16. Apr, 2012 by admin.

Very few people know that there are volcanoes in France. Volcanoes, not volcano, because it’s actually a chain of 48 different cones and domes. The chain is about 40 kilometers long, and is located right in the heart of the country. The reason why you’ve never heard of them? They’re dormant, and have been since [...]