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France Comes Out of Lockdown

Today Paris, and all of France, comes out of lockdown. The government has relaxed restrictions and you’ll no longer need an attestation (self-written consent form) to leave your home or apartment. The country has been divided into two zones, red and green, determining where the virus is spreading most rapidly. You can view the map here. (Paris is départment 75.) Restrictions vary by zone, but…

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Classic Irish Coffee

Popular legend has it that Irish Coffee was invented in San Francisco, but, of course, it was invented in Ireland at the Shannon Airport. Which was the first place transatlantic flights landed when planes started flying across the ocean, their destination being Ireland. I’m sure the trip took a lot longer than it does now. But it easy to see why the Irish Coffee was…

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Mon Dieu! A Hospitel?

If you’re into staying in odd hotels, the most unusual one in Paris is part of Hôtel Dieu, called Hospitel. Occupying the top floor of Paris’ enormous public hospital, the hotel is adjacent to Notre Dame and features one of the most beautiful hotel lobbies in the world: a sumptuous, verdant courtyard framed by a sprawl of archways. The location of the Hôtel Dieu was…

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Renting an Apartment in Paris

Many visitors to Paris wish to rent their own apartments for a variety of reasons, from wanting to save money, to “living like a local.” In the last few years, Air BnB (started in 2008) and similar rentals have popped up, making a big splash in the Paris rental market. If you’re looking to rent an apartment there are now scores of websites and companies that rent…

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Romantic Restaurants in Paris

“Hmmm. Where would you send someone looking for a romantic dinner in Paris?” One of the questions I’m rather frequently-asked is for romantic restaurant recommendations in Paris. It’s not that I don’t go out to eat. It’s just that I don’t get asked out to romantic restaurants, so I wouldn’t know. Most of the time, I’m lucky if a paramour plops a falafel in my…

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Accessible Travel Tips For Paris

If you’re coming to Paris and have special needs, such as access for a wheelchair, here is a list of resources that will help you plan your trip. Please note that I haven’t used many of these services, especially the tour operators, so ask as many questions of them in advance as you need to get the most information about the services they offer before…

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Velib Bikes in Paris

As part of the mayor’s plan to reduce traffic and congestion, starting July 15th, the city of Paris is commencing with a program called Vélib’ where you can borrow one of their 20,000 low-cost bicycles. The city has installed lots of bike lanes in anticipation, although pedestrians (and dogs) make such frequent use of them that bicyclists usually have a bit of tricky maneuvering to…

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Paris Ice Cream Shops: Les Glaciers de Paris

Here’s my address book for the most popular and some of my favorite places for ice cream in Paris. I recently published an updated list of ice cream shops in Paris=> Here! In addition to these glaciers, some of the pâtisseries make their own exceptionally-good ice cream which they’ll scoop up from freezers parked on the sidewalks outside during the summer. Some of the best…

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Paris Pas Cher: 8 Money-Saving Tips for Paris

When I moved to Paris, I was pretty shocked at how expensive things were. And I don’t mean Louis Vuitton suitcases or Kelly bags. Something as simple as a sponge at the supermarket would cost 4€ or a plastic storage container at the BHV might run you 15€ around here. Ouch! Then I learned about the Paris pas cher stores all over town. Although concentrated…

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