My adventures as an American woman starting life over in the French Alps with videos, photos, recipes, travel tips and observations about life in France
Get my Chambery, France Guide Book free with the purchase of my Cookbook: 'French Comfort Food: Recipes of Savoie and the French Alps.' Get both for only $12.99. Click the photo to get more information or to purchase your books now.
French Tutorial
A basic grammar and vocabulary review of the French language, as well as some informal & slang vocabulary and a special section on vocabulary for English-speaking expatriates living in France. Also included is an appendix on French pronunciation for English speakers as well as IPA transcriptions for most of the vocabulary lists and all of the verb conjugations.
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French Alps Tours
Join us on a small group tour of the French Alps June 4-11 or September 3-10, 2011. I designed this tour to include the best of the region. Wander the Medieval town of Annecy, nicknamed the Venice of the French Alps, and take a boat ride on its crystal blue lake. Do you like pampering yourself on your vacations, then why not spend an afternoon at the Aix les Bains thermal baths inside your lakeside hotel? Are you the adventurous type? Then take a horseback ride in the Alps or fly through the trees at the High Ropes Adventure. Are you a foodie? Taste local chocolates, cheeses, wines and walnut oils. But don't just taste it - cook it too at a cooking class taught by one of Grand Bornand's best chefs and restaurateurs. Are you a history buff? Then satisfy your curiosity at Lyon's Old Town or Vienne's Roman Temple and Forum. Or just enjoy watching the hang gliders and sunset at a catered outdoor dinner on the top of a mountain overlooking Annecy's lake. See you in the French Alps! www.french-alps-tours.com
Alps Cookbook
Get my ECookbook: 'French Comfort Food: Recipes of Savoie and the French Alps.'
51 recipes of the region, collected from friends and local cookbooks. This is the only English language Savoie and French Alps cookbook in print. Only $12.99 and includes a bonus book: The Chambery Guide Book.
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French Comfort Food
Visit my French Comfort Food website for articles, recipes, videos, tips and products about French Food and Wine. Click on the photo or go to www.frenchcomfortfood.com
During my train rides to Menton from Nice, we always passed a lovely seaside town just 10 minutes out of Nice. So when I had a morning free from filming, Bernard and I decided to stop at this beautiful town which was called Villefranche sur Mer. We were not disappointed either. It is one of the most quaint, cozy, and gorgeous towns I’ve ever seen and I instantly fell in love with it. By the price of the housing, I wasn’t the only one. In fact, Tina Turner lives in the town’s hillsides. Visit this charming town with me.
At the same time as the Nice Carnival, Menton holds a Lemon Festival which includes a Parade along the seaside promenade. The nice people at the Tourist office (http://www.feteducitron.com/menton-french-riviera-lemon-festival-uk.html) gave me a Press Pass to film the parade from a high stage so I had a good view. Here are the highlights of the Parade. Put it on your ‘Things to Do’ List!
Menton is 30 minutes by train from Nice. It borders both Italy and Monaco. The population is about 20,000 so I call it a mini-Nice since it has many similar characteristics. One similarity is its Carnival Parade which is part of the annual February Lemon Festival in Menton. It’s a lovely city worth visiting. Here’s an overview video of the city.
Unfortunately, I’m not an independently wealthy person. Far from it. My days of 6-figure salaries ended when I moved to France so I look for travel deals and budget hotels when I travel. I found a great, inexpensive hotel in Nice that I’m happy to recommend for you fellow budget travelers. Hotel Solara (www.hotelsolara.com) was a great find. I did a review about the hotel via video so have a look!
Nice has unlimited numbers of restaurants to choose from and some feature ethnic foods. We decided however to try cuisine local to the region, so we stopped at Nissa Socca, a restaurant featuring Nicoise homemade cuisine served with local wines. It’s located in the Old Town section which is a must see when you visit Nice. The food was good and the prices reasonable. Here’s a quick look at our dinner.
Yes, I’m quite sure you’re sick of seeing this post, but I’m posting it anyway because I’d love a free hotel for a weekend and a few extra bucks, which are the prizes if I win. If you don’t mind putting another check in my box, here’s the link to vote. My video is under the Video of the Month category and is about Villefranche sur Mer. Thanks again, folks!
The night before the Carnival began in Nice, the city was buzzing. Performers filled the streets, everyone was out walking, and the energy was palatable. I took some video during my walk.
Yes, I’m quite sure you’re sick of seeing this post, but I’m posting it anyway because I’d love a free hotel for a weekend and a few extra bucks, which are the prizes if I win. If you don’t mind putting another check in my box, here’s the link to vote. My video is under the Video of the Month category and is about Villefranche sur Mer. Thanks again, folks!