Join us on a photo journey of France, Europe and beyond on our photoblog. Click on the photo or go to: www.france-and-beyond-photoblog.com
Chambery App
If you have an IPhone or IPod and are planning a visit to Chambery, buy my ITunes App. It will walk you through the city of Chambery to each historic landmark with walking directions, history, a map, and narrative. It's just $2.99. Click on the above photo of the elephant fountain for the link to the app.
Travel Resources
Planning a trip to France ? Stay in a Paris apartment during your trip to the city of lights.
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 $7.99. 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.
Visit the Store to buy the e-book for $9.95 or paperback book for $24.95.
Join us on a small group tour of the French Alps June 9 - 16, 2012. 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 hazelnut oils. 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 while enjoying an outdoor aperitif 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 $7.99 and includes a bonus book: The Chambery Guide Book.
Click the photo to buy yours now or go to the Cookbook Page on the Navigation Bar!
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
Videos, photos and posts can be used or posted noncommerically (this means you can't sell my films, photos or put them in or on anything you sell!), but everything must be linked back to this blog and must list me as the creator.
One of my final videos of Florida before returning to France is of the Sand Sculpting Competition at Fort Myers Beach. The Beach had its first World Championship Sand Sculpting Competition this year. It was chosen because it is one of the few beaches in the world that has the ‘correct’ sand to do the sculptures. It was astonishing to see the skill and patience required to create these gorgeous sculptures. It took them several days to complete them. See some of the best, including the winners of the competition.
Every month throughout the year, Fort Myers has a Music Fest in the downtown area. Granted, it’s not like the Fete de la Musique in the towns of France, but it was fun just the same. Fort Myers today is nothing like the Fort Myers I grew up in 50 years ago. It’s almost unrecognizable (thank goodness – it was pretty much farmers and crackers 50 years ago. Salt of the earth folk, but no one I had much in common with). Today it’s very international and even metropolitan in its feel. A sure sign of civilization is when Trader Joe’s opened its first Florida store in Naples, a sister city to Fort Myers. Yippee!
A few days ago you saw the video about the Motorbike Night in Fort Myers. Well, they also have a Classic Car Night occasionally as well. What beauties those cars were! Truly, they are more artworks than cars. Take a look.
We’re having a much earlier interest in our French Alps Tours than in previous years. In fact, we already have five guests confirmed for the June tour and we may stop accepting guests at eight, so I’m giving my readers first chance at signing up for the June trip before my new, upcoming ad campaign hits the magazines. If we have enough interest, we may add on a September tour too, so drop me an email if you are interested. In the meantime, visit our site, see videos about the tour days, read about the stunning itinerary, and hear what others have said about the tour. Take advantage of the de-valued Euro too – the trip costs $350 less than last year!
I want to take a minute to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my readers. I hope this season is peaceful, joyous, and filled with the people you love, and happy events. This year I am spending Christmas with both my husband and my family and with my traditions, so it is particularly special compared to previous years. I want to wish you a joyous season with some footage that I actually took last year in Paris. I was flying out of Paris to Florida on December 15th, 2010 and spent the night in the city. I took advantage of that fact to go to the Champs Elysees in the city center to see the annual light festival. I took video and saved it for this year. I hope you enjoy it and it puts you in the mood to enjoy a magical, joyous Christmas.
This year I am very fortunate in that I get to celebrate Thanksgiving for the first time in four years. And better yet, I get to celebrate it with both my husband and my family here in Florida. It’s always been one of my favorite holidays so I’m very grateful for this opportunity.
I hope you are celebrating with your loved ones and that you find that you have much to be grateful for this year.
The town of Saint Mandrier, which can be reached easily by ferry, sits on the peninsula near Toulon, France. It’s tiny and completely walkable. Besides the boats, there are several cute restaurants and bars to quench your thirst and hunger, and cute little houses you can rent. We had a great dinner at Cote Mer with a fantastic bottle of Provence wine.
I want to take a minute to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my readers. I hope this season is peaceful, joyous, and filled with the people you love, and happy events. This year I am spending Christmas with both my husband and my family and with my traditions, so it is particularly special compared to previous years. I want to wish you a joyous season with some footage that I actually took last year in Paris. I was flying out of Paris to Florida on December 15th, 2010 and spent the night in the city. I took advantage of that fact to go to the Champs Elysees in the city center to see the annual light festival. I took video and saved it for this year. I hope you enjoy it and it puts you in the mood to enjoy a magical, joyous Christmas.
