France
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Our Settled Life in Lille: A Review (2025–2026)
We moved to Lille in January 2025, and it’s already time to leave (April 2026) because JB was just seconded by his employer… to French Polynesia. Time for a quick review of our life in Lille. JB chose to come to Lille for his career change into cybersecurity, and he picked his current employer knowing there would be opportunities for international mobility. We always hoped and thought our time in Lille would be temporary, but we weren’t sure if mobility would be possible since JB is still a junior in cyber. As I’ve explained before, we managed to rent a fantastic apartment fully furnished and decorated by meticulous, well-traveled owners.…
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Trips to Paris [2026]
I’ve made several very quick trips to Paris over the past two months (sometimes same-day round trips from Lille) and took the opportunity to visit some museums, exhibitions, and see suppliers. Let’s start with the Boulevard de Bonne nouvelle area. I went there to pick up some tailoring sewing supplies from Lafayette Saltiel. And I took the chance to visit Maison Sézane for the first time. It’s a brand I really don’t like, because their fans follow blindly like sheep. I found the place gorgeous, with beautiful ceiling height, plenty of space to move around, look, take photos. I don’t know if the purchase is satisfying, as there seems to…
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[review] Maison & Objet Show Jan. 15-19, 2026
By sheer chance, we’re in the Paris region right when the Maison & Objet showis happening. It’s a very renowned show I’ve wanted to visit for a long time. And by pure coincidence, Carole M. gave me some entrance tickets (thanks!). It’s a trade-only show, but there are still a few private individuals who go. The entrance ticket is quite expensive, so private individuals must be very motivated or get tickets gifted like we did. We park in the car park (3.6€/hour) and take the shuttle that drops us off in front of the entrance to 5A. It’s perfect because that’s the section with fine craft (métiers d’art). On the…
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[review] Custom weekly vegetable baskets – Les Vergers Dupré Vieux-Lille
If, like me, you’re not a fan of vegetables and feel lost in the supermarket produce aisle, you’re not alone. I’ve found that the best way to encourage myself to eat more is to leave my grocery shopping to a professional: my greengrocer. For residents of Vieux-Lille, there’s an excellent option available: Les Vergers Dupré offer personalized fruit and vegetable baskets. This article is not sponsored; I just wanted to give a shout-out to my greengrocer – the shop is new to the neighborhood and many people walk past without realizing it could change their health and life. The concept is simple: you set a weekly budget based on your…
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[review] Eye Appointment for Prescription & Glasses at Alain Afflelou Vieux-Lille
Every now and then, I’m going to write an article about glasses. I wear them less and less because I spend much less time on the computer and it’s rarely sunny in Lille. But since my old sunglasses gave out, I’ve decided to update my prescription glasses and my sunglasses. The main issue is: how to get a prescription without waiting 3 months? If you’re in Lille, I highly recommend my optician Alain Afflelou Vieux-Lille (this article is NOT sponsored, as usual, I pay for everything out of my pocket). I often go there to pick up my Vinted parcels and Charles, the optician, is always smiling and kind. I…
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A Summer in Paris [August 2025]
Another summer where I’m cat-sitting. This time, it’s for friends. Three cats in total. It’s surely my (late) Rosalie who sent them my way. I was looking at Rosalie’s photo, thinking how much I missed her; that being sedentary was useless if you don’t have a cat, etc., when we were asked to take care of the cats during the August holidays. In Paris / Île-de-France. Since JB can work remotely unlimited and I have no geographical constraints, we happily accept. Lille is only a 1h30 train ride from Paris, but it’s quite a hassle to do a round trip in one day when we have quite a few museums…
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[review] Gastronomic restaurant Les Chemins in Guainville (chef Géraud Dupuis)
To celebrate our birthdays, JB booked a gastronomic restaurant an hour from Paris. Note: this article is NOT sponsored, we booked ourselves and paid out of our own pockets. The restaurant is called Les Chemins and is located in the Domaine de Primard, a hotel that is part of Relais & Châteaux. Here’s the hotel. There’s a large outdoor pool, but since we weren’t hotel guests, we didn’t dare go check it out. And here’s the restaurant. JB tells me there’s a “regular” section and a gastronomic section. There’s a single menu. The only choice is between a 5-course or 7-course menu. 7 courses = an extra starter and cheese.…
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[review] Exhibition: Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry at the Château de Chantilly
Apparently, it would be easier to meet the Pope or the President of the United States in person than to see the manuscript Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, carefully kept at the Musée Condé in Chantilly. Even researchers struggle to access this treasure. But we are very lucky because right now an exceptional exhibition is being held dedicated to Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry. This presentation, running until October 5, 2025, is a major event in the world of medieval art. A truly exceptional manuscript finally unveiled Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry represents one of the absolute masterpieces of medieval illumination.…
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The Best Facials & Spas in Paris [2025]
When I had a permanent job in Paris, I was so stressed and tired on weekends that I had to get a massage/pampering every week to relax a bit. And despite myself, I got to try quite a few spas and beauty institutes, plus the gifts people gave me, knowing my habit. I’m going to give you my non-exhaustive list of spas I really loved. Véronique Meissonnier I opted for the bespoke facial at Véronique Meissonier. A massage therapist and physiotherapist by training, she’s part of the French Facialists Club. She was trained by the master of Kobido (an ancient Japanese massage technique). Her one-hour bespoke facial is divine! She…
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Attending an RC Lens match at the Stade Bollaert
A little post to remember it by. A few weeks after attending a Champions League match in Lille, I’m looking into options for attending a match in Lens. Lens is renowned for having one of the best crowds in France, and there aren’t many matches left before the end of the season. I’m targeting the match between Lens and Saint Etienne, scheduled for a Sunday afternoon. Since I don’t drive, this means I can take public transport. My works council occasionally offers tickets for Lens, but unfortunately, this match isn’t included. The Stade Bollaert has a capacity of 38,000, with 29,000 Lens season ticket holders. That leaves only a few…
