France
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Test & Reviews: Face care at Caudalie Boutique Spa in Paris (France)
This post is NOT sponsored After reading the book by the creator of the Caudalie brand (a bestseller across the Atlantic), I wanted to test their facial care in one of their spas in France. I have already bought their products, they don’t convince me 100%, but there are very good reviews on their spa so I made an appointment for a 50mn treatment. I have chosen Caudalie Boutique Spa rue des Abbesses because I had professional appointments not far away. By booking online (here), I get a discount: a facial at 56€ instead of 80€. Already, I love the neighborhood, but moreover the store is super nice (I put…
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How to attend auctions at Drouot in Paris? (France)
It’s not well known but auctions are public, you can go there to try to get a good deal or just have fun because it’s a show in itself. This is what I decided to do when I went to attend auctions in the mythical Drouot auction room in Paris. How to attend auctions at Drouot? It can seem intimidating at first glance because when you hear about auctions, it’s usually when a Picasso has broken a sales record. You tell yourself that it’s reserved for an elite and that you don’t belong there. Auctions aren’t just about that. At Drouot (located at 9 rue Drouot in the 9th arrondissement…
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Tasting of a French tea time at the Ritz Hotel in Paris (France)
On the occasion of Anh’s birthday, I surprised her by inviting her to discover the French tea time proposed by the hotel du Ritz. For several years now, we have been used to going for a drink in top-of-the-range hotels. If the drinks are of course more expensive than in a classic bar, we appreciate the quietness, the beauty of the decoration and the quality of the service. Today, on our way to the Ritz, it is nevertheless another level that we discover! We arrive at 2:30 pm, time of our reservation made by phone a few weeks earlier. Already, the hotel is located in Place Vendôme, a place reputed…
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How to attend a trial at the new courthouse in Paris (France)?
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. This article is a feedback on attending court hearings. It isn’t impossible that this article contains some errors in vocabulary or on the functioning of the court. If this is the case, please feel free to correct them in a commentary. Why attend court hearings? When I was in high school, a teacher brought our class to attend hearings at the Tours court. I had found it exciting and it triggered a certain fascination for the judicial life and especially for the lawyers whose eloquence always impressed me. Attending a hearing also means trying to better understand our judicial system and fulfill a role…
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Interview with Pooussin, a Personalized Figurines Workshop based in Strasbourg (France)
If you’ve been following the blog for a long time, you know that I’m a big fan of hand-made, DIY, handicrafts etc. When a friend from Strasbourg sent me this album full of photos of mini-figurines made by Pooussin, I fell in love with it. I followed their Facebook page for more than a year and each one of their creations is even better than the previous one It is exclusively that I propose you an interview with Pooussin I hope it will please fans of hand-made, as well as those who are considering opening an online store selling handmade creations Hello Pooussin! Can you tell us more about you…
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Mont-Blanc Climbing Course (France): Practical advice for beginners
The ascent of the mythical Mont-Blanc, who hasn’t dreamt of it? Being the highest summit in Western Europe, Mont Blanc is the dream of beginners and experienced hikers alike. This article lists the practical tips and tricks we have noted for the Mont Blanc course, in case you want to do the same as we do. However, it isn’t complete (we aren’t professionals), so do not hesitate to exchange and ask your guide for advice. When to leave? The ascent takes place from June to the end of September, sometimes even in October. The best time is still June / early July, a period when the weather risk is less.…
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Chamonix – Mont Blanc (France): a summer at the foot of the Mont-Blanc
Since I learned that my red blood cells were at their best after 3 months in altitude in Bolivia and Peru, I decided to live in the mountains at least once a year. And since JB wants to try climbing Mont Blanc again, we decided to spend two weeks in Chamonix Mont-Blanc. JB will make the ascent with his friend Etienne, his brother Vincent and his cousin Diane (stories of their exploits here, here and here), I will stay at the “base camp”. Paris => ChamonixThe train trip is long with 2 changes. Everybody is in charge of hiking and mountain stuff. But at the end, the landscapes are superb.…
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Chamonix-Mont Blanc: 4 summits at the Mont Rose ! (3/3)
Part 1 : Conquering Mont-Blanc from Chamonix Part 2 : Night at the Albert 1er hut and ascent of the Aiguille du Tour (3540 meters) Part 3: 4 summits at Monte Rosa! Monte Rosa is the second highest massif in the Alps after Mont Blanc. It has 10 peaks at more than 4000 meters above sea level Day 8 (Sunday, August 12, 2018): ascent to the Citta di Mantova hut (3,498 m) It’s a hard day to wake up today! If usually the house is active when I come back from the bakery, this morning everyone is still asleep, a sign that the organisms are starting to be marked So…
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Chamonix-Mont Blanc: Night at the Albert 1er hut and ascent of the aiguille du Tour (3540 meters) (2/3)
Part 1 : Conquering Mont-Blanc from Chamonix Part 2 : Night at the Albert 1er hut and ascent of the Aiguille du Tour (3540 meters) Part 3: 4 summits at Monte Rosa! After a few days of preparation all by ourselves, we leave this time with our guide, to climb the Aiguille du Tour which is reputed to be one of the easiest summits of the Mont-Blanc massif. It’s an excellent race for altitude acclimatization and technical preparation Day 6 (Friday, August 10): departure for the Albert 1er hut Today is the real start of our high mountain course. Our guide, Franck (his instagram page), comes to pick us up…
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Conquering Mont-Blanc from Chamonix (France): part 1/3
Part 1 : Conquering Mont-Blanc from Chamonix Part 2 : Night at the Albert 1er hut and ascent of the Aiguille du Tour (3540 meters) Part 3: 4 summits at Monte Rosa! Admiring the legends of mountaineering, I learned a few years ago that the summit of Europe, Mont-Blanc, was accessible for beginners with a good physical condition and a few days of preparation The conquest of Mont-Blanc has since become a fantasy for me So 4 years ago, in July 2014, we spent a week in Chamonix with my brother Vincent and a friend (another Vincent) to do a Mont-Blanc training course Unfortunately, the weather conditions (very bad weather)…
