Sharing parts of its culture with Spain, the Basque region has an atmosphere that stands apart in France. The Côte Basque retains that famous French glamour, but throws in some of Europe’s best surfing, unique cuisine and an unabashed pursuit of pleasure.

For the full experience, you’ll want a car so you can visit all the charming towns (including Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz) and beaches along the coast. However, I’ve also taken the train straight to Biarritz and then used the bus system and walked to visit the surrounding areas and it was great as well.

I would also highly recommend renting a house with friends or an Airbnb apartment over staying in a hotel. It’s a great way to have a pool and grill to share with friends, or stay in Biarritz and feel like you live there.

Finally a note on timing: July and August are high season, which means it is also the most expensive and crowded time. I’ve been in August and it was still fine, but if possible, try to go in June or especially September when the weather is still warm, but you’ll have more peace and save some money on housing.

Here is my guide to Biarritz and the Côte Basque with my favorite places, souvenirs and food:

Beaches

La Côte des Basques Beach – Biarritz
The best beach in Biarritz isn’t La Grande Plage (the main one surrounded by restaurants and hotels), but the more beautiful and surfer-friendly La Côte des Basques Beach at the southern end of town. It’s also a fun place to take a surf lesson, though the water will be more crowded than if you take one further out from town.

Plage du Port Vieux – Biarritz
Small and calm, this beach looks like it’s made up of gemstones instead of sand. There is a rock cliff to jump off of, and it doesn’t disappear during high tide like La Côte des Basques Beach.

Plage de la Petite Chambre d’Amour – Anglet
For a more local feel, head north to Anglet and the Plage de la Petite Chambre d’Amour. Surrounded by restaurants and beach bars, you can surf, swim or sunbath topless, then head to The Beach House (more info below) for an après plage bite.

Plage des 100 Marches – Bidart
This beach in Bidart is a favorite of nudists, perhaps because it feels more private. You do have to hike in a little bit, but it is worth it! A great choice for a long beach walk.

Plage de la Madrague – Anglet
If you’re looking for a quieter spot, this wide, clean and impressive beach in Anglet offers more solitude. A nice choice for families.

Shopping

Espadrilles at Les Sandales d’Eugénie
These basque espadrilles are a must-have souvenir. Choose your shoe fabric, choose a ribbon color, and they will hand sew that ribbon on in the traditional basque style. The process is a joy to watch, the espadrilles are very comfy and are just 25€ a pair. For more see my post on these espadrilles from my French Favorites Series.
18 Rue Mazagran, 64200 Biarritz

Béret at Chapellerie Après La Pluie
The béret originates from the Basque region of France (I learned this on my trip), so you can’t leave without an authentic one made in the traditional fashion. Stop by Chapellerie Après La Pluie to choose between dozens of colors. The brand Elosegui has been making bérets since 1858 and a classic ladies model is 28€.
10 Rue Louis-Fortuné Loquin, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Gateaux basques at Moulin de Bassilour
This traditional cake of the Basque region comes either filled with crème or cerise noires (black cherries — my choice), and Moulin de Bassilour bakery still uses a water-powered mill to grind grain (which you can watch). A charming building and delicious treat.
1129 Rue Bassilour, 64210 Bidart

Macarons basques at Maison Adam
Forget the colorful treats you find at Ladurée — these Basque macarons date back 400 years and are chewy pieces of delight with a slightly almond flavor. The most famous ones come from Maison Adam, which keeps its family recipe a secret.
Two locations in St-Jean-de-Luz and one in Biarritz

Other shopping spots to check out in Biarritz: The Wild Bazar for woven cacti and pom-pom baskets and Bonjour Boutique for beachy home decor.

Restaurants

Seafood, seafood, seafood!

La Cabane à Huîtres
The best seafood I’ve had in Biarritz. My sister and I loved it so much we went twice during our trip. Get the razor clams (couteaux) and scallops (Saint Jacques) and thank me later.
62 Rue Gambetta, 64200 Biarritz

The Beach House
This beach chic restaurant includes a pool, taco truck and superb cocktails. A little north of Biarritz in Anglet (we walked), every corner is Instagrammable and it’s both a family-friendly and party-friendly spot to enjoy après la plage. Make reservations!
26 Avenue des Dauphins, 64600 Anglet

Le Surfing
Along the La Côte des Basques Beach, a perfect place for a surf break or lunch while waiting for the tide to go out. The cold shrimp are the best I’ve ever had in my life.
9 Boulevard du Prince de Galles, 64200 Biarritz

Bahia Beach
Perhaps the most beautiful view you can have while dining in the region, Bahia Beach is a relaxed seafood spot with a killer location just off the sand. Go at sunset and watch the surfers while enjoying fresh chipirons à la plancha. Make a reservation.
Chemin Barognenia, 64210 Bidart

Bar Jean
The French do tapas too! Bar Jean is a Biarritz favorite for its fun ambiance. I recommend for after dinner, to continue the party with a sangria and fried sardines.
5 Rue des Halles, 64200 Biarritz

Pil Pil Enea
For homestyle, classic Basque dishes away from the tourist track in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Order the seafood soup and fish with poivrons sauce, or call the day before to reserve a seafood stew for two.
3 Rue Salagoity, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Maison Dezamy
Ice cream heaven — on my last visit to Biarritz we went three times in six days. Located right next to the Biarritz market.
11 Rue des Halles, 64200 Biarritz

Activities / Sights

Surfing
If you have a board (and the skills) you can surf at most any beach. Some have lifeguards, others don’t. And some have designated areas for surfing or swimming, so be sure to mind the signs. For lessons, there are many options in Biarritz at La Côte des Basques Beach, but for more room in what is considered the best surf stretch in Europe, head up north to Hossegor.

Biarritz Seaside Walk
Take the lovely coastal walking path from the lighthouse heading up to la Grande Plage, stopping along the way to see the Rocher de la Vierge, the sweeping views of the waves and the glamorous Hôtel du Palais.

Biarritz Market
A visit to Les Halles de Biarritz is a great way to peep the local products all in one place. Pick up fresh local seafood, produce, cakes, a new dress, home-goods and more. I loved going in the late morning to put together a picnic basket to take to the beach.

Have you visited the Côte Basque? What were your favorite places and activities? Leave a comment and share!

Château de Courcelles

I’d had my eye on Château de Courcelles for about a year. My husband brought it to my attention last summer, and I’d been plotting how to get there ever since. Tip: Château de Courcelles is part of the Relais & Châteaux network, which sells coffrets cadeaux (gift packages). Many big French companies offer discounts on these boxes for their employees through their CE, and we were able to get one this way.

At less than two hours driving from Paris, on the road to Reims in the Champagne region, transportation wasn’t tough to figure out — but I became obsessed with having perfect weather to take advantage of the pool, tennis and trails. After cancelling a reservation last year due to poor weather, I was counting on June to be kinder.

Courcelles has a storied history. Built around the same time as the Palace of Versailles, the château boasts similar design and decor features. And many famous guests have roamed the grounds — Voltaire, Jean Cocteau, Christian Dior, even Napoleon, who met his second wife Marie-Louise here. It was occupied by the Germans during both World Wars and was later owned by an American winemaking family from Napa Valley, but eventually, in 1989, was reborn as a four-star hotel.

I had whipped myself into a château frenzy by the time we arrived, so admittedly my expectations were high. But every aspect — from the room, to the service to the meals — surpassed them. From our room on the top floor we had a sprawling view of the property on two sides, and we filled our two days with swims, tennis, hikes and plenty of champagne.

The little things made the experience extra special — the private seating nooks scattered about the property, the thoughtful lighting, the ironed table clothes, or my favorite: a charming breakfast carousel for presenting pastries. And I always appreciate a noon checkout that allows for a leisurely breakfast and pool time in the morning.

Sadly, I couldn’t move in, and we eventually had to bid Château de Courcelles adieu. There was a Part II of our adventure and it involved even more champagne.

Visiting the Champagne Region by car

I had been to the Champagne region with my sister last summer, but without a car, so we had to limit our adventure to where the train could take us. This time, I wanted to explore smaller villages that were inaccessible during that journey.

This is how we ended up in one of the most charming French villages I ever did see — Hautvillers. Snuggled between Reims and Epernay, Hautvillers is up on a hill as its name implies (high village), and looks straight out of a movie. Look for the intricate iron signs outside buildings that signal the profession, nationality or passion of the resident. This village is a must visit, and I wish we could have spent a night there as well.

To further our Champagne education, we stopped at the grande marque Taittinger in Reims in order to see the historic caves. But I was more looking forward to our second Champagne producer visit, Cité du Champagne in the village of Aÿ, which is a cooperative winery that provides the grapes for Champagne Collet.

I used Rue des Vignerons to book the visit, which is a bit like Tripadvisor for wineries. It lets you see reviews, search by location and language, and book your visit (you pay at the winery, not on the website). If you don’t know where to start with finding producers to visit, Rue des Vignerons is a great reference for wineries across France.

My husband was already a fan of Champagne Collet (especially the blanc de blanc) but the brand was new to me. Before our tour, I also never knew there was a Champagne revolt in 1911 in which winemakers and workers protested in the streets to demand better protections. Out of this the first winegrowers’ cooperative was born, called COGEVI, which allowed members to work together to produce wine and share resources and facilities. Think of it as a sort of union for winegrowers that gave them collective bargaining power. This group sparked the creation of Champagne Collet. Cité du Champagne is their compound, surrounded by vines, and houses the cooperative’s cellars and machinery and the tasting room of Champagne Collet. There is also a really fun museum of tools and equipment used to farm and collect champagne grapes through the decades.

In addition to the history and champagne making process, the tour also includes a lot of information on wine production in France, putting the country’s industry in a global perspective. It’s especially nice to be able to see the actual vines that are used in the process — something you don’t get to experience at the big brands.

Finally, our guide led the tasting and told us more about the entire collection of Collet champagnes. We left with a bottle of brut and a blanc de blanc, which we will keep in our own personal cave (aka under the bed) until the day when we want to be transported back to our charming champagne weekend.

For more on the Champagne region, check out my post on my first trip with my sister:
Your Perfect Champagne Region Itinerary — Two Days of Bubbly without a Car

Rosie from Not Even French and I put our heads together to come up with a list of the biggest faux pas, clichés and cultural misunderstandings we anglophones make with French people.

We’ve both put our pieds in our mouths at a few dinner parties, so take it from us and avoid these topics:

“You’re French? I love Paris!”

Only two million of France’s 67 million residents live in Paris, and many from outside the city don’t have a great opinion of Parisians. So while you may love Paris, French people don’t appreciate all being lumped together, or the assumption they all live in the capital city. Regional pride is huge in France. Each département has its own cuisine, culture and history and to immediately ask about Paris can feel like you are ignoring their heritage. Better to ask, “what region of France are you from?” first.

“Your accent is sooooo cute!”

Some French people are sensitive about their English skills, and pointing out their accent can feel like a dig, even if your comment is well intentioned. French education focuses a lot on reading and writing — so for example, while my husband studied English for nearly a decade in school, he hardly spoke it until he did an exchange program in Canada. And often their English teachers in French public schools aren’t native speakers, so they are learning from someone with a French accent.

“Ew, you eat that?”

Snails, glands, organs — French people enjoy foods you may find different from your cuisine back home. But calling it gross just makes you look uncultured and rude. I once accidentally ate veal kidneys at my work cafeteria, and when I made a comment about how weird it tasted to my coworkers, they told me even kids eat rognons de veau at school. It made me look childish!

“So, what do you do for a living?”

Talking about money is a huge faux pas in French culture. And by asking about someone’s job, it can be taken as being nosy about how much money they make. There is a strong Catholic influence on the country’s overall attitude toward wealth, and flashiness or obvious displays of money aren’t appreciated. French people also rarely consider work the most interesting thing about them, and it’s not uncommon to spend a whole evening with someone and not discuss their job.

“I love your home/car/bag, it’s so nice. How much did you pay for it?”

This goes in the same bucket of money sensitivity. Asking how much something cost can be seen as gauche or trying to figure out if someone is wealthy. And being overly complimentary is something French people make fun of Americans for (a French person impersonating an American will say: “That’s so amaaaaazing!”). The exception to the rule of money talk? Taxes. Complaining about taxes is a national sport.

“Everyone knows French people don’t like to work.”

French people hate the cliché that they are lazy and always on strike. Yes, they enjoy more protections for workers and vacation time than in many other countries, but France has the 6th largest economy in the world, so they must be doing something right. Protests and strikes are a part of the culture (and they are very good at it), but in fact Canadians go on strike more. Plenty of French people work overtime and are ambitious, and even joking that they are lazy can upset people.

“You know you’d be speaking German if it wasn’t for us Americans.”

Not only is this historically iffy — it’s très rude. Ditto with the “French love to surrender” and wave the white flag references. In general, jokes about the World Wars are better left alone, as Europeans are still sensitive about this period of their history. Best to be respectful.

“Are you religious?”

Faith and prayer are very private here. France is a majority Catholic country, but there is a peculiar dichotomy between religious beliefs and society. The public sphere and religion are supposed to be entirely separate, a concept called laïcité (or secularism). Because Catholic holidays and traditions are so wrapped up in French culture the reality is less so, but religion in general is not a topic to bring up with people you don’t know well. There is no prayer in school, or public worship the way you see in America, though it seems every street, town and dessert in France is named after a saint.

“Who did you vote for?”

The French love to discuss politics and policy, but the specific candidate someone votes for is held close to the vest. It isn’t uncommon for even family members not to know. Because there are more political parties than in the U.S. it isn’t always easy to tell who someone supports, and there isn’t a culture of displaying your political preferences with t-shirts or bumper stickers.

“Hello!” without even trying “Bonjour!”

Walking up to a French person and starting with English is a sure-fire way to piss off or confuse them. Even if you switch to English after, a “bonjour” when you enter a shop or approach someone is considered the most basic of courtesies in France.

“You know those French men, they all cheat.”

In reality, French men don’t cheat any more than in other countries, though French culture is a bit less puritanical about sex in general. When I first moved to Paris, I showed some of my husband’s friends a video of Pepé Le Pew, the cliché Frenchman in a cartoon form. Unsurprisingly, none of them found the portrayal as a smelly, groping skunk funny.

“Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?”

Just don’t. You aren’t the first (or millionth) person to make this joke and they don’t think it’s funny.

Have something you’d add to this list? A story about a faux pas you made? Leave a comment and share!

And if you want to learn more on the truth about French clichés, check out this popular post: Do French People Really Wear Berets? French Clichés Investigated

“What better way to see Provence?” she campaigned. “We won’t be crazy. We’ll figure out a flat, easy route and stop a lot along the way.” I remained skeptical.

It was the discovery of a 2009 New York Times article in which a man and his girlfriend biked alone in Provence that changed my mind. Sure, they used a tour company that picked up their luggage and provided maps and support. But if they could do it just the two of them, surely we could figure this out on our own? Okay, let’s do it. It will be an adventure!

Using their trip as a starting point, my sister and I researched flat paths, booked hotels, reserved our bikes, printed maps and headed down to Avignon as a starting point. We embarked with everything for three days in our backpacks and my intermediate French designating me the de facto leader.

Fast forward three days. Dirty and giddy at the Avignon train station, we can’t say the trip was exactly seamless — but it sure was an adventure. Okay, we had to be rescued at the end (more about that later), but we discovered places we never would have sans vélo and there was definitely some sister bonding.

In case you’re interested in doing a similar trip, I’m sharing our successes and failures so you can build off our experience.

DAY ONE: Avignon to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

After some sightseeing and a spectacularly cozy lunch at Le Coude à Coude, we were off to pick up our bikes. Provence Bike is conveniently located near the Avignon center train station, and on the southern edge of the city, which is the direction we were headed. Our bikes were just 35€ each for the three days.

The owner seemed skeptical of these two American girls who didn’t seem to know the first thing about the bikes and refused saddle bags to hold their backpacks — our first mistake of the trip. But with a (sarcastic?) “bonne chance!” he sent us off onto our adventure.

Getting out of Avignon sucks. You have to bike down busy roads and over a bridge with the famously-strong Provence winds whipping you. But once you hit the smaller road and bike route, it was some of the prettiest scenery of the whole trip. Take route D34A and follow the green signs with the cyclist on it. Including stopping for photos and ten minutes of going the wrong way, it took us about two hours to get down to our hotel outside Saint-Rémy.

We stayed at Le Mas des Figues. (A “mas” is a provincial farmhouse — you’ll see the word everywhere in the region.) I would reccommend — the place is charming and the gardens are full of the owner’s artwork and the breakfast is glorious. However it is a 20 minute bike ride outside of town, so do keep that in mind.

DAY TWO: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to Fontvieille to Arles

Waking up on day two, we became aware of our biggest error of our adventure: not dressing properly. In my head, 2-3 hours of biking a day was a cinch and I could do it in jeans. Not the best choice. We were experiencing some butt soreness, and I regretted blowing off a friend’s recommendation that I purchase some padded bike shorts. But we had no choice but to power through the discomfort and forge on.

We were lucky to be in Saint-Rémy on Wednesday morning for the Grand Marché Provençal, which was a highlight of the trip. We chained the bikes to a pole and feasted our eyes on the olives, herbs, honey and other local treats. We also purchased more than we should have considering we were carrying everything on our backs like mules.

More experienced and pain-tolerant bikers would at this point head to the lovely village of Les-Baux-de-Provence. But Les-Baux is on the top of a hill, and we were sticking to “flat as a crêpe” routes. So we instead went around the Alpilles hills, biking on the vieux chemin d’Arles. Along the way, we rolled up to Mas Carlin, a tiny independent winery run by a lovely older French lady who was very sweet to these two sweaty Americans who knocked on her door unannounced. I added a bottle of wine to my increasingly heavy backpack. (If you don’t speak French, try Domaine Dalmeran which has English-speaking staff.)

Next stop: Château d’Estoublon, famous for producing the best olive oil in France. We took route D32 to D33, then merged onto the unpaved chemin de Saint-Jean to make our way to the fancy château. We partook in olive oil and wine tastings (both free of charge) before buying even more heavy stuff to put in our backpacks (we never learn). In spite of our somewhat raggedy appearance, the staff was extremely nice to us and encouraged us to take a walk around the grounds to view the olive trees, vines and chapel.

At this point we made our way to the city of Arles, but if I had to do it again, I would have skipped this town and headed closer to the twin villages of Beaucaire and Tarascon. Arles is stressful to bike in and out of and isn’t nearly as charming as the small villages in the region.

DAY THREE: Arles to Beaucaire to Avignon

I will gloss over Arles and our less-than-enjoyable journey out of the town and take you straight to Beaucaire and Tarascon, which are little gems on either side of the Rhône river. Boasting dueling castles, these two villages offer sweeping views of the river and cobblestone streets to meander through. Tarascon is also the home of the Tarasque — a mythical turtle-esque monster that, legend has it, ate people, sunk ships and terrorized the village until being tamed by Saint Martha. There is a great statue of this guy outside the castle.

In Beaucaire we also had the best meal of our trip at L’epicerie De Cecile. While enjoying the decor and ambiance of a friend’s provincial kitchen, we ate like kings for a grand total of 33€, including wine. A must-visit.

From here we began our final, ill-fated leg of the trip. From Tarascon to Avignon take routes D183 and D183A to D35 which will take you just south of Avignon. Or it could take you to the village of Barbantane, which is where our journey met it’s untimely end.

Just 30 minutes out from success, my sister started lagging badly behind me. I pulled over and yelled at her to pick up the pace. She shouted back, “it’s gotten so hard for some reason!” and I knew this couldn’t be good. Low and behold, her front tire was completely flat. After a failed attempt to pump it back up and an incredibly embarrassing attempt to patch the outside of the tire, I anxiously weighed my options on the side of the road…with an hour to go before the bike shop closed:

1. Watch a YouTube video on how to fix a bicycle tire and hope I have supernatural talent to master it on the spot.
2. Hitchhike.
3. Call the bike shop and sound pathetic and hope they will rescue us.

After my sister howled in opposition to hitchhiking, and I realistically appraised the likelihood of me changing a bike tire for the first time in my life, I made the call. In my frantic French, I explained the situation and where we were, and waited for a rescue.

Luckily we were only a 20 minute drive away from the bike shop. The co-owner who picked us up gave us a light chastising for renting bikes without knowing how to change a tire, but she was sympathetic to our plight and generously dropped us at the Avignon TGV station. The bike company also didn’t charge us a rescue fee, which was very nice of them (merci Provence Bike!).

We biked nearly 100 miles in three days, only to fail just six miles from our destination. Still, we felt proud of ourselves and our ability to tackle this trip all on our own. And so, with the bikes forever behind us, we said cheers to our victories and defeats.

LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES

• Athletic wear and padded shorts are your friend, even on short bike trips.
• Learn how to change a tire if you are planning to go it alone.
• Don’t be a hero and carry all your stuff on your back. Pony up the extra 10€ for the saddle bag.
• I would recommend getting a mount for your phone to put on the bike. We had to stop more because I needed to pull my phone out of my bag to check we were on the right path still.

WHAT WE GOT RIGHT

• We didn’t go in July or August, the months that are the most busy, expensive and hot. June and September are popular biking months — but October is still a great time to go.
• Do stay on small roads as much as possible. It may take longer, but it will be much more enjoyable and show you the quaintest parts of Provence.
• Leave yourself time to take detours, stop for pictures and enjoy the scenery. No point in doing a trip like this if you have to rush the whole time.
• WEAR SUNSCREEN. You will be in the sun a lot on these roads.
• Eat and drink like a local. Taste the local wines and enjoy the local dishes — all of which are very herbal and feel like home-style country meals. Save the fussy, fancy restaurants for another trip.

Have you biked in Provence? What was your experience like? Leave a comment and share your route!

A friend first gifted me a pair last summer after she visited Biarritz, but couldn’t remember the name of the shop where she got them. So when I took my own trip to the Côte Basque this September, finding them again was at the top of my agenda. Not many places hand-sew on the ribbons like this, but I got lucky and Les Sandales d’Eugénie was just the third shop I popped into.

Here’s how it works: Choose your shoe fabric from an array of colors and stripes. Then pick out a ribbon color, and they will hand sew that ribbon on in the traditional basque style. See a snippet for yourself in this video I shot:

Espadrilles will forever be tied to the Basque Country and Catalonia, and have humble roots. Before becoming the it-shoe of the summer for French fashion girls, they started as peasant footwear all the way back in the 1400s (wealthy people wore leather shoes). As Basque soldiers battled for Catalan independence, they continued to wear espadrilles, in lock step with the working-class people they were fighting for. In the time since, espadrilles have become popular across the globe — from freedom fighters to presidents to celebrities.

The traditional color combination is bright white with a red ribbon, but I find that a little too costumey for everyday wear. I went with off-white and a tan ribbon to replicate the ones my friend bought me, but any combination your heart desires is possible.

There are also multiple ways to sew the ribbon on, or you can choose a thicker ribbon just goes around the opening of the shoe so you don’t have to tie it at the ankle to wear.

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Biarritz, be sure to stop by Les Sandales d’Eugénie | 18 Rue Mazagran, 64200 Biarritz. At just 25€ a pair there, you can afford to buy two (I did!) or as gifts for family and friends. Check hours, because the shop takes a sieste in the middle of the day for lunch.

Do you know of another shop that sews the ribbons on this way? Or have another interesting story about these shoes? If so, please share with me by leaving a comment!

For my sister’s annual trip to visit me in France, we wanted to go someplace new to both of us. She is a champagne fiend. Loves the flavors, sense of celebration and the ceremony around each bottle. So the Champagne region was a no-brainer.

Less simple was figuring out how to properly visit without a car. I don’t have a French drivers license yet, my sister hits everything that stands still, and neither of us can drive stick. So train it was! (If you do have a car, also check out my other post on visiting the Champagne region par voiture.)

The immediate upside of not having a car is the ability to taste as much champagne as you like without having to worry about who will drive. But even without a car we were able to get a real feel for the region and buy all the champagne we wanted.

Voilà! Your perfect, car-free itinerary — but even with a car you won’t want to miss these spots:

DAY 1: Épernay

Épernay is considered the “capital” of the Champagne region. Not because of its size — it is a small town — but because of the density of the champagne industry and how many residents work in it. Épernay is home to the Avenue de Champagne (the most expensive avenue in the world) and world-famous producers such as Moet and Perrier-Jouët.

• Take a morning train from Paris to Épernay. Around a dozen SNCF trains depart daily from Gare de l’Est to Épernay, including direct options. One-way tickets are around 25€. Enjoy those French countryside views of the vines you will soon be drinking from.
   
• First stop, C. Comme. Kick off your trip with a flight of champagnes and a lesson in flavor and varieties. This tasting room and wine cellar carries only small producers, so you’re guaranteed to try something new.
  The six glass tasting is thoughtfully designed to expose you to the three main champagne grapes (chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier), different crus, and the two ways of making rosé champagne. The owner also told me he makes a point to choose champagnes from producers who are good people. The staff is friendly, speaks English and will happily answer all your questions no matter how basic.
  The decor may not be chic, but this place was a highlight of our trip. My sister fell in love with one champagne we tried, and we left with a fizzy buzz and five bottles. | 8 Rue Gambetta, 51200 Épernay, opens at 10am most days.
   
• Next, walk just a few minutes to lunch at La Grillade Gourmande. Excellent service meets deliciously grilled meats. Sit in the garden and order the whole sea bass, a half bottle of bubbly, and finish up with the strawberries and rosé champagne sorbet. | 16 Rue de Reims, 51200 Épernay 

• Drop your bottles back at your hotel: Parva Domus and Magna Quies bed and breakfasts are my recommendation. Located right on the Avenue de Champagne, these two family-owned private homes have been converted into charming guesthouses. Rooms start at 140€ for two people and include breakfast. | 27 and 49 Avenue de Champagne, 51200 Épernay
   
• It’s champagne producer tour time! An important part of visiting the region is learning about the traditional process of making champagne, viewing the caves and basking in the fanciness of the “Grandes Marques” — the big champagne brands. Oh and tasting the producer’s champagne of course.
  If you’re not sure which producer to choose, the website Rue des Vignerons is a bit like Tripadvisor for French wineries. It lets you search by location and language, see reviews and then book your visit on the spot (you pay at the winery, not on the website). We chose Moët & Chandon, but there are many to pick from and Mercier is another popular one in Épernay. Book ahead, because the tours do sell out. | RueDesVignerons.com | Moët et Chandon, 20 Avenue de Champagne, 51200 Épernay

• Champagne nap.
   
• Dinner and another bottle of champagne. Three great choices: Chez Max, La Table Kobus, and Les Berceaux (one star restaurant). If you visit in the summer, make sure the restaurant you choose is open because many places close for vacations.
  

If we had another day in Épernay, I would have loved to rent bikes and visited the nearby village of Aÿ, which is a 15 minute ride away (just 5 minutes by train) and has some great small producers.

DAY 2: Reims

Reims (for some reason pronounced Rah-ince) is a medium-sized city, and chock full’o’champagne and history. For more than one thousand years French kings were crowned at its impressive Cathedral. The city was severely bombed by the Germans during WWI, and people used the underground champagne cellars as shelters — living, schooling and even giving birth in the caves.

• After a delicious breakfast at the hotel in Épernay, hop on the train to Reims. Enjoy those views of the vines. Tickets around 7€ and ride is 25 minutes.

• You bought all that champagne in Épernay, now you need somewhere to store your bags while touring Reims. Enter NannyBag. For 6€ per bag you can stash your stuff in a hotel baggage room right outside the main train station. You have to make a reservation online in advance.
   
• Pick up some champagne chocolates at La Petite Friande. Shaped like little corks and covered in gold foil, these chocolates pack a bubbly punch. A perfect gift that’s much easier to transport than an actual bottle. | 15 Cours Jean-Baptiste Langlet, 51100 Reims

• Visit the majestic Cathedral, one of the best in France. | Place du Cardinal Luçon, 51100 Reims
   
  
• Lunch at Cafe du Palais. This art deco, almost kitchy French bistro combines local products and excellent service. Order the Assiette La Champenoise (the Reims ham is a treasure) and a half (or whole) bottle of the house champagne. | 14 Place Myron Herrick, 51100 Reims

• Visit a champagne producer. Time for a little more champagne education. We chose Lanson, one of the oldest producers, which gave a great nose-to-tail view of the process (including vines). Very interesting to see the caves where people took shelter during WWI. Note that Lanson is about a 25 minute walk from the Cathedral. Tattinger is another producer with very impressive caves, and of course Veuve Clicquot is a very popular choice. | Champagne Lanson, 66 Rue de Courlancy, 51100 Reims
    
  
• Depending on when you are leaving, have dinner at Brasserie Le Jardin, the Michelin star garden restaurant of the seriously fancy Les Crayeres domaine. The “Menu Le Jardin” is 31€ — reservation suggested. | 7 Avenue du Général Giraud, 51100 Reims
     
  
• Or have a final glass of champagne before catching the train at Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage. | 16 Place du Forum, 51100 Reims
    
  
• Evening train back to Paris. TGV direct to Paris in 45 minutes for around 15€. Note: last trains are usually around 8pm or 9pm.

Want to read more about visiting the Champagne region? Check out my other post: La Vie de Château: A French Weekend in the Champagne Region

At the crossroads of London and Paris, the northern beach town of Le Touquet was developed to cater to both British and French tourists. While the village had its heyday during les années folles after WWI, it remains a quaint seaside town popular with the well-to-do retired crowd, as well as the place where President Macron and First Lady Brigitte got married and continue to vacation.

If you’re never heard of Le Touquet, you’re not alone. Though it’s full name is Le Touquet Paris-Plage (because of the large influx of Parisians visiting), it is less famous than the other close-to-Paris-seaside-town of Deauville to the south in Normandy. There are loads of British tourists, but I only heard an American accent one time in the two days we visited.

Just across the England Channel, Le Touquet has a lot of obvious British influence. In fact, it’s been called by French writers “a piece of England lost on the coast of Boulogne among the pines.” (Un morceau d’Angleterre égaré sur la côte boulonnaise parmi les pins.)

James Bond fans may be tickled to know that Le Touquet was the inspiration behind the fictional French town of Royale-les-Eaux in Casino Royale. Ian Fleming wrote part of the book here and the James Bond actors Roger Moore and Sean Connery were also fans. Serge Gainsbourg got his start playing at the club Flavio, and stars from Oscar Wilde to Kiki Montparnasse to Marlene Dietrich came to see and be seen.

If you’re looking for very upscale, I would head to Deauville. But Le Touquet is a great choice for a short escape if you want to feel like you’re in France’s version of Nantucket, eat some amazing bottomless fish soup and kick back on a relaxed beach.

WHEN TO GO

Le Touquet is a very seasonal town. Even in early June some of the restaurants aren’t open yet. July and August are the high season with festivals and events happening every weekend. During the week will be more calm, but if you want to be there with the hustle and bustle, go on the weekend (though it will be more expensive also). We went during the week as we preferred some calm.

WHERE TO STAY

Le Westminster: The last historic hotel left in Le Touquet (and all of Northern France in fact), it is also home to one of the best restaurants in France, Le Pavillion, if you care to be fancy. There are some quirks to the place, and some aspects could use some TLC, but it is a lovely hotel full of history. The art deco elevator is a treat, along with the wall of famous faces who visited. The pool, sauna and spa are nice additions, but for the most part the hotel doesn’t have modern amenities such as AC and a gym. Pricey, but if you can swing it, this is the place to stay for the history.

WHERE TO EAT

It’s all about the seafood in Le Touquet, but you have to have some sweets on vacation too. Tip: Though you’ll see it on a lot of menus, I would skip the Welch, a regional dish of beer soaked bread covered in cheese. Too much excellent fish to enjoy.

Restaurant Perard: Three words: bottomless fish soup. Everything we had at this upscale eatery was excellent, but the fish soup is what they are famous for, and with reason. You can buy it to take away if you fall in love like we did. At lunch, have a seat at the bar for a seafood platter, and in the evening go to the main restaurant and dig into a bouillabaisse for two with lobster complete with bibs. End with the strawberries and chantilly, then waddle to your hotel.

Au Chat Bleu: The original location of this chocolate shop, the signature bonbons are heavenly.

Aux Mignardises Saint Jean: I’m still dreaming of the crêpe I had here, which may be the best I’ve ever had. Saddle up to the outside window and order the suzette, which comes with an delectable orange creme and a healthy pour of Grand Marnier on top.

Le Matisse: Excellent choice for mussels on a terrace. Curry mussels are always my favorite, but the classic was great too.

ACTIVITIES

• My main goal was to lay in the sun, which you can do at any spot along the beach. We posted up at a small beach club so we could have a chair and drinks as well, but the sand is clean and lovely across the entire beach.
• Depending how sporty you are feeling, there is a tennis club, several pine forest hiking trails and multiple golf options in the area.
• There are many architectural gems in town, including the town hall (le mairie) where President Macron got married, the gardens and the residential area near Le Westminster. Download the town’s app for maps of where to find the sights. You can rent bikes to zip around town or walk if you have more time.
• We weren’t there on a Sunday, but the market is beautiful even when not bustling with its vaulted roof and clock tower.
• Feeling lucky? There are several casinos in town to play out your James Bond fantasy.
• Seal spotting in the late afternoon is possible with an hour or so hike along the pine forest near the beach.

Have you visited Le Touquet? What was your experience and (most importantly) where did you eat? Leave a comment and share!

Tarte Tropézienne

The famous tarte of Saint-Tropez was named by French legend Brigitte Bardot herself and evokes the rich, dreamy days of the French Riviera in the 1950s.

A Polish baker named Alexandre Micka opened a pâtisserie in Saint-Tropez and created the Tropézienne in 1955 by filling a traditional brioche with custard and whipped creme, then coating the whole thing in hard crystallized sugar. The young Bardot was in town filming a movie, loved the dessert, dubbed it the Tarte Tropézienne and another legend was born.

Where to buy: The original recipe is still a secret so if you want the real thing you must go to the bakery that started it all, now known as La Tarte Tropézienne. There are locations across France (including Paris), but if you are in Saint-Tropez stop by the one that started it all on Traverse des Lices.

Kouign Amann

Imagine a giant croissant. Now roll that croissant up into a cake. Now drench it in butter. Voila, the Kouign Amann!

The name itself means ‘butter cake,” so there’s no doubting the main flavor. The Kouign Amann originates from the 1800s in Brittany, France and the name comes from the Breton language words for cake (kouign) and butter (amann). Pronunciation sounds like “queen a-mon” for those wondering. The layers of flaky pastry and butter are a truly indulgent experience.

You can find this devilishly delicious treat in a little single size or as a full cake. I have a hard time finishing even a small one on my own due to the rich taste, so I suggest buying one to share. The original is of course butter flavored, but you can find an array of other flavors such as pistachio, chocolate and fruit versions as well.

Where to buy: Maison Georges Larnicol — this Breton sweets shop is a feast for the eyes. Locations across France including three in Paris. Their mini-Kouign Amann is called a “kouignette.”

Paris-Brest

The story goes that this dessert was invented in 1910 by pastry maker Louis Durand to commemorate a bicycle race that went from Paris to the town of Brest in northwest France, and back again. The round shape imitates a bicycle wheel, and it became popular with race competitors because it is highly caloric (like all French desserts, welcome to my life).

Paris-Brest is made from choux pastry (pâte à choux, the same basis for an eclair or cream puff) and filled with praline-flavored cream. It is often topped with powdered sugar and almonds.

Despite not being as well-known outside of France as some other pastries, it is one of the most popular desserts in the country.

Where to buy: You can find the Paris-Brest at most bakeries in France, but for an exceptional experience head to La Pâtisserie des Rêves which has four locations in Paris, with outposts in Tokyo, Milan and Abu Dhabi as well.

Clafoutis

Many cultures have a custard/flan style dessert — clafoutis is the French version and damn it is delicious. It can be made with a number of fruits, but hands down the best is clafoutis aux cerises — the black cherry type common in the summer. Careful the French include the pits for flavor!

I first discovered this dessert because my mother-in-law makes it at home, and it quickly became one of my favorites. The chewy and creamy texture combined with the sharp sweetness of the cherries can’t be beat.

Where to buy: In Paris, Gérard Mulot is often cited as the best in the city and has three locations.

Chouquette

Besides being the cutest named treat in France, chouquettes are airy little pockets of sweetness. Good luck eating just one!

Enjoyed more as a snack than a dessert, the chouquette is not filled, just sprinkled with large chunks of sugar. They look like cream puffs, but once you fill them with cream they become choux à la crème, and it is much harder to eat a dozen of those in one sitting.

Where to buy: Chouquettes are simple can be found in most bakeries, often in bags of 10 or so near the register. The French newspaper Le Figaro says the best in Paris are at Pain Pain bakery and la Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac.

Pièce montée (or Croquembouche)

This French celebration cake is traditionally for weddings, baptisms and other special events. The first time I saw one was at the first French wedding I attended and I immediately fell in love. It didn’t hurt that the cake had fireworks on it.

A tower of cream puffs filled with flavors such as vanilla, chocolate and coffee, it is often decorated with spun caramel, flowers or fruit. Inside France it is usually called pièce montée but you’ll also see it referred to as a croquembouche, especially outside of France.

Where to buy: Your best bet is to get invited to a French celebration, as I doubt you’re going to buy a 150€ specialty order cake to eat alone. Otherwise, you can get the taste by enjoying some choux à la crème, which is what the tower is made of.

What’s your favorite dessert or pastry you discovered in France? Leave a comment and share!

Before meeting my husband I didn’t really like cheese, which is basically grounds to get me kicked out of France. But over the years I have learned to appreciate cheese and picked up the social know-how that doesn’t require studying animals and French geography.

Just as with everything else in France, there are rules around cheese. But with a few tips, you can easily navigate French cheese culture…or at least not embarrass yourself.

WHEN TO EAT CHEESE IN FRANCE

Cheese is not an appetizer here. In France, the traditional time to eat cheese during a meal is after the main dish and before dessert. Yes, it gets it’s own course, though you can eat it in lieu of dessert also if you wish. French people don’t eat cheese at every meal– it’s more common during dinner and weekend lunches.

You may be offered cheese before dinner at an apéro or if you’re at a party where there isn’t a formal sit down meal and everyone is grazing. An apéro (from the word apéritif) is a French social gathering where drinks and snacks are served that doesn’t exactly translate in Anglo-Saxon culture. If you are invited to one, cheese is an appropriate offering to bring.

THERE IS A CORRECT ORDER TO EAT CHEESE

Don’t worry, no need to memorize every variety of cheese in order to understand this. Basically, the “correct” order to eat cheese in France is from the most mild (light flavored) to the most strong (stinkiest). So you’ll usually start with the cheese that is very light colored and has little smell such as a comté or a goat cheese, and then work your way up to the blue cheese. Blue cheese is always last.

The reason for this ordering is that the stinkier the cheese, the more it takes over your taste buds. If you start by chowing down on a pungent blue right off the bat, your palate is going to get blown out by the flavor, and you won’t be able to properly taste the more subtle, mild cheeses anymore. So there is a method to the madness.

HOW TO PROPERLY CUT THE CHEESE

This is the hardest part to master (I’m still working on it), but is essential to proper French cheese etiquette. Unlike in America where cheese is often pre-cut before being shared at a party or dinner, in France cheese is almost always presented whole or in big chunks for you to cut yourself.

Every shape has a proper way to be sliced, and there are more shapes that you would think. Here is a visual reference courtesy of Ile de France Cheese:

The reason each shape is cut differently is because often the center of the cheese is considered the best part, and therefore it would be rude to cut in a way where you took more than your fair share of the center. Also it helps the cheese maintain its shape the best way possible.

A few more cheese cutting tips:

• Don’t try to cut tiny little slivers. It never really works and ruins the shape. A better strategy is to cut a bigger piece and then cut that in half and share with your neighbor or leave for the next person.
• I try not to be the first person to cut into a cheese. It is much easier to follow a lead than to start off a cheese.
• You shouldn’t waste a lot of cheese, so try not to take a lot more than you think you can eat. No problem with going back for seconds.

WHEN TO EAT THE RIND

This can be confusing to figure out, but some cheese rinds (the outside part) you are expected to eat and others you aren’t. No rind will kill you, but not all are pleasant.

Here are a few easy to remember general guidelines:

• Hard cheeses: don’t eat the rinds.
• If the cheese is very soft, gooey, or in a wooden box: eat the rind.
• Goat cheese: eat the rind.
• Blue cheese: eat the rind.
• If the cheese has a wrinkly, brain-like textured rind: eat it.
• If the cheese has a spices, herbs or other flavoring on the outside: eat it.
• If the rind is very moldy, especially thick, crusty, or is grey or dark colored: use your discretion. Some people love the flavor of these rinds, some don’t.

If you trim the rind off every single cheese, it isn’t a huge faux-pas, but it is considered a bit childish. Like cutting the crusts off your sandwiches.

AND FINALLY…ACCOMPANYING BREAD ETIQUETTE

Don’t expect (or ask for) crackers. In France cheese is eaten with bread the vast majority of the time. You should not be eating your cheese with giant chunks of bread or making a sandwich with it. Bread is the sideshow, not the main event. Tear your chunk into smaller pieces to enjoy with the cheese.

And one last, very French tip: Do not put your bread on the plate with your cheese. In France, bread’s correct spot is directly on the table next to your plate. This rule applies to eating in a home or at a restaurant. I don’t know why, it just is the way it is here.

Now you are ready to (properly) eat cheese in France. Bonne chance!

Have any additional tips about cheese? Any funny cheese experiences in France? Leave a comment below and share!

Although the size of Texas, France contains many regions with their own food, traditions, accents and climates. Discovering these regions is imperative to understanding the nation as a whole, and as part of my ongoing French education, my in-laws suggested we make a day trip to the seaside town of Étretat in the Normandy region.About a 2.5 hour drive from Paris on the northwest coast of France, it is entirely possible to make a day trip to Étretat from the capital. Smaller and more humble than its cousin down the shore, Deauville, Étretat’s main draw is its striking cliffs.

I had never been on a beach made up of large, smooth pebbles like this– the result of being enclosed by the surrounding cliffs.

It is forbidden to take even a single rock, because if every visitor did there would be nothing left of this small beach.

Even on a Saturday in August, the beach wasn’t body-to-body and if you walked further down the shore away from the village, you could have plenty of space to yourself.

The hike up the cliffs isn’t a difficult as it looks and with a look-out point every few minutes, there is plenty of time to rest and enjoy the views, alongside the seagulls, on the way up.

Étretat’s landscape is ever changing, with rocks (and sometimes entire cliffs) collapsing into the sea as wind and water continue to shape them.

Next time, I’d love to rent kayaks or paddle-boards and navigate under the arches and relax on one of the small beaches only accessible by the sea.

You can also learn about the history of the town during WWII from plaques along the beach with information about when it was occupied by the Germans. A seawall was built and much of the town was razed to clear a path for targeting ships.

In the village, be sure to taste the local mussels (moules). The region is also famous for apples and apple products such as juice, tarts and calvados.

Summertime is best if you’d like to spend time lounging on the beach, but many of the restaurants and hotels are open year-round, and off-season can offer you silence on the cliffs.

Make the climb, eat the mussels with a glass of white wine and enjoy the sweetness of life in this small, seaside village of France.

Have you visited Étretat? What was your experience like? Share your thoughts in the comments below!