On bouffe?

Bonjour tout le monde!
I was doing some research for my ladies who are going to France.  One of them is a vegetarian, and if you have ever traveled outside of the US, it is often hard to find places that offer vegetarian meals.  My husband, fortunately, does eat fish, so we can visit most restaurants without problems.
What does one do, though, when you want a decent meal and baguette et fromage doesn't do it anymore?  I found this website: http://www.happycow.net/europe/france/paris/  that has a list of vegetarian restaurants plus commentary.

If you want the quintessential Parisian eating experience, try the Bouillon Chartier.  It is located in the 9th arrondissement (near the Opera house). To get to the restaurant, you have to go through a door and walk across a courtyard before entering the restaurant.  Be prepared to share a table if there are a lot of people - we Americans sometimes find that a bit strange.  Even if you do, don't worry about having to converse...
http://www.bouillon-chartier.com/


Bon appetit!

Pope François 1

Bonjour tout le monde!

a beautiful house in the city of Avignon

The recent election of Pope Francis 1 (or in French, François 1er) made me think of the town of Avignon.  From 1348 until 1791, Avignon was the seat of the Papacy.  Seven popes (including a Benedict) lived in the Palais des Papes, situated inside the walls of the city. I have visited the palace several times; the first time, I was very disappointed, because the palace was pretty much empty and we just wandered around from room to room.  However, since then they have done a ton to the site, and now there are furnishings in many rooms, plus you can learn about the place from your self guided earphones!
Besides the Palais, also in Avignon is the famous Pont d'Avignon, site of the famous song.  Half of the bride washed away about 400 years ago, but you can walk on what is left, and even dance if you want to!
What I love about Avignon is the town's beauty, all the history, and the gorgeous Rhone river where you can find the bridge.  There are beautiful "places" everywhere in town, and you can shop to your heart's content.  I bought one of my favorite tablecloths here!  Since it is in the heart of Provence, everything provençal can be found in town.

the Pont is on the left

la neige à Paris!

Bonjour tout le monde!

It is March, but don't tell the weather.  It snowed in Northern Europe last night and today, pretty much bringing everything to a halt.  Even the Eurostar wasn't running, and it pretty much runs all the time.  When I was a student in Paris (back in the dark ages of the 70's), it snowed, but quickly changed to very dirty slush. Ugh.  However, in November of 2005, it snowed, just a couple of inches.  Enough to make everything white, but not enough to bring all to a halt.  In Versailles, people got a kick out of being the first to walk in the beautiful white snow and building a bonhomme de neige.  I will have to look for my old snowy photos, but to keep you until then, here is a photo of my favorite Canal St. Martin looking pretty with a coat of snow today (courtesy of the Huffington Post).

Just a little late for Mardi Gras!

Bonjour tout le monde!
I know, I know...we are now into Lent, and I am just talking about Mardi Gras.  I have sort of an excuse this year because Mardi Gras and my husband's birthday were on the same day this year.  Do you know about Mardi Gras?  It is the last day before Ash Wednesday, which starts the 40 days of Lent and what most people think of as the Easter season.  It was early this year, because Easter will fall on Sunday, March 31. (if you are interested in why Easter is never on the same date, see here)  There are many celebrations of Mardi Gras, or Shrove Tuesday, but the main reason is that Lent is starting the next day, and historically, this was the time to get rid of the eggs, milk, flour and fat that one gives up for Lent.  So, pancakes are popular, as well as meat (hence Fat Tuesday) and generally all the good stuff.  Besides New Orleans and Mobile, AL, there are famous Mardi Gras celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nice, France; and Venice, Italy.  At many parties, there is a cake that has a token inside.  This token can be a bean (fève) or even a small plastic baby.  When I had parties at school, the plastic baby Jesus was very popular.  I ended up with several, however I only used one at a time in a cake!
So, I hope that you had a great Mardi Gras, wearing green, gold and purple beads and having a wonderful time.
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Update:
Mardi Gras 2017 is tomorrow.  The party has been going on in New Orleans, also fueled by the NBA All-Star weekend just a couple of weeks ago.
Although New Orleans has the most well known Mardi Gras celebration in the US, Mobile, Alabama also lays claim to having the first celebration of Mardi Gras in the Americas. But historians often point to March 3, 1699, when French explorers Iberville and Bieville landed at a point near the future site of New Orleans, dubbed it Point du Mardi Gras, and promptly had a party.
Mardi Gras celebrations include parades, balls, socials, and eating.  As previously stated, the day before Ash Wednesday is the one in which folks partied like crazy and ate lots of fatty things to get rid of the eggs, millk, yeast before the stark days of Lent.
There will be no King's cake for us this year, mostly because I was distracted and couldn't remember the exact date of Mardi Gras.  But you can be sure that we will "laissez les bons temps rouler" here at chez Jones.

To find out more about King's Cakes, click here (remember to smash your piece before consuming, just in case you're the winner of the plastic baby Jesus!)

Mardi Gras in Mobile, AL

Don't miss out and be sad in June!

Ever sing the song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon"? Well, here is the real bridge, which lost half during a flood hundreds of years ago. However, you can indeed walk out and dance on what is there. Want to do that? Go to jackiwilliams-jones.grouptoursite.com, and join me in a wonderful adventure this summer. Visit Paris, stroll through the streets in the South of France, marvel in the beauty of the Pont du Gard, then enjoy the cities of Cinque Terre, Siena, and Florence in the Tuscany region of Italy.
Enjoy comfortable hotels and ride through the countryside in our own air-conditioned coach. You won't even have to lug your suitcase to your room! All breakfasts and some dinners are included in the price, as is your round-trip airfare.
Alors, I look forward to wandering the streets of Paris, enjoying 'people watching' in a cafe in Nice, and relishing a gelato in Florence!

La Chandeleur

Today in the US,it is Groundhog Day; however in France it is la Chandeleur.  Are you making crêpes today?
French Candlemas - La Chandeleur - Crêpe Day

Bonjour tout le monde!

Today I am posting some of my pictures of Arles, where Vincent van Gogh painted.  Arles is located in the region where there are a lot of Roman ruins, including the wonderful arena that is in this town.  Also in Arles is an amphitheatre, and the café where van Gogh painted the Yellow Room, and Starry Night Over the Rhône.  What I like about Arles is that it is an intimate area, and if you are traveling with students, you can feel free letting them roam for a couple of minutes.
During our trip this summer, we will be in the Arles region, and might get the opportunity to visit this beautiful town.  If we are lucky, there will be time to visit the arena, and take some awesome photos.  Want to come with me on this great summer trip?  Check out http://jackiwilliams-jones.grouptoursite.com/ and enroll before all the spaces are gone!

The old hospital where van Gogh went twice when  his mental issues got to be too much for him.  Current belief is that the lead in his oil paints affected an already fragile psyche.

Here is the Roman arena in Arles.  There is an equally impressive one in the town of Nimes, where bullfights are still held.










The corridor of the arena in Arles. Just imagine how many people have gone through these archways, which date from Roman times.