Since 1997 John Lichfield, The Independent’s correspondent in France, has been sending dispatches back to the newspaper in London. More than transient news stories, the popular Our Man in Paris’ series consists of essays on all things French. Sometimes serious, at other times light-hearted, they offer varied vignettes of life in the hexagone and trace the author’s evolving relationship with his adopted country. Continue reading “John Lichfield, Our Man in Paris”

Think Paris, think pâtisserie.  Few visitors can resist the buttery crumbs of a croissant, the sweet tang of strawberry tart or the sugary puff of a chouquette. But of all the treats lining the pâtisserie wall, the macaron is the fairest of them all. Said to have been the preferred treat of Louis XIV, this brightly-coloured morsel still inspires reverence in the court of Paris foodies.  It matters little whether you swoon for Ladurée’s offerings on the Champs Elysées or prefer Pierre Hermé’s creations south of the Seine; once you’ve tasted a good macaron a pleasant addiction is only a matter of time. Continue reading “Jill Colonna, ‘Mad About Macarons’”

Visitors to Paris on returning home will want to remember the city’s monuments, museums, neighborhoods, streets, squares, parks and gardens with this excellent new book of color photos (Jacques Lebar) accompanied by short descriptive texts in English (Marc Lemonier and David Cox) depicting the charms of the city of light. Published by Parigramme, which specializes in books about Paris, this book is a bargain at only 8,90 Euros. http://www.parigramme.com

What is the best way to get under the skin of a city such as Paris?  Heather Reyes, editor  of a new anthology of writing on the city, says it is through reading what people have had to say about it.Paris is one of the most written about cities of the world. “There’s enough good writing for at least six anthologies,” says Reyes,..”I hope readers will find plenty to fall in love with in our word-portrait of this most alluring and complex of cities.” Continue reading “A few words about Paris…”

‘These poems are like polaroid pictures depicting my favorite Paris neighborhood, Saint-Germain-des-Pres,” says the young French author Nicholas Grenier describing his new book of Tanka-style poetry titled “Quant à Saint-Germain-des-Pres, trente et un tanka sur la main d’apres.” Grenier’s approach to Tanka poetry both honors Japanese tradition and takes it in some new directions. While employing the classic 31 syllable 5-7-5-7-7 Tanka structure he departs from tradition by using urban images instead of pastoral ones creating colorful impressions of the Left Bank district. “When I am out walking around Paris my feet take me to Saint-Germain-des-Pres,” says  Grenier, “It’s my Paris reference point. I write about things I observe there from the Café de Flore to Monoprix. It’s a new, modern kind of Tanka.” Continue reading “Poetic Saint-Germain-des-Pres”