Every year, on the third Thursday of November, le Beaujolais Nouveau is released for sale in France. Beaujolais wine is unique in that it is harvested, fermented, bottled and shipped within six weeks. Thus, the term “nouveau” is assigned to the wine. According to tradition, at one minute past midnight…

Have you ever noticed how many beauty salons there are in Paris? It truly feels like there’s one on every corner—and now I understand why. While living in Paris, I quickly adopted the beloved ritual of the weekly brushing: a simple shampoo and blow-dry that delivers effortlessly polished hair for…

One of the best ways to stay connected to France while you’re at home is by making French news part of your daily routine. Watching the news not only helps you keep your language skills sharp, but also gives you a window into current events, politics, culture, and the conversations…

The taxi to the airport arrived promptly at 7 AM. It is Sunday morning, it’s still dark outside and I don’t want to leave. I know this routine well. I’ve done it many times and it’s always the same: a sense of melancholy brought on by my impending departure, juxtaposed…

Fashion Week in Paris is coming to a close. Most major fashion houses have shown their Spring-Summer 2009 Collections on runways at the Grand Palais, the Carrousel du Louvre and in tents along the northern edge of the Tuileries Garden. The French magazine Madame Figaro has published video of the runway shows…