Magical day in Champagne
The weather turned beautiful just in time for our day long outing in Champagne. We started with a private tour at the prestigious world-renowned Champagne House of Moët et Chandon, dating from 1743. Moët et Chandon is one of the world’s largest champagne producers and a prominent champagne house. The company is co-owner of the largest luxury goods group in the world, Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton (LVMH), and holds a Royal Warrant to supply champagne to Queen Elizabeth II of England. Inside the cellars of Moët et Chandon The network of cellars at Moët et Chandon span 15+...
Read MoreGâteau de l’opéra
A favorite highlight of my Paris trip is the chocolate tour and tasting. Our guide, Iris, leads us on a 2-hour walking tour to discover hidden alleys and special addresses. The first stop was at Gosselin near Palais Royal, a pastry shop specializing in my favorite cake of all ~ the opéra. It’s delicate balance of coffee and chocolate. It’s not mocha, as the coffee and chocolate remain distinctly separate. Iris describes the opera cake as we stop for a tasting in the Palais Royal gardens. This is as good as it gets; witness the chocolate glaçage, smooth as glass, topped...
Read More9 Days in Paris ~ The City of Lights
Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. But it’s not enough for me to just go there. The fun part is sharing it. And sharing it from an insider’s perspective is even better. Imagine yourself saying “bonjour” to your French neighbors as you come and go each morning from your Paris apartment. One can certainly travel alone in a place like Paris, where it’s so easy to walk everywhere and public transport abounds at every turn. But there is only so much you can do on your own. Traveling with me allows you special access to activities that you...
Read MoreBehind-the-scenes bakery tour
Given the association of Paris with croissants and baguettes, it’s unthinkable to come to Paris without an understanding of how the buttery, flaky pastry and light & fluffy bread du jour are made. Croissants and other pastries made with puff pastry are known as viennoiseries because they originate from Vienna. My group delights in a behind-the-scenes bakery tour, where we hover inside a bakery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris to witness firsthand the preparation of baguettes and croissants. Croissants au beurre are made with, you guessed it, pure butter (versus the...
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