Category: Blog

What is Terroir?

Wine lovers may have heard the word terroir bandied about, but did you know that this term is essential to the French concept of food?

Terroir comes from the same root as “terrestrial” or “terra cotta:” the terr- prefix means “earth.” Terroir, then, is the idea that the food and drinks produced in a region are inextricable from the region itself: the climate, the soil, the air, the water… each of these elements is just as important as the variety of seeds planted to grow local tomatoes or the breed of cattle that makes a local cheese.

In France, the integrity of local terroir as it pertains to foods and drinks is often protected by a label called either AOP or AOC. You’ll often see these two similar labels emblazoned on wine bottles, cheese packaging, and even boxes of lentils. A producer who wants to put an AOP seal on his or her product must adhere to a series of rules established by his or her local AOP board to ensure that the product is consistent: things like when and where cattle can graze on local grass, or where grapevines are allowed to be planted.

The AOP protects the terroir of quite a few French products, including:

  • 400 wines (like Bordeaux, Sancerre, and Champagne)
  • 47 cheeses (like Brie de Meaux, Camembert de Normandie, and Roquefort)
  • 3 butters and a luscious heavy cream

Discover more about terroir on our Best Bites of Paris tour – and taste a few AOP and AOC products, while you’re at it!

Falling in Love with the Musée d’Orsay

Just across the river from the Louvre sits one of our all-time favorite museums: the Musée d’Orsay. The former Beaux-Arts train station with its imposing clock is home to pieces from France’s national art collection dating to between 1848 and 1914, it’s a top stop for visitors who love the Impressionists as much as we do. Here are just a few of our favorite things to see when you visit!

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1. Olympia, Edouard Manet

This painting shocked Parisians when it was first displayed in 1865 due to the woman’s confrontational gaze at the viewer – especially because a number of details, including the orchid in her hair, identify her as a prostitute.

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2. Femme à l’ombrelle, Claude Monet

Orsay hosts several different studies or essais of this subject by Claude Monet. We love the way that the windiness of the day is evoked through Monet’s brushstrokes as well as the way that the figure’s face is almost entirely hidden.

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3. Petite Danseuse de 14 ans, Edgar Degas

Degas’ paintings of ballet dancers are famous among lovers of the Impressionists, but he also brought this love of ballet to his sculptures, as with this bronze and cloth work. The iteration on display at Orsay is actually a copy of an original statue, made of wax with cloth and a wig, which is displayed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

4. La chambre à coucher, Vincent Van Gogh

The Orsay’s Van Gogh collection is a big draw, featuring a version of Starry Night and one of Van Gogh’s mesmerizing self-portraits. But we love this painting of his bedroom in Arles, where the viewer gets a keen sense of claustrophobia, despite the bright colors used.

5. Sculpture Garden

There are several individual sculptures to which we could draw your attention, but what we love most is to wander through the sculpture garden as a whole. What was once the hall of the train station now welcomes a vast array of marble sculptures with a wonderful view of the interior clock.

Top 5 Cheeses to Try in Paris

The world of French cheese doesn’t begin and end with Brie! Charles de Gaulle famously said that it was impossible to govern a country with 246 kinds of cheese, and seeing as we now have over a thousand, there are more than enough fromages for the discerning turophile to sample. Here are our five must-tries for your next trip.

1. Chèvre frais

Goat cheese or fromage de chèvre is a delicious treat any time of year, but springtime is prime goat cheese season and the perfect time to sample chèvre frais, or fresh goat cheese. Chèvre frais is aged just a handful of days, for a cheese that’s super creamy and light – perfectly paired with a Provençal rosé.

2. Camembert de Normandie

Legend has it that Camembert got its start when a Parisian priest, fleeing the guillotine, shared the recipe for his local cheese – Brie – with a Norman woman. She ostensibly used the recipe with the milk of local Norman cows and the molds for local Livarot cheese and came up with this delicious, slightly stinky cheese you’ll find in the fridge of nearly every French family.

Camembert de Normandie is one of 46 French cheeses boasting an AOP, which protects its integrity. Choose raw milk (lait cru) Camembert for a gustatory experience unlike anything you’d find back home, where pasteurized is the norm.

3. Vieux Comté

Comté is regularly voted France’s favorite cheese, and for good reason: this hard Alpine cheese boasts a deliciously rich, fruity flavor that becomes nuttier and butterier with time. While Comté can be sold starting at three months, seek out aged versions (24-41 months) for the best flavor experience.

4. Bleu d’Auvergne

Even if you’re not sure you love blue cheese, bleu d’Auvergne is worth a taste. This relatively mild cow’s milk blue may have been the first blue cheese ever made in France and is particularly tasty on German- or Danish-style whole rye kernel bread.

5. Chaource

Rich doesn’t even begin to describe buttery Chaource, a double-cream, bloomy-rinded cheese made in the Champagne and Burgundy regions. Similar to double-cream Brie, Chaource boasts a mushroomy aroma and an unbeatably creamy texture that makes it the perfect pair for Champagne.

3 Gothic Churches to Visit in Paris (That Aren’t Notre Dame)

If you’re planning a visit to Paris in the coming months (or years), chances are you won’t have the chance to duck inside and see Notre Dame Cathedral in all her splendor. But just because Our Lady is in for a long journey to restoration doesn’t mean you can’t observe some beautiful Gothic architecture elsewhere in the city. Here are five of our favorites.

1. Sainte-Chapelle

Just steps from Notre Dame, you’ll find Sainte-Chapelle, a royal chapel built in just ten years (from 1238 to 1248) by King Louis IX (Saint Louis). The chapel was initially intended as a giant reliquary to house the Crown of Thorns and other Holy Relics that, until the blaze this spring, were subsequently kept at Notre Dame.

Today, Sainte Chapelle is best known for its extensive collection of 13th century stained glass windows, which line the walls of the second story of the chapel.

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2. Saint Germain l’Auxerrois

This church steps from the Louvre encompasses many styles of architecture, from Romanesque to Gothic to Renaissance. While it is certainly beautiful, it is perhaps best known for its bell, Marie, which tolled on the night of August 23rd 1572 to mark the beginning of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, which was instigated, many say, by the Queen of France, Catholic Catherine de Medici.

Thousands of Huguenots, in town for the wedding of Catherine’s daughter to the incumbent King Henri IV of France (formerly Henri III of Navarre) were killed during the massacre.

3. Saint Eustache

If you ask us, Saint Eustache is one of the most underrated churches in Paris. It’s not surprising: this Gothic marvel which was built between 1532 and 1632 was unfortunately hidden for years during the rebuilding project at Les Halles. But the new shopping center is finished, and now Saint Eustache towers over a beautiful green lawn, where you can sit and admire it in all of its splendor.

Our 5 Favorite Things in the Louvre (That Aren’t the Mona Lisa)

We spend lots of time in the Louvre, and frankly, we love it. Encompassing millennia of art from the four corners of the globe, it’s hard to find a museum that competes with its immensity, comprehensiveness, and beauty.

But it is crowded (as one recent strike attested to), and that’s perhaps true nowhere more than in the tiny room that holds the even-tinier Mona Lisa.

We’re of the in-and-out mentality when it comes to this room; once you’ve seen her, it’s time to move on to other things. Luckily, many of our other faves don’t attract quite the same attention, which means that when you visit the Louvre with Paris Uncovered, most of the time, you’ll avoid the crowds. Here are just a few of our faves.

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1. The Medieval Louvre

When, in the 1980s, the museum underwent expansion (including the building of the now-iconic pyramid), the space under the Louvre was excavated, and builders found that much of the original medieval Louvre, built concurrently with Notre Dame across the river, still remained. Today, you can actually walk in the former medieval moat (now dry, of course!)

2. Liberty Leading the People

One of the newest pieces in the museum dates to 1830: Eugène Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” – a depiction of the June Rebellion of 1830 (painted in the same year!) that inspired, among other things, Victor Hugo’s character of Gavroche in Les Misérables.

3. Venus de Milo (and the Ancient Greek Gallery)

While Venus de Milo can sometimes attract crowds just as big as those trying to see Mona Lisa, visitors have an advantage here for two reasons: firstly, Venus is quite a bit taller than Mona (and you can walk all the way around her), but secondly, she’s located within a larger gallery of ancient Greek sculpture that you can peruse while waiting for the crowds to dissipate.

4. Victory of Samothrace

This gorgeous Greek statue of Nike, goddess of victory, has been perfectly placed in the center of a huge staircase, giving you tons of vantage points from which to examine her and take tons of photos unhindered by other visitors.

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5. Sculpture Gardens

It’s hard to imagine ever aligning the terms “Louvre” and “tranquil,” but the museum actually does take on an air of tranquility as you wander the immense sculpture gardens. Sometimes, we take a seat here just to soak up the beautiful light and art that surrounds us!

3 Neighborhoods to Stay In (Far from the Eiffel Tower)

When you’re picking a place to stay in Paris, it can be tempting to choose a hotel near some of the city’s top tourist attractions: the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay. But while we love these neighborhoods, we prefer others for lodging. Why? Because it gives you a taste of the real Paris!

For as much as Paris loves its tourists (and believe us, we do!) there are people actually living, working, shopping, cooking, and eating in the city. And unlike many historic cities in Europe, people do all of these things from within the city limits. Choosing a residential neighborhood to make your home away from home during your stay in Paris allows you to see how real Parisians live (and gives you the chance to see some beautiful bits of Paris you might otherwise never get the chance to discover).

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1. The Marais

The Marais, French for marshland, is an historic neighborhood on the Right Bank that encompasses most of the third and part of the fourth arrondissements. With the more historic portion of the neighborhood boasting former private mansions and tons of cobbled streets to the south and the more residential side, home to some of our favorite restaurants, to the north, the Marais is the perfect, centrally-located neighborhood for foodies and history buffs.

2. Saint Germain

The former favorite of famed Lost Generation residents like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saint Germain has become a bit bougier over time, but it still retains a certain bohemian charm. With tons of shopping streets, classic brasseries, and more than its fair share of bookshops, Saint Germain is also one of our favorite spots for sweets.

3. Montmartre

Locals from Montmartre see themselves as Montmartrois first and Parisian second. This part of the 18th arrondissement is truly like its own village, and you’ll get that small-town vibe as you wander its picturesque, winding streets.

3 Rules to Fall in Love with French Train Travel

When we first moved to France, we fell head-over-heels in love with trains. As compared to the expense (and, quite frankly, the inconvenience of train travel in the U.S.), for as much as the French love to complain about their trains, they’re actually, by and large, on time, inexpensive, and quite lovely.

As the weather gets nicer, it becomes more and more pleasant to hop on a train for a weekend away (or a little bit longer!) So with that in mind, here are our three guidelines to help you get the most out of your train travel.

1. Not all French trains are created alike.

There are several different categories of French trains, starting, of course, with the Paris métro. The métro is managed by the RATP and covers ground throughout Paris and its closest suburbs. To ride the métro, all you need to do is buy a ticket (1.90 euro) in any métro stop, and hop on board!

Another train also runs through Paris and its greater suburbs: the RER. This set of five suburban rail lines makes some stops within Paris but also goes out to the airports, Euro Disney, and other exciting spots. You can use the RER like the métro (with the same ticket) inside Paris, though rates increase once you leave. If you think you’ll be using the métro and the RER frequently while in Paris, you might consider getting an unlimited weekly pass servicing the zone or zones that you’re interested in visiting.

After the RER comes the Transilien, a network of trains running throughout the region of Ile de France, which contains Paris. These trains depart only from major train stations and can take you places like Chantilly, Fontainebleau, or Giverny.

Next you have the TER. These regional trains will take you even further, to other regions of France. Finally, you have the TGV; these high-speed trains also travel throughout France, but, as their name suggests, at higher speeds (and often with cushier seats).

2. You can book in advance.

While in the case of many trains, including TER regional trains, you can buy your tickets directly at the train station before departing, many trains can be booked in advance – and in the case of the TGV, often must be booked in advance.

To do this, you have two options. You can either swing by any train station or SNCF office throughout Paris and buy your ticket in person, or you can book online at the SNCF website (conveniently available in English!) In the case of some trains, you can book a specific seat or seats; other trains will only allow you to book passage, and you’ll have to find your seat yourself.

3. Enjoy!

Train travel can be a relaxing experience, if you plan ahead. While most trains have a dining car, we like to pick up a few odds and ends for a tasty train picnic before leaving, which has the benefit of being a bit less expensive (and usually more delicious). Pick up a baguette, some cheese, some charcuterie, and a tasty pastry (perhaps on one of our food tours?) and pack it up for the ride.

Trains will allow passengers to board until up to two minutes before departure time, but give yourself some leeway: the train’s track will be announced 20 minutes before departure, and in the case of Paris, which is the terminus of the train, you will be able to board well in advance and make yourself comfortable. Stash your bigger bags (with a baggage tag) on one of the luggage racks at the entrance of each car, put your smaller items above your head, and sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What is Apéro, and Why Do the French Love It So?

If you spend any amount of time around French people, one evening, you’ll undoubtedly hear them say:

Alors… on prend l’apéro?

Apéro, short for apéritif, is sacred in France: an hour or so before dinner where you can unwind over a cocktail (or two) and a few snacks. It’s not about getting drunk: it’s about spending time together and preparing your palate for the meal to follow. And now that days are getting longer, it’s one of our favorite activities.

Here’s our guide to the perfect French apéro.

1. Choose Your Drink

You can enjoy pretty much anything for apéro, but there are a few standbys. Many French people, especially in the south of France, start the evening off with an aniseed Pastis, typically drunk diluted with cold water. Some tinge theirs red with grenadine for a tomate, or green with mint syrup for a perroquet.

A very common apéro beverage, particularly among women, is a kir, a combination of dry white wine and syrup. A traditional kir is made with crème de cassis, or blackcurrant liqueur, but peach, strawberry, or blackberry are great too. Spike Champagne instead of white wine for a kir royale!

For kids, syrup combined with water or seltzer (the latter is dubbed a diabolo) is a great alternative to juice or soda.

The only thing you’ll very rarely see at apéro is red wine, which is usually reserved for mealtime!

2. Choose Your Location

There are three possible locations to have a quality apéro.

The first, and probably the most common among locals, is at home. Serve drinks with a few snacks, such as chips, pretzels (or slightly snazzier verrines, if you’re feeling really French) and you’re good to go.

If you don’t feel up to making your own apéro – or you want to see how other locals partake – try having apéro at a bar. Any Parisian café will offer the simplest of apéros – drinks accompanied by a small bowl of snack mix, chips, or popcorn – but other places will also have charcuterie platters or other snacks on the menu to accompany snazzier cocktails or specialty drinks.

Here are a few of our Paris faves:

  • Septime La Cave, 3 Rue Basfroi, 75011
  • Le Barav’, 6 Rue Charles-François Dupuis, 75003
  • Le Perchoir, 14, rue du Crespin de Gast, 75011

The third possibility? One of Paris’ nearly 100 parks! Pick out a bottle of your favorite rosé and snag a few snacks from a supermarket or specialty store, and spread out a blanket at one of our favorite picnic spots.

3. Enjoy!

It doesn’t take much to enjoy apéro: good friends, a drink in hand, and an expanse of time before you.

Santé!

French, Swiss, or Belgian: Who Makes the Best Chocolate?

Take a wander through some of Paris’ top chocolateries, and you’ll encounter not just the French Patrick Roger and and Jacques Génin but the Belgian Pierre Marcolini or the Swiss-influenced Bretons Henri Roux and Philippe Pascoët. And while no matter what, each individual chocolatier will have characteristics that make him unique, these three big families of chocolate-making are actually quite distinct.

Swiss Chocolate

Often hailed as the chocolate capital of Europe, the Swiss invented (and perfected) luxuriously creamy milk chocolate. Swiss chocolate also has an ultra-creamy texture thanks to the use of the conching technique, which involves warming the chocolate while you grind it.

Belgian Chocolate

Many Belgian chocolatiers use emulsifiers to attempt to achieve the same texture as Swiss milk chocolate; as a general rule, Belgian chocolate is darker than Swiss. Belgians also invented both the praline and the filled chocolate, so if you’re visiting a Belgian chocolatier, opt for one of these rich, delicious creations.

French Chocolate

French chocolate tends to be lower in fat than either its Belgian or Swiss counterparts: this is truly the place for lovers of dark chocolate to give into their vice! French chocolate bonbons tend to be dipped rather than filled like their Belgian counterparts, making for a thinner chocolate shell that melts more easily on the tongue.

Learn even more about what makes chocolate special on our Sweet Tooth in Saint Germain tour!

Paris Mourns the Devastation of Notre Dame

Last night we watched, devastated and heartbroken, as fire ravaged Notre Dame de Paris.

For us, it’s not only our frequent place of work, a majestic sight that so many of you have visited with us, it’s also a symbol of what we love about Paris: the thinkers, the creators, the dreamers who have passed through these streets and contributed to making it the beautiful city that it is.

While we went to sleep with heavy hearts last night, we see the situation in fresh light today. What seemed an impossible task – saving the stone structure, the towers, the rose windows, the relics – has been made possible thanks to the brilliant, brave, and tireless work of 500 firefighters.

The stone structure with its flying buttresses still stand. The iconic facade with its mighty high towers are largely undamaged. The interior vaulted ceiling is (mostly) still standing. The famous rose windows (some of oldest and largest in world) appear to be intact.

Paris is resilient and so is Notre Dame. Notre Dame has survived World Wars. A Revolution. Centuries of ups and downs. The famous motto of Paris seems appropriate today: “She is tossed by the waves, but does not sink.”

Notre Dame will be rebuilt. It will take time, but we will witness the Cathedral brought back to it’s former glory to delight future generations of visitors.  

What does this mean for visitors to Paris? While we will not have the pleasure of leading you on a guided tour inside Notre Dame anytime soon, our passion for the city hasn’t been extinguished. We hope to continue to introduce you to the beauty, and resilience, of the City of Light.

For anyone looking to contribute or support the reconstruction, donations are being collected here and here.

Below are a few images of the fire fight, the aftermath, and two of our favorite personal snaps of Notre Dame de Paris.

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