8 Tips to Avoid the Microwave in Paris’ Restaurants

An Inside Look at Sorbonne Grades

The French school system is tough. It starts from preschool, with “grades” on everything from…

My Favorite French Faux Pas

When I arrived in France in 1984 I had several years of French classes behind me, but anyone who thinks they can speak a language after high school French soon learns better. My solution? Whenever I didn’t know a word I tried whatever came to mind and hoped my French friends…

The French Café Experience: A Game of Chess

You may think you can simply enter a French café and order a coffee, but you will most likely have to do a…

“Paris, Rue des Martyrs”… a Street and a Book

The rue de Martyrs in Paris has been getting a lot of attention these days with…

A Journey of 1,000 Steps Starts in the Bathroom

It all started in the bathroom of a dingy Parisian pub.

Les Amerlocs — Chapter 1: L'atterissage

Will

By now, he can roll his cigarettes while he walks, but he doesn’t, not here. Not where the streets are flooded with people speaking English-Spanish-Japanese, stopping every few paces to peer into a window, examine a chocolate…

A French Christmas

When I spent my first Christmas in France several years ago, I found myself looking at an empty plate for hours. In a country…

The Terrorist Attacks Will Go Down in History, and I Was Cooking Hot Dogs

I Am Still Charlie

The terrorist attack in Paris hit hard and fast, and before we knew it, it was over. Well, not really. Until the suspects…