Visit France

just got back

Just got back from Illinois, locked the front door, oh boy, got to sit down, take a rest on the porch... We had a wonderful time in Montecito, during which I managed to work on nothing except my tan for four days. Yay me. Of course my brain didn't stop and I have millions of thoughts spilling out in all directions :) Sadly, SpaceX launched their third rocket yesterday, and suffered their third failure. That was the Falcon 1; meanwhile they conducted a successful full thrust firing of their bigg...

"Tour de France" and Rugby meet at the Parc des Princes

The 95th "Tour de France" just ended yesterday... cycling is definitively not my cup of tea, but here is an opportunity to visit again Paris' main stadium, the Parc des Princes. The Parc des Princes was inaugurated in 1897 as a velodrome. He was then managed by Henri Desgrange - a sportsman, journalist and entrepreneur - who later created the Tour de France in 1903... Desgrange was also managing sports newpaper L'Auto (now L'Equipe...) The Parc des Princes had been for long time a high place of...

They travel from afar to explore U.S.

Seventeen-year-old Camille Mallat of Paris expected to see plenty of "sun and blue sky" during her first visit to California. Students from Hong Kong, here to explore American culture, pose for photos before a mock trial in Sacramento Superior Court last week. Judge Brian R. Van Camp shares a laugh with Julien Coustans from France, left, and Billy Tsai of Hong Kong, during the mock trial. Tsai played the role of prosecutor, Coustans the defendant.

They travel from afar to explore U.S.

Seventeen-year-old Camille Mallat of Paris expected to see plenty of "sun and blue sky" during her first visit to California. Students from Hong Kong, here to explore American culture, pose for photos before a mock trial in Sacramento Superior Court last week. Judge Brian R. Van Camp shares a laugh with Julien Coustans from France, left, and Billy Tsai of Hong Kong, during the mock trial. Tsai played the role of prosecutor, Coustans the defendant.

Armstrong making 3rd appearance at RAGBRAI

Lance Armstrong was expected to join the 10,000 bicyclists rolling between Jefferson and Ames on Tuesday in the third day of 2008 RAGBRAI. It would be the 7-time Tour de France winner's third visit to RAGBRAI. His appearance isn't causing the stir as in previous years, when some warned the week-long bike tour across Iowa was in danger of being renamed LAGBRAI. He will be joined by some 200 riders on Team Livestrong at RAGBRAI this year.

#2: Streetwise Paris Map - Laminated City Street Map of Paris, France - with integrated metro map including lines and st...

Streetwise Paris Map - Laminated City Street Map of Paris, France - with integrated metro map including lines and stations by Michael Brown (Author) Average Customer Review: Buy new: $7.95 34 used & new from $4.01 (Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Travel > Europe > France > Paris list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

Obama camp previews foreign trip

From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones Obama’s campaign is not viewing his five-country swing through Europe and the Middle East next week as a political trip, his foreign policy advisers said today on a conference call previewing the much-talked-about tour. “The trip is not at all a campaign trip, a rally of any sort,” said Robert Gibbs, the campaign's senior strategist for communications and message. Obama -- who senior foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough said had “a very productive conversati...

#1: Rick Steves' Paris 2008 (Rick Steves)

Rick Steves' Paris 2008 (Rick Steves) by Rick Steves (Author), Steve Smith (Author), Gene Openshaw (Author) Average Customer Review: Buy new: $17.95 $12.21 46 used & new from $9.95 (Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Bestsellers in Travel > Europe > France > Paris list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

ecological weekend in the "Loubatas"

VISIT TO LE LOUBATAS Le Loubatas (Centre Permanent d'Initiation à la Forêt Provençale) The Loubatas ecological gîte is isolated from electrical power grid and water supply networks, and it is dependent on resources available on site (water – sun – wood). A short bus ride from Aix, the center occupies several hectares of rural land. Its purpose is to embody an “alternative” to current energy use, and to provide educational services to persons and groups who are exploring other arrang...

The best restaurant in Paris

The Paris edition of Zagat Survey was released earlier this month, and Taillevent was voted No. 1 restaurant for the 11th year in a row. Sadly, in January, the Vrinat family, who owns Taillevent, lost its head, Jean-Claude, who died at 71. But Parisians said the place is still stellar. A friend went a couple weeks ago and told me that she thought eating at Taillevent is like being in a dream. You just can't believe you're in a place where everything -- from the greeting at the door to the exqui...