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France fetes the man who cracked the code of the Rosetta Stone
Deep in rural France, in a medieval courtyard in Figeac, I almost tripped on the Rosetta Stone. Unlike the surrounding sandstone houses and half-timbered facades,…
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Stop to smell the roses in an unsung corner of Paris
In Paris, it’s the season for rose sniffers. As the days lengthen toward the summer solstice, the city’s roses unfurl their petals in an exuberant…
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Introducing city kids to nature in the hinterlands of Sardinia
On our first night in Sardinia, we struck up a conversation with a solo diner at the next restaurant table. “I left my kids at…
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A beacon of Christmas tradition in Strasbourg, France
We left Paris in darkness. As our high-speed train raced toward the German border at nearly 200 mph, the rain furiously lashed the windows. Instead…
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In the French city of Poitiers, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s influence is everywhere
When I stepped into the room where medieval troubadours sang to Eleanor of Aquitaine in Poitiers, my first impulse was to shout. About 160 feet…
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‘Llama therapy’ in the wilds of Yellowstone National Park
I was walking along a trail in Yellowstone National Park, meditating on mountains, breathing in the scent of pine and sagebrush, when a llama sneezed…
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In reopened Paris, creative energy and festive euphoria set the mood
On the long-awaited June day when restaurants reopened in Paris, I met a friend for dinner at Vivant 2. We hadn’t been out in so…
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Taking to the skies in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s ‘Wind, Sand and Stars’
It was over a year ago that the pandemic grounded the world’s citizens and airline fleets. If I really press myself to recall the time…
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In the south of France, Nimes celebrates and preserves ancient Rome
A funny thing happened on the way to the Airbnb. As we dragged our suitcases along the cobblestones in the southern French city of Nimes,…
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Can’t decide where to stay in Paris? A guide for every type of traveler
You’re finally taking that dream trip to the City of Light. Or maybe you’re a Paris-obsessed francophile who visits every year, and the enticement of…
