My Life in Paris and Travels Around France
The best decision we made in the month of May is to come back to Normandy for a long weekend. Paris has been great with perfect weather, and I’m sure it’s even better now with the parks and gardens open again, but for me nothing compares to this French paradise in Normandy.
Today is an exciting day. Not only is it a Friday (and a summer Friday at that), but also there’s an energy in Paris that’s been missing for a while. On Tuesday bars, restaurants, and cafés can officially reopen in France, with restrictions in place of course. It’s the best news we’ve had in a while. This week’s Five Friday Finds from France features details of the second phase of reopening in France, a recipe for how to get a perfect French bistro steak sear at home, my favorite spot to buy masks in Paris, a cooking trick I learned from Romain’s mom, and more!
From early spring until fall, one of the most beautiful places to visit from Paris is Giverny and the Fondation Claude Monet, Monet’s former house and garden. A day trip to Giverny from Paris is easily doable, but I wanted to share a few extra tips for what to do and surrounding areas to see on your visit.
I’ve been a fan of window boxes in Paris since my first trip when I saw the iconic red geraniums at Plaza Athénée. When I returned to study abroad I posted a photo of the hotel façade on Instagram joking that it was my address for the semester. It took almost eight years, but I finally have my very own Parisian window boxes filled with geraniums.
In honor of Memorial Day I wanted to share this recipe for the best brioche buns. I started making these buns in Normandy and don’t think I’ll be able to go back to store-bought buns again. They’re a perfect cross-cultural food too because while brioche is 100% French, burgers and burger buns are 100% American.