La Belle Vie: French Easter traditions, towns to visit and what you need to know about 'travel alerts'
From celebrating Easter the French way and where to enjoy the long weekend to unpacking Marseille's bad reputation and hilariously named French towns, this week's La Belle Vie newsletter offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like a French person.
La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in “My account”.
If you are walking around France near Easter time, you might find yourself craving chocolate as chocolateries and boulangeries fill their windows with tasty looking chocolate bunnies and eggs.
As Easter approaches, many are beginning preparations for how to spend the long weekend. In France, workers get Monday off as a public holiday, and in eastern parts of the country, Good Friday is a public holiday too.
Though Easter is not as large of a celebration as it might be in neighbouring Spain, there are still certain festivities that the French enjoy, from an interesting tradition surrounding flying church bells, giant omelettes, egg hunts, and of course plenty of chocolate.
How to have a traditional French Easter
Speaking of gearing up for the long weekend, many are wondering where they should visit over the Easter holiday in France.
For those living or staying in the Paris region, you might consider the egg hunt at the Rodin Museum, but if you want to get away from the city for a few days, you might consider a trip to the medieval town of Provins. Home to impressive architecture and recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site, it's a great place to visit with or without kids (and yes - there is of course an Easter egg hunt there too).
Five suggestions for places to visit over the Easter weekend in France
Recently, I had a few friends visit me in Paris. Understandably, they arrived with some concerns, considering the fact that France has made headlines across the world these past few weeks, amid ongoing debates, protests and strikes over pension reform. One concern mentioned was that the American Embassy listed France on its 'Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution" alert.
These happen from time to time, particularly during periods of strikes and protests, but we were curious what these warnings actually mean, particularly seeing as companies and businesses are in the habit of issuing them as well. The Local asked a professional risk and crisis management adviser how seriously we should take travel alerts when planning a trip to France.
Travel alerts: What do ‘risk’ warnings about France really mean?
There is one part of France that is often subject to warnings (typically word-of-mouth) about high crime and poverty levels. I've heard it described as the "Naples of France" (which, as someone who grew up in Naples, I find to be a bit unfair) or as a "murder capital". I am referring to France's southern port city of Marseille.
I spent a long weekend in Marseille recently, and I had a truly lovely time, so I wanted to understand whether the city actually merits its negative reputation. Here is what we found.
Does the French city of Marseille deserve its 'dangerous' reputation?
On the topic of beaches and the Mediterranean, if you are looking forward to getting a full-body tan this summer, The Local has put together a Europe-wide guide to the best countries for those looking to enjoy a bit of topless sunbathing. From Nordic saunas to tanning on the French Riviera, attitudes and laws around nakedness differ across Europe.
France might be famous for its topless sunbathers and nudist resorts, but there are some thing you need to know about getting naked the French way.
Bare necessities: The rules for taking your clothes off in France
When it comes to the more intimate parts of human anatomy, there are a few French villages with particularly unfortunate names in English - like the small town in Burgundy that has kept its decidedly unglamorous name: Anus (which has the same meaning in French as in English).
And it's not the only hilariously named French town - there are almost a dozen that might make English-speakers chuckle at first glance.
12 of the most unfortunate (or hilarious) place names in France
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La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in “My account”.
If you are walking around France near Easter time, you might find yourself craving chocolate as chocolateries and boulangeries fill their windows with tasty looking chocolate bunnies and eggs.
As Easter approaches, many are beginning preparations for how to spend the long weekend. In France, workers get Monday off as a public holiday, and in eastern parts of the country, Good Friday is a public holiday too.
Though Easter is not as large of a celebration as it might be in neighbouring Spain, there are still certain festivities that the French enjoy, from an interesting tradition surrounding flying church bells, giant omelettes, egg hunts, and of course plenty of chocolate.
How to have a traditional French Easter
Speaking of gearing up for the long weekend, many are wondering where they should visit over the Easter holiday in France.
For those living or staying in the Paris region, you might consider the egg hunt at the Rodin Museum, but if you want to get away from the city for a few days, you might consider a trip to the medieval town of Provins. Home to impressive architecture and recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site, it's a great place to visit with or without kids (and yes - there is of course an Easter egg hunt there too).
Five suggestions for places to visit over the Easter weekend in France
Recently, I had a few friends visit me in Paris. Understandably, they arrived with some concerns, considering the fact that France has made headlines across the world these past few weeks, amid ongoing debates, protests and strikes over pension reform. One concern mentioned was that the American Embassy listed France on its 'Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution" alert.
These happen from time to time, particularly during periods of strikes and protests, but we were curious what these warnings actually mean, particularly seeing as companies and businesses are in the habit of issuing them as well. The Local asked a professional risk and crisis management adviser how seriously we should take travel alerts when planning a trip to France.
Travel alerts: What do ‘risk’ warnings about France really mean?
There is one part of France that is often subject to warnings (typically word-of-mouth) about high crime and poverty levels. I've heard it described as the "Naples of France" (which, as someone who grew up in Naples, I find to be a bit unfair) or as a "murder capital". I am referring to France's southern port city of Marseille.
I spent a long weekend in Marseille recently, and I had a truly lovely time, so I wanted to understand whether the city actually merits its negative reputation. Here is what we found.
Does the French city of Marseille deserve its 'dangerous' reputation?
On the topic of beaches and the Mediterranean, if you are looking forward to getting a full-body tan this summer, The Local has put together a Europe-wide guide to the best countries for those looking to enjoy a bit of topless sunbathing. From Nordic saunas to tanning on the French Riviera, attitudes and laws around nakedness differ across Europe.
France might be famous for its topless sunbathers and nudist resorts, but there are some thing you need to know about getting naked the French way.
Bare necessities: The rules for taking your clothes off in France
When it comes to the more intimate parts of human anatomy, there are a few French villages with particularly unfortunate names in English - like the small town in Burgundy that has kept its decidedly unglamorous name: Anus (which has the same meaning in French as in English).
And it's not the only hilariously named French town - there are almost a dozen that might make English-speakers chuckle at first glance.
12 of the most unfortunate (or hilarious) place names in France
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