Côte d’Azur: Monaco

Ah... Monaco, Monaco. All the glitz, glamour, multibillionaires, fast cars, yachts and bling that one cannot get enough of in Dubai. And snobbery. Wait, but no. Curiously enough, I did not get that. In fact, I felt more like everyone was there just to relax and enjoy themselves along the Mediterranean coast, with a lot …

Côte d’Azur: Nice

Mention of a trip to Côte d'Azur immediately brings to mind a plethora of wonderful sensory experiences - the smell of sea salt and sand in the air, sailing through the Mediterranean with the breeze whipping through your hair, the sun warm on your bare feet, your skin cool and refreshed after a dip as the sun warms that damp stickiness on …

Champagne: the go-to wine for celebrations in France

Birthday? Crack open a bottle of champagne. New job, promotion? Get out the champagne! New baby? More champagne! A weekend lunch with friends and family? Champagne, please... Only the sparkling wine from the Champagne region in France can be called champagne. Not reserved just for weddings and New Years, champagne is usually served as an aperitif with a …

Reims: a day trip from Paris

It was a 4-day weekend, so we decided that a visite des caves & dégustation in Reims was in order. Getting there Reims is a short 45-minute train ride away from Paris and we toured 2 houses - the widely popular Taittinger, which produces one of my preferred cuvées, and a lesser-known one, G.H. Martel & Cie. They …

Château des ducs de Bourbon, Montluçon

I came here for a fascinating session on the French administration and definitely did not expect to find this beauty in the heart of the city. x lyve.