It’s 1905 in Paris. Visitors to the Salon d’Automne are outraged. Who is that flamboyant woman with the audaciously colorful hat? Or rather who could have painted such a daring work? Matisse’s Woman with a Hat shocked most viewers. However, it was avidly appreciated, and swiftly purchased, by two new art connoisseurs; Gertrude and Leo Stein, sparking a fabulous legacy of 20th century art patronage and perhaps the greatest collection of Modern art of the era. This collection is currently brought together for the first time in decades in Paris, in a special exhibit at the Grand Palais.

The Stein family, based in San Francisco, first came to Paris in 1878 when the siblings Gertrude, Leo and Michael were still children. This initial visit must have struck a cord, as they each eventually gravitated back to Europe as adults by 1904. Having sold off their family’s holdings back in the U.S., the Steins could live a comfortable bohemian life in Paris and were quickly drawn to collecting art.

The Grand Palais exhibit opens with some fine examples of their earliest acquisitions, several works by late impressionist masters, in particular Renoir and Cezanne, purchased during their first visit to the Salon d’Automne in 1904. These works would not only adorn the walls of the Steins’ respective apartments on rue Madame and rue Fleurus, they would also serve as inspiration for the next generation of young artists who started frequenting the Steins’ Saturday night Salons, lively evenings of conversation and debate over the ensuing new ideas of the modernist movement.

The next year’s Salon d’Automne also featured the more “traditional” artists, however, just as the impressionists had shocked the art world with their innovative works forty years prior, new artists such as the bold Fauves were causing a stir. While it was Gertrude and Leo who purchased Matisse’s aforementioned masterpiece, it was Michael and Sarah who became avid collectors and friends of the artist. Over the next few decades, they almost exclusively focused their collection on his works, many of which are shown here, several displaying the unique bond Matisse had with Michael and Sarah such as the two portraits he made of them and some paintings featuring their son Allan.

Matisse might have been one of the most important leading artists of the turn of the 20th century, however, he was fervently rivaled by another visionary artist; Pablo Picasso – who in turn was greatly supported by Gertrude and Leo. Gertrude first met Picasso in 1906 and they quickly formed a strong, if not turbulent, friendship. The exhibition features a number of wonderful Picassos from their collection, including the imposing Cezanne inspired pre-cubist portrait of Gertrude, but perhaps the most intriguing are eight original sketches and studies for Picasso’s first cubist work Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), tightly displayed together on one wall, just as they might have been hung on the walls rue Fleurus.

Gertrude considered herself not merely as a patron of artists, but rather as their equal, a literary modernist, gaining inspiration for her writing from their new concepts on composition as she was developing into one of the most reputed American female writers. After WWI, Gertrude’s rue de Fleurus salon reflected her increasing interest in writing, as the artists started being replaced by the Lost Generation writers.

The end of the exhibit shows her appreciation for newer artists such as Juan Gris, then Francis Picabia and Balthus. This feels like a slightly weak closure to the amazing artistic odyssey of the Steins, who helped shape the direction of art history. Overall, the exhibit, is an exciting way to take an artistic trip back in time to one of the most creative moments in modern history … and then experience a little bit of bohemian Paris yourself, wandering the streets of the Left Bank or Montmartre in the footsteps of the Steins, Picasso, Matisse and Hemmingway.

Context Travel is arranging small group and private visits of the exhibit led by modern art historians. For more information and dates click here.

Written by Lily Heise from Context Travel for the HiP Paris Blog. All images courtesy of the Grand Palais. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out our website Haven in Paris.

There are so many tours to choose from in Paris… Whether you want to be whisked off on your adventure by bike, boat, balloon, Segway or foot (I have yet to find a horseback tour, but I’m sure someone, somewhere is cooking one up), a tour exists to help make that dream come true.

Having that many options at your fingertips can be overwhelming. That’s why we make it our duty here at Haven in Paris to scour the city tirelessly for the very best tours to recommend to our clients. I’ve been lucky enough to meet more than my fair share and have compiled a list of four of my favorites, chosen because they are so original, in depth and because the people behind them are amazing characters themselves!

Musée D’Orsay (Manolo Blanco)

Time Travelers Tours

Sara Towle’s “Time Travelers Tour” StoryApp (downloadable to the iPhone) is one of the most original Paris tours I’ve experienced. This labor of love started out as a book geared towards children and has evolved into an fully interactive, fact-filled, historical adventure through Paris. The first tour in the series, “Beware of Madame la Guillotine”, reveals the stories behind the landmarks and personalities associated with the French Revolution. It’s perfect for adults and children alike (I had a great day out following the tour with my husband)!

You can download the Time Travelers Tour App for your iPhone here or here.

French perfume and a lovely hotel particulier - Bee.girl; Meredith Tucker

Chris Lomon – Secret Paris Shopping and Walking Tours

Chris specializes in bespoke walking and shopping tours of Paris. His love for the city and natural curiosity for everything it has to offer is evident. He’s practically an encyclopedia of addresses and historical facts and has a special knack for uncovering hidden gems and unlocking closed doors. During our tour, I mentioned my passion for architecture, and Chris promptly sweet-talked his way into a 17^th century Hotel Particulier nearby, which now houses government offices so I could take a peek at the amazing courtyard and marvel at a special floating stone staircase (he also filled me in on the sordid history of the hotel’s original owner, most intriguing!)

Contact Chris directly here

Gwenael Piaser

Context Travel

The wonderful people at Context Travel are the experts when it comes to in-depth tours in almost any category. Their guides are often graduate students or experts in their field, and their tours are distillations that will inform and expand your knowledge of art, history, architecture, food and wine. An evening spent on their “Musee D’Orsay and Paris in the 19^th Century” tour has forever changed the way I look at the art and artists of that era. Not only did I learn about the life and times of the epoch, I was also taught how to examine the works and give context to their creation. Now I walk through the museum with a smile on my face and the satisfaction that I know so much about the masterpieces housed in those hallowed galleries.

Contact Context Travel directly here

Juliette Satidi

Progressio – French Niche Fragrances Perfume Testing

Ok, this is more of a lesson than a tour, but since you get to visit some of the most exclusive perfume houses in Paris (and because it so darn fun), I thought I’d add it to my list of favorites. Progressio’s resident expert, Teresa, gives you a full history of the French perfume industry and the basics of scent construction before putting your nose to the test through a heavenly perfume “sampling.” There is also a short language lesson, which teaches you the French phrases and words that will have you shopping for perfume like a local.  My favorite parts though, were the visits to the specialty perfume houses of Paris. These beautiful little boutiques are filled with formulas so well crafted, they are like liquid works of art, and because many of the fragrances are only sold in these boutiques (you can’t find them anywhere else), they’re almost as rare!

Contact Progressio directly here

What about you? Do you know of any great tour services, or original ways to experience everything Paris has to offer?

Related Links

• For more recommended Paris service providers (tours, chauffeurs, concierge, massage, yoga…) check out Haven in Paris’ recommendations here
• Looking for a personal shopper, we love Linda Harrad and Lilye (Shopping by Lilye)
• For friendly Paris bike and segway tours with English-speaking guides, check out Fat Tire Bike Tours

Written by Ariel for the Hip Paris Blog. All photos by Michael Tucker. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

I first visited the Marche aux Puces (Les Puces de Saint-Ouen) 5 years ago. I was feeling adventurous and had a new house I dreamed of filling with amazing finds from the famous Parisian flea markets. As soon as I arrived, however, my confidence and sense of adventure plummeted. There was so much, and it was all so beautiful, I couldn’t decide where to begin. I didn’t know if bargaining was de rigueur, and I was timid about asking for prices because I assumed most of the dazzling objects that caught my eye had to be out of my price range (especially since most of them looked like they came right out of Versailles). I found some amazing light fixtures and chairs, but they weren’t going to fit into the overhead bin on my flight home, and I hadn’t the first clue about how to arrange to shipping. In the end, my eyes got their fill of gorgeous pieces but I left empty handed.

Random finds at the Marché aux Puces (Michael Tucker)

My experience, sadly, is not uncommon. The flea markets of Paris can be very intimidating and the vast maze of memorabilia is more than a little overwhelming.  My fellow HIP gal pal Andrea knows exactly what I mean; she’s suffered from the flea market frazzle too!

So this summer, when Toma Haines and Franca Giagnacovo from Antiques Diva reached out and offered to take us ladies at HIP on a shopping tour of the Puces, we jumped, of course! After all, these women are bonafide experts on all things antique – maybe they could do something to salvage our dream of decorating our American homes with authentic French finds.

Walking the Paul Bert market at Clignancourt (Dave Bloom)

Our fabulous guide Franca met us in the morning with mini bottles of bubbly and personalized tote bags to carry home the treasures we were to collect that day. She gave us a great info package with maps and a brief description of each market within the Puces so we could pinpoint exactly where to go and what we wanted to see.  Andrea and I were both on a mission to feather our nests, so we focused on furniture, house wares and art. She steered us effortlessly through the slightly rough looking streets leading to les Puces and around the sea of cheap plastic knickknacks and designer knock offs that precede the “real” flea markets. Once inside, she knew exactly which vendors had what we were looking for, and she was willing to help us haggle (a very accepted practice).  Andrea has the scoop on the amazing treasures we saw.

Some flea market finds (Extranoise; Artbandito)

Like Ariel’s, my eyes were getting bigger and bigger as we moved along in the tour, getting closer to the jewels of the market. There was so much to look at that my head was almost spinning with inspiration, but somehow, with Franca’s guidance and easy manner, the level of intimidation eased away. While we walked past the vendors’ booths, she struck up conversations with many of them, talking about past purchases and previous clients. I have to say; I was as mesmerized by the goods as I was by the vendors and passers-by.

Luckily, Franca’s deep knowledge of the ins and outs of the market helped steer Ariel and I in the right direction, towards the beautiful objects found in the Paul Bert and Serpette markets. I would have needed an entire shopping cart to walk away with everything I wanted. I’m used to scouring American antique sales and flea markets, but somehow everything here possessed an air of timelessness that I find lacking at home. The grand-scale, high-quality, inspirational furniture came with a story, and the aged look, that I just can’t get enough of, was real.

Furniture stall at the Paul Bert market (Dave Bloom)

At Flavien Gaillard’s booth in the Paul Bert market, I admired the beautiful 20th century furniture, especially the pieces by French designer Jean-Louis Avril. Another favorite in Paul Bert was Marc Maison — the fireplace mantels, furnishings and accessories were just gorgeous. In particular, a 1930s enameled sink with modern hardware caught my eye. I could see it fitting right into my 19th century New England farmhouse! While the bigger pieces at the Paul Bert and Serpette markets are certainly pricey, the inspiration is free. With Franca and Ariel, I walked away that day with countless ideas for my future home.

Vanves flea market (Josh Leo)

Truthfully, we would probably have ventured into the flea market again on our own (for the sheer love of baubles). After experiencing a guided tour, though, we couldn’t imagine a serious antique-buying spree without our lovely Franca there to guide us to the real gems and ease away our fears with her expert bargaining.

Related Links:

• For more information on the Antique Diva market tours, check out their website here
• HiP Paris friend Claudia Strasser, of The Paris Apartment, is also organizing antique shopping trips this September, in time for the famous Maison &  Objet show.
• Antiques aren’t your thing? Context Travel leads some fantastic cultural walks within Paris
• Last year, our very own Maggie B. also visited the Marché aux Puces – here is what she found

Written by Andrea and Ariel for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Spending a summer in Paris is a dream come true, but as the Parisians rushed away to enjoy the famous French summer holidays, we got a bit envious and started dreaming of our own escape into the countryside. Thankfully, we were in for a treat: a day trip to one of the most famous regions of France…Champagne! We were invited along by Sydney Kruger, owner of A Tasty Side to Life, a private tour service that specializes in unlocking doors to some of the best small producers of the region.

Picked up in the morning by a private driver, Sydney, a girl who knows her way to my heart, had croissants waiting for us in the car. As we made our way out of Paris to the fresh air of the countryside, she filled us in on the history of the region (still one of the least visited in France), and gave us some great information on how champagne is actually made. By the time we arrived at the first vineyard, we had enough knowledge to taste like the pros.

Rosé champagne. Lesser known and still delicious.

Many of the small producers of the region are closed to the public, but Sydney’s tours specialize in getting access to those vineyards that the public might otherwise not be able to see. Our first stop, le Gallais, was typical of the Champagne houses she seeks out for her clients. This tiny Champagne house owned by an Armenian family is located on just 4 hectares of land from which they produce 11,000 bottles a year.  Madame Clicquot (of Veuve Clicquot) had her hunting lodge on the vineyard grounds (calling it a lodge is a bit of an understatement, it was an amazing chateau), which the family is now carefully restoring. What is most amazing is that the vines are hand pruned and picked by just two men, Herver Gallais, and Dominique, his right hand man. Dominique himself personally showed us around. It was truly a gem to discover and enjoy, and one we would have never found on our own!

The next stop was a gourmet lunch with Elisabeth Vollereaux at her Chateau Les Aulnois a Pierry, a luxury bed and breakfast tucked away in the heart of the region. The gorgeous, jewel box rooms that we toured were absolutely to die for. Sydney often arranges accommodations here for guests looking for a longer séjour in Champagne. We took some time to relax in the topiary garden (because we’d had a tough day so far), before tucking into a delicious salad made of vegetables grown on the chateau grounds. After, we sampled a few cheeses from the region and topped the meal off with Vollereaux champagne from Elizabeth’s family.

It was with slightly wobbly steps that we made our way across the village to our last producer of the day, Michel Lenique. This award winning champagne house was founded in 1768 and produces several different cuvées.  After sampling most of them with Michel’s sister (yes, after almost 250 years, it’s still a family business), we toured the ancient caves.

Champagne and Sydney

Finally, like all good things, our day came to an end and we had to bid au revoir to our new favorite region of France.  We floated back to Paris on a sea of champagne bubbles and a trunk filled with cuvées!

Sydney, Ariel and Andrea after a fun day of tasting!

For more information on A Tasty Side to Life, check out their website. Also, don’t miss Sydney’s delightful blog.

Related Links:

• Not Drinking Poison‘s funny take on a champagne tasting
• For wine tastings in Paris and trips to the Champagne region, check out O Chateau
• Le Best of Paris covers Les Caves Taillevent, a fantastic wine store in Paris with expert sommeliers to advise you on your choices

Written by Ariel for the Hip Paris Blog. All photos by Michael Tucker. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

The Inside Scoop (Photo by Little Brown Pen)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live like a Parisian? Unless you’re prepared to travel with a dog or take up smoking, I think the easiest and most enjoyable way to experience la belle vie while visiting France is by shopping and eating.

I’ve been living in Paris for five years now. While I’d like to pretend that I spend my days strolling along selecting cheeses and chocolates from small shops, I’d be exaggerating. Sometimes I’m forced to go to the supermarket due to time constraints, hours of operation, or the simple fact that I need to buy toilet paper.

On the weekend, however, I really do try to frequent the farmer’s market and small shops in my quartier. Little by little, you start to develop a relationship with the vendors and they remember you. With my accent, it usually doesn’t take all that long.  My second visit to the produce shop on rue Mouffetard, I was greeted with “Bonjour, Miss California.” I’m still smiling. And a few weeks later, after I’d paid for all my fruits and vegetables, I realized that I’d forgotten a lime. When I told him it was for my vodka tonic, he placed it in my hand with a wink and refused my money.

Caramel pastry from La Patisserie des Rêves (Edwardkimuk)

Living like a Parisian is not always perfect, but it certainly can be if you go about it the right way. The beauty of being on vacation is that you can choose what you’d like to do with your time and plan accordingly. For example, I recently took part in Context Travel’s “Baguette to Bistro: Culinary Traditions of Paris” walking seminar. I’m often asked by friends and friends of friends for travel tips so I thought it would be a good experience and one I could recommend if I enjoyed myself, which I did – immensely!

The tour started at 10:00 a.m. I met my docent, Meg Zimbeck, in front of a café where rue du Bac hits the Seine. I was pleased to find that there were only three other participants joining us that day. It was immediately obvious that this was not going to be an ordinary tour. There would be no red umbrella to follow, no “bus leaves in 10 minutes” shouted through the end of a bullhorn, and no herding, corralling or waiting in long lines at the souvenir shop.

After introductions and a little small talk, the official tour began. Meg offered us some interesting historical information about the 7th arrondissement, the setting for our tasting tour, and we were off!

Delicious Parisian baguettes… (Roboppy;Jlaceda)

Picture yourself walking down a narrow street lined with boutiques and shops then popping into la boulangerie to buy some freshly baked bread.

After that, you visit la fromagerie across the street to taste a few cheeses that you selected with the aid of a master. You’ll need something to spread all over the crusty baguette you just bought – although it really is so delicious you could eat it solo.

Goat cheese on a baguette – the perfect snack (Chiot’s Run)

You’re back on the tiny sidewalk again, but seeing all those delicious pastries at the boulangerie has awoken your sweet tooth You could return to the boulangerie to pick up a pain aux raisins, but why look back when straight ahead there is a shop specifically dedicated to sweet things: la pâtisserie! You go inside and peruse the decadent offerings and have one boxed up for later.

After admiring creations that so closely resemble artwork they are kept under glass, you cannot be expected to wait until “later” to get your sugar fix so you take une petite pause at your local chocolatier for some instant gratification.

Who can resist a stop at the chocolaterie Chapon ? (Everjean;Roboppy)

Ooh là là! It’s already half past noon, but you have one last stop. La cave, of course.  You enter and admire the beautiful bottles of fine Bordeaux wines, while doing so the lovely caviste offers you a sampling of an hors d’age Armagnac which you gladly accept.  I guess it really is good to be French!

There were three things that I particularly enjoyed about the tour.  The first, and probably the most obvious, was getting to learn about the products and having the opportunity to taste them on the spot and ask follow-up questions about ingredients, the process, etc.  Secondly, I liked that our group was small which meant there was enough time to stray off topic and discuss questions about culture, customs, and favorite restaurants (which is why I would recommend taking the tour early in your trip so you’ll have time to put this wealth of knowledge to work).  Finally, going back to the relationship aspect I mentioned above, Meg (or Context Travel docents, in general) has a relationship with the shop owners/employees because she is a regular customer.  Thus, as her “visitor” you get a real French shopping experience.

If you’d like to do some “window shopping” or as the French call it “window licking” (lèche-vitrine, because they just can’t keep their tongues in their mouths), to hold you over til your trip to Paris, here are the places we visited:

La Maison Kayser
Androuet
La Pâtisserie des Rêves
Chapon Chocolatier
Ryst-Dupeyron

And, of course:
Context Travel’s “Baguette to Bistro: Culinary Traditions of Paris”
Duration: 2.5 hours (minimum, my tour went over)
Price: €70, plus €10 tasting fee

Related Links:

• Meg Zimbeck’s foodie blog and website, Paris By Mouth
• Context Travel’s list of Paris tours
• Amy Reverdy’s blog, C’est La Me
• Maggie Battista’s favorite foodie stops on the Rue du Bac

Written by Amy Reverdy. Top image by Little Brown Pen. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Eating and Paris. No matter how much you might try to dissociate the two, a stay in Paris without its fill of delicious treats could be a holiday in any other northern European capital, albeit one with some pretty nice architecture.  Letting yourself be tempted by the window displays in patisseries and the cozy banquettes of corner brasseries is all part of the charm of living in Paris.

You won’t be blamed for spending your time here eating your way through neighborhood markets and various restaurant guidebooks, but you may find upon returning home to a routine of simpler meals (what, no Coq au Vin for dinner tonight, Mom?) you wish you had brought some of the mythical recipes back with you.

To answer the ever more popular dream of the food-blogger/cook/tourist, scores of great and not-so-great cooking schools have opened up in Paris to teach eager visitors la cuisine française. If you are not serious enough to book a semester at the Cordon Bleu, though, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the options out there. Lucky for you, Ariel and I recently tried out a class at “La Cuisine”, a wonderful cooking school geared towards visitors and locals that we feel confident recommending to anyone looking to delve a little deeper into the secrets of French cuisine.

La Cuisine: Ariel peeling an apple, Geneviève stirring the Crème Anglaise (Julien Hausherr)

Oliver and Jane started “La Cuisine” just over a year ago, and its popularity has already supported their move to a fantastic location right next to the Hotel de Ville. Tired with the demands of her banking job, Jane decided to drop it all, work her network, put together a group of serious culinary professionals and open a cooking school. With a soon-to-be degustation room and cellar, in addition to the two lovely kitchen/classroom spaces, La Cuisine is a great place to soak up a few recipes & tips in a welcoming environment.

On our recent visit, Ariel and I learned from the lovely Nathalie how to make the elusive Crème Anglaise. As side dishes to this queen of creams, we also learned how to make a perfect Tarte Fine aux Pommes and a traditional Tarte Tatin. Ariel has the scoop on the recipes below… – Geneviève

——-

La Cuisine: Crème Anglaise (Julien Hausherr)

Mmmmm, I could just live off of Crème Anglaise alone! I miss that sweet ambrosia when I’m back in the states, since Americans tend to prefer the frozen version as a garnish to our pies and cakes.

For someone like me, an abysmal cook who can’t even fry an egg, the idea of actually making Crème Anglaise from scratch was madness, something best left to professionals for fear of botching one of the complex intermediary steps.

Au contraire mon amie! After taking the class at La Cuisine, both Genevieve and I have been able to recreate the sweet sauce (to the amazement of our family and friends)!

Here are Nathalie’s foolproof steps for a perfect Crème Anglaise:

Crème Anglaise:

500 ml whole milk

5 egg yolks

80 grams of sugar

½ vanilla bean

• Split your vanilla bean down the middle and add it to the milk
• Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, constantly stirring the pot and being careful not to scald the milk.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar together until the mixture is thick and pale.
• When the milk has reached a boil, pour just a bit (about a cup) into the bowl with the egg and sugar mixture and quickly whisk it in. This will temper the eggs.  You can repeat this step if you’d like, pouring some more milk into the egg and sugar mixture and whisking together again.
• Reduce the heat on the milk to low heat.
• Pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk.
• You will need to stir the mixture in the saucepan constantly (in a figure 8 motion) to prevent the mixture from burning.
• Be careful never to let the crème come to a boil as it will cook the eggs.
• Stir until the crème coats the back of the spatula. You will know it is just right if you run your finger across the back of the coated spatula and the line your finger makes in crème holds and does not run.
• Then, take the pan off of the stove and place it in a cold water bath. Continue to stir the mixture. The cool water surrounding the pan will cool the Crème Anglaise down.
• Once it has cooled just a bit, strain it and put the mixture into the fridge to finish cooling completely. (Nathalie had a great tip here, she puts her mixture into a shallow cake pan so that it is spread out evenly over a larger area. This allows the mixture to cool evenly and quickly)
• Crème Anglaise can absorb smells from your fridge so make sure you cover it with plastic wrap (touching the surface of the plastic wrap to the liquid) or put it in an airtight container.
• Crème Anglaise is also the base for ice cream! If you have an ice cream maker at home, you can use this recipe for perfect homemade ice cream!

Now, you might think you would be in need of something to soak up your perfectly made Crème Anglaise. Nathalie had a few ideas for that too….

The classic French apple tart is so much more refined than our deep dish American version. The elegantly arranged apples make it look like the chef has spent hours creating this masterpiece. As Nathalie showed us, though, it is actually a really easy desert to make!  You can even create individual tarts as a special touch at dinner parties. Here’s how:

La Cuisine: Tarte Tatin pic crust (Julien Hausherr)

Tarte Fine aux Pommes:

1 puff pastry dough (come on, we know you’ll buy the pre-packaged version and we don’t blame you!)

3 large apples that are roughly the same size (Granny Smith work well)

70 grams salted butter (melted)

40 grams sugar

Cinnamon

1 lemon

• Roll out the dough and cut it into individual circles with a cookie cutter. Place them on a cookie sheet so they are not touching.
• Peel and core your apples, then cut them into very thin slices. Arrange them on top of your dough circles in a “flower” pattern.
• Drizzle lemon juice over the top of the apples to keep them from turning brown.
• Pour the butter over your individual apple tarts, making sure you have distributed it evenly.
• Sprinkle each tart with the cinnamon (to taste) and sugar; making sure the sugar is also distributed evenly to all of the tarts.
• Cook for 12 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  Be sure not to open the oven door while they are cooking or else your dough will fall!
• When they come out, let them cool and serve them with the Crème Anglaise!

If you want to step it up a notch, you can always go for the Tarte Tatin, after all, there are few things better than the caramel-apple combination. This French classic is not only easier than it looks, but you can also make individual servings for your friends and family with this simple presentation…

La Cuisine: peeling apples (Julien Hausherr)

Tarte Tatin:

1.5 apples per person (Royal Gala work well)

100 grams of butter (room temperature)

Short pastry dough (pre-packaged is fine, we won’t tell!)

50 grams sugar

1 orange (optional)

• Butter individual ramekins using about 25 grams of your butter.
• Start by making a “dry caramel”: place ½ of your sugar into a pan to melt. Stir it frequently and make sure it doesn’t burn.
• When the sugar melts and starts to turn brown (not too dark), add in the rest of your sugar. Keep it on the heat, stirring frequently until it is fully melted and has turned a golden brown.
• Take it off the heat and add in 50 grams of butter, stirring it in thoroughly until the mixture is cloudy.
• Put one tablespoon of your caramel into the bottom of each ramekin
• Peel and core your apples, making sure the apple is kept whole. Cut up one of your extra apples into thin strips and stuff those into the core of each of your “whole” apples to fill in the core.
• Put one apple in each ramekin adding a dollop of butter on top of each one. This should use up the remaining 25 grams.
• Place all of your ramekins on a baking sheet, and put the baking sheet on a shelf in the middle of your oven.
• Broil the apples on high for 20 minutes checking frequently to make sure they don’t burn or turn black. You want the tops to caramelize.
• After 20 minutes, remove the ramekins and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Return your ramekins to the oven to bake for another 30 minutes. (You can poke a toothpick into your apples to make sure they are tender all the way through, when they are, they are done!)
• Roll out your pastry dough and cut it with a cookie cutter that is roughly the same size as your ramekin.  Poke little holes in the raw dough with a fork to prevent it from bubbling up and place your individual circles on a cookie sheet. Bake them as directed by your recipe or the package.
• When your apples are finished, let them cool just a bit.  You may need to run a knife around the end of your ramekin to loosen the caramel. Place one pastry circle on the top of your ramekin and flip the entire thing over on a plate so the dough is on the bottom and your apple is sitting on top.  Remove the ramekin and you’ll have the perfect little Tarte Tatin. Garnish with Crème Anglaise!

- Ariel

La Cuisine: Observing the Crème Anglaise (Julien Hausherr)

For more information on the wonderful classes offered by La Cuisine, feel free to check out their website. Many thanks, also, to Julien Hausherr, the wonderful photographer who captured these moments.

Related Links:

• Paris By Mouth: Tarte Tatin at the Bistrot Paul Bert
• Eat Boutique on Les Petits Mitrons tart shop in Montmartre
• Dorie Greenspan’s (via David Lebovitz) recipe for French Apple Cake
• Kitchen at Camont cooking classes in Gascony

Written by Ariel Kocourek and Genevieve Sandifer for the Hip Paris blog. Julien Hausherr is a photographer based in Paris, specializing in architecture, still-life and reporting. Contact: julienhausherr@hotmail.fr. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Every season ushers in a series of new exhibits in Paris and one of the most talked about this autumn is certainly “Claude Monet 1840-1926″ at the Grand Palais. Slightly skeptical due to all the buzz, I visited the show last week to see if it was actually worth all the hype… and left two and a half hours later completely enchanted by the artistic impressions of the master impressionist.

The retrospective is certainly a must for impressionist art-lovers, bringing together over 200 works from 70 international collections, it offers a once in a lifetime chance to see so many of his paintings united side by side. Many of the works come from the Musée d’Orsay, however, dozens come from North America, where an avid appreciation of the Impressionists developed much ahead of France.

I was rather lucky to tour the exhibit with artist Marie Theres Berger who gave us some wonderful insight into the works on display, the artist’s career and his personal life. The show was beautifully curated, with the works organized thematically instead of purely chronologically, demonstrating how Monet’s style evolved through his subject matter, often revisiting the same subjects years later, such as the stormy Normandy coastline. Visitors can also admire Monet’s experiments with light through his famous series, including the lofty haystacks and the façade of the Rouen Cathedral painted at different times of day.

My favorite part of the exhibit was probably the section dedicated to people, because this was the most surprising, the artist being first and foremost revered for his landscapes and flowers. Figures were merely a continuation of his study of light and color, nevertheless, it was fascinating to see his depictions of his first wife, the very pretty Camille, and his artist friend Frédéric Bazille in the various Déjeuner sur l’herbe.paintings and other scenes, giving us a little peak into Monet’s private life.

The one disappointment of the exhibit (besides the crowded traffic jam at the very beginning of the show) was the poor representation of his later works. The last room of the show, dedicated to the end of his life, is rather sparse and the painting not among his best. I guess visitors will just have to go to the Orangerie Museum afterwards to admire his large water-lily tableaux there!

The exhibit runs through January 24^, it is highly advisable to purchase advance tickets to the exhibit and to aim to go either first thing in the morning or in the evening to escape the intense crowds. Context Travel is organizing very small group tours of the exhibit led by art experts on Monet.

Related Links:

• Context Travel’s walking tour of the Monet exhibit
• FIAC, Paris’ big contemporary art fair is also happening this week
• Cutlog, the newest contemporary art fair, is taking place at the Bourse du Commerce

Written by Lily Heise from Context Travel. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out our website Haven in Paris.

Kitchen at Camont - Tim Clinch

While I love the pace of a vibrant city like Paris, I’m a New England girl at heart. As such, there’s nothing like a big green vista or a vast ocean to make me feel at home.

On my latest trip abroad – which started off with a bang last week at the lovely Chateau de Raissac (more to come on that later) – I’m scheming up several more excursions beyond the fairest city to see the landscapes of Normandy and explore the farms and vineyards of Provence. While bopping across the country, I’m hoping to make a short jaunt to visit a new virtual friend, Kate. We met on Twitter, but I already feel like we’re best friends.

Kitchen at Camont - Tim Clinch

This lovely lady is also American but, unlike me, she’s not the forever-tourist longing to feel at home abroad. Kate Hill is completely at home on a gorgeous 18^th-century, 2-acre farm in Gascony, a region about four hours by train from Paris that she calls “the kitchen of France,” due to its long growing season, ripe land and access to loads of water.

And what is Gascony specifically known for? Oh, just true farm-to-table cooking! You know farm-to-table; it’s the food movement that was way famous over in the European countryside for a few millenia before we Americans decided it was chic a few years ago.

Seriously: Gascony is legendary for pillars of French cuisine like ripe produce, fresh herbs, foie gras, truffles, wine, and the regional delight known as Armagnac.

And Kate should know. She’s a farmer, cookbook author, professional cook, photographer and teacher who liaises with local butchers, bakers and Armagnac-makers in an effort to highlight only the best for her clients. She’s been published in top tier publications like Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and The New York Times. She’s also a real sweetheart.

Kitchen at Camont - Tim Clinch

Are you (like me) looking for a total immersion? I’m hoping to visit Kate for a tiny lunch feast, but my real dream is to spend up to a week (or three) with her learning true Gascon cookery. In a 5-day program alone, I’d learn about the art of butchery and charcuterie, preparing cassoulet and coq au vin and baking traditional baguettes.

Kitchen at Camont – Tim Clinch

Are you looking for an overnight trip from Paris? If you only have a day or weekend, Kate can customize a program just for your group, which will include visiting the best local purveyors (also known as “her friends”) and cooking up a feast together from your finds. Afterward, retreat to your farm-style room to sleep it off and re-energize (for a good night’s sleep and energy) for more eating the next day. You’ll leave with a true understanding of how it all works – from growing, to shopping, to cooking.

Are you a professional or budding food blogger, stylist or photographer? Then put her Natural Light, Natural Food weekend class on your wish list. It’s also on my list, perhaps for a big birthday some year soon. (Yes, my wish list is damn long. My poor, poor husband, eh?)

Whichever class you opt for, you’ll be in good company, as Kate has hosted top food stylists, budding cheese makers and even top cookbook publishers. She’s totally the real deal.

Kitchen at Camont – Tim Clinch

No time to visit Gascony but serious about French cooking? She’s got you covered too. Check out Kate’s delicious recipes online and don’t miss a post on her blog.

Kate can be reached online at her website, via email at katehill@gmail.com or via phone at (33) 05 53 47 56 29. Mention Maggie when you reach out, as she’d be so tickled to know her Twitter buddy sent you.

Related Links:

• The Boston Globe writes about Kate Hill
• LA Times article about Kate Hill
• Kate Hill’s Facebook Page

Written by Maggie Battista for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Love Locks on the Pont des Arts: Hipposrunsuperfast; The Cook’s Atelier

I wonder how the French will receive Eat, Pray, Love? It seems decidedly dorky and American with none of the glamor or decadence that Sex and the City, the other chick-flick import, had. Rather, just an earnest exploration of the meaning of life for a newly single, thirty-something year old.

Me? I love this sappy-pseudo-spiritual-go-sister-rah-rah sorta movie. So not only do I have a (girlfriend) date to see Julia Roberts smiling her way through Italy, India and Indonesia, but I’ve been plotting the best places in Paris to eat (yummy Italian), pray (or at least feign meditation while in downward dog) and (peut-être find) love.

Pizza from GreenPizz

Eat

In a town that devours nearly every body part of almost every animal, it can be surprisingly tough to find a satisfying plate of pasta. So what’s a carb-loving signorina to do? Suss out the neighborhood gems. Beneath Sacre Coeur’s shadow, you’ll find Corso (10 avenue Trudaine, 9eme, 01 48 78 55 81), a modest Costes brothers establishment that serves heaping piles of al dente pasta, homemade gnocchi with ricotta and spinach and a mean tiramisu.

It took me awhile to find a good pie here in Paris but now I have two reliable pizza places. With toppings like rocket, baby peas, and roasted eggplant, my new favorite is GreenPizz, but for a more traditional experience, go to La Briciola (64 rue Charlot, 3eme, 01 42 77 34 10). The caprese’s sweet sauce, beautiful mozzarella and modest basil leaves are pitch-perfect.

But the very best Italian I’ve had in Paris was at Caffé dei Cioppi, an itty-bitty slice of a restaurant in an alley off rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine (159 rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine, 11eme, 01 43 46 10 14). While the menu changes regularly, a few staples you can count on include fresh, creamy burrata, homemade ravioli and soupy, stick-to-your-ribs risotto. It’s cozy, well priced and frequented by Romain Duris—no wonder it received a 2009 Fooding® d’Amour award.

Julie Roberts as Liz in Eat Pray Love eating gelato in Italy

After loading up on carbs, nothing will make your jeans feel snugger than a scoop or two of gelato. With her eponymous gelateria, Mary Quarta (1 rue Charles-Francois Dupuis, 3eme) has brought her gelato-making expertise straight from Milan to the Haut Marais so you can taste la dolce vita with a cono piccolo of Stracciatella and Nutella. Sigh.

Pray

Finding balance can be a divinely spiritual or quite literal thing. And sometimes all you need in order to feel grounded is the presence of hundreds of worshiping Anglophones—which is where the American Cathedral in Paris comes in. Less intimidating than the Sunday morning Eucharist service are the informal Sundays at Six gatherings that weave world music into the religious service.

Personally, finding my center is all about yoga and thankfully, I’ve found a number of studios in which to stretch, balance and breathe myself to (relative) peace. The friendly but modest Centre du Yoga du Marais is a popular ex-pat option with variety of classes seven days a week, while on the Left Bank, Rasa also offers a range of different yoga styles, but with decidedly more swank. To find mental clarity without the physical poses, the Buddhist Center’s evening meditation classes might be your ticket—if don’t mind zenning out to the sounds of French.

Jean-Louis Zimmermann

Love

Alors, here we are in the City of Loooove, where finding someone to waltz along the Seine with is a lot tougher than I ever imagined (Merci, Robert Doisneau for searing those romantic images in my mind).

Meetic, the equivalent of America’s Match.com, has been suggested by plenty a well-meaning local. Indeed, I have a colleague who just married his Meetic match. But I have a hard time committing to more dates… with my computer. It seems like real-live interaction is more promising. I mean, there must be ample testosterone at Meetup’s NFL Sunday group, right?? Or the Aussie or Brit groups are sure to have some strapping lads to consider. But since I keep coming back to the old chestnut of doing what you love, the Cook and Meet group seems more promising. I figure even if I don’t find love at this speed dating meets cooking school rendezvous, at least I’ll still be eating—and making good on one of my Julia Roberts-inspired goals.

Related Links:

• Parisien Salon’s list of Paris Yoga Classes
• See Eat Pray Love (Mange Prie Aime) in Paris
• Paris by Mouth on Caffé dei Cioppi
• Restaurant Recommendations from the foodie team behind Paris by Mouth

Written by Amy Thomas for the HiP Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

You know how sometimes you come across a place or a person that is so totally delicious you’re torn between telling everyone about it or keeping it greedily just for yourself?  Well, that’s how I feel about Monsieur and Madame de Roumilly and their beautiful château and rose garden.

If it wasn’t all uphill, I would cycle to their home, they live in a village just above our valley.  They bought this sweet doll’s house of a château many years ago and have single-handedly restored it and created gardens that people come from afar to visit.

I adore their old greenhouse with it’s unusual rounded roof and generous roses climbing all over.

When Madame was creating the gardens, she wanted an idea for planting up a field; she thought of the very catholic theme of heaven, purgatory and hell!

Not one to be easily scared, she researched plants worldwide to fit into her theme.  The result?  A fascinating walk between rose bushes displaying  fiery reds and oranges, huge thorns and fierce prickles, a walk through hell.  Cross the path of purgatory, lined with 12 yews representing the 12 apostles, and you enter Eden, pastel colored roses, mostly thorn-less and smooth stemmed.

It takes almost 2 hours to walk around the park and gardens.  I have done this walk many times  in the company of Madame de Roumilly who never seems to tire of telling people about her rose collection, or the origins of the more unusual plants.

These pictures were taken just as their fantastic rose border was coming  into flower.  Many of the unusual roses are from America, others from Italy.

Back at the château I love to chat to the charming owners.  Monsieur de Roumilly has always supported his wife’s plans for the château and gardens, and through the years has turned his hand to many a project.  From rebuilding stone walls to hand painting door panels.  The restoration of this lovely family-sized château has been a real labor of love.

There is so much more to say, but in the end I have to let the pictures talk for me.  Maybe one day you’ll come this way and we’ll be able to wander around the park together.  We’ll ask permission to let ourselves in  early in the morning – it might mean getting our feet wet in the grass, but it will  be worthwhile simply for the joy of seeing colors at their very best.

Related Links:

• Chateau de Miserey website & information
• Monet’s Giverny Gardens, just 1/2 hr from the Chateau de Miserey
• Top 5 Day trips from Paris

Written by Sharon from My French Country Home. Photos courtesy of My French Country Home and the Chateau de Miserey website. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.