Paris' Belle Epoche under the rain

Paris was at it's February best when I took my seat on the bus to reach our meeting point in front of the impressive Opera Garnier building. It was cold, it was windy and it was raining. Equipped with my doudoune coat, a black hat and a pink umbrella I was the last one to join the group... just in time!

The young Corsican-German tour guide was charming with delicate features and soft manners. How is he ever going to survive the jungle of Paris was the first thought that crossed my mind.

Sure enough he guided us across the grands boulevards warding off traffic and making sure we were admitted to places usually not easily accessible with a group of 20 chattering International Expats. Young Monsieur Henri highlighted the main places of Parisian aristocrats' and Grand bourgeois' life during the Belle Epoche.

During the second half of the 19th century from so-called French "Second Empire" to "Belle Epoque" era, Paris was probably the most well-known destination for leisure and shopping in Europe: Opera Garnier, Opera Comique, covered passages such as Galerie Vivienne or Passage Jouffroy, as well as historical bank headquarters and the French stock-exchange, le Palais Brongniart.

So although he might need to work on his story-telling a bit - for he knew his facts and figures - it was a pleasure following our aristocratic guide through "his" Paris on a rainy winter morning.

Streets and architecture were completely renewed under Napoleon III and his famous prefect Baron Haussmann. Nowadays the 9th arrondissement of Paris is still an exceptional illustration of these impressive changes.

The one and only ... 

A majestic historical bank headquarter...

... clearly inspired by the Chateau de Chambord

Passage Jouffroy

I wonder where that staircase leads to?!?

Paris' wax museum is definately worth a visit 

Pretending to be a shopper in the 19th century

Covered arcades used iron and glass, materials very new for their epoche

A merchand preparing for the local book fair

The poshest and most beautiful of all covered galleries

Details of the Gallerie Vivienne

Symbol of Hermes, messenger of the gods, god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, border crossings and guide to the Underworld... I wonder what the architect was thinking?!?

With the raising of the bourgeoisie, these galleries were created in order to facilitate the connection between the city centre and the Grands Boulevards

Today they are a beautiful tourist attraction 

Some French sense of humour hidden between the lines

Your local city hall of the 9ème arrondissement 

A rainy day under a 200-year old Passage

What better to do on a rainy day than to stroll through Paris' famous passages. Towards the end of the 18th century, town planners created a labyrinth of hidden passages across Paris. These forerunners to our modern day malls simultaneously allowed you to take a shortcut, shelter from the rain, shop and dine.

Nowadays these passages are real architectural gems, old-world galleries perfect for hours of delicious browsing. Passage des Panoramas, takes the credit for being not only the oldest of the covered passages but the first public area in Paris to be lit by gas in 1817. I love it for it's several seriously vintage wine bars and romantic bistros which are completely overridden by tourists but allow for great photo shots.

17th Century French World of Interiors

In the quest to learn how to recognise the different periods of French furniture through the knowledge of the symbols and codes that distinguish each style I signed up for yet another tour. I would come to understand what techniques differentiate the master ebonist from the cabinet-makers and hear which were the various influences and where they came from. Before this tour I hadn't even considered at which point in time comfort and function became as important as style and image.

Well, I was taught that looking closely at the creations of famous French ebonists, one can read in them their account of the fashions, the social habits and the cultural legacy of the previous centuries. The pronounced taste of the Ancien Régime's nobility for luxury didn't prevent wide variations from over-elaborated magnificence to neo-classical austerity. The solemnity of Louis XIII creations was followed by Louis XIV elegant interiors, which soon gave way to the refreshing charms of the Rococo rooms, before the whimsical curves bowed to the supreme elegance of the neo-Pompeian styles: in other words, a feast of interior designing!

Who knew the superbly restored Musée des arts décoratives could dazzles the visitor with its extensive furniture collection set in original period rooms, many of them transposed here with all their original contents. It was just a question of finding the right guide, a lady of Greek origins with big long blond locks and an incredible knowledge of France's history, art, aristocracy, architecture, social and economic background as well as its past and present foes and allies.

Pretty funky staircase for the Pavillon of Marsans

(part of the Palais du Louvre's western wing)

My favourite arrangement of furniture

How to show off the foreign influences without loosing the "French touch"

How many drawers do you think this cupboard has?

Starting to see more curves than lines

He seemed like a jolly fella

A marble fire place mantel 

Interesting choice of disposition and wall colour

 

Intricate detail of woodwork 

Ebony and Ivory in geometrical harmony

When you realize you have a perfect shot

The first time I read about In the Spirit of Gstaad was in some swanky magazine like Paris Match. The launch of this photo book caught my attention since I have a very emotional connection to that area of Switzerland.

More than just a stop on the jet-set circuit, Gstaad’s great charm is its cozy yet glamorous style and atmosphere. The village owes much of its beauty to its natural surroundings as well as to the local architecture of enchanting wooden chalets and you can certainly say that hospitality is part of the culture.

Ever since I was a little girl the Pay d'Enhaut was my winter refuge. Apart from our two-year stint in Buenos Aires, not year went by without a trip to those soft Swiss hills where all you ever needed to know were the chalets' names and not their address.

So, when I came across the hardback in Cadonau, my favourite paper shop of all times, I couldn't resist and brought it with the excuse to offer it to my husband as a little gift!

Admittedly I do have a soft spot for Audrey Hepburn featured on the cover... after all she loved PiNk... but imagine my delight upon opening the book and finding the exact same photo that I had taken and posted on Instagram the day before.

I might need to consider an alternative career and start collecting material for my own book!?!

Swiss Export Shopping

It is common for expats to develop quirks about favourite foods and other items from their home country. If you have ever lived abroad you know the feeling.

Strange shopping habits can be spotted before leaving home and returning to an expat destination. Our family calls it Export shopping: it results in a family shopping spree around the Coop (sometimes Migros) stacking the trolley with our favourite food which has now become our comfort food.

These items cannot be found in the host country and may or may not have actually been part of the expats' lives in their home country but which given half a chance - and with some luck a car rather than a suitcase to fill - will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of being back home.

A bottle of Ramseier Apfelsaft, a Branchli or a Ragusa, an Ovo crunchy spread or Champions Birchermuesli will make us feel just a little bit better when we get hit with homesickness or nostalgia. A glass of Dole Blanche or a moité-moité cheese fondue will certainly hit the spot. And nobody makes bouillon cubes like the Swiss. NeoCitran, a widely-used cold remedy, will do the job in case of sickness, and the earplugs that come in a pink box let me sleep through thick and thin. And don't get me started on the chocolate... cooking chocolate, white hot chocolate, dark powdered chocolate, marzipan chocolate tablets, nutty chocolate bars and chocolate pralines!

We LOOOVE the COOP!

Nor can we resist a Swiss bakery

Suntigszopf im Ussland

Familia Birchermüesli with Hirz Yoghurt... a champion's breakfast!

Le Chiacchiere di Carnevale... bring back sweet memories of Lugano

Ramseier or Rivella? 

A typical Swiss Export shopping bag

A week made in heaven

Every year we religiously drive back to Switzerland for a week's skiing. This year the Gods were smiling down on us and we arrived to catch the first rays of sun after several snowy days. In other words: perfect skiing conditions!

The saying "Feeling on top of the World" takes on a whole new meaning when you get to spend a glorious week of skiing with your childhood friends and everybody's family gets to join the fun!

Where to start?

Skiing, eating or suntanning?

A feeling of Swiss nostalgia

Weather forecast a week before we left

The view on our first day of skiing

My skis might be vintage but they still get me up and down the mountain just fine

A close encounter 

Chässchnitte uf de Alphütte

Teatime treat after skiing: Vermicelle at Charly's

Adelboden, a new discovery!

Anybody home?

The snow is melting rapidly after 6 days of sunshine

We could always try sledging down the mountain?

I am born to suntan!

I am intrigued!

The village of Rougemont

When teenagers are left without WIFI!!!

Love is...

... riding a chairlift side by side on a glorious winter day...