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Orléans, or how I escaped the big city | France
I had been in Paris for almost two months before I actually managed to go on a proper day trip beyond the limits of my Navigo pass. And my choice of a first day trip was one which confused my colleagues, who met my response to “que’est-ce que tu fais ce weekend?” with a slightly bewildered expression. I was going to Orléans. They probably had good reason to be confused. Orléans, 69 miles south of Paris and the capital of the Loiret department, is not the place people tend to go when visiting northern France. It is like what Ely is to Cambridge. But for someone who is used to…
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Château de Vincennes | PARIS
If you’re looking for a relaxed and interesting day out in Paris, perfect for families, couples and solo explorers alike, I would highly recommend the Château de Vincennes. Located just beyond the borders of Paris, it is easily reachable by bus and metro and yet seems to avoid the major tourist footfall, leading to a quieter atmosphere while being far from dull. The visit consists of the Holy Chapel (Sainte Chapelle, a magnificent Gothic masterpiece) and access to the Castle Keep (le donjon) with some gorgeous views out over the surrounding area. Mini history lesson: what is the Château de Vincennes? The Chateau de Vincennes was first established as a…
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The artists’ workshops at 59 Rue Rivoli | PARIS
If you’re looking for free things to do in Paris, it’s hard to find something as simultaneously awe-inspiring and unique as 59 Rue Rivoli, an artists’ workshop which is completely free and open to the public. Situated just along the road from the Hotel de Ville, the Louvre, and numerous other more well-known tourist spots, 59 Rue Rivoli is multiple floors of workspaces where artists work throughout the day as a steady footfall of visitors pass by. The walls (and sometimes the floors and ceilings) are filled with art in a huge range of styles, and in some of the workshops, small postcards and paintings are laid out for visitors…
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The Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte) | PARIS
Let me paint the scene: you emerge from below the hulking building of the Bastille Opera House in Paris, and step into the bustling square. Blinking in the bright sunlight, you turn down Rue de Lyon and begin walking. As you pass in and out of the dappled shadows which dance beneath the row of trees, you let the commotion fall behind you and soon reach a somewhat unassuming set of stairs beside the path. A sign on the side of the building reads “Viaduc des Arts”. You climb the steps, unable to see what lies at the top… …And then, quite suddenly, you are stepping into a tranquil…
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The comprehensive guide to stress-free flying | TRAVEL
I am writing this in the departure hall of Leeds-Bradford airport. In about two hours, I will be sitting on a cheap flight to Girona, Spain, waiting for take off. I am already feeling quite anxious. Nevertheless, every time I fly alone, the better I get at it. And I’ve flown alone a lot by now, so I know all about the nerves and the stomach butterflies which come before, during and after the flight. I have also learnt a lot about how to combat them, and so if you’re nervous about flying, try and follow these simple steps to keep nerves to a minimum and make your journey a…
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TRAVEL | 22nd European Balloon Festival, Igualada, Spain
The 22nd European Balloon Festival, held in Igualada (Spain) was easily one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. There is just something so fascinating about seeing huge man-made globes of air rise off the ground and begin to float away, hanging on the horizon as if it were magic. I have wanted to ride in a hot air balloon for a while. My grandma loved balloon rides, and I can imagine why. Watching the temporary inhabitants of the balloon baskets grin in helpless exhilaration as they watched us become ant-like below them made clear that the experience was worth any fear that it might entail. Did you…
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How to bond with your au pair host family | AU PAIR DIARIES
It’s day one of my third experience of living with a host family as an au pair, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes one au pair experience different from another. Having now lived (/worked for) three different families abroad, and lived with another two host families while on language courses, I think the major factor which determines the outcome of the stay is the relationship you have with your host family. Just as they must learn to treat you as another member of the family – an older daughter, almost – and not just an employee or a guest, you too must treat them as a second family,…
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TRAVEL | 5 tips for becoming an au pair
Are you thinking about becoming an au pair, or want to know whether you would suit the role? I’ve been an au-pair two years running, a month each time with two different families in Catalonia, but before my first experience I really didn’t know what to expect. What if the kids hated me? Would I get to practise speaking Spanish? Would I be able to afford the trip on my own? In this post, I hope to answer your questions, with 5 top tips to consider before you sign up to be an au pair this summer. 1. Ask yourself if you would really enjoy all the parts of the being…
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AU PAIR DIARIES | Exploring Barcelona for the first time
“a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Laozi Estoy en España! The last few days have been so chaotic that I haven’t really been able to update or write down regularly what I’ve been doing, but finally I’ve found a pocket of time to update you a little on what I’ve been up to. I still can’t really believe I’m here for another month, nor that I’ve now been here a whole week… does time really work the same way when you’re abroad? For the first couple of days, I was staying with a friend who lives in Barcelona because it was much cheaper to…
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AU PAIR DIARIES | Day 0: thoughts from the clouds
“Nothing has ever looked like this in all of human history” Once you get used to the disconcerting idea that you’re not on the ground and when you look down you see a blanket of fluffy white clouds that look thick and soft enough to stand on, or else a patchwork of tiny fields seemingly made for ants, flying isn’t so bad. The worst part is the anticipation; I don’t think I have ever been as nervous for something as I have been for today. Not even exams – the stress factory – were quite this bad. I was terrified for them, but at least I knew I was safe,…
