Having only been in France for three weeks and with virtually no military experience, it’s hard to imagine what was going through the minds of the thousands of Australian soldiers heading to the Western Front at Fromelles in northern France during World War I. They most likely didn’t realise they were about to be sacrificed by their British allies to provide a ‘diversion’ to the German military who were looking to move further south to join the Battle of the Somme.

Crossing the 400 metres of flat, open no man’s land was a disaster waiting to happen. The Germans on higher ground were easily able to mow down the approaching soldiers and no one made it across enemy lines. Further along, the no man’s land was only 90 metres wide and a tenacious group of mostly Australian soldiers made it across into enemy territory. It seems like this achievement was unexpected and while the British commanders were deciding what to do, night fell and not long after the small group of soldiers found themselves surrounded by the more powerful, professional German army.

Bloody hand to hand combat ensued with rifles, bayonets and grenades being the weapons of the day. Many of the Australians were killed and the few who survived were taken as prisoners of war.

In the small French village of Fromelles in 14 hours beginning on the 19th July 1916 more than 8,500 Australian, British and German troops were killed, wounded or taken prisoner with 5,533 of them being Australian. One of the deadliest battles in Australian history.

Fromelles Mass Graves

Soldiers killed behind allied lines were identified and buried in British cemeteries along the front line while those who died in no man’s land were left there for two years until the end of the war. Those who perished behind German lines were buried in mass graves in Fromelles, 50 soldiers per grave.

Even though the existence of the graves was well documented by the Germans, their existence was largely ignored by the French, British and Australian authorities for more than 90 years. It wasn’t until French and Australian amateur historians shared their extensive research that something was finally done about these forgotten soldiers. After years of bureaucracy and delays the bodies were eventually exhumed in 2009. DNA samples of 250 soldiers were taken and so far around 110 bodies have been identified.

Fromelles Military Cemetery

In 2010, the soldiers recovered from the five mass graves were given individual funerals with military honours and are now buried in a new military cemetery in Fromelles. Fromelles Military Cemetery is not far from the battle location and the woods where the mass graves were located (known as Pheasant Wood).

There are a number of other military cemeteries located in the area which are worth seeing. You can also visit Australian Memorial Park which is a small piece of Australian territory in France which commemorates the contribution of Australian soldiers in Fromelles during the Great War.

Hitler in Fromelles

During WWI, Adolf Hitler worked as a messenger transferring messages to and from Fromelles each day by bike and he is believed to have taken part in the Battle of Fromelles. During WWII when Fromelles was once again in German hands, the German soldiers created a plaque to commemorate the contribution their Fuhrer made to the city during WWI. At the end of the war, the plaque was immediately pulled down by the returning French and it can now be found at the Fromelles Museum.

Fromelles Museum

The Fromelles Weppes Terre de Mémoire is currently located on the first floor at the Fromelles town hall. There you can find all kinds of memorabilia and information on the Battle of Fromelles including uniforms and ammunition found in the area. The growing museum will be moved to a dedicated building next to the cemetery in the near future. The museum is open on the 2nd Sunday of the month or by appointment.

Fromelles Tours

Fromelles is located 20 minutes drive west of Lille and while you can visit the museum and cemetery on your own it will help to have a guide to show you around as points of interest are not sign posted. Our guide showed us the location of the German front line, no man’s land, the Allied front line and the precise location of the one on one final combat. Lille Tourism will be running tours to Fromelles starting this summer or ask them about arranging a guide.

Battle of Fromelles

I must admit I didn’t know anything about the Battle of Fromelles before arriving in the town. Looking around the museum and discussing the battle with the local historians was fascinating and their passion for the details was contagious. There is a small group of historians dedicated to preserving the memories of the battle and what happened afterwards and they are happy to share what they know.

It’s incredible to think that so many soldiers were sacrificed for nothing. Nothing was achieved. No ground was gained. The diversion failed. There was just a mass loss of life. If you are interested in Australian or military history then I’d definitely recommend a trip to Fromelles to find out more.

In 2006, 60 Minutes did a segment on Fromelles before the mass graves were excavated which you can watch here and if you are based in the UK you can watch a Channel 4 documentary on the subject.

I’d like to thank Lille Tourism and Fromelles Tourism for making our trip to Fromelles possible and Jean Marie Doual for driving us to and from Lille and for helping to translate. Special thanks to Jean Marie Bailleul for kindly sharing his immense expertise with us and for showing us the battlefields.

Australia’s Forgotten Soldiers is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

I should add Lille to my list of great day trips from Paris as at one hour each way on the TGV it’s a feasible trip from the French capital or even from London for that matter. A day trip wouldn’t do the city justice though, there are so many cultural sights to see, parks to picnic in and amazing food to try. My three days in Lille was nowhere near enough and I’m already planning a return trip this summer.

I was in Lille in December as it was the first stop on my Christmas market tour. The market was quite small but very popular and while I had some great Christmas food the real foodie treats are found in Vieux Lille.

I could go on and on about where to eat in Lille. We ate at some amazing places. If you want to try local specialities, any of the Estaminet’s found around the city are worth a try. Estaminet’s are pub/bistro type places serving traditional meals and local brews. There are quite a few around Rue de Gand but we went to Au Vieux de la Vieille in Vieux Lille. This is the perfect place to try one of Lille’s most famous dishes, Carbonnades Flamandes which is beer braised beef.

Many of the dishes have beer in them or maroilles, the local cow’s milk cheese, so be prepared for rich, heavy food. Don’t fill up too much though because less than 100m down the road is one of the best desserts you’ll find anywhere in France, the Merveilleux. Layers of meringue coated with fresh cream and rolled in chocolate. Heaven!

Speaking of desserts, Meert is also located in Vieux Lille. They’ve been around a while, since 1761 to be exact, and are most well known for their sweet vanilla stuffed waffles (which are too sweet for me) but also for their salted butter caramels and very fruity pâtes de fruit. You can order takeaway from the shop or sit in the wonderful cafe next door.

Being only 15 kilometres from chocolate haven Belgium, it’s not surprising Lille is big on chocolate. Weiss and Benoit Chocolatier are great places to stock up on delicious hand made chocolates.

The Wazemmes Sunday food market is another great foodie location in Lille and is the ideal place to pick up picnic supplies or just wander around and snack at the international food stalls.

Having beer drinking Belgians as neighbours has also worked out well for the Lillois as they love their beer too. Belgian Kriek beer (with sour cherries) has a quite unusual flavour and I tried one with orange peel.

More to my liking was the cider which you can get just about everywhere and it comes in sweet, semi-sweet and dry versions. The hot cider from the Christmas markets was my preferred drink on this trip to Lille. It’s much sweeter than the hot wine and they don’t put spices in it which I normally find overpowering.

If you want something a little stronger go for the local genievre spirit, derived from juniper berries. It’ll keep you warm on the wet, wintery days they often have in the north of France. The region is also well known for speculoos and you can even get speculoos liquor.

That’s just the beginning of my foodie discoveries but there are plenty of other reasons to visit Lille. There’s the UNESCO World Heritage listed Belfry which you can climb for the best views of the city and over to Belgium.

Just next to the Belfry is the Porte de Paris which celebrates the victories of Louis XIV.

If you’re interested in architecture or the Art Nouveau period head over to 14 rue de Fleurus to see one of Hector Guimard’s finest works, Maison Coilliot. I’ve previously written about Hector Guimard’s work in Paris and it was great to see another of his creative designs in Lille.

Then of course there is Place Charles de Gaulle with its adorable Flemish style architecture.

Lille has some fantastic museums and in particular I’d recommend the LaM modern art museum. I haven’t always liked modern art but am definitely starting to appreciate it more. There were some great works by Picasso, Modigliani, Miro and I quite liked this piece by Daniel Buren.

If you plan on visiting a number of museums and monuments, I’d recommend getting the Lille City Pass which gives you access to the museums as well as a 1 hour city bus tour, a guided walking tour of the old town and all public transport.

Day Trips from Lille

If you happen to be in Lille on the second Sunday of the month, I’d suggest a day trip (or an afternoon trip) to the nearby village of Fromelles. Fromelles is the site of one of Australia’s deadliest battles with 5,533 Australian soldiers being killed or wounded in the World War I battle. You can visit the battlefields and the new military cemetery as well as the museum at the town hall. Ask at the tourist office on Place Rihour for information on how to get there. This was one of the most interesting museum visits I’d had in quite some time and you can read about the Battle of Fromelles and the mass graves here.

Where to Stay

On this weekend trip to Lille I stayed at the modern Kanai Hotel located just down from the Grand Place, not far from Vieux Lille and the two main train stations. I love small, boutique hotels like this one and the free wifi was a bonus. Read my full review of Kanai Hotel here.

Weekend Getaway to Lille

This was actually my 3rd trip to Lille but my first as a tourist. It really is one of the most beautiful cities in France and a personal favourite. There is plenty to see on a weekend trip but a longer trip would give more time to try some of the amazing restaurants and bakeries which is what I’ll be doing on my next visit.

Weekend Getaway to Lille is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Lille is one of the most beautiful cities in France with a great foodie scene but also some fantastic museums. On my recent weekend getaway to Lille I visited 3 of the many museums found around the city.

LaM

LaM is home to Lille’s modern art collection. I haven’t been a huge fan of modern art in the past but it’s something that is definitely growing on me. LaM turned out to be my favourite museum in Lille and I discovered plenty of pieces which I loved.

A modern art museum wouldn’t be complete with at least one Picasso.

Modigliani (buried at Pere Lachaise in Paris) has a number of paintings here. When Modigliani died in 1920 his 9 month pregnant girlfriend was so distraught she jumped out of a 5th floor window, killing herself and their unborn child.

I don’t know what this is about but I like it.

Palais des Beaux-Arts

The Palais des Beaux-Arts is Lille’s most lauded museum and the second largest in France after the Louvre.

I love the expression on this woman’s face (they called her Jeanne the crazy one, lol) as she is waiting for her dead husband to be resurrected.

One of the most famous paintings at the Palais des Beaux-Arts is the Houses of Parliament, London by Claude Monet.

There are also a number of sculptures by Auguste Rodin, one of my favourite French artists.

Although I ran out of time to visit, I’ve heard great things about La Piscine, Lille’s other premier museum located in the suburb of Roubaix.

Outside of Lille

If you are interested in military or Australian history then you might want to add another museum to your itinerary in Lille. Fromelles is a village just outside of the city and is the location of one of Australia’s most devastating battles in history with more than 5,500 Australian soldiers killed, wounded or taken prisoner within 24 hours. The museum at the town hall is open on the 2nd Sunday of each month and you’ll need a car to get there but it’s well worth the trip. Along with the museum you can visit the newly established military cemetery and memorial as well as seeing the exact location of the battlefields and front line.

Entrance to LaM, the Palais des Beaux-Arts and La Piscine is included in Lille’s City Pass which also gets you free public transport which you’ll need to visit both LaM and La Piscine. The City Pass is available for 1, 2 or 3 days and you can purchase it at the Tourist Office in Place Rihour.

3 Great Museums in Lille is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

I loved, loved, loved Annecy. It’s so funny how some places instantly attract you while others don’t even make a blip on the radar. We were passing through Annecy on the way home from Florence so had very little time to visit but those three or four hours exploring the old town, canals and lake area were more than enough for me to fall in love with the city.

First up was breakfast. Breakfast is rarely worth writing about in my opinion but a chance stop at Remi Driot on rue de la Poste and a delicious pain au sucre (also rarely worth writing about) was a great start to the day. Our coffees were served with little almond tuiles which were superb.

From there it was straight to the heart of Annecy and the city’s main attraction, the Palais de l’Ile. Built in the 14th century on a natural rocky isle, the Palais de l’Ile has had various uses including as a mint, an art school, a retirement home, a gym, a courthouse and a prison. Nowadays it’s the local history museum and one of the most photographed monuments in France.

We didn’t have time to visit the Chateau d’Annecy but did spot it from various points around the city.

Like most museums in France, the Palais de l’Ile and the Chateau d’Annecy are free on the 1st Sunday of the month.

The old town and in particular rue Sainte Claire is where you’ll find the foodie action. There are hundreds of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, delicatessens and so many other specialty food stores. I was so disappointed at not being able to stay for lunch as the contemporary restaurants were particularly inviting. Instead I had to settle for picking up a few picnic items which we sampled later that day on the drive home.

Pralines seem to be huge in Annecy (the candied almond type not the Belgian chocolate type) and you could see them in all the bakery windows in brioche, croissants, meringues and in the famous Praluline from Pralus.

Before calling it a day we made the short walk through the Jardins de l’Europe to see Lac d’Annecy (Annecy Lake). The park is quiet and relaxing and the views over the lake are stunning. We then ended our 3 hours in Annecy by crossing the Pont des Amours (Lovers Bridge) and driving home to Paris.

Of course there are plenty of other things to do in Annecy but this was a fantastic introduction to this cute city in south eastern France.

3 Hours in Annecy is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

I have always loved travelling by train but the freedom you have when driving trumps all other forms of transport in my books. So now that I finally have my own wheels I am determined to take as many road trips as possible and forget about public transport for good.

My first trip in my little car, from Paris to Innsbruck, was a 10 hour drive, taking in 4 countries. I wanted to take my time so spread the trip over 3 days, stopping in Belfort, France (just near the Swiss and German borders), Vaduz, Liechtenstein and then Innsbruck, Austria.

Day 1 – Paris to Belfort

Prior to leaving Paris, I played around with Google Maps and figured Belfort would be a good place to stop after 5 hours of driving. In retrospect, it would have been more interesting and cheaper to stop somewhere like Fribourg in Germany but I was trying to avoid driving too far in one day.

Unfortunately, there’s not much to discover about Belfort. It’s known for the ‘Belfort Lion’ a statue to commemorate the Siege of Belfort during the Franco-Prussian War.

After getting up close to the statue and exploring the adjacent Citadel, there isn’t much else to see or do. Belfort is trying to reposition itself as a cultural centre with recent upgrades and expansions to its museums but it’s hard to get away from its main industries which are mostly for chemicals and plastics. It’s a region with high unemployment and a depressing feel. Not a great choice for where to spend the night.

Where to Eat

The two main squares were buzzing with many restaurants and cafes and judging by the packed terraces I’d say they all offer decent meals. We ate at a little Italian place, L’Angelo on Place de la Republique. The food was standard Italian fare which I would happily recommend to anyone heading to Belfort.

Where to Stay

I arrived in Belfort without a hotel booking so was lucky enough to stumble upon the All Seasons hotel which is part of the Accor group. I prefer staying with Accor when I don’t have time to check online reviews because I don’t need any nasty surprises when sleeping in a strange place. The All Seasons is a 3 star hotel which is within easy walking distance of the main square and the Belfort Lion. It’s priced at 55 euros per night on the weekends and 85 during the week and includes free wifi, breakfast and parking. I would definitely recommend this place.

All Seasons Belfort
Rue Gaston Defferre
90000 Belfort

Day 2 – Belfort to Vaduz

There was no point in sticking around Belfort so we headed straight for Liechtenstein. Vaduz is around 3 hours from Belfort and getting there includes a brief trip through Switzerland. For some reason I thought Switzerland used tolls on their motorways but it turns out you need a vignette/sticker which is only available as an annual pass for 40 euros. Un peu cher when you’re just driving through. The clever Swiss use radars to check you have the sticker so the only way to avoid paying is to avoid the toll roads but that’s almost impossible to do and probably not worth the effort. It just means I’ll have to go back to Switzerland before the end of the year to get my money’s worth.

I’ve always been curious about Liechtenstein and was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer. Surprisingly and disappointingly it has little to offer in the way of tourism! I did read some good reviews about the country before going but it didn’t strike me as a particularly interesting place. Vaduz is tiny and the main attraction, Schloss Vaduz, is off limits to visitors as it’s inhabited by the Prince of Liechtenstein and his family who govern the country along with the elected government.

It was a stinking hot day when we were there and decided to take the little train tour to get out of the heat. The most interesting thing about the tour was the Liechtensteiner Polka folk music they played. Very catchy tune!

Where to Eat

We had lunch under the trees at our guest house/pub. The food and service was great but 60 CHF (54 euros) is super expensive.

We later had great cocktails at Nexus but they were also expensive at 15 CHF (13 euros) each. It looks like Liechtenstein is not a budget friendly destination but if you head to the Coop supermarket you can get wine in a carton for 2.50 euros. Thanks Italy!

Where to Stay

The little tourist office in the city centre (at the bus station) can give you a list of places to stay in the region but they don’t make bookings. I picked a place for us based purely on the pretty picture in the brochure. The best aspect of Landgasthof Au guest house was their shady beer garden serving local specialities and the worst was the uncomfy bed and the price (118 euros).

Landgasthof Au
Austrasse 2
LI-9490 Vaduz

At least now I can tick Liechtenstein off my list of countries to visit in Europe.

Day 3 – Vaduz to Innsbruck

The GPS lady (I should give her a name) took us through countless back streets in Liechtenstein and just as I was starting to think we were lost we found ourselves back on the motorway crossing the Austrian border. In Austria you also need a vignette to travel on the motorways but you can get them for the day for a few euros at any petrol station.

Innsbruck is only 2 hours from Vaduz so we arrived well within time for a Wiener schnitzel lunch at Cafe Central. Tastier and cheaper then Vaduz and in a stunning setting, I was so happy to finally be in this beautiful Austrian city.

I’ve already posted my first impressions of Innsbruck and there are more posts on Austria to come including my trip up a Tirolean mountain to enjoy the sunrise and a champagne breakfast.

Road Trip: Paris to Innsbruck is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

The Pré Catelan is a small botanical garden found within the Bois de Boulogne, the woodlands to the west of Paris. It’s one of my favourite places to sit and read on the rare occasions in Paris when the sun comes out. It’s so quiet that it’s hard to believe you are only minutes from the Boulevard Peripherique, the main boulevard circling Paris.

The garden is mostly wide open space but some areas have small winding paths which you can explore.  There is also the Jardin Shakespeare which has all the plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s works.

I’m not the only one who likes to sit and read in the park.

If you have kids, you can let them play on the grass (unlike in other Parisian parks), play on the swings, and/or take them to the Theatre de Verdure du Jardin Shakespeare to see one of the regular shows.

As for the garden itself, the flower displays obviously change with the seasons but in general, they aren’t anything special. You can see the tulips in spring but during the rest of the year the flower displays are quite subdued.

I don’t know what this is:

Wheelbarrow art?

If you are feeling hungry and want a full on foodie experience, you can try the Le Pré Catelan Restaurant run by Frederic Anton. You can read a very detailed review of the restaurant at Food Snob. It’s not for the budget conscious and the review is mixed but it would be quite an experience.

Lastly there is this copper beech tree which has been labelled as a ‘remarkable tree’ for both its age and the circumference of its trunk. It is believed to be more than 200 years old and is 5.60 metres in circumference.

Jardin du Pre Catelan is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Once you’ve had your fill of the the views of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero you might want to escape the crowds and find somewhere quiet to relax. If your budget allows, you could sit in one of the cafes at Place du Trocadéro or sample a classically French patisserie at Patisserie Carette (WARNING: their website auto-plays hideous music). Granted, they are probably not the quietest of places to take a load off your feet. My preferred resting place near Trocadero is Square Lamartine, 10 minutes walk from Trocadero along Avenue Georges Mandel. It’s the ideal spot if you have kids, don’t mind screaming kids, or if you hate the smokers who occupy the terrace seats of cafes (I fit into the latter category). So get your patisserie to go and sit under the shady trees of the square.

This is an especially good place to stop if you have young kids as they can play on the swings and train. I love how the City of Paris is now labelling all the park playground equipment with recommended ages. I wonder if they did that after some kind of incident.

You don’t need to worry about buying water before you get here because you can get fresh water from the artesian well which has been here since 1855. I didn’t try the water but there was a queue of people filling up water bottles with it so it must be ok to drink. Artesian water is supposed to be cleaner than river water so I say go for it. As a side note, did you know artesian wells are named after the former French province of Artois (in the north of France) where many artesian wells were drilled in the 12th century by monks? No? Did you need to know that? Probably not.

View Larger Map

Square Lamartine – Paris 16th is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Living in the west of Paris means the most beautiful chateau in the world is only 15 minutes from my doorstop. I didn’t include it on my list of great day trips from Paris because it’s really just a suburb of Paris. You can easily visit Versailles for lunch or afternoon tea or just to wander around the stunning chateau gardens (for free!). Of course if you want to visit inside the chateau and see where Louis XIV and his successors slept then you would probably want to allow for a full day to visit and push your way through the crowds.

Crowds are not my thing so on my most recent trip I stuck to exploring the town and relaxing in the palace gardens. I also got to test out my new 135mm camera lens which I’m very, very happy with.

The royals obviously weren’t shy about using gold. It’s everywhere!

Looking down towards the main boulevard past the weird modern art sculpture.

I think I prefer the original decorative features like this water spout.

More gold.

The formal garden as seen through my 135mm lens. I will have to remember to take a wider lens next time.

Flowers and tourists:

More modern art can be found throughout the gardens.

The chapel missed out on the gold touch.

This trip to Versailles was also the first time I got to take my new baby out for a spin. She loved Versailles!

The Most Beautiful Chateau in the World is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Hector Guimard is well known in Paris as the designer of the beautiful Art Nouveau metro station entrances seen around the city. He was also a prolific furniture designer and architect, particularly in the lower 16th arrondissement in Paris. It just so happens this is my neighbourhood and I have walked by these buildings on many occasions, often without knowing it was his work. In recent weeks I’ve stopped by each of his buildings to get a good look at his designs, some of which are easy to spot as they have the characteristic curved lines he made famous while others are quite plain and unremarkable.

1891 – Hôtel Roszé 34 rue Boileau

It’s difficult to get a good look at Hôtel Roszé as it’s surrounded by a high fence and large trees. This was designed and built well before the Art Nouveau movement became popular in France.

1893 – Villa Jassede 41 rue Chardon Lagache

The unusual Villa Jassede was one of the first to combine stone and ceramics in the facade.

1894 – Hôtel Delfau 1 rue Molitor

I walked by this brick building many times without knowing it was Guimard’s work. It’s located just next to Metro Chardon-Lagache.

1894 – Atelier Carpeaux 39 boulevard Exelmans

1895 – Ecole du Sacré-Coeur 9 avenue de la Frillière

You can just make out the beautiful art nouveau pillars in the first photo below but not the interior decoration which includes an Art Nouveau staircase.

1898 – Castel Béranger 14 rue La Fontaine

Castel Béranger was described as ‘deranged’ by his contemporaries. It was one of the first Art Nouveau buildings to have been built outside of Belgium where the style began. The gate is a stunning example of Art Nouveau art. Each of the 36 apartments here have their own unique design.

1903 – Immeuble Jassedé 142 avenue de Versailles

There are actually two different buildings here, one facing Avenue de Versailles designed for bourgeois clients (pictured below) and the more modest building around the corner.

1907 – Hôtel Deron-Levent 8 villa de la Réunion

The Hôtel Deron-Levent is located just behind Villa Jassede on a private road. It’s described as being ‘guimaresque’.

1909 – Immeuble Trémois 11 rue Millet

This beautiful building is in a quiet street just off Rue La Fontaine.

1909 – Hôtel Mezzara 60 rue La Fontaine

Hotel Mezzara is a stunning Art Nouveau house and one of my favourites.

1912 – 17 and 19 Rue La Fontaine and 43 rue Gros

These 3 separate buildings take up the entire corner block on Rue La Fontaine.

1912 – Corner of Rue Agar et 21 Rue La Fontaine

Another Guimard designed building on Rue La Fontaine.

1913 – Hôtel Guimard 122 avenue Mozart

This was Hector Guimard’s home for some time until he moved to 18 rue Heine, a couple of streets away.

1922 – 3 square Jasmin

Hidden away on a small private square, this black and white house is unlike his other work.

1924 – Villa Flore 120 avenue Mozart

This building and those built after it aren’t in the Art Nouveau style but the Villa Flore plaque uses the typical Art Nouveau font (similar to the one on Rue Agar).

1926 – 18 rue Heine

This was Guimard’s last home in Paris before moving to the United States with his wife in 1939 to avoid the Nazi occupation. He died in New York a few years later in 1942.

1928 – 36-38 rue Greuze

Guimard’s last known work as an architect. Unlike the other buildings mentioned here, this is not in the lower 16th arrondissement of Paris but up near Trocadero.

Below is a map of Hector Guimard designed buildings in the 16th arrondissement of Paris if you wish to see them with your own eyes. I particularly recommend visiting Castel Béranger and the other Art Nouveau buildings on Rue La Fontaine. You can see even more of Hector Guimard’s Art Nouveau designs at Pere Lachaise cemetery.

View Hector Guimard in a larger map

Thanks to lartnouveau.com for the list of dates and names of the buildings.

Hector Guimard in Paris is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.

Now that ‘summer’ has finally arrived in Paris (it’s 18 degrees at 12pm as I write this, hot!) it’s picnic/drinks by the Seine time in Paris. I am very anti-social and don’t usually go to these events but this week I went to two and they were actually a lot of fun!

Picnic by The Seine

If you live in Paris and are not friends with Leesa then you are missing out on all the great expat social events! Get to know her and you’ll get an invite to Picnic by The Seine or maybe even to Disney. This weeks picnic at the demi-lune near the Jardin des Plantes was a mix of old and new (to me) faces and a little dancing (not by me). Special thanks to Jean Paul for bringing so much food! All pics stolen from Facebook.

Aussie Expat Meetup

Picnic by The Seine was followed up by the Aussie Expat Meetup which was held on the Pont des Arts, at least until the fun police arrived and ushered us off the bridge. I didn’t get why we weren’t allowed to have alcohol on the bridge but it was ok to go down by the very stinky beautiful Seine and drink there. I also didn’t get why the 100s of other people drinking on the Pont des Arts were allowed to stay. Speaking of the Pont des Arts, am I the only one who hates the ‘love locks’ on the bridge? I am obviously not a hopeless romantic who thinks it’s sweet. I think it’s an eyesore. Thanks to my good Aussie friend Ali for organising the meetup. You can join the Aussie Expat group here to be notified of future events.

I didn’t get any photos of the champagne drinking Aussies but did get a few of the surrounds.

Picnic Time in Paris is a post from Europe travel blog Destination Europe.