Paris travel tips

There’s a new kid on the English Channel block as a new train company aims to launch high-speed service from London to Paris.

As Morocco continues its recovery from last month’s earthquake (which devastated many of the rural communities in the High Atlas Mountains), life in Marrakesh carries on largely uninterrupted, especially in the city’s economically vital tourism sector. That includes the opening of a clutch of new hotels, like Farasha Farmhouse, a four-room boutique property. Formerly an artist’s private retreat, Farasha, which lies 30 minutes outside of the city center, is the vision of Rosena and Fred Charmoy. The Marrakesh-based couple are the founders of Boutique Souk — a local high-end events company popular with visiting celebrities and fashion brands (their client list includes Chanel and Saint Laurent) — and are known for their theatrical, over-the-top parties and weddings. Farasha, though, is a more tranquil endeavor. “We loved the mountain views on both sides of the property,” says Rosena, referring to the Atlas and Jbilet ranges that appear to envelop the acres of olive groves and herb gardens. The two-story main building, which holds three suites and the soaring, open-plan common space, is complemented by a neighboring stand-alone cottage. To furnish the place, the Charmoys turned to local creative friends: floors are laid with custom tapestries from Beni Rugs; sculptures were installed by the Moroccan contemporary artist Amine El Gotaibi; and the book collection comes from the family estate of Diana Vreeland, the legendary former editor of Vogue, donated to the hotel by her son Freck, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Morocco. Food here is similarly considered, overseen by the chef Aniss Meski. The olive oil is made on-site, most vegetable dishes use the farm’s produce and a flock of chickens provides a daily supply of fresh eggs. And if the prospect of snagging one of only four guest rooms seems like a tall challenge, fear not: six more will be available to book starting next year.

At at time when people are starting to realize the importance of sustainable travel, one city is making impressive strides in the global quest for environmentally responsible tourism. After a remarkable leap in the GDS Index rankings in 2022, Paris continues its journey towards greater sustainability, setting an inspiring example for destinations around the world.

Coming from New England, which is famous for its fall colours, I was disillusioned by the sheer multitude of brown, crumpled horse-chestnut leaves on display in Paris in autumn. So I began my quest for hints of gold, amber, russet and scarlet and have been richly rewarded.

A “widespread” increase of bedbugs has been reported in the French capital, prompting the government to pledge measures to “reassure and protect” the people. Clement Beaune, the French minister of transport, has said that he will hold a meeting this week to “take additional measures” to safeguard the public from the alleged increase in the number of insects.

In 2018, I packed up my New York City studio apartment and moved to Paris to be with the French guy I met on vacation two years earlier. 

A multi-stop itinerary from London to Barcelona – via Paris and the Pyrenees – is a train lover’s dream.

After bedbug sightings on trains and cinemas in France, an expert is warning that the blood-sucking parasites could be hitching a ride to the UK on the Eurostar.

Anyone familiar with Beata Heuman’s work—either from following her Instagram feed populated with cheery, inviting interiors, reading her lauded design monograph Every Room Should Sing, or shopping from her collection of whimsical-but-grounded decor—can sense the designer’s personality in every room she touches. Her work is a unique balancing act between playful colors, toile patterns, and plush fabrics, and the characteristics that remind one of home: weathered woods, handwoven rugs, and checkerboard tile in the kitchen.

Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write: bed bugs have taken over the city of Paris, and we are now faced with the prospect that the outbreak could travel overseas. The infestation began just before Paris Fashion Week (yes, these bugs have good taste), when reports broke of increased sightings of the insects in homes, cinemas, trains and even hospitals. Now, questions are being asked about the safety of traveling to and from Paris; what we can do to prevent the spread, and whether the critters are already settling in our mattresses. Below, we answer all your questions about travel and the bed bug spread.

Alexis recently finished working on the new Paris guidebook which is out April 2024. Here she shares her expert opinion on how to navigate Paris by public transport.

Parisians might be sleeping tight, but it's getting hard not to let the bed bugs bite.

My relationship with France, much like that with the United States, started in the south and cautiously moved north. Originally from Atlanta, I’ve been in the New York area for the past decade. But even now, I’m still finding my footing—and with each stumble, taking time for myself in France has helped guide me.

Paris is gearing up to host the Olympic Games in 2024, and its hotels will reap the benefits as hotel prices average more than 300 percent higher than normal.

Already planning your Christmas break? France is about to open up to holidaymakers with a bunch of new train routes.

As one of the world's dreamiest destinations, Paris never disappoints. Summer sees the Seine lined with people soaking up the city at its sunniest, while the cooler winter temperatures make it the perfect time to explore museums, galleries and cozy cafes. 

Alexis recently finished working on Lonely Planet's new Paris guidebook, due to be published in April 2024. Here she shares her expert opinion on how to save money in Paris.

“I want to be able to look back when I’m 35 or 40 and be proud of what I’ve achieved,” says chef Victor Blanchet, a young chef known for his astute sense of style, as we sit at a table of his new digs, Halo Paris, a restaurant and store bridging the gap between food and fashion, slated to open on November 11.

Paris is battling a major bedbug infestation, with reports of the bloodsucking pests being spotted in the French capital's movie theaters, trains, and at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport.

Paris might not be the city that never sleeps but when it's awake, it's all go, go, go. This season's no different, with so many events to put on your list that it's hard to decide what to do in Paris right now. While the fall's headliners are Paris Fashion Week and the Rugby World Cup, there's a ton of new art openings, exciting new restaurants, places to stay, and more, to explore off the runway and the field.

Sightings of bedbugs on French trains have spiked in recent weeks.