Five years ago, I booked a one-way ticket from the US to Morocco with no idea of what to expect.
30.11.2024 - 14:05 / insider.com
As the oft-repeated saying goes, Paris is always a good idea. And although that's true, it can feel crowded and congested, especially during Christmastime.
That's why I now prefer to go to Bordeaux, the wine capital of the world , during the busy winter season.
This elegant city, just two hours south of Paris by train, is a real stunner filled with classic Haussmanian buildings, dramatic 18th-century neoclassical architecture, and picturesque cobblestone streets.
At less than half the size of Paris, Bordeaux gets a fraction of its millions of tourists a year, which makes it the perfect place to enjoy French esprit de Noël without feeling overwhelmed.
In late November, Bordeaux transforms into a winter wonderland with festive lights and illuminated backdrops.
The season officially kicks off with a concert at the Opéra National de Bordeaux on Place de la Comédie, followed by the lighting of a 36-foot-high Christmas tree made of steel and glass.
For a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city, start your trip with the Les Caneles Cruise , an hour-and-15-minute ride up and down the Garonne River.
You'll learn about the city's fascinating (and troubling) history, architecture, and culture while sipping wine and munching on canelés, a famous local pastry. It's the perfect way to acclimate to Bordeaux.
If holiday shopping and sampling local culinary specialties tops your list of must-dos, grab a cup of vin chaud (mulled wine) or chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) and wander through over 100 petite wooden chalets at the Grand Marché de Noël in Bordeaux's city center.
At this holiday market , local purveyors sell everything from hand-poured candles to grilled chestnuts. This year, the market has several workshops where you can make your own candles, maple butter, cosmetics, and more.
Or head to Darwin, the right bank's eco-district, for an alternative Christmas market featuring handcrafted goods, art, live music, organic food, and more. It's where all the cool kids hang out.
You can also wander along Rue Sainte-Catherine, Europe's longest pedestrian shopping street.
Maybe visit the posh Chartrons district north of the city center, where you'll find Rue Notre Dame, one of my favorite streets in Bordeaux.
It's filled with hip boutiques like the Do You Speak Francaise concept store, antique shops, restaurants, and my favorite place for canelés — Micheline and Paulette Bakery.
Bordeaux isn't called the wine capital of the world for nothing. There are wine bars are everywhere, serving the best vintages from the region.
Two of my top picks are Yarra Wine Bar and Le Bar à Vin. The latter is in a magnificent 18th-century building across from the Bordeaux Tourism office.
Here, you can order affordable
Five years ago, I booked a one-way ticket from the US to Morocco with no idea of what to expect.
Nude beaches, or “clothing-optional beaches” as they are fondly called, are shores where the choice to bare it all lies entirely with you—nudity is welcome but never a requirement. Naturist beaches aren’t just about getting rid of tan lines, they are about liberation. Not every sandy shore that invites naturists is “officially” designated as such. In most cases, an official nude beach is one where local governments have legalized public nudity within a specific zone such as in Spain with nudist friendly beaches on the island of Formentera, and in Germany with naturist spots like the English Garden in Munich. Unofficial nude beaches, on the other hand, are typically known through word of mouth or naturist forums. The stories of these beaches trace back to the naturist movements in the early 20th-century. A movement about health, physical fitness, and social equality. The first nudist club in the United States was established in New York City in 1929, and the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) was established in 1931. The naturist movement quickly spread to other parts of Europe, with the establishment of nudist clubs and resorts throughout the continent. Campsite Koversada, Europe’s first naturist campsite, opened in 1961. Nearly four decades earlier, Britain’s first nudist colony, Sunbeam—fondly called “The Camp”—was established in 1924 by the Moonella Group. In France, the Fédération Française de Naturisme (FFN) was established in 1950, which promoted naturism as a legitimate lifestyle choice. Today, these sand stretches tell tales as diverse as the landscapes they occupy
Looking to travel to Europe? Is an island vacation on your bucket list? Want to finally make that dream trip a reality?
I start out by washing my face with my line’s cleansers, the clearing oil and cleansing water. Then I use my plumping lotion; it has these gold specks in it and it really does something nice to your skin. I use Clearstem’s Hydraglow stem cell moisturizer before I put on my foundation, and then at night I’ll put on their Clearity serum with vitamin C and mandelic acid as well as their CellRenew serum. The beauty product most nostalgic to me is red lipstick. It’s something I started to wear once I moved to New York, because my mom didn’t let me wear lipstick as a teenager. I’ve been using Anna Sui Cosmetics the longest; we’re going on 25 years of that. We always do a red lipstick, number 400, that I wear. I also like the Nars lip pencil in Dragon Girl that I put underneath my lipstick. And I always wear my Perfect eyeliner. I use this eyeliner brush that’s Thierry Mugler, and it’s thick — it gives me that wide eyeliner look that I like. I wear my signature winged eyeliner everywhere, even when I go to the gym, even when I go to the drugstore. I love going to Bigelow [in the West Village] because they have a bubble bath that I like, Mistral in Lychee Rose Floral. I realize that bubble baths must not be popular now, because it’s really hard to find. But I like those bubbles. I guess from old movies, you always see the glamour pusses in the bathtub with all the bubbles. Garren New York, he’s cut my hair forever and nobody cuts hair like Garren. I get so many comments like, “You have such a great haircut.” I get my hair cut maybe three times a year, but I trim my own bangs in between with whatever scissors I have on hand. I wash my hair with R+C Television shampoo and conditioner or the Primary shampoo and conditioner and masque from their Bleu collection. I always use a Denman brush. Every time I go to London, I buy some from Boots. I also just bought a Dyson flat iron. I guess I copy my mom because she always wore fragrance, Chanel No. 5, and lipstick. I wear fragrance every day. I’ve been wearing our new Electric Whisper. I love the black currant and lychee, which give a slight fruitiness, but then the pink pepper patchouli and vetiver add a spiciness. And of course the hint of rose. Again to the gym, to the drugstore … it’s just natural for me to wear it all the time like my mom. The other thing I always wear is nail polish. My favorite color is Seafoam Green. I hate chipped nails, so I usually do my own, twice a week.
“You did your alchemy here on this site to turn charred coals into art,” said France’s President Emmanuel Macron after he toured the newly restored Notre Dame. Five years since the cathedral caught fire, the iconic Parisian landmark is finally reopening to the public.
During a six-month trip around Europe, I embraced the "slow travel" mindset, which encourages travelers to spend quality time in each destination they visit. This was important to me because I really wanted to get to know the places I was staying in.
Dec 4, 2024 • 12 min read
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The same passenger who was discovered stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris earlier in the week became unruly aboard a returning flight on Saturday, delaying the plane’s departure, an aviation official said.
"It's like this almost every day," laments Paola, who is waiting for her train to go to Barcelona for work. It’s already one hour and 45 minutes late. She still doesn’t know when she will be able to leave Madrid.
Paris never fails to capture the hearts of tourists, and many now choose to stay in a home-away-from-home holiday rental.
One of Europe’s busiest airports temporarily closed two of its runways on Tuesday as part of search efforts to find a missing dog.