The art of living
Life around the property: prepared stays, tables, receptions, delegated errands. The Journal tells the stories of each city and the concierge does the rest.
56 articles
The improvised weekend: leaving with nothing to prepare
The improvised weekend: decide on Thursday evening, arrive on Friday to a prepared house, stocked fridge and a table requested by your dedicated contact.
Storing and maintaining a car in France between stays
Storing a car between stays: choosing the right storage place, caring for a resting vehicle, keeping the technical inspection and insurance cover current.
Caring for art and valuables in an unoccupied home
Caring for art in an unoccupied home: the silent enemies, the preventive routines and the documented inventory that saves the non-resident's insurance claim.
Delegating everyday formalities: utilities, appointments, paperwork
Delegating everyday formalities: cancelling a contract, settling an arrears, renewing a document, reaching a service counter when you live far from France.
Settling in as a family: schooling and enrolling children
Schooling and enrolling children in France: types of school, the enrolment calendar, the file to prepare from abroad and support up to the first day of term.
Getting a second home ready for the festive season
The festive season in a second home: the reverse calendar, from November works to guest rooms ready for guests, with the big day itself shared from afar.
Hosting a reception at home from abroad
Hosting a reception from abroad: the complete method for a dinner or cocktail party in your French home, with caterer, styling and validation by photo.
Landing the impossible table: how a concierge goes about it
Landing the impossible table: why some tables stay out of reach and how a concierge service maximises your chances, with honest plan Bs of the same standing.
Arriving at a ready home: a stay with no preparation
Preparing a home before arrival: the method for landing in a heated, stocked and freshly cleaned home, with every milestone validated remotely in writing.
Bespoke concierge services: what they change day to day
Bespoke concierge services built around your home: one dedicated contact who knows your tastes and your time zone, for a delegated, documented daily life.
Why live in Antibes: seven reasons to put down roots between the Cap and Juan
Living in Antibes: ramparts, Port Vauban, sandy beaches and Sophia Antipolis next door. Seven lasting reasons to choose this town between Nice and Cannes.
Why live in Évian-les-Bains: the lake, the water and the mountain
Living in Évian-les-Bains: the quays of Lake Geneva, Belle Époque spas, Switzerland fifteen minutes away and the slopes three quarters of an hour from town. Seven reasons to choose the French shore.
Why live on Île de Ré: bicycles, salt and rest
Living on Île de Ré: ten white villages, a hundred kilometres of cycle paths, salt marshes and Vauban ramparts. Seven reasons to choose the island of light.
Why live in La Rochelle: the town of towers and salt
Living in La Rochelle: the Old Port, arcades, Île de Ré twenty minutes away and a direct TGV to Paris. Seven reasons to choose the leading maritime town of the Atlantic coast.
Why live in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat: the peninsula in slow motion
Living in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat: villas under the pines, a coastal path, human-scale harbours. Seven reasons to choose the most discreet address on the French Riviera.
Why live in Saint-Jean-de-Luz: the bay that shelters
Living in Saint-Jean-de-Luz: the only sheltered bay of the Basque coast, a working fishing port, Spain twenty minutes away. Seven reasons to choose Luzian gentleness.
Why live in Vannes: the walled town and the small sea
Living in Vannes: ramparts, half-timbered houses, the Gulf of Morbihan and a direct TGV to Paris. Seven reasons to choose the gateway to Brittany's most beautiful bay.
The Marais: the art de vivre of old Paris
The art de vivre of the Marais: mansions, the place des Vosges, galleries and lanes, a complete guide to inhabiting the liveliest district of old Paris.
Montmartre: the village of artists
The artists' village of Montmartre: the hill, the place du Tertre, the vineyard and the lanes, a complete guide to the quarter of painters above Paris.
The most beautiful gardens and parks of Paris
The most beautiful gardens and parks in Paris, from the Luxembourg to the Buttes-Chaumont, with the best moment of the day and of the season for each one.
Why live in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer: seven timeless reasons
Living in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer: the sea, the vineyards, the markets, the village. Seven lasting reasons to love this corner of Provence when you own from abroad.
The markets of Paris, district by district
The markets of Paris district by district: covered, open-air or gourmet, market days and the habits to shop like a local, one stall after another.
Why live in Saint-Tropez: seven timeless reasons
Living in Saint-Tropez: the port, the sea, the hills, the village. Seven lasting reasons to love this Riviera village when you own a home from abroad.
Why live in Sanary-sur-Mer: seven timeless reasons
Living in Sanary-sur-Mer: the port, the climate, the markets, the coves. Seven lasting reasons to love this village when you own a home from abroad.
Why live in Toulouse: seven timeless reasons
Living in Toulouse: the Garonne, the brick, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the Pink City when you own a home from abroad.
Why live in Megève: seven timeless reasons
Living in Megève: the mountains, the village, the seasons, the art of living. Seven lasting reasons to love the resort when you own a home from abroad.
Why live in Honfleur: seven timeless reasons
Living in Honfleur: the harbour, the light, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love Normandy when you own a home there from abroad.
Why live in Lyon: seven timeless reasons
Living in Lyon: the rivers, the table, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the city when you own a home there from abroad.
Why live in Montpellier: seven timeless reasons
Living in Montpellier: the youth, the sun, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the city when you own a home there from abroad.
Why live in Nice: seven timeless reasons
Living in Nice: the sea, the climate, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the Riviera when you own a home there from abroad.
Why live in Collioure: seven timeless reasons
Living in Collioure: the sea, the light, the vineyards and the old lanes. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to the Catalan coast through the seasons.
Why live in Marseille: seven timeless reasons
Living in Marseille: the sea, the climate, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the Phocaean city when you own a home from abroad.
Why live in Deauville: seven timeless reasons
Living in Deauville: the sea, the boardwalks, the racing, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the resort when you own a home from abroad.
Why live in Cassis: seven timeless reasons
Living in Cassis: the Calanques, the harbour, the vineyards and the markets. Seven lasting reasons to love this Provençal village through the seasons.
Why live in Cannes: seven timeless reasons
Living in Cannes: the sea, the mild climate, the markets and the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to the Riviera through the seasons.
Why live in Courchevel: seven timeless reasons
Living in Courchevel: the skiing, the high altitude, the Trois Vallees and the way of life. Seven lasting reasons to love the resort through the seasons.
Why live in Chamonix: seven timeless reasons
Living in Chamonix: the mountains, the twin seasons, valley life and the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to the foot of Mont Blanc.
Why live in Avignon: seven timeless reasons
Living in Avignon: the heritage, the markets, the culture and the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the city of the popes through the seasons.
Why live in Bandol: seven timeless reasons
Living in Bandol: the sea, the climate, the markets and the vineyards. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to this Provençal resort through the seasons.
Why live in Biarritz: seven timeless reasons
Living in Biarritz: the ocean, the mild climate, the markets and the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to love the Basque Country through the seasons.
Why live in Arcachon: seven timeless reasons
Living in Arcachon: the bay, the mild climate, the markets and the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to the resort through the seasons.
Why live in Cap Ferret: seven timeless reasons
Living in Cap Ferret: the ocean, the bay, the cabins and the bicycle. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to this Landais peninsula through the seasons.
The covered passages of Paris
The covered passages of Paris, from the galerie Vivienne to the passage Brady: glass roofs, mosaics and old-world shops, the finest arcades to wander through.
Why live in Annecy: seven timeless reasons
Living in Annecy: the lake, the mountains, the markets, the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to this lakeside town through the seasons.
Welcoming family and friends visiting Paris
Welcoming family and friends in Paris: preparing the home, planning a tailored programme, booking the right addresses and staying free to enjoy the stay.
Why live in Aix-en-Provence: seven timeless reasons
Why live in Aix-en-Provence? The markets, the climate and the cours Mirabeau: seven timeless reasons behind the lasting charm of Provence, beyond the postcards.
Why live in Bordeaux: seven timeless reasons
Living in Bordeaux: the quays, the wine, the markets and the neighbourhoods. Seven lasting reasons to grow attached to this stone city through the seasons.
The art of entertaining in Paris: hosting a private dinner at home
Hosting a private dinner in Paris: caterer or private chef, table, wines and service, the whole method for entertaining at home without stress or haste.
Literary Paris: poetic walks
A literary walk in Paris: from the cafes of Saint-Germain to the bouquinistes on the quays of the Seine, in the footsteps of the writers who wrote the city.
The most beautiful panoramic views over Paris
The most beautiful views of Paris: belvederes, terraces and rooftops, eight panoramic vantage points over the capital and the right moment for each one.
Twelve Essential Parisian Dishes and Tables
Essential Parisian dishes: from the jambon-beurre to the Paris-Brest, twelve classics to taste in a bistro or a brasserie, and the tables serving them.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés: the art de vivre of the Left Bank
The art de vivre of the Left Bank: Saint-Germain-des-Prés and its legendary cafés, the rue de Seine galleries and the jardin du Luxembourg, hour after hour.
Why live in Paris: seven timeless reasons
Why live in Paris? Walking, culture, cafes and the seasons: seven timeless reasons behind the lasting charm of the French capital, beyond the postcards.
The most prestigious streets in Paris
The most prestigious streets in Paris: the place des Vosges, the avenue Montaigne, the île Saint-Louis, a walk through the discreet prestige of the capital.
The role of a private concierge service in Paris
A private concierge service in Paris: presence on the ground, coordination of providers and the art de vivre, what a dedicated concierge truly does for you.
In the Footsteps of Amélie Poulain: Cinematic Paris
In the footsteps of Amélie Poulain in Paris: from Montmartre to the canal Saint-Martin, a stroll through the Paris of the cinema and its great shoots today.