Posts Tagged ‘France’
Thursday Doors: Giverny, France
Posted on: July 24, 2025
- In: Doors | Travel
- 79 Comments
The well-preserved village of Giverny is storybook delightful, and I can see why Claude Monet chose it as a place to live, paint, garden, entertain, and raise his large blended family. I was enthralled by the doors and windows of the houses in the small village. Here are a few of them.
I’m sure every house has a story or two to tell.
I wonder what’s behind the Green Door!
I love the green shutters and dormer windows.
Monet’s charming country farmhouse, with its green doors and shutters, has views of the gardens from every room.
My favourite room was the sunny, cheerful kitchen. I can imagine Claude, Anne, and their eight children laughing and chatting as they shared meals around the table. The curtained French doors on the right open to the gardens.
Although there are no doors or windows in the following pictures, I must include a couple of Monet’s gardens, which inspired many of his paintings.
A short path leads from his house and garden to the village of Giverny, which hasn’t changed since Monet’s days. This is a day I recall with fondness.
Thursday Doors is a weekly challenge created by Dan Antion for people who love doors and architecture to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos, drawings, or other images or stories from around the world. If you’d like to join us, simply create your own Thursday Doors post each (or any) week and then share a link to your post in the comments on Dan’s blog post. Check out all the other amazing door posts.
Copyright ©2025 darlenefoster.wordpress.com – All rights reserved
- In: Doors | Travel
- 87 Comments
Since I shared pictures of doors I had taken in Provence last week, I thought I would continue with sharing door photos from Aix en Provence. It’s a delightful city with fabulous art, buildings, history and food. 17th-century mansions line tree-framed boulevards and picturesque squares are decorated with stone fountains. A great place to wander around, check out the art markets and sip a coffee at one of the many outdoor cafes. This was a popular place for artists and writers over the years. I loved it! Here is a sample of the doors and buildings.
It was the home of painter Paul Cezanne, and you can see where he got his inspiration from. The doors to a museum showcasing his artwork.
Here’s my Paul by the door of a bakery called Paul.
There are many outdoor cafes. Apparently, this one was frequented by Ernest Hemingway back in the day.
I only spent one day in this charming place and would love to return.
Thursday Doors is a weekly challenge featured on Dan Antion’s site No Facilities for people who love doors and architecture to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos, drawings, or other images or stories from around the world. If you’d like to join us, simply create your own Thursday Doors post and then share a link to your post in the comments of Dan’s post.
Copyright ©2023 darlenefoster.wordpress.com – All rights reserved.
- In: Doors | Travel
- 81 Comments
I spent a week in Provence, France a few years ago and loved every minute. I came across many wonderful doors. Here are a few of them.
A farmhouse in the country
Every village has a boulangerie with mouth-watering pastries and delicious bread.
Colourful doors to restaurants
Another farmhouse
The town hall in one village.
Wandering around the country villages, I found many interesting doors.
Old doors with a modern truck on a vineyard estate
I love the shutters as well as the doors.
And then I stumbled upon this scary place! There must be a story here.
Thursday Doors is a weekly challenge featured on Dan Antion’s site No Facilities for people who love doors and architecture to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos, drawings, or other images or stories from around the world. If you’d like to join us, simply create your own Thursday Doors post and then share a link to your post in the comments of Dan’s post.
Copyright ©2023 darlenefoster.wordpress.com – All rights reserved.
Season 4 Episode 38: Darlene Foster Reading Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral
Posted on: November 14, 2022
- In: Books | guest posts | podcast
- 43 Comments
If you would like to listen to me read from Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral check out Rebecca Bud’s Tea Toast & Trivia blog. https://teatoasttrivia.com/2022/09/08/season-4-episode-38-darlene-foster-reading-amanda-in-france-fire-in-the-cathedral/
While there check out some of her other podcasts. They are all great!
Walking Paris PLUS #BookReview Amanda In France by Darlene Foster @supermegawoman #KidDetective #humor
Posted on: October 11, 2022
- In: Books | Food | reviews | Writing
- 37 Comments
I woke up to this terrific post from Barb Taub which describes her love of Paris and the wonderful cooking experience she had there, as well as an amazing review of Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral. Please do pop over and read, you are in for a treat.
A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life.” —Thomas Jefferson
It’s possible, I suppose, that somebody somewhere doesn’t like Paris. After all, I’ve heard there are people who don’t like chocolate, and babies, and puppies. (Puppies!) But even if those people exist, they would still have to admit that Paris is one of the most walkable cities in the world. One of my favorite walks in Paris is the early morning market cooking class I’ve taken on a couple of different Paris trips. It’s different but fabulous every time. Here’s a post from a class several years ago.
“Meet at Metro Maubert-Mutualité, in front of Café le Métro” the message said.
My market cooking class was gathering at the oldest outdoor market in Paris to choose the ingredients and determine the menu we’d be cooking that day. I got there early to…
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Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral by Darlene Foster #bookreview #childrensbooks #travel #mystery
Posted on: October 7, 2022
- In: Books | reviews | Writing
- 26 Comments
Sorry for my absence but I have been travelling lately and will share all about my travels soon. I wanted to share this amazing review by Teri Polen, who is an excellent writer. This review had me dancing on the ceiling.
Amanda explores the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, while being drawn into the mystery surrounding the destructive fire of Notre Dame cathedral.
Amanda is in love! With Paris – the city of love. She’s in awe of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and Notre Dame Cathedral. While there, she gets to work as a volunteer and stay in a famous book store, along with her bestie, Leah, and Leah’s eccentric Aunt Jenny. A dream come true for a book lover like Amanda.
Except, while she’s at the Paris Opera House there is a bomb threat. Then the lights go out during their visit to the Louvre. Worst of all, a devastating fire blazes in Notre Dame. Why does a mysterious man, who claims to be a busker, writer and artist, show up every time…
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- In: Books | guest posts | reviews | Writing
- 25 Comments
I’m over at Book Club Mom’s blog sharing my news. A great blog with excellent reviews and entertaining YouTube videos about books. Worth following.
Author name: Darlene Foster
Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure/Travel
Books: Amanda Travels Series
News: Book #9, in the Amanda Travels series is soon to be released. This time we find Amanda Ross in Paris, France. She’s in awe of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. While there, she gets to work as a volunteer and stay in a famous book store, along with her bestie Leah and Leah’s eccentric Aunt Jenny. A dream come true for a book lover like Amanda.
But things are happening that may ruin her trip to this amazing city. While she’s at the Paris Opera House there is a bomb threat. Then the lights go out during their visit to the Louvre. Worst of all, a devastating fire blazes in Notre Dame. Why does a mysterious man, who claims to be a busker…
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Brides All Over The World.
Posted on: December 3, 2021
- In: Events | Travel
- 71 Comments
Everyone loves a beautiful bride! I know I do. I´m always excited when I stumble upon a bride while travelling. Here are a few of them.
Barcelona, Spain
Outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, also known as Barcelona Cathedral, the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona, I came upon a bride getting ready for a photo shoot.
Aix-en-Provence, France
In Aix-en-Provence, we came upon a bride in the courtyard outside the town hall, waiting for a civil ceremony. One of the flower girls was having a rest.
Genoa, Italy
As we left a cathedral in Genoa, the bride had just arrived.
I know I have more, but these are a few I was able to find in my thousands of pictures.
Have you encountered brides or weddings on your journeys?
Musée d’Orsay
Posted on: March 29, 2019
- In: Art | Travel
- 88 Comments
I can’t believe it is almost a year since we drove to Paris and saw the most amazing sights. I’ve written about it here, here and here. But I haven’t yet mentioned my visit to the fabulous Musée d’Orsay. It was on my list of things to see it but was not sure we would have time. It was our last day and we had a couple of hours free in the late afternoon. My friend said, “Let’s go!” I am so glad we did as it was incredible. Seeing works of art I have admired all my adult life, made my heart sing!
The building itself is a masterpiece. It’s located in the centre of Paris on the banks of the Seine, in the former Orsay railway station, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. The building, no longer used as a railway station, was scheduled for demolition when the idea of using it to display collections of art from the period of 1848 to 1914 was suggested. In December of 1986 the museum was opened to the public.
Visitors are greeted by the magnificent decor of this former train station that came so close to being destroyed. I was gobsmacked the minute I walked through the doors.
One of the first paintings that caught my attention was Millet’s The Gleaners. I have always loved this painting of women collecting leftover grain after the harvest. Perhaps because of my rural background.
On the next wall I spotted Corot’s Le Moulin de Saint-Nicholas-lez-Arras and burst into tears. For the first ten years of my working life I was employed by a wonderful German woman who owned a gift shop in Medicine Hat, Alberta, called Ed’s Studio craft. She imported many things from Europe and was an art afficianado. She taught me so much about business, art and culture. We sold among other things, art prints and art cards. She gave me many wonderful gifts over the years which I treasure, including an art card depicting this painting. She sadly passed away at a young age.
Le Moulin de Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot. I always wished I could step inside that painting.
Of course there were many, many more of my favourites. Here are just a few.
Claude Monet’s Poppies
Renoir’s Dance at Le moulin de la Galette
Renoir’s Dance in the Country
Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone
Van Gogh’s The Church at Auvers
From the roof top of the museum is a great view of Montmartre with the imposing La Basilique du Sacre-Coeur (Cathedral of the Sacred Heart)
Inside, looking through the clock with Sacre-Coeur in the background
Because it was once a train station, there are a number of impressive clocks in the building to add to the atmosphere. Perhaps telling us that art is timeless and stirs emotions from the past, the present and the future.
To view these works of art in this amazing place is a must. I wished we had more time but I plan one day to return.
Have you been to Musée d’Orsay? Or any art museum that stirred your soul?
Notre Dame Cathedral
Posted on: December 1, 2018
- In: History | Travel
- 60 Comments
Notre Dame de Paris – Our Lady of Paris
I love visiting cathedrals, especially those full of history. They each have stories to tell and represent the culture of the area. A fascinating cathedral is Notre Dame de Paris and I was delighted to see it, inside and out, during our visit in May. The Notre Dame Cathedral, with its fine sculptures and stained glass windows, was one of the very first Gothic cathedrals and is 800 years old. It has been through so much, including being plundered during the French Revolution and used as a storage facility. If those walls could talk.
Amazing sculptures adorning the exterior. Note the intricate detail.
The rib vaults of the nave
One of many gorgeous stained glass windows
It is breathtakingly beautiful inside. I was fortunate to hear the choir singing during mass while I was there. The hordes of tourists made it difficult to get pictures inside but I managed to take a short video to give you an idea of the magnificence of the place.
The next day we returned to the area and our friends took us to a quaint pastry shop, La Maison ODETTE, where we enjoyed a perfect cup of tea and melt in your mouth choux a la cremes on the top floor. The shutters were opened and we had a perfect view of the cathedral!! A quintessential French experience I will never forget.
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Our view of Notre Dame from the top floor of Odette
Odette is located opposite the charming Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre church, one of the oldest in Paris.
Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre Church (Church of Saint Julian the Poor)
I did not see the hunchback, but I certainly understand how Victor Hugo was inspired. My dream of visiting Notre Dame Cathedral was fulfilled.
Darlene Foster's Blog 