Part 6 – last episode – of my Audio Series: If Paris Were My Lover – now available. Read by the author … If Paris Were My Lover is available as a 6-part audio series – read by the author (myself) – on my Substack exclusive for paid subscribers. Part 6 is available now with Chapters 30-37. If ParisContinue reading “Part 6 – last episode – of my Audio Series: If Paris Were My Lover – now available”
Category Archives: Opal Hush
Paris Summer # 4: From Piazzas to Parks
Paris Summer # 4: From Piazzas to Parks. The 2025 Paris summer is best spent outdoors in piazzas and parks. Piazza-style (public square) gatherings and verdant green parks and gardens will be full of activities and summertime fun. Here’s a sample of the best locations in 2025 Paris summer: Dolce vita sur Seine (The Good Life on the Seine) ‘The Good Life’ on the Seine at the LuteceContinue reading “Paris Summer # 4: From Piazzas to Parks”
Paris Summer # 3: Best places to watch Tour de France finale in Paris
Paris Summer # 3: Best places to watch Tour de France finale in Paris. The final stage of the world’s best road cycling challenge – the Tour de France – is the road to Paris. The Tour de France cyclists will sprint into Paris on 27 July 2025. The entire 112th edition of the event is from 5-27 July 2025 in 21 stages from Lille to DunkirkContinue reading “Paris Summer # 3: Best places to watch Tour de France finale in Paris”
Paris Summer # 2: Sun, samba, and urban beaches in July & August
Paris Summer # 2: Sun, samba, and urban beaches in July & August. Paris Beaches are back. Yes, urban beaches. The Paris Plages (beaches) are back with the rhythms and colours of Brazil. From 5 July to 31 August 2025, three main sites transform into tropical escapes: 1) the Bassin de la Villette (with zip lines and water games), 2) the Canal Saint-Martin (with terraces and art), and 3) the Seine riverbanks (with food markets and beach volleyball). TheContinue reading “Paris Summer # 2: Sun, samba, and urban beaches in July & August”
Paris Summer # 1: Yes, you can swim in the Seine this summer – Paris returns to the river
Paris Summer # 1: Yes, you can swim in the Seine this summer – Paris returns to the river. After a 100-year hiatus, the Seine is officially open for swimming in summer 2025. Thanks to a 10-year investment tied to the Paris 2024 Olympic legacy, Parisians and visitors alike can now dip into the iconic river at three specially designed sites: 1) Bras Marie (Paris Centre), 2) Bras de Grenelle in theContinue reading “Paris Summer # 1: Yes, you can swim in the Seine this summer – Paris returns to the river”
MARTINA’S FRENCH WAYS #4: Art and Architecture
MARTINA’S FRENCH WAYS #3: Art and Architecture. Bienvenue to Martina’s French Ways — a corner of the site where I share the little rituals, objects, and routines that shape my writing life here in Paris. A Glimpse of Paris With no visits out of the periphery of Paris, I’ve turned towards nature – such as the botanicalContinue reading “MARTINA’S FRENCH WAYS #4: Art and Architecture”
Part 5 of my Audio Series: If Paris Were My Lover – now available
Part 5 of my Audio Series: If Paris Were My Lover – now available. Read by the author … If Paris Were My Lover is available as a 6-part audio series – read by the author (myself) – on my Substack exclusive for paid subscribers. Part 5 is available now with Chapters 24-29. If Paris Were My Lover began asContinue reading “Part 5 of my Audio Series: If Paris Were My Lover – now available”
Labyrinth Hill, Paris: a spiral ascension to a gazebo
Labyrinth Hill, Paris: a spiral ascension to a gazebo. Labyrinth Hill is a knoll or hillock, small and round, with a spiral walking path to the top. Formally known as Labyrinthe de Buffon (Buffon Labyrinth), the spiral ascension – slow and steady, and not steep or arduous – was initially designed as an early form of a meditative garden design. No rush,Continue reading “Labyrinth Hill, Paris: a spiral ascension to a gazebo”
Peak blooming season in the Garden of Plants, Paris
Peak blooming season in the Garden of Plants, Paris. This morning, I wandered through one of Paris’s most enchanting places: the Jardin des Plantes (the Garden of Plants), and I’m still carrying the scent of roses with me. Set in the heart of the 5th arrondissement, this isn’t just any Botanical Garden – it is a living museum, a sanctuary ofContinue reading “Peak blooming season in the Garden of Plants, Paris”
10 Documents That Shaped France – featuring the Oath of the Tennis Court and Notebooks of Grievances
10 Documents That Shaped France – featuring the Oath of the Tennis Court and Notebooks of Grievances. From royal decrees to revolutionary manifestos, ten documents made history in France. While piecing together a 2,000-piece “Histoire de France” jigsaw puzzle by Les Jolies Planches, I realized something truly special. This wasn’t just a visual timeline of famous French figures and battles; it was scattered throughout with replicasContinue reading “10 Documents That Shaped France – featuring the Oath of the Tennis Court and Notebooks of Grievances”