Just Back from the Alps + Laura’s Paris Market Tips
Just Back from the French and Italian Alps: Earlier this month my husband and I took our annual summer vacation. We find the combination of heat and crowds to be exhausting, so, as we often do in the summer, we returned to the Alps. The Alps encompass five countries (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, and Italy), each one having their own distinct culture and food. My personal favorites are the Austrian, French, and Italian Alps, all of which have fabulous hotel and dining options and are just as vibrant in the summer as in the winter ski season. There are historic places to visit in these regions, but the landscape and small towns are the main draw.
How We Got There: We flew out of New York-JFK into Geneva, Switzerland on Delta. On our way home we flew Air France with a stop at Paris-CDG.
Where We Stayed: We stayed the first six nights at the five-star Les Fermes de Megeve in the town of Megeve (about 45 minutes south of Chamonix). I love this hotel: it has a fabulous spa and restaurant and the perfect chalet-chic mountain design. The hotel is spread out among several buildings and an Alpine botanist created the gardens. My absolute favorite part of this hotel though is the elegant yet unpretentious service. The staff go out of their way to take care of you, yet after a few nights at dinner we also found ourselves chatting to them like they were old friends. On our seventh night, we took the scenic route to Courmayeur in Italy and stayed one night at QC Terme Monte Bianco, a hotel known for its thermal baths. Our last night was spent near the Geneva airport.
What I Packed: The weather was all over the place (40-80 degrees F) and we took several lifts up to high altitudes. I took a lot of layers, including a sweater and jeans, but also short sleeved tops to wear on the warmer days. Because we spent a lot of time outdoors, I took my hiking boots and trekking poles too.
The Best Meal I Had: I loved our meal at the Coeur d’Or (see next paragraph). We also returned twice to Le Refuge, a restaurant just outside of Megeve. It had the ideal cozy, mountain atmosphere and was full of French-speaking diners (along with some non-French tourists like ourselves). The first night we ordered local fish and tartiflette (a rich potato-reblochon-lardon dish), but everyone around us was ordering the fondue. So we returned another night for the fondue, and it was fabulous.
Fun Times: We rode the cable car from Chamonix to the Aiguille du Midi (12, 605 ft) on a perfect, cloudless day and had an endless view of the Alps. I am not a fan of heights and was unsure about going up, but I could not resist seeing the views on such a beautiful day. Our hotel also planned a moderate, day long hike for us near Megeve. We walked through Alpine forest, along ridges with views, all under the shadow of Mont Blanc. Midway we had a perfect meal at the Le Coeur d’Or, a mountain restaurant accessible only to walkers and with a menu full of French Alpine specialties. My husband ordered the beignets de pommes de terre (translated as potato donuts, but more like a potato fritter – they were amazing. Pictured above.) and we both had the tarte aux myrtilles (pie with local berries, a summer must) for dessert.
Show and Tell: Paris Antique Market Finds + Packing Tips
Ross and I are so looking forward to our Art and Antiques tours to Paris this September and next March and I wanted to share with you a few things I have purchased at the Paris markets throughout the years. When Ross shops the markets, he typically shops mostly for his store and ships his purchases back to Georgia. I’m usually just buying for myself and I focus on things I can take home with me on the plane and that I will use often in my day-to-day life.
My favorite find, and when that I wear often, is a vintage silk Celine scarf. It was in excellent condition and after a little haggling I was able to get it for a price I was happy to pay. It seems to go with any outfit, and I find myself taking it with me when traveling when I need one scarf that will work with many outfits. Scarves by French designers, including Hermes, are almost always to be found at the markets. Prices vary, but vintage Hermes scarves typically go for 200-400 EUR. Scarves are great to buy because they are lightweight, take up very little space, and few things make your outfit pop more than a vintage scarf you found in Paris.
I love dishware but because it is heavy I avoid buying too much when in Paris. I love these little footed bowls that I have found over the years. Each one has a different design, but I buy them all in blue to match my kitchen. I use them every day at home for fruit, oatmeal, and yogurt. I bought most of these at the semi-annual fair at Chatou and the weekly market at Vanves. I bring bubble wrap with me to pack them for the flight home and if I can I take them in my carry on.
I am obsessed with tassels and I found these green ones at the market at St-Ouen. They are 19th-century and showing their age but I completely love them. They go perfectly with my vintage curtains and are functional. Tassels are unbreakable, not too heavy, and easy to pack.
My last find is a bit heavy, definitely breakable, and not very easy to pack! My walls at home are covered in paintings and prints and buying these in Paris is probably my guilty pleasure. I found this sweet oil on silk painting at the Chatou fair. I don’t love the frame, but I do love the birds, the handmade quality, and the blue goes with my house. I hung it at the top of my stairs so I see it every night before I go to bed. It barely fit in my suitcase and it is framed in glass: I wrapped it in one layer of bubble wrap and clothes, hoped for the best , and it made it home unharmed!
Hard or Soft sided? It’s generally accepted that a hard sided, shell suitcase is better at transporting fragile objects than a soft sided suitcase. I have checked fragile objects in both kinds of suitcases with almost complete success. I did once have a plate break in a soft sided suitcase (the plate was wrapped in one layer of bubble wrap). My advice, if possible, is that you should carry on the objects that are especially fragile or valuable. When you can’t do this, take the time to pack them carefully in your checked bag or invest in the cost of shipping it back to your home.
If you’d like to go: Our Art & Antiques tours to Paris are for shoppers. We spend two full days at our favorite antique markets and the other days we visit smaller museums and shops. This tour is great for those who have always wanted to shop in Paris but have been overwhelmed by the linguistic and logistical challenges. Ross and I take care of all this for you. We keep the group small – usually 6-8 travelers, but no more than 10 – so that we are able to give you one-on-one assistance negotiating your purchases and/or arranging shipping. Everyone going on this tour loves to shop and treasure hunt for antiques, so you will be in good company if you decide to join us! Our goal is to make you feel like you are traveling with a small group of friends and to show you our favorite places in Paris (a place Ross and I both once called home).
What’s Next?
Ross and I are headed to Paris in later this month for our fall Art & Antiques tour. Then we will head south to Provence for a week of scouting to put the final touches on our 2024 tour. To follow our travels, join on us on Instagram @wingbacktravel.