Earth Day 2016: Signing of Paris Climate Agreement at the U.N.

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New York may be a concrete jungle, but on Earth Day 2016, it is playing a pivotal role in the global effort to limit further damage to the planet due to climate change.

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is expected to be signed in New York by at least 150 world leaders on Earth Day 2016.

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is expected to be signed in New York by at least 150 world leaders on Earth Day 2016.

At least 150 world leaders are expected to sign the Paris Climate Agreement at the United Nations Headquarters in New York today. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a letter invited world leaders to sign the historic document starting today, in the hope that it would facilitate early ratification of the agreement and to encourage participating countries to act soon on the Paris agreement in their individual countries. The agreement will be ratified when signed by at least 55 countries, which together make up at least 55% of global greenhouse emissions. Each country will then need to adopt the agreement within their own legal systems.

The agreement was reached on 12 December 2015 in Paris, France, the culmination of COP21, also known as the 2015 Paris Climate Conference. After over 20 years of U.N. negotiations, the agreement will be the first legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

The European Union and 185 nations were the participating parties in COP21. France served as a model country for delegates attending COP21 because it is one of the few developed countries in the world to decarbonize electricity production and fossil fuel energy while still providing a high standard of living. As of 2012, France generated over 90% of its electricity from zero carbon sources, including nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind.

More than 1 billion people in 192 countries are expected to participate in Earth Day activities today, including planting new trees, cleaning up communities, and taking public transportation instead of driving.

 

Au revoir!

 

 

Image of New York by Edsel Little, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

References: “2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference,” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. http://www.ecowatch.com/2016/04/19/earth-day-paris-agreement. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2016/01/world-leaders-invited-to-paris-agreement-signing-ceremony-on-april-22.

As a Blogger on Paris, I Went ‘Missing.’ Here’s Why.

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Aaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhh. Not another technological glitch. Not again.

I am a blogger on Paris. I write about travelling there, navigating the City of Light, recommend hotels and restaurants, and cultural misunderstandings. I started to do this after I suffered a major blow in my life and lost everything. As luck would have it, I came into a windfall not long afterwards, and I decided what I needed most was a change of surroundings — to travel — and nowhere else speaks to my heart like Paris.

So off to Paris for a month I went. Since it was my third time there, I had already seen the major sites, but I revisited many of them, especially the Eiffel Tower, since my pictures of Paris were among my many possessions that were lost. I savored every French sign, every cappuccino, every meal, every daybreak, as though it would be my last. While there, I decided that what I wanted most was to be involved with France in any way I could. Although I had travelled prepared with my resume on a USB to apply for jobs while in Paris, when I went to print it, the resume disappeared without a trace from my USB and the computer. So I decided when I got back to the U.S., I would get involved with France in any way I could. Since I like to write, I decided to blog about Paris, with the hope that it would open a door for me to live and work in France.

I love what I do, though I admit I’m doing a different kind of writing than I imagined. Blogging about my experiences in Paris, like I did when I published my travel journal last July, is a different kind of writing than writing recommendations on travel gadgets I haven’t used and hotels I haven’t stayed in. Still, I wanted to expand my blog’s horizons by featuring a monthly series on Fridays: first on destination weddings in Paris, and then on adding French flair to your home. While writing the third post in the latter’s series, the post seemed to acquire a mind of its own and decided, unequivocally, it didn’t want to be finished. I lost the internet connection every two minutes (I know the timing because WordPress helpfully lets me know). Images wouldn’t load. The post wouldn’t update. Oddly, I didn’t have much trouble visiting other sites. Sure, my computer seemed a bit slower than usual, but I didn’t lose the internet connection while visiting other sites. I checked EVERYTHING, especially with my web host. They said, Nope. No trouble here. I was left scratching my head trying to figure out why I couldn’t finish this post….because, no, I DON’T actually believe a post can have a mind of its own.

Then I remembered I had recently acquired a new smartphone, because, SURPRISE, my 16-month old smartphone decided to STOP WORKING ON THE EXACT SAME DAY AS MY TIME RAN OUT ON MY PAY-AS-YOU-GO PHONE that I’ve had since 2008. Talk about coincidence. My life is full of them!! (Take that, my fellow Seinfeldians.) And I use the smartphone’s HotSpot for my blog, because the owner of my house can’t tell me how to use the FIOS internet connection. Which I pay for. God, I love my life.

Anyway, I digress. I called my phone carrier, and sure enough, after we deleted the settings for my HotSpot and re-selected them, my phone became so fast that the technician helping me told me my phone was “so blazing fast” that it was faster than his — and his building has a cell tower on top of it! Naturally, the pages don’t continue to load as fast as when I had him on the phone, because a car never works the same way after you leave the mechanic. But at least I’ll be able to finish the post that I had to table.

So. I wanted the few readers I have out there in cyberspace that I DID NOT die, I WAS NOT kidnapped by aliens, and  I DID NOT lose interest in my blog. Luckily, I had a draft ready to publish during this time. Afterwards, I concentrated on my French lessons (“Learn French with Alexa” on YouTube) to get re-energized and back on track. To this end, I decided that, from time to time, I am going to write a post about my experience as an American trying to get to France, as in, living and working there.

See you next week.

A bientot! (See you later!)

 

 

Elsa’s Recommendations on the Best Things To Do In Paris – April 2016 | From Paris Insiders Guide

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Foire de Paris is from April 29 - May 8 at Porte de Versailles.

Foire de Paris is from April 29 – May 8 at Porte de Versailles.

Spring is in the air. How about a short trip to Paris? Take a bike tour or a new shopping tour of Paris, or if it rains, see “Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader” at the Louvre, or attend Foire de Paris at the Porte de Versailles, the largest home show in Paris for 111 years.

Source: The 36 Best Things To Do In Paris – April 2016 | Paris Insiders Guide

As my website says, it’s always the right time to travel to Paris; it’s just a matter of figuring out what you want to do while there. Here I’ve featured my top 5 picks from Paris Insiders Guide for April 2016.

April in Paris usually hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), so it is still wise to wear layers. While you make think of London for sudden downpours, Paris is known for them too, so a sturdy umbrella and a pair of waterproof walking shoes are musts. Still, bring your sunglasses: You’ll experience the first spring sunshine, and if you go anywhere near the Seine River, you’ll need them!

A bike tour guide at Tuileries Gardens.

A bike tour guide at Tuileries Gardens.

Paris Classic Bike Tour. See Paris like a local on a Paris Classic Bike Tour or Paris Nighttime Bike Tour. The Classic version is a 4-hour, 6-mile guided tour of the best sites the city has to offer. You’ll stop every few hundred yards for information and photo-ops, so children and non-cyclers can easily keep up. There is a break at a cafe in Tuileries Gardens. If you’re a night owl, or simply want to see the city lit up at night, consider the Nighttime Bike Tour, which is 4 hours 30 minutes: more riding and less information than the day tour, but it includes a 1-hour cruise on the Seine River with wine included.

Classic Bike Tour

If you would rather take your own bike tour of Paris, there are bike rentals all over the city.

If you would rather take your own bike tour of Paris, there are bike rentals all over the city.

Price:

Adult: $38.67 each

Child:    $36.39 each (4-11 years)

Child:    Free (0-3 years)

Reserve here

 

As you might imagine, the City of Light is so well lit at night, there is little problem seeing in the dark.

As you might imagine, the City of Light is so well lit at night, there is little problem seeing in the dark.

Nighttime Bike Tour                                            

Price:

Adult: $50.04 each

Child:    $47.77 each (4-11 years)

Child:    Free (0-3 years)

Reserve here

 

 

Fashion-Savvy Paris Shopping Tour. Learn where to purchase couture brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dior at discounted prices like a local Parisienne. This is a true insiders’ tour: you’ll visit shops owned by fashion editors and photographers where designer clothing and accessories are sold right off the catwalk. You’ll also attend one or more workshops held by up-and-coming designers trained in Paris fashion houses.

The tour is 3 hours for a small group, and begins and ends at a cafe in the 6th arrondissement.

Price:

Adult: $139.29

Child: $102.45 (ages 3-7 years)

Child: Free (ages 0-2)

Register here

The energy of the Latin Quarter comes alive at night.

The energy of the Latin Quarter comes alive at night.

St. Germain des Pres & Latin Quarter Walking Tour. Meet your guide near the Pantheon and walk through St. Germain des Pres and the Latin Quarter, a lively area and former bohemian quarter where artists of all types lived and worked. In a small group limited to 12, you will also eat charcuterie (cold cooked meats) and play a game of French boules, the ball game you often see children and older men playing. Before ending at the Notre Dame Cathedral, you’ll visit Shakespeare & Co., likely the most famous bookstore in Paris.

Price: Adult $53.85 This is a special price for travel until August 31. Click on link below for children’s rates.

Duration: 3.5 hours

 

Unlikely bedfellows? This exhibit proves not.

Unlikely bedfellows? This exhibit proves not.

Founding Myths – From Hercules to Darth Vader. The names of modern day heroes may change, but the mythological heroes they are based on don’t. Learn the connection between past and present heroes — from the Japanese manga to Star Wars — by viewing 70 pieces of artwork in 4 galleries at the Louvre. The last gallery is an exhibit of modern interpretations of these characters in television, film, and cartoons.

Location: The Louvre, La Petite Galerie, Richelieu Wing

Hours: Every day from 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M., except Tuesday. Open until 9:45 P.M. on Wednesday and Friday. Exhibit runs until July 4.

Admission: 15 euros (permanent collections & exhibitions)

Phone: +33 01 40 20 53 17

Metro: Louvre-Rivoli, Line 1

Exhibit Website You can purchase tickets here and download a pdf Exhibition booklet for children.

 

Foire de Paris at Porte de Versailles.

Foire de Paris at Porte de Versailles.

Foire de Paris – The Grand Paris Expo. The Foire de Paris (Paris Fair) is the largest general purpose retail fair in Europe. This year, it offers 3500 brands in Europe (in House & Lifestyle, as well as Arts & Crafts & Culture of the World, Well-Being Fashion & Accessories, Leisure & Everyday Life, and Wine & Gastronomy); many products are for sale at a discount to the general public. Be sure to click the link to the map of the pavilions before you go: the exhibit is huge! Oh, and registration is 100% online.

Location:
Porte de Versailles
1 Place de la Porte de Versailles
75015 Paris

Phone: +33 01 40 68 22 22

Cost: 12.50 euros, Registration online

Hours: April 29 – May 8, 10:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. every day; closing time 10:00 P.M. on Tues May 3 and Fri May 6.

Metro: Porte de Versailles, Line 12

Map of Pavilions

Register here 

 

A game of boules.Je pars pour jouer boules! (I’m off to play boules!)

Au revoir!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foire de Paris from ParisInsidersGuide.com, CCBY 2.0. Tuileries Gardens, Fat Tire Bike Tour by David McKelvey, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of bikes for rent by CanStockPhoto. Boulevard St. Germain at night by Joao Andre O. Dias, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Fashion Savvy Beautiful Girl by CanStockPhoto. Latin Quarter by Miguel Bernas, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Hercules, Japanese Manga & Darth Vader from ParisInsidersGuide.com, CCBY 2.0. Foire de Paris exhibit space by Jerome S., Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Game of Boules by Loki1973, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

Adding French Flair to Your Home: Distress Furniture Using Chalk Paint and Vinegar

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No priming, no sanding. Just a little bit of effort can transform an every day piece of furniture to French Country. Visitors might think you’ve just been on a shopping trip to France! This is the second in a series on adding French flair to your home.

Source: How To Distress Furniture With Vinegar – White Lace Cottage

This piece was distressed using chalk paint.

This piece was distressed using chalk paint.

French Country furniture often has a distressed look — like it’s been around the barn a few times. If you want to add a touch of French flair to your home, why not distress a piece you already own? Or one that you just bought at a garage sale and not sure of what to do with it? This method is super-easy.

  1. Remove any hardware.

  2. Clean piece with a damp rag.

  3. Using chalk-type paint, paint the piece at least 2 coats, allowing the paint to dry between coats. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the can for drying time. PIECE MUST BE FULLY DRY BEFORE DISTRESSING.

  4. Fill a spray bottle (after testing it first, to verify it has an even spray) with white vinegar and water, using a 1:1 ratio for vinegar to water.

  5. Spray mixture onto piece. Using a white rag, wipe off the mixture using varied pressure so that some areas have more paint removed. Continue wiping and spraying as needed.

  6. You might want to paint the hardware separately; lay hardware on a white surface, such as a rag.

  7. After piece has dried, apply wax to seal the chalk paint. Wax isn’t needed all of the time, but your piece will wear better if you do.

 

Au revoir!

 

Image of distressed piece using chalk paint by 5023 Creations from Pinterest, CCBY 2.0.

Joyeuse Saint Patrick!

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Joyeuse Saint Patrick!

Joyeuse Saint Patrick!

The City of Light will be The City of Green today.

 Ah, St. Patrick’s Day. For many, it’s a day to wear green and drink Guinness Beer. If you’re in Paris, there are plenty of ways to get in the spirit of Joyeuse Saint Patrick. 

As part of Tourism Ireland’s 7th annual Global Greening initiative, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica and the Roue de Paris (Big Wheel) at the Place de la Concorde, as well as many other buildings in Paris and elsewhere in France will be lit up in green. Take in the light show by walking or perhaps a cruise on the Seine River. (Note: It’s curious that the Eiffel Tower isn’t on the list.)

Paris has plenty of Irish pubs to celebrate the day:

O’Brien’s Irish Pub
77 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris

O'Brien's Irish Pub is always busy.

O’Brien’s Irish Pub is always busy.

Phone: +33 01 45 51 75 87

Hours: Monday – Thursday, Noon – 2:00 A.M., Friday & Saturday Noon – 3:00 A.M., Sunday 5:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.

Metro: La Tour-Maubourg or Invalides

Located in the 7th arrondissement a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, O’Brien’s is a reasonably priced pub that was always busy during my last trip to Paris. Besides alcohol, they serve mouth-watering burgers and a different dessert created by their chefs is featured every day.

The Green Goose
19 rue des Boulets
75011 Paris

Phone: +33 09 82 37 73 41

Hours: Lunch: Mon-Fri, 12:00 Noon – 3:00 P.M.; Dinner: Mon-Sun, 6:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.; Weekend Brunch: Sat, Sun & Bank Holidays, 11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Metro: Rue des Boulets or Nation

Funny enough, this relatively new Irish pub in Paris doesn’t serve Guinness though they do serve handcrafted beers, including……. They also serve a fairly extended lunch and dinner menu, and brunch on the weekends (I have my eye on the Eggs Benedict. Mmmmmmmmm.) The Green Goose is often reviewed as the friendliest pub in Paris.

 

The Harp Bar (see their Facebook page)
118 boulevard de Clichy
75018 Paris

Patrons enjoying a Celtic game at the Harp Bar.

Patrons enjoying a Celtic game at the Harp Bar.

Hours: 5:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M. Daily

Metro: Blanche or Place de Clichy

Located next to James Hetfeeld’s Pub at 118 boulevard de Clichy, The Harp Bar is a sports pub featuring a Celtic game always showing on the big screen TVs, a pool table downstairs, and plenty of beer and food. This is a must-stop for any Celtic fan.

How about a dessert? Maison Dalloyau teahouses and patisseries will celebrate the day by dressing up the religieuse (“nun”) pastry — a type of eclair — for St. Patrick’s Day, filled with chocolate coffee cream and a bit of Irish whiskey, topped with a chocolate hat and an edible four-leaf clover.

If the religieuse pastry is too rich for your taste, try a pistachio-flavored macaron (“macaroon”), available at patisseries (“pastry shops”) all over Paris.

Au revoir!

References: “Religeuse,” by Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. “Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day: What’s On?” Bonjour Paris, March 8, 2016.

Eiffel Tower lit green by Jerome Bon, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. O’Brien’s Irish Pub by Loren C., Yelp, CCBY 2.0. Image of The Green Goose by TripAdvisor, CCBY 2.0. Image of The Harp Bar from their Facebook page, CCBY 2.0. Image of religieuse pastry (made by Dalloyau) from BonjourParis.com, Google search, CCBY 2.0. Macarons (pistachio and cassis) from Laduree by Jamie Anderson, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

Adding French Flair to Your Home: Antiques and Objets d’Art

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This post is the first in a series on adding a little French influence to your home. The series begins with three venues in Paris to shop for antique and vintage items.

Source: Where to Go Shopping for Antiques in Paris

Several well-placed items can add French flair to your home. This is a vintage French Champagne Gathering Basket.

Several well-placed items can add French flair to your home. This is a vintage French Champagne Gathering Basket.

There are many ways to add French influence to your home. You could buy a piece of furniture, a painting, or an objet d’art in Paris and send it home. You could distress your own furniture to make it look French Country. You could remodel your kitchen or bathroom (or parts thereof) with French accents. Or you could add natural visual elements, like wood, to give your decor for that certain French je ne sais quois (“I do not know what”). This series will cover all of these topics, just in time for spring cleaning and redecorating.

The sign says "Second-hand Antiques."

The sign says “Second-hand Antiques.”

I begin the series with information on purchasing items in Paris and sending them home. Each of the 20 arrondissements in Paris has its shops and markets to shop for antique and vintage items. Look for signs that say Antiquites (“Antiques”) or Brocante (“Second-hand market”) or a combination of the two. The markets featured here are open Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Check their websites for more information.

 

Carre Rive Gauche has a spectacular view of the Seine River.

Carre Rive Gauche has a spectacular view of the Seine River.

Carre Rive Gauche (Left Bank Square)

Metro: Rue du Bac or Solferino

As a child of the 1970s, I associate “rive gauche” with “high class” due to Yves Saint Laurent’s fragrance of the same name, launched in 1971. Saint Laurent was a French couture designer who popularized pret-a-porter (ready-to-wear) for the masses. His fragrance, Rive Gauche, was prominently displayed in a local store that, to me, was the epitome of class. I didn’t care how it smelled: I was intrigued by this product made by a French couture fashion designer who dressed one of my favorite actresses of the time, Catherine Deneuve. Talk about an effective ad campaign. I was 10 years old in 1971.

Ironically, “rive gauche” means “left bank,” an area in Paris known for its hipsters and bohemians — sort of the French version of a Greenwich Village — where Saint Laurent had his design house. Ironically or not, Carre Rive Gauche is a mostly high-end antique and objet d’art shopping area, comprising over 100 shops, on what used to be private gardens of French princess and Queen of Navarre, Marguerite de Navarre. Located in the 6th and 7th arrondissements, rue des Saints-Peres is about a 12-minute walk from Rue du Bac metro. (The shopping area: rue des St. Peres, rue de Beaune, rue du Bac, rue de L’Universite, rue de Verneuil, rue de Lille, quai Voltaire.) Carre Rive Gauche’s close proximity to several museums (Louvre, d’Orsay, Arts Decoratifs) has helped solidify a trusted relationship between its vendors and the museums.

Here are three links to galleries within Carre Rive Gauche that might have that certain French something for your home:

Galerie Altero – Glassware and furniture

Galerie F. Baulme Fine Arts – Paintings, drawings, sculptures

Galerie Francois Paul Belliard – Furniture, art objects, 18th and 19th seats (such as chaise lounges)

 

Le Village Suisse sign in the 15th arrondissement.

Le Village Suisse sign in the 15th arrondissement.

 Le Village Suisse (Website is still under construction)

Metro: La Motte Picquet Grenelle

Le Village Suisse got its name from the mini Swiss village erected in the same spot for the 1900 Universal Exposition, also known as the World’s Fair. After the Exposition, the location evolved into a place for antique shops, gallery owners and decorators to sell their wares. There are roughly 150 shops in Le Village Suisse currently.

The Village is in the 15th arrondissment, and is bordered by avenue de la Motte-Picquet and avenue Suffren. Entrances are located at 78 avenue de Suffren and 54 avenue de la Motte-Picquet.

At present, it looks like once the website is live, you will be able to search individual galleries, search for a particular object, as well as search by keywords.

 

Marche Malassis serves as an entrance to Marche aux Puces in Saint Ouen.

Marche Malassis serves as an entrance to Marche aux Puces in Saint Ouen.

Marche aux Puces de Paris/Saint-Ouen (Flea Market)

Metro: Porte de Clignancourt or Garibaldi

I’ll venture a guess that you can probably imagine a flea market as large as a football field. What about one that is just over 13 and a half football fields? That is the size of the Marche aux Puces de Paris/Saint-Ouen, Paris’s best known flea market, often referred to as “the Paris flea market.” Fourteen markets comprise the Puces de Paris/Saint-Ouen, so if you’re looking for a particular type of item, it would be wise to check the marche website before you go — even if it’s to rule out certain markets. Not only is the marche large, but about 150,000 people visit the market every weekend.

The marche is located at Porte de Clignancourt, just north of the 18th arrondissement, and includes antique dealers, retailers, designers, craftsmen and artists. If you exit Porte de Clignancort and walk northwest toward the marche, keep walking past the vendors of inexpensive items (and who generally get in your personal space) to rue des Rosiers on the left, which is the main market street.

Three markets in the marche that could add French flair to your home:

Two chairs wait to be selected at Marche aux Puces in Saint Ouen.

Two chairs wait to be selected at Marche aux Puces in Saint Ouen.

Marche Cambo – 18th and 19th century furniture, earthenware, ceramics, Art Deco items

Le Passage – unusual furniture, chairs, paintings

Marche Malassis – Antiques, oriental stalls, tableware

 

 

 

Get the latest information on second-hand markets, every week in L’Officiel des Spectacles and the Pariscope App and on the websites Brocabrac (with calendar) and Vide Greniers.

Au revoir!

 

 

Reference: “Margauerite de Navarre,” by Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0.

Vintage French Champagne Gathering Basket by Wicker Paradise, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Second-hand Antique Shop by MetroCentric, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Carre Rive Gauche by Henri VK, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Le Village Suisse sign by Monceau, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Marche Malassis at Marche aux Puces in Saint Ouen by Brett Hammond, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Two chairs in Marche Vernaison at Saint Ouen by Edsel Little, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.

For Men Only: Getting to Paris

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Ever wonder why women the world over often dream of French men? Because they have an air about them. From the tops of their heads to their well-cut pants to their polished, non-sneaker shoes, they’re confident, put together, ready for anything. In other words: they have a sense of style, and they wear it with confidence.

The essence of men's French style: sleek lines, good quality, good grooming. Even an unshaven look has a style about it on French men.

The essence of men’s French style: sleek lines, good quality clothing, good grooming. Even an unshaven look has a style about it on French men.

If there’s one situation that many men lack confidence in, it’s packing for a European trip; otherwise, why would there be so many suggested packing lists available on the internet? My travel experience has taught me would-be travelers concentrate too much on following someone else’s packing list instead of formulating their own. You have to pack for you — your habits, your needs, and what you plan to do while in Paris: in other words, you should pack from the inside out — while taking in consideration you’ll be in a foreign country where men are, for the most part, well-groomed and well-dressed.

What do I mean by packing from the inside out? Let’s focus first on your toiletries and personal items. What do you use every day? Write down which personal items you use from the time you wake up until you go out the door: brush/comb, shampoo, body soap, washcloth or similar item in the shower, razor, shave cream, after shave, cologne, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, blow dryer (with a 2-round-pin adapter for France). Occasionally you cut yourself shaving, so add band-aids and Neosporin to your list. Do you get a sore on your foot from time to time? Add whatever you use for that. Do you use any other products on an occasional basis that you wouldn’t want to live without? Add them to the list. While many grocery and large-chain drug stores have a travel section for personal products, here are two resources for products:  AllTravelSizes.com and Sephora Sets for Men.

Let’s assume you’re going to Paris for a week in the fall with a friend. Talk about what the two of you plan to do together before you pack: You’ll want your wardrobe to be in-sync with your friend’s. (Okay, guys, I’m not suggesting you tell your friend why you’re asking. Just find out nonchalantly.) After all, if your friend wants to take a dinner cruise on the Seine River (or eat at any nice restaurant), you’ll want to be properly dressed: most fine cuisine restaurants in Paris still require men to wear a jacket and tie. Say you’re planning to sight-see (think: lots of walking), visit the Eiffel Tower and other attractions, a dinner cruise, a trip to Versailles. You’ll need a good pair of walking shoes but not tennis shoes: GQ recommends rubber sole shoes by John Lobb, but since they can cost as much as air fare (or more), check out the rubber sole loafers available at Zappos. 

To help you understand what clothes to bring, I recommend tracking trending weather conditions there for 2 weeks prior to your trip. For the record, temperatures in Paris average 61 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius) in September, and 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius) in October: cool but not cold. Layering is your best strategy in case it gets significantly warmer or colder than average. This means take 2-3 short-sleeved shirts, 2-3 long-sleeved shirts, 2-3 V-neck sweaters, 1-2 dress shirts (even better: shirts made to order by Proper Cloth), a wind-breaker, a heavier jacket (take this with you on the plane), a scarf. For evening, you’ll need a pair of dress pants (you’re on your own; they should fit well and be wrinkle-resistant). For sightseeing, I recommend pickpocket-proof pants from Clothing Arts or Bluff Works (being mindful the color you order works with your shirts and sweaters). Add to this list accessories: dress belt, underwear, socks, and cuff links if you plan to be really dressy. (You’ll fit right in.)

Don’t forget your technological needs, such as your smartphone charger and ear buds. Think twice before taking your laptop: unless you absolutely have to have it for work, leave it at home.

The best packing list for men traveling to Europe I’ve seen is this one from Ken’s Travel Tips. In case you like lists. Also, see GQ’s 8 Best Items for Traveling Light.

Hartmann Expandable Spinner in Olive.

Hartmann Expandable Spinner in Olive.

For a suitcase, I will always love Hartmann luggage because of how well the luggage is made and their lifetime guarantee; my favorite is the Hartmann Expandable Spinner in Olive. Whatever you purchase, do yourself a favor and buy anything except black luggage. Why? Because everyone buys black luggage. When I came back from Kazakhstan some time ago, two of my four bags went missing (the tags were ripped off); Delta Airlines told me the only reason I got them back was because they stood out in their warehouse. The Delta employee told me: “You should see our warehouse…it’s nothing but a sea of black luggage.” Sure, black is sophisticated and under-stated; but if it goes missing, you might not see it again. Purchasing luggage in a color that will stand out from everyone else’s black luggage is almost as good as buying travel insurance.

Vacuuming out air of a travel bag sounds good, but where will you find a vacuum for your return trip?

Vacuuming out air of a travel bag sounds good, but where will you find a vacuum for your return trip?

If you pack right, you’ll be able to get more in your suitcase than you think. I use travel-size Ziploc bags to conserve on space. I don’t like the “envelopes” that you put several items in because I don’t find they conserve space, and I don’t recommend the bags that you vacuum air out of because…where will you find a vacuum for your return trip? Ziploc bags also protect your clothes in case your bags are searched: TSA agents can shake them to their hearts’ content, and your socks and underwear won’t fall to the ground and mop up the floor. Put items you will wear together in one bag, zip the bag three-quarters of the way, then roll the bag to extinguish the air.

You’ll want to be your best self in Paris. With a little help from experts, you’ll do just that.

 

Bon voyage!

 

 

All images except Hartmann Spinner from CanStockPhoto. Hartmann Spinner from Hartmann.com, CCBY 2.0.

Author’s note: The model pictured is of Indian descent and exhibits a Frenchman’s style perfectly.

Packing from the inside out is adapted from “Organizing From the Inside Out,” by Julie Morganstern.