Welcome to the 30th edition of French 5, where I share a glimpse of France through language, places, food and drink, arts and culture, as well as a random fun fact.
In this week’s edition, editor of the French lifestyle website, Mathilde, shares her insights into the French art of living and a recipe for a dessert you must try.
A big thank you to for participating in this interview and for sharing t. If you have any feedback or ideas of what you’d like to see or who should be featured, please leave your comment below.
Featuring || Mathilde of @leoncechenal
Bonjour! I'm Mathilde, the editor of the French lifestyle website Leonce Chenal. I'm French and I come from a small town in the French Alps named Bonneville (located between Chamonix and Geneva). I'm currently living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since one year ago. Before that, I lived in London and Paris for several years for different work opportunities.
01 Language || “L’art de vivre à la Française”
"L'art de vivre à la Française" which means the French art of living in English. The French art de vivre is all about enjoying the best moment in life, whether it’s through social gatherings, amazing food (pastries, traditional recipes, exceptional wines), art, fashion, or architecture. For me, it's the lively debates on the terrace with a coffee, the long family Sunday lunch, the evenings spent to set the world to rights ("refaire le monde" in French) around a good bottle of wine, the apéritifs with friends and the afternoons shopping or museums.
02 Place || Place Louis Aragon
My favorite place in Paris is the Place Louis Aragon, located on the Île Saint-Louis, Paris (I used to live near there, at the rue des 2 Ponts). There are just a few benches overlooking the tip of Île Saint-Louis and hardly anyone (which is rare in Paris). There, I love to stand under the tree and gaze over at Notre Dame, the Pantheon, and down the Seine to the Hôtel de Ville.
03 Food & Drink || Tarte au Citron
It's a tough question for a French! I'm a foodie and I love desserts, cakes, biscuits, chocolates and all kinds of French pâtisseries. But if I had to choose one it would be the Tarte au citron (meringuée ou non). If you have never tried it, here is the recipe to make it at home.
04 Arts & Culture || Michelin Star Restaurants
If there is one French thing I'll recommend it's experiencing a fine dinner (or lunch) at one of the 628 Michelin star restaurants in France. It's an unforgettable experience to share with your loved ones! Or if your budget allows I'll recommend spending at least a night at one of the 12 Parisian Palace hotels! They will offer you a unique experience with spectacular city views, impeccable service, and every amenity you can imagine. For the little story, the palace distinction was created by the French Minister of Tourism in 2010 to award official recognition to the most prestigious 5-star hotels.
05 Fun Fact || More than 1200 cheeses
France is not just Paris! From the Alps to Provence, the Côte d’Azur, Pyrénées, Corsica, Burgundy, Basque Country, Champagne, Alsace to Normandy and Brittany, France has so much to offer. Each region is different and has its own traditions, customs, foods, languages, and even cheeses (France produces between 1200 and 1500 different cheeses)! Enjoying France can be an experience of a lifetime!
Follow Friday || @seemyparis
I love the Instagram account @seemyparis! It’s a wonderful Insta for those of us who are used to living or traveling to Paris every year and miss being there.
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