More Than I Bargained For: Le Chèvre Fleur

THE STORY:

I ask the woman at the counter for a little of this chocolate, a little of that, some milk with caramelized almonds, some dark with raspberry. It costs 5.5€ (about $6) per 100g. When she is holding a few pieces, I ask her, "Is that 100g?" She makes a face and shakes her head in a gesture that means clearly and emphatically "Non!"

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Social Climbers: Fontiennois

THE STORY:

When Pippa sits next to one of France's top gymnasts, she's excited to meet one of the best in the country. When Anthony climbs next to some of France's top rock climbers (the women's and men's national teams have worked out at his climbing gym), he's excited to be climbing near some of the best in the world. This is one of the few areas where the French really excel on the world stage.

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That Old Chestnut: Vache de Chalais

THE STORY:

It's that time of year again -- for chestnuts, roasting on an open shopping cart. It's also the time of year for marrons confits or marrons glacés, both of which are ways of saying candied chestnuts. They're very sweet (very), very festive, and very French.

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Collection Collectors: Cabrinou

THE STORY:

To own just one Picasso, one Monet, one Modigliani is a pretty unattainable dream for most of us. So it's pretty jaw-dropping when you realize how certain people have managed to amass extensive collections of hundreds, even thousands, of some of the world's greatest works of art. Luckily for the rest of us, the French government has managed to collect several of these collectors and their collections.

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Sadistic Site: Cellier

THE STORY:

I love that after even five years in France -- five years of pretty intensive trying-to-see-everything -- there are still surprises. And big ones. Really massive ones. Like the Château de Vincennes, which I had never visited, despite the fact that it's a short metro ride away, at the edge of Paris, just minutes from Anthony's office. Turns out, it's chock full of history and only slightly sadistic as a place to bring castle-weary children.

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