Focus On Paris

6 October 2025

Mocha Monday

A café noisette, hot milk on the side, on a sunny café terrace.

4 October 2025

Salat Saturday - Black Forest #2

Not just Kartoffelsalat.

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The Forêt Noire, sharing the border with France's Alsace region, is not all hiking, Schnaps fountains in the woods, vineyards, and half-timbered hamlets. With pop-up market stalls everywhere touting colorful seasonal vegetables from surrounding farms, we knew that wholesome meals couldn't be far. But on this trip we were especially on the lookout for Salate.

Living in Paris spoiled by a great variety of beautiful salads in restaurants and even modest cafés, we didn't suspect that if we veered off the beaten German potato-wurst-red cabbage-salads trail, exciting creations would be waiting to be discovered. On menus - and it wasn't obvious unless we asked - leafy giant Salate bursting with nuts, fresh herbs and fruits, piled high and tossed with light hazelnut oil vinaigrettes, quietly kept their distance from the Schnitzel and Schweinshaxen on the facing page. A "chicken salad" turned out to be an entire skinless breast poached in broth then served sliced atop a vibrant mix of at least ten different crisp veggies and fruits.

Returning to Paris inspired, we made a beeline for our local markets, ready to craft our own salads and bring some of that Black Forest magic to our Montmartre table. - BPJ

October newsletter

Below: French village in Alsace

PARIS - STRASBOURG

3 hours (or less) from Paris

Recommended: train/drive

Train (1-hr 45 min) + car rental at station (45-min drive into Black Forest region)

3 October 2025

Floral Friday

A backpack of flowers on a Paris street.

2 October 2025

Bird on a ledge

A pigeon looks at the river from the île Saint-Louis.

1 October 2025

Wein Wednesday - Black Forest

Gemütlichkeit among the vines.

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Ahead of Montmartre's own Fête des Vendanges that begins next week - and to avoid Oktoberfest madness - as an overture we decided to head to Germany's Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to savor regional wines (including seasonal Federweisser*) and local dishes, hike through forests and vineyards (there were "Schnaps fountains" on trails and organized "Schnaps hikes"!) while getting in a bit of Gemütlichkeit surrounded by flower-draped Fachwerkhäuser, half-timbered houses. - BPJ

October newsletter

Below: market day in Offenburg; memorable last night w/German beer, Riesling-laced Swiss fondue, local charcuteries including Black Forest ham - and the ultimate Schwarzwald experience, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte in the heart of the Schwarzwald!

(click to enlarge)

PARIS - STRASBOURG

3 hours (or less) from Paris

Recommended: train/drive

Train (1-hr 45 min) + car rental at station (45-min drive into Black Forest region)

* Federweisser a.k.a. Neuer Wein are late September's lightly fermented, fizzy young wines made from freshly harvested grapes. Often served w/savory Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart) or Krapfen (a jam-filled fritter), their innocent lightness can conceal an unexpected punch.