Hosted inside a 14th century building, the museum displays a selection of artifacts showing the evolution of frites through history. You’ll also enjoy the vast array of colourful advertising artwork from old frituur stalls.

After the tour it’s probable you’ll be craving some fries to satisfy your hunger. Head to Frietmuseum’s basement café for a cone of traditional Belgian friet.

Frietmuseum – Brugge
Vlamingstraat 33
8000 Brugge
Tel. 050 34 01 50
Fax. 050 34 31 50
E-mail : info@frietmuseum.be
Web : www.frietmuseum.be

Lyon is known as the food capital of the world and it does everything it can to uphold this reputation. There was a BBC TV Series earlier this year where the journalist had to train for six months in America just to be allowed to prep vegetables in a Lyon restaurant. And when coming to the food capital of the world, it’s a shame not to eat in arguably the best restaurant there.

Restaurant Paul Bocuse is truly spectacular – it opened in 1965 and has won three Michelin stars every single year it’s been open. It’s situated 4km outside Lyon on Rue de la Plage but the journey there is well worth it because a meal there will not just be a highlight of a trip to Lyon – it’s likely to be a highlight of a lifetime.

Everything about the restaurant is grand. It is situated in a huge red, green and gold building with frescoes of Bocuse on the outside. He is now aged 83 and yet he still comes and visits his guests every evening and even occasionally does the cooking.

And this is not ordinary cooking. There is so much technical skill involved in the dishes that even the most competent home cook could not manage to produce this. The most famous dish is the Bresse chicken cooked in a pig’s bladder – the bladder is boiled in cognac to remove the smell and taste of urine – this is true decadence. The chicken is served with morel mushrooms and it has really been described as to die for.

Going to Restaurant Paul Bocuse is certainly an expensive meal out. One certainly has to reserve in advance. But it will also provide one of the most sensational eating experiences of a lifetime. And, having been there, you need not eat anywhere else to believe that Lyon is the food capital of the world.

Photo: ‘IMG_3482‘ by nozomiiqel

Aix is the home of the Universities of Aix-Marseilles, first established in 1409. While it’s doubtful this piece of trivia would ever come up in a pub quiz, its important for understanding one of the great selling points of Aix.

For the enormous history of the town means that the market is something truly embedded in the town’s fabric. What this means is that almost everybody who lives in the town – and the surrounding areas – comes to the market to do their shopping, making it a really interesting area.

What’s more, the universities give Aix a large student population meaning the market is always teeming with energy as students try and save their money and get the lowest possible price through haggling or as the French call it le marchandage.

And yet luckily for tourists, as Aix is the premier market town in Provence, the main food market – specialising in fruit and vegetables – is there on the Place Richelme each and every morning, with many of the stands operating from the same places they were in centuries ago. Depending on the season, one can buy all kinds of goodies from olives, garlic and goat’s cheese  – the sort of thing one would pay a fortune for in a French deli in London – to more everyday things like peaches, lemons, and honey. But it really requires a visit to the market to see the vast array of produce on offer.

If the abundance of fruit and veg does not sate your appetite for markets, there are also several other options on offer in Aix: on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, there is a flower market in the square adjacent to the Hotel de Ville; at the same times there’s also a flea market selling all manner of bric-a-brac in the Place de Verduns; and there is also another wide-ranging market at Place des Precheurs every Saturday. The markets of Aix truly are a fantastic day out – not just for the tastes and the smells – but also for the memories.

Photo: ‘Marché Place des Prêcheurs‘ by mwanasimba

We have a lovely guest post from the fantastic mummy blogger Eva who writes the Nixd Minx blog who has kindly shared her recent trip to France with us.

France is a vast and varied country and it’s worth taking time to get to know the regions but all too often we overlook the places which are closest to us.

If you’re looking for a destination that’s culturally different but not too far from home, did you know you can make it from London to France in around 60 minutes?

Catch the 6.20 or 7.20 Eurostar from Kings Cross you will be on the doorstep of the beautiful and atmospheric Picardy coast by 8.30am which certainly helps to stretch out a day trip or long weekend.  The great thing about travelling on Eurostar is that you don’t have the hassle of the airport experience and Kings Cross is pretty much in the centre of London and easily accessible.  There’s the added bonus of carbon neutral travel too.

I’m a great fan of the Cote D’Azure and the Var region but we tend to visit there when it’s holiday time and don’t really consider it for a short break or a London destress.

On a recent trip to France we found a place of tranquility and calm, tucked away in an oasis of green and nestled along the coast.   The area is steeped in Anglo-French history and is beautifully kept.

We spent a long weekend in Picardy and stayed at the Belle Dune Eco resort, which has a very famous golf course on it too, and cycled to the beaches which meant we were very environmentally friendly – and the locals were pretty pleasant too!

For gourmands or wine buffs, there’s plenty there to take home too, but it’s really worth getting away from Calais and heading further out to the coastal areas such as Plage Mahon to check out the local special dish.  Call it Moules with everything if you will.  There are plenty of great places to sample moules frites in the area, and each restaurant has a chef’s special recipe on the menu too.  If you want something light; best go for the the chervil and white wine or for something a little more gastronimique there’s always cream, ham and garlic to scintillate the tastebuds.  There are plenty of local beers on offer to and I tend to prefer a provencal rose as a light accompaniment to this great lunch.

And a few words about the beaches; unlike the South of France the public beaches stretch on for several miles and they are shallow and sandy so great for the kids who like to muck about on the shoreline or make sandcastles.  Judging from the Sunday turn out, it looks like the British and French share a love of the great family day out.

After a hard day at the beach, you’ll notice that it tends to get dark rather late in this area, so it’s best to save some of your energy for a relaxing night cap and enjoy the stunning sunset.

Lyon has long held the title of gastronomy capital of France, some even suggest the world and this reputation is not undeserved.

The culinary history of Lyon dates back to the 1800’s where a number of women that worked in the kitchens of rich affluent households in Lyon left their employment to put their culinary skills to better use and set up their own bistros for the world to sample their exceptional cooking skills.

These women became known as the ‘Meres Lyonnaises’ or in English the ‘Mothers of Lyon’.

One of the most well known of these Lyon mothers was Eugénie Brazier who from 1921 catered for senior figures and ambassadors such as General de Gaulle and Mayor Edouard Herriot. In 1933 Mère Brazier became the first female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars, who then went on to train other Michelin star chefs such as Paul Bocuse.

Other famous Mères lyonnaises include la mère Blanc, la mère Fillioux, la mère Poupon, la mère Léa, and la grande Marcelle. These women started a tradition of what became known as ‘Les Mères’ cuisine, which has proved to be hugely influential not just in Lyon but across the globe.

Local culinary specialties included: pork products and “Cervelle de Canuts” soft cheese with herbs, “bugnes” beignets, fried pork fat, Lyonnais salad, “tablier de sapeur” tripes, “gras double” tripes, “petit salé” ham with lentils, “quenelles” dumplings (a mixture of butter, semolina and fish), “andouillette” chitterling sausage, and “paillasson” fried hashed potatoes.

Photo by Austinevan

The Palais des Papes one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe and has been classified as a World Heritage site since 1995. The Palace was built in two phases which are now known as Palais Vieux (the Old Palace) built by Pope Benedict XII and Palais Neuf (the New Palace) where the original palace was extended under the leadership of Popes Clement VI, Innocent VI and Urban V.

Avignon became the residence of the popes in 1309 when the newly elected Pope, Pope Clement V moved with his Papal Court (the assistants who help the Pope carry out his duties) to Avignon and stayed as a guest in what was then the Dominican monastery before it was later developed in to the Palace that stands there today.

After taking in the grandeur of Le Palais des Papes make time for a visit to the former Artillery Room, la Bouteillerie, which now houses a wine cellar run by a dedicated committee of wine buffs. Sample over 40 different wines from the Côtes de Rhône’s finest vineyards and leave with a newly acquired knowledge of the region’s viticulture and wine-making heritage.

The Palais des Papes is open every day of the year and tickets are from €8.50 (low season) €10.50 (High season) for a full list of opening hours and prices click here.

Photo Palace des Papes by Allie Caulfield

While away its always good to try some thing different and really immerse yourself in the local culture. When in Marseille there’s a large variety of different foods you can try, admittedly some of which sound more appetising than others:

• Pastis – an alcoholic beverage made with aniseed and spice, is extremely popular in the region
• Fougasse – typical Provençal bread
• Aïoli – a sauce made from raw garlic, lemon juice, eggs and olive oil, served with boiled fish, hard boiled eggs and cooked vegetables
• Tapenade – a paste made from capers, chopped olives and olive oil (sometimes anchovies may be added)
• Bouillabaisse, a fish soup containing assorted shellfish, fish and vegetables, served with rouille, toasted bread (croûtes) and often grated cheese
• Anchoïade – a paste made from anchovies, garlic, black olives and olive oil, served with raw vegetables
• Panisse – a pastry made from chickpea flour
• Navette – a small hard biscuit in the shape of a boat, flavoured with orange blossom
• Bourride – a fish dish made with monkfish, mayonnaise and a vegetable brunoise
• Pieds-paquets – a dish prepared from pig’s trotters, sheep or pork tripe and lard

As a coastal town Marseilles has an abundance of fresh fish and so the likes of Anchoïade and Aïoli may sound intimidating the freshness of the local fish and produce will take your breathe away and will be sure to taste nothing like any of the imitated versions you are likely to find in the UK.

If you have a taste for fish then while in Marseille you should visit the daily fish market at the Old Port or Vieux Port. If you’re a movie fan or just a romantic a visit to Bar de la Marine which is on the Old port and is the restaurant in the film Love Actually where Jamie comes back to France to find Aurelia and propose to her were filmed.

Photo Bar de la Marine by Halighalie

Kölsch is a beer locally brewed in Cologne and is also the name for a dialect spoken in the Cologne region of Germany. Kölsch is the only beer that may not be brewed outside the Cologne region, as determined by the 1986 Kölsch convention.

Traditionally sold in long thin cylindrical glasses called Stangen, which are 0.2, litres (less than half a pint) but most bars also now serve Kölsch in larger glasses that more consumers are used to.

You can find many brewery pubs in Cologne some dating back to the 19^th century where the waiters still wear traditional blue aprons worn by brewery farm hands.

On arrival friendly waiters will continue to place the Kölsch on the table while you’re there without you having to order.  Once you’ve decided you’ve had enough place a beer mat over your empty glass.

While washing down your Stangen of Kölsch why not try some traditional brewery specialties such as “Kölsche Kaviar” (black pudding with onions), “Rievkoche” (potato fritters), “Himmel un Äd” (apple and mashed potato, usually served with fried black pudding) or some “Hämmche” (boiled knuckle of pork).

Photo Kölsch in Köln by Joe Marinaro

Lined with overarching trees offering shade in the hot summers sunshine, Cours Mirabeau is truly one of the most enchanting streets in Aix en Provence.

Some claim this is often the most relaxing street in the city, with quality alfresco cafés priding themselves on superior service and excellent food and drink. We can imagine coming here to cool down, refresh and re-energise between a hard morning of shopping and an afternoon packed full of sightseeing.

The street is a vast 42m wide, meaning that most of the bars, cafés and restaurants along this 440m stretch have ample room to expand onto the large pavements. It’s for this reason that Cours Mirabeau can be the most popular and lively place in town.

This well loved street seems to attract and cater for anyone from early bird commuters grabbing coffee on the way to work, friends catching up over lunch in their breaks, couples dining in style in one of the many restaurants and friends and colleagues livening up the social scene in and around the bars.

In addition to an incredible atmosphere, that ever-evolves throughout the day, Cours Mirabeau is packed full of art, architecture and history. As well as being double lined with rows of Plane Trees, it’s also lined with immaculately kept 17^th and 18^th Century houses made with beautiful white stone and fascinating decorations.

At one end of the street is a large round-a-bout that circles a large fountain called La Rotonde. This is the largest and most notable of the many fountains along the entire street and is often pictured with the overarching rows of trees in the background.

Whether it’s food, drinks, culture, history or art you’re after, Cours Mirabeau is quite possibly the place in AIX en Provence to offer it.

Photo: Cours Mirabeau by Mwanasimba

A few weeks ago we wrote about the renowned designer, Philippe Starck, and his ultra trendy renovation of Mama Shelter – a hotel restored from a disused multi-storey car park. As it was so popular we thought we’d follow it up by telling you about another one of Starck’s remarkable works, Kong in central Paris.

Located on 1 rue du Pont Neuf a dedicated lift takes you up from street level right up to the top of the Kenzo building. As the lift doors open you get the impression that you’re walking straight into the mind of Philippe Starck, with fascinating chandeliers and intriguing tables & chairs dotted around each of the rooms.

The fine dining restaurant serving up mouth watering dishes such as Japanese style Beef Carpaccio and there’s a large bar area at the very top where you can enjoy spectacular views over Paris.

The most interesting part of this magnificent venue has got to be the huge open plan, dome-shaped glass roof at the very top of the building. Providing you’re not a sufferer of vertigo, you enjoy a drink next to the glass walls and look down on the bustling streets below or across the the rooftops of the center of Paris.

We’re not sure what the prices are like for Kong but, judging from the photos we’ve seen, we’d image this would be the type of place for a special occasion, anniversary or even a proposal rather than a casual dinner. Word of warning though, word on the web is that you’re not permitted to take photographs!

Photo: ‘Kong‘ by Daquella Manuela