Hallstatt, Austria

Saturday morning, we hoped in a rented white Beetle for Hallstatt from Munich. Still half asleep, two and a half hours later, we arrived in the quiet small Austrian town. Lots of tourists were strolling along the steep paths. Most of the shops were closed, only few cafés and restaurants were welcoming passerby.

Along the Hallstätter lake, the lovely traditional houses are agglomerated in random patterns on an abrupt slope. Like in most European villages, a church overlooks the town. The lovely sunny weather lead us on a stroll between the tight alleys and steep stairs.

Of course, the main attraction of the Hallstatt is its gorgeous lake and surrounding mountains. The winter scenery was very impressive to see. Every point of view was breathtaking. I can’t imagine how fall and summer must be in this charming Austrian town.

Au Pied de Cochon in Paris

After our mini trip to Versailles and back to downtown Paris, finding a good restaurant at midnight wasn’t exactly easy. Most places were overbooked, closed for holidays or filled with drunk people. But, we found our luck near the Cathedral Notre-Dame, at Au Pied de Cochon.

Open 24/7, this French restaurant runs at every hour. In that sense, it probably attracts a lot of lost wandering hungry tourists in the area.

Apparently, it started in 1947 and, since then, welcomed plenty of famous guests and celebrities like Joséphine Baker. The Belle Époque décor kept the lavish and elegant character of the old days.

On the menu:

Bassin d’Arcachon, spéciales de l’Impératrice “Joël Dupuch” / Oysters from Arcachon

Gros escargots de Bourgogne Label Rouge / Snails from Bourgogne

Filet de daurade royale, Emulsion de coquillages à la citronnelle, artichauts, pommes grenaille / Fillet of seabream, emulsion of seashells with lemongrass, artichokes, apples shot

Pied de cochon grillé Béarnaise / Béarnaise grilled pig feet

Profiteroles au chocolat

The meal was an absolute delightful feast. My personal favorite is the delicate taste of the seabream. As for the service, I didn’t expect such warm servers (especially in Paris).

Paris, France

Every time I have the opportunity to visit Paris, I feel like it is like a living dream. Its magic emanates from the historic buildings, cobble streets, chic restaurants and sumptuous monuments. A real treat for any history, art or architecture lovers. Ooohh and the food. I don’t need to say more.

The first day I went to Centre Pompidou for the Tadao Ando exhibition and the general collections of modern art. The center is already a great piece of work showing its technical systems and structure as part of its architecture design. Inside, the forum connects the accesses to galleries together. The showcased artworks include works from Picasso, Braque, Cézanne, Matisse, and so on.

A spontaneous night stroll lead us to the beautifully decorated Hôtel de ville and Cathédrale Notre-Dame. Although the nights were cold and windy, a lot of people were taking advantage of the Christmas lights and ambiance.

The holidays season is probably the peak time for the metropolis. Walking in the streets is a real delight to the eyes with all the festive lights hanging above your heads. The Champs-Élysées was blushing in red from the start to the end.

The next morning, we walked to my favorite spot which is la Seine, the famous river flowing through the city. The thing I noticed and love about these pictures of the river is the perfect harmony between all the elements, the historical buildings, the rocks, the old bridges. They seem to tell the same kind of story of a place we read so much about in books and movies.

On Sunday evening, we drove to Versailles with our bags filled with sandwiches and snacks. Unfortunately, the waiting line was unbelievably long so we decided to stroll around the gardens instead.

Nantes, France

Near the West coast of France, Nantes is a charming city that preserved its historic culture through its architecture and its local gastronomy. With the holidays, the downtown area is lit up with Christmas markets and lights above almost every street. From Munich, my 2-hours flight brought me directly to the modest airport of Nantes at night. The first days were meant to just stay home and recharge.

The city lays in the region of Loire-Atlantique which harbours a lot of castles from as far as the Renaissance period. The area is also famous for its crêpes bretonnes, seafood, pastries like le nantais, and so on. Obviously, I took the opportunity to gain some weight and empty the wallet.

Spending Christmas here was quite lovely for the change of scenery and for the French cuisine. And seeing my relatives again felt good to my soul (even through the usual family drama during the holidays ;) ).

Mittenwald, Germany

The night before, in a Brazilian bar, some friends spontaneously decided to join us for the hike. Maybe the alcohol makes it easier to say yes to anything you would normally decline.

So, in the early morning, we stuffed our bags with glorious coffees, breads and sandwiches from Rischart and hopped in a train for a 1.5 hours ride to Mittenwald from the main train station in Munich.

We arrived in the small town amid the Alpine peaks of Bavaria, Germany. Its colorful painted houses, sitting at the foot of the mountains, depict its violin-making history.

Walking through the forest reminded me a lot of my home in Canada, with the color-changing trees and the clear blue lake.

The hike was still a bit of a challenge for me because of the steep trail in the beginning.

But good vibes and laughters with good friends always make it easier.

The view is absolutely stunning from every part of the trail.

Walking back to the train station felt very gratifying. But, of course, before that, we rewarded ourselves with hot chocolates and cakes. We got back on the train, exhausted, but very happy.