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PART I — FROM ROMAN AND GAULISH TRADITIONS TO THE MIDDLE AGES Since the beginning of humanity, survival alone has never been enough. The desire to escape the ordinary and to live better has inspired creation, refinement and greater comfort. Luxury is therefore part of civilisation and, in France, can be understood as both an art and an industry. During the first millennium, luxury in France reflected two traditions. Roman luxury valued comfort, refinement and celebration, whi

A LIGHT SOUVENIRS FROM THE FRENCH ALPS My interior design project in the French Alps has brought me back to Savoie, a mountain region I love—not only for its extraordinary landscapes and architecture, but also for its culinary traditions. Among the tastes of Savoie, the Gâteau de Savoie is perhaps the one I most enjoy bringing home to my Paris kitchen. Created in the fourteenth century, the Gâteau de Savoie is known for its remarkable lightness. Traditionally made without but

At the Table of Parisian Life "The parisian café is not a coffee shop. It is a culture and a way of life...." In Paris, meeting at a café needs almost no planning. Breakfast before work, a conversation in the afternoon, a glass of wine with friends, or simply a table on the terrace to watch Paris go by — the café slips naturally into every part of the day. Perhaps that is why I have always found the Parisian café so fascinating. For me, its character has never been defined si

What I found beyond Annecy’s famous turquoise lake... ANNECY I had seen photographs of Lake Annecy many times before coming here—the famous turquoise water surrounded by the Alps. In reality, it is even more beautiful. I stayed in Talloires, which for me is the most beautiful part of Lake Annecy. Our hotel was directly on the lake, so the water became part of everyday life from the moment I woke up. Breakfast overlooking the lake, afternoons by the water, swimming when th