Champs Elysées Christmas Market

12:05

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Or if, like me, you loathe crowded spaces and shopping its time to get your game face on and reluctantly trudge around desperately trying to find something to take home for Christmas. This is made all the more difficult by the fact that your whole family wants something "from Paris", a city famed for luxury and chic, and your au pair wages just won't cover a Chanel coat for everyone.

The one upside to this time of year is that is more or less acceptable to consume hot alcoholic beverages in public at anytime after midday under the ruse of 'being festive". This helps to take the edge off the dreaded christmas shopping stress to the point where elbowing strangers in the stomach to get to the last box of macarons is almost bearable.

So in the spirit of christmas, and drunken public disorder, have you checked out the Christmas Market on Champs Elysées?

La Vie Est Belle - Clinique Repairwear

17:24

You may remember about a month ago I turned 26. I wrote a post about being an older au pair. Well here is one of the things they don't warn you about having your mid-twenties crisis - you start thinking about whether your moisturiser has anti-ageing properties.

Then you start investing night cream.

It's all downhill from here.


La Vie Est Belle - Sephora Poudre exfoliante métamorphose

12:30

Ok, so you knew it was coming. How can a girl write a beauty post from France and not mention SEPHORA?

It's beginning to look a lot like christmas in Paris

Well, it's time to admit to my addiction.

An Au Pair Out And About: Hôtel des Invalides, Musée de l'Armée

16:57

After the attentats that struck Paris, I decided to go on a temporary hiatus. It is very difficult to write about life in Paris when almost every day is overshadowed by such extraordinary events. Two weeks after the events, the whole of France watched as President Hollande delivered his address to the nation, commemorating those who had been killed alongside some of the families involved. He made this address from Hôtel des Invalides, a place filled with military symbolism for France. Some people in France criticised the choice of location, the talk of being at war, and the politicisation of his actions. I feel ill-equipped to discuss the politics of the situation here, as I am not as well versed in French politics as I should be by now. I however, went to Les Invalides just before the attacks happened for a look around, and thought I would share a few things