Best authentic villages near Paris

Hidden gems are awaiting you near the Seine River at less than an hour of Paris.

You would be amazed to visit La Roche-Guyon, which was elected among the best villages in France! The main and tall landmark of the place is the multi level castle: the medival donjon was first built in the 12th century, on the contrary the lower part was late added in the 16/17th century. Some chapels are hidden inside and many temporary exhibit are held there.

The Vexin Natural Park is crossed by the wonderful Seine River several times: Nature has drawn a marvellous landscape with green trees, cray cliffs and river banks with charming french villages.

No far from here the famous Claude Monet has found its home and created impressionnism painting masterpieces.

A narrow road follows the Seine and its little lakes, going up and down abruptly. And you see a little charming village which boasts to be one of the best villages of France. The whole city is under the guard of an 12th century donjon, the landmark of this part of the Ile de France region and its surrondings. This castle is one of the kind because underground caves, 18th century stables and marvelous 16th century classic palace are interwined.

How to go there?

With a car drive from Paris on the A13 highway about 1hour, and you will see Mantes-La-Jolie.

Exit the highway, you are close, just follow the La Roche Guyon signs.

Where to eat?

Two places:

First one is the Creperie with the front door and walls covered with ivy vine, you can't miss it! It's on main street :) The crepes are very delicous and several recipes are available! They taste well and authentic! From dessert crepes to very complete and yummy ham ,egg, cheese crepes! If you like drinks, don't forget the cider ;)

Second one is the Logis restaurant Les bords de Seine, It means Seine River Banks so you hve to take the street which heads to the Seine and you will find a huge terrasse in Summer near the remains of some (look like) medival walls.

What to visit?

The various parts of the castle and its exhibitions.

The heart of the village, the fountain little plaza and its church (usually closed, peharps not on Sundays).

Don't miss the arch basement building with the Grenier à Sel, a nice building which used to be a salt storage.

Capturing last sunray in Deauville with Hollywood feel (Part 1/2)

It was a rainy day in Normandy at a quarter before sunset, I have begun to see the clouds leaving the seashore letting some dark blue sky visible. The temperature was like 10 degrees and the air wasn't very humid and not smelling salty at all, the tide was low and thus the wave sound can be hardly heard from the road: the grey feeling wasn't what I would expected at all.

How to produce top-notch pictures worthy of my pro photographer level with this dull and common situation? The task won't be easy, but photography is an adventure and my experience has fully prepared me to do it!

Nonetheless, I followed my instincts by going to the most famous place of Deauville for photos: the "planches de Deauville" with their famous "parasols" umbrellas. The American film competition takes places in the city for decades and even the most international Hollywood visits the event: from the flashy actor of Iron Man one of the most paid actor in the world, to the brightest beautiful maidens of American films.

Soaking up myself in this special atmosphere of cinema stories and stars, I have to run from an extremity of the large beach to the other. And at the early season, it's really quiet at sunset time in a normal day. Let face it: i wasn't prepared to be alone in this immensity.

Almost alone, I was using my black and long telephoto lens >375mm to see what looks like an original scene: I could see one kilometer away a woman wearing a blue Ralph Lauren polo riding her horse trying to make him wash his legs in the sea. She was wearing one of this round helmets and the horse had a brown hair and an elegant look! And little later, a 50 year-old man with a large light grey jacket and a small grey hat just walked pass me alone with his thoughts, staring the ground: I was interested to imagine his life or his motivation to make this walk: is he lonely in life? A rich guy who retired at an early age? Who knows...

Alone again, i tried different angles with different lenses (wide, fixed focal, telephoto lens) in the planches of Deauville to capture the last colorful rays of lights on the historical wooded path of the beach. The lodges entrances have been named with famous American actors and actress, film makers (some old one and most recent too) including Harrison Ford or Spielberg. But the time to shoot the place is very short and i have to be shift to change mount in 5 sec before switch in on my camera and shoot again.

The little barriers with green names are so recognizable, and their alignment quite perfect.

So i decided to make some pictures for a Vitamin Well brand (since I am brand ambassador) playing with the inner design of the barrier and its repetition.

And I took quietly a minute to look at the beautiful and original result: I was so surprised and pleased by the outcome especially color contrast and composition.

Michel Lim

Parisian Photographer

Visiting the Versailles palace petit Trianon wonders

Authentic fan of French history, I was totally blown up by the secret theater of Marie Antoinette situated near Versailles famous palace. From outside, the stone building is quite common, just few columns and a steel fence let you know there is a entrance.

But when the team of the Versailles Palace lets you in, the place is small intimate and without much light: just two angel holding lamps. Step by step, I walked with care and discover the royal place with golden decorations and very detailed and clever architecture. The theater is endued with the Queen Marie Antoinette epoch feel and I was personally amazed by the quality of the conservation of this heritage site! Close your eyes, and I may imagine close friends of the Queen give an applause to the beautiful queen playing on the wooden stage! Bravo to protect this theater that we are able to wonder the original setup!

A special thanks for the Versailles Palace Team for the incredible visit!

If you visit Paris, don't miss the one of the kind royal Versailles Palace, a masterpiece in his epoch that have been preserved for centuries and that still astonished and amaze millions of visitors each year. One of the most beautiful and refined place in the world!

Michel Lim

Parisian Photographer

IG: @limmichelpics

How to be intimate with Paris

How to be intimate with Paris

The city of love is my playground and moreover my hometown, and i love spending quality time under the cherry trees during the blossom. With my @manfrottoimaginemore tripod and my @canonfrance gear, i was alone for nearly one hour in this normally ultra crowned photospot surronded by small flowers and lawn: no tourists, no photographers, not even a bell sound from the monumental cathedral behind. Just peharps a solitary green and grey duck who glanced at me and instantly walked away.

Oddly, time flies very fast and i have took less than a dozen precise good pictures of the dreamy place, changing lenses, adjusting with extreme care my tripod, finding new originals angles before setting every parameters for each shot. And i feel calm and so relax in this corner of my town that i've even enjoyed making a selfportrait with my tripod and timer:) The top-tier pictures will go for my fineart pictures reserve and i wanted to share with you the picture that i've found interesting with its gentle sunny rays though the cherry trees forming an marvelous pinky umbrella! So now you know what it's to be intimate with Paris!