Saturday

Travel Tip V - Packing

Wherein we receive a bit o' Irish wisdom
(Traduction de L'Astuce de Voyage V - Emballez vos Valises, ci-dessous)

We mustn't leave anything behind!
Once upon a time, we took a trip with two of our (many, many) kids. The grand scheme was to meet up in London, Eurostar to Paris, night train to Milan, tour bus to Venice, cruise ship around the Mediterranean, then back to Venice, after which we planned to traipse by any means available to Rome, back to Paris, back to London, then back home.

So naturally, we packed for every conceivable eventuality: gloves, swimsuits, cocktail attire, hiking boots. We barely made weight when we arrived at the airport, and our carry-on bags were definitely over the limit.

We schlepped those ridiculous

Friday

Whew. We're Not the Most Expensive Castle!

Break Out Your Checkbook! They're Selling!
(Traduction de "Vivre comme la royauté" ci-dessous)

Breaking news: A newer castle than ours -- a home in the south of France built in 1830 and named Villa Les Cèdre -- has just gone on sale as the most expensive home in the world. The villa

Wednesday

Interior Photos: TaDa! (Photographies d'intérieur)

Take a Peek Inside 
(Jetez un oeil à l'intérieur)

We've posted pictures of the interior of the Résidence at Château de la Trousse. After some heavy-duty cleaning and polishing, we're excited to report that the whole place is looking

Saturday

European Travel Tip IV - How to Prevent Jetlag

Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?
(L'article «Tout au Sujet de la Prévention du Décalage Horaire» est traduit ci-dessous)

We've lived and/or traveled overseas since the beginning of human flight, so we may have something to say about preventing jetlag.

The trick, basically, is

Friday

European Travel Tip III - International Car Rentals

Get Your Kicks While Driving Sick Sticks
(La traduction de «Toutes les Locations de Voitures Internationales» est en dessous.)

One day, in a small village on a backwater island in Greece, we decided, on a whim, to rent a car. We walked past a grimy little car rental shop, and perched on a stool out front was a fat, sweaty man dressed in a greasy wife-beater and dirty shorts.

Because we speak no Greek, we pointed at the "cars to let" sign and gestured that we wanted a rental. The man held up a certain number of fingers, we nodded yes, and he

Wednesday

European Travel Tip II - Playing with Electricity Overseas

Let There Be Light!
(Traduction de "Jouer avec l'Électricité" ci-dessous.)
(TL;DR version of this article: Buy some of these.)

This isn't our first ride at the Weird Electricity rodeo. A million years ago, when we lived in Asia, we had to figure out how to convert power between Taiwan's 110 voltage and Hong Kong's 220 -- and there was no Internet to give us advice.
Rip 'er right out, baby.

We recall one exuberant debate about the merits of various international plug configurations, during which our American-born boss proclaimed US plugs the best because

Saturday

European Travel Tip I - Using US Phones and Computers Overseas

Yakity Yack
(Traduction de «Utilisation de téléphones et d'ordinateurs américains en Europe» ci-dessous.)

On our previous trips to Europe, we were careful to remove our SIM cards before our plane left US air space. Back then, international roaming was exorbitantly priced, and we weren't keen to get hit with a US$100 charge for having turned on our phones. On those trips, we

Tuesday

Making Castle Progress (Faire des Progrès)

We've finished the bones of the website for the the Résidence at Château de la Trousse. And we invite your comments and feedback. (Nous avons terminé les os du site pour la Résidence au Château de la Trousse. Et nous invitons votre commentaires et critiques.)
Sunset at the castle. (Coucher de soleil au château.)
In fact, we're so happy with criticism that we'll give you

Friday

Castle Grounds on Display (Terrain du Château sur L'Affichage)

Photos of the Grounds Now Online
(Photos des Terrains Maintenant en Ligne)

We've posted photos of the grounds at the Castle at Trousse! Click this link to explore the gardens, the parks behind the castle, the ancient and modern attractions at the front and sides, and the breathtaking panoramas

Walk with Kings (Marche avec les Rois)

King Louis XIV, Europe's longest-reigning monarch, is reported to have visited the Château in 1651, pronouncing it

Tour the Grounds (Tour du Terrain)

The Château sits on 16 hectares (40 acres) of grounds that include walking trails, tennis court, play area, swimming pool, moats, and stunning views. The aerial view doesn't really do it justice, but here's a peek at the property as seen from

Thursday

An Old Postcard (Une Vieille Carte Postale)

The castle is an historic building, frequented by distinguished people throughout its history, including a certain French king. But here's a slightly more modern -- i.e., 1800s -- look at the castle, from a reproduction postcard of the era.
(Le Château est un bâtiment historique, fréquenté par des personnes distinguées tout au long de son histoire, y compris un certain roi français. Mais voici un peu plus moderne - c.-à-d., 1800 - regardez le château, à partir d'une carte postale de reproduction de l'époque.)

1800s reproduction postcard