It is the turn of the master pastry and cake maker Sadaharu Aoki to tell us about his love story with the French capital and his profession – part gourmet delight and part work of art.

“Tomorrow’s Christmas! Paris has been getting ready for three weeks. From the Christmas lights on the Champs Elysees, to elaborate window displays at the capital’s most famous department stores, everything is magical and enchanting. “C’est TELLement magnifique”, says Mom. My name’s Emmie. I rewrote my letter to Santa Claus five times. It’s not because I kept changing my mind about what Christmas presents I wanted; it’s because I couldn’t find the right words to get him to stay an extra ten minutes at our house so I could give him a hug and talk with him. Daddy said not to be too hopeful. Santa has a lot to do on Christmas Eve and probably won’t have a second to spare.

Every year, thousands of children song "Petit Papa Noël". This Christmas song, created in 1946 by Tino Rossi, is currently the best-selling single of all time in France, with over 5,711,000 units sold. The song has been covered by many artists over the years… so it could bee an excellent way to learn French and celebrate Christmas time! Just try this easy and pedagogic song before your next trip to Paris…

Rispondo alla mia amica Germana che mi rimprovera di non avere organizzato, durante il suo ultimo soggiorno a Parigi, nemmeno una serata in uno dei grandi ristoranti della capitale. “Tanto di cappello alla grande cucina francese - dice Germana - ma mi avevi promesso una visita ad almeno uno dei monumenti della ristorazione parigina!” Hai ragione: non ho mantenuto la promessa e me ne dispiace. Posso tentare di rimediare raccontandoti la storia di uno dei più celebri ristoranti di Parigi: Le Train Bleu. 

Chances are you have someone in your list who is impossible to get a present for because she usually has the latest and greatest of everything! Well… don’t start pulling your hair yet! Here is a thoughtful gift that is undeniably cool, genuinely practical and yes… something she can use. Sophie the Parisian: Style Tips From a True Parisian Woman  

Ho conosciuto Giuseppina Sansone al Circolo dei Lettori alla presentazione del libro di Nathalie Peigney “Sophie la Parigina”. Era seduta in prima fila e la sua eleganza raffinata e ricercata spiccava in un pubblico già molto elegante. In effetti si occupa di moda, è consulente d'Immagine e Personal Shopper. Ci parla di eleganza e di Parigi.

The well-“red” Parisian… In wintertime, I think the color red gives us Parisians a little lift. It’s warm, it looks good, and it’s flamboyant! We Parisians wear it with black, gray or white. Anything can look great in red (handbag, gloves, coat, that sexy little dress). But keep the look sober, if you want to achieve Parisian elegance.

The paradox of the Frenchwoman is that she’s gourmand. Although she likes fine cuisine, she also knows how to get back to a normal diet. Therefore, a good feast one evening and back to a balanced diet with lighter meals the next day. The holidays provide a good example. Like everyone, we put on 2 kg but are quickly able to resume our good habits and keep our mythical figure (well, not always). Whatever the case, don’t lose your good habits and eat at least five fruits and vegetables every day…

You can sense the excitement mounting in Parisians as they eagerly await the big switch-on date. The city’s Christmas lights are guaranteed to enchant people of every age and fill them with wonder at all the fairytale colours adorning the streets of Paris. Arcades of light, multicoloured stars, incandescent flames, twinkling projections, gorgeous backdrops to the capital’s broad avenues. The title of “Ville Lumière” takes on a whole new depth of meaning.

French Soupe à l'oignon is a delicious soup for wintertime usually served as a starter. Even if it is so Parisian, Parisian’s find it heavy and today eat it very few. But all of us do order a time a year a Soup à l’oignon, when comes out a strong envy of tradition and diet exception! This is my grand’ma French Onion Soup recipe, once you try it you'll never try another. It culminates in a rich-tasting soup with melt-in-your-mouth onions.