Are you planning a trip to “The City of Light”? Perhaps you have dreamed of strolls along famous Paris streets or through quaint Paris neighborhoods. In this remarkable city, each turn brings a new café, historical site or a fascinating store to explore. And what about those ornate bridges over the River Seine? Many of these bridges offer stellar views.
Linda Kovic-Skow, author of French Illusions
Four Favorite Bridges in France
July 25, 2022 by 1 Comment
France has some of the most remarkable bridges in the world. Here are four of my favorites, three of which are located in Paris, “The City of Light.”
Gignac Bridge (Joel Berthonneau)
French Cocktails? Mais Oui!
November 10, 2021 by 1 Comment
When I worked as an au pair in the Loire Valley in 1979, I sampled many fabulous wines, from Sauvignons to Cabernets, but it was the cocktails that I remember fondly. The Lillet and the Kir were two of my favorites. Oh, and the French 75, of course!
The Majestic Château d’Angers
August 28, 2021 by 1 Comment
This will be the third and final post highlighting my three favorite French chateaux from the Loire Valley in France. Built on a ridge, high above the Main River, lies the Château d’Angers. 
This incredible feudal fortress with its seventeen massive towers, measures nearly 600 m (2,000 ft.) in circumference and boasts walls almost 10 ft. thick.
The Petite Prince Returns
March 2, 2021 by Leave a Comment
When my husband and I moved from Washington to Arizona in 2014, we had to do a lot of downsizing. As I rummaged through old boxes, sorting “keep” piles and “give away” piles, I stumbled across my copy of Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) from my stay in France, in 1980. My heart lurched as I picked up the well-used book, turned to the first page and discovered an inscription — long forgotten — from “Michel,” one of my love interests in my sequel, French Illusions, From Tours to Paris.
Travel Journaling – It’s Easier Than Ever
August 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment
I’m not sure who, or what, prompted me to keep a diary during my trip to France in 1979, but I’m sure glad I did. Without it, my book, French Illusions, My Story as An American Au Pair in the Loire Valley, probably never would have been written.
Name Changes in French Illusions
June 9, 2020 by 8 Comments
Back in 2007, when I decided to write a story based on my diary, I knew that I would have to change the names of people and places to protect identities. This was especially true with regard to my host au pair family. Acquiring permission from them was out of the question. Totally out of the question. Read my book and you’ll understand. Additionally, over thirty years had passed since I spoke with anyone I’d met in France. I no longer had any contact information.
French Illusions: Photos Introducing Parts Three and Four
January 1, 2020 by 2 Comments
As promised, here is the second installment explaining why I chose the photos introducing the four “parts” in French Illusions, My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley. In my earlier blog, I focused on Part One and Part Two, and today I will move on to Parts Three and Four. 
French Illusions: Photos Introducing Part One and Two
November 9, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Recently, a reader asked about the photos introducing the four “parts” in French Illusions, My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley. It was my publisher’s design team that came up with this fantastic idea.
