Douglas A Pierce, Personal Travel Concierge

23/04/2019

“The hotels that have been selected are an expression of French excellence in the realm of hospitality and art of living, while embodying the diversity of France,” says Christian Mantel, CEO of Atout France, which awards the Palace distinction. “Whether they are in Courchevel, Paris, southwestern France, or overseas, each one has its own identity; they fit perfectly into their environment, both in their architecture and in the activities they propose that offer an utterly exclusive experience for their guests.”

The “Palace” designation is France’s highest honor for hotels

01/03/2019

The Château de Chenonceau has to be one of my top Loire Valley favorites. It’s matchless elegance stands out from even some of the most beautiful châteaux. It was also center stage in the history of the Renaissance. Once owned by Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry II (who gave it to her as a gift), Catherine de Medici forced her to return it to the Crown upon Henry’s early death and added on the Ponte Vecchio-like gallery and later, as this article mentions, hosted the first fireworks display in France.

Forget any notions of damsels in distress. In the Loire Valley, women have made Château Chenonceau a living repository of French culture for 500 years.

10/02/2019

Traveling with Douglas Pierce as your concierge
is an invitation to immerse yourself completely in a certain art de vivre best exemplified by the quest for excellence in all things,
an art de vivre that celebrates life in all its forms,
especially in artistic, literary and gastronomic creation.

From the 16th century when the Royal House of Valois
presided over the flourishing of the Renaissance in France, a way of life developed in the royal court that has been continuously refined and passed on throughout the centuries...

You are invited to step into this world.
To discover.
To explore.
To indulge.

10/02/2019

Immersive experiences in France are at the heart of a new travel company to be launched later this year. Until that time, this page serves both as a forum and an introduction to the experiences that Douglas Pierce, the company's founder, is creating.

31/12/2018

Happy New Year from Juan-les-Pins, the one-time home of F Scott Fitzgerald, which inspired his novel Tender is the Night.
Wishing you a Gatsby-like New Year’s Eve! 🍾🎉🍾

04/11/2018

A smart new hotel in the 16th arrondissement

25/10/2018

The bar restaurant of . This evening a delicious chicken breast with fresh asparagus and peas. A perfect raspberry mille-feuille to finish.
@ Alcazar Restaurant

24/10/2018

Step through this gate dating back to 1418 and into the marvellous Hôtel de Panette, an 18th century hôtel particulier that now serves as a B&B and apartments.
A stay at the Hôtel de Panette is an invitation to step back in time without abandoning modern-day comforts. Enjoy the elegantly restored historic bedrooms that once belonged to the Marquis de Tristan or the pretendant to the Spanish throne, Don Carlos de Borbón. Savour a glass of local Sancerre in the garden. Wake up in the morning to delicious croissants, muesli, and freshly baked cakes served in the dining room.
Not only a home base for your explorations of Bourges and the surrounding region, the Hôtel de Panette is also a relaxing haven, the perfect place to indulge in simple pleasures like reading a good book or, if like me you play the piano, playing a Chopin Prelude in the salon.
@ Bourges

10/10/2018

There’s always something new to experience in France’s cultural powerhouse

There’s always something new to experience in France’s cultural powerhouse. But it’s the rapturous sense of place that keeps visitors coming back again and again.

20/09/2018

Afternoon praline milkshake and tea at Carette under the vaulted arcade of the Place des Vosges 👌🏻

11/09/2018

And so begins the season that marks the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Academy of Music—today the National Opera of Paris—by Louis XIV as well as the 30th anniversary of the Bastille Opera. A lot of emotion this evening at the premiere of Tristan und Isolde. Awing performance led the way by the voice of René Pape. An exciting beginning to this historic season!

11/09/2018

Join me in exploring the breathtakingly beautiful town of Aix-en-Provence, a city rich in color and history, not to mention the delicious Provençal cuisine and local wines. Paul Cezanne spent his life here. You may just feel like you’re stepping into one of his paintings...

29/08/2018

It's survived everything from the French Revolution to forest fires, and now it's set to be a hotel

23/08/2018

Aïoli is a Provençal dish consisting of cod, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, haricots verts, cauliflower and whelks served with a garlic mayonnaise, the famous “aïoli sauce”.
While a simple dish in itself, it is absolutely perfect served sea-side with a wine from the region.
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I selected this fine Bandol rosé from the Domaine de Terrebrune as a fitting accompaniment. The wines produced by this domaine are all of exceptional quality due in no small part to the excellent terroir of the region: the soil dates to the Triassic period hence the designation “terroir du Trias.” Their rosés are, I believe, among the best in the world.
@ La Vague d'Or

18/08/2018

“On the 24th of February, 1810, the look-out at Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.
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As usual, a pilot put off immediately, and rounding the Château d’If, got on board the vessel between Cape Morgion and Rion island.
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Immediately, and according to custom, the ramparts of the Fort Saint-Jean were covered with spectators; it is always an event in Marseille for a ship to come into port, especially when this ship, like the Pharaon, has been built, rigged and laden at the old Phocaean docks, and belongs to an owner of the city”
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The opening of “The Count of Monte Cristo” plunges us into the bustling Old Port of Marseille. Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde (enlarged around 1860) can still be seen on the horizon.

13/08/2018

Tropezian triptych 3/3

13/08/2018

Tropezian triptych 1/3

13/08/2018

Tropezian triptych 2/3

07/08/2018

Cooling off as best one can in this heatwave. A freshly pressed lemon juice and a coupe of bergamot ice cream at helped a bit.

05/08/2018

A new discovery from to finish off dinner: 👌🏻
Turkish delight and strawberry tarte that includes lemon-basil cream, rosewater Turkish delight and fresh strawberries.
A delight indeed! 😉

04/08/2018

There are worse sunsets 😉

04/08/2018

The Place des Vosges is, I think, by far the most beautiful square in Paris. It exhibits an understated elegance and architectonic harmony that forms a fitting bridge between the end of the French Renaissance and the reign of Louis XIII.
Inaugurated for the wedding of the latter to Anne of Austria, each had their own set of apartments on opposite ends of the square, the Pavillons of the King and Queen.
Just behind Queen Anne’s apartments, it is now possible to stay in the magnificent hotel .
The perfect place to stay in Paris while exploring the city’s Renaissance past or before heading to the spectacular Loire Valley.
Don’t miss the Victor Hugo Museum on the southern side of the square!

02/08/2018

The view from the Cap Canaille is breathtaking to say the least. Below and in the bay to the left is the charming port town of Cassis whose Provençal motto, “Qu’a vist Paris e noun Cassis a rèn vist” (Whoever has seen Paris but not Cassis has seen nothing), is extremely apposite. To my mind, the French Riviera (aptly called “the Blue Coast” in French) begins here.
One of my favourite towns in France!
The white and rosé wines of Cassis, grown on the hillsides of this “calanque”, pair perfectly with fresh-caught fish and other local specialties like aïoli. Here I’m looking down at the domaine of .
Their rosé is produced from the grapes that are grown on the promontory jutting out into the sea. Their proximity to the sea water gives them a delightful minerality. This, added to their keen savoir-faire make them my favourite domaine of Cassis.
Best enjoyed seaside!

02/08/2018

At I discovered a number of Chablis wines including some marvellous premiers crus and grands crus that come from very small plots surrounding the town of Chablis. I came home with two premiers crus, Vau de Vey and Montmains, and one grand cru, Bougros which has a wonderful, layered and complex richness. It makes it harder to enjoy a simple Chablis wine after tasting that one!
@ Jean-Marc Brocard - Chablis

01/08/2018

Last year I launched my first Airbnb experience which has been a wonderful experience and a great success. I was filmed earlier this spring and the cover videos and photos are now online. Check it out—and the 5-star recommendations!

Unforgettable trips start with Airbnb. Find adventures nearby or in faraway places and access unique homes, experiences, and places around the world.

31/07/2018

Why overcomplicate breakfast?