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Doing sports is great. It’s healthy and keeps us positive. A whole day of hiking gives you not only a relaxed mind; joint and muscle pains also come with the package, not to mention the irritable insect bites (especially mosquito bites) that are highly likely to happen during your hikes. What if there is something you can do about it? In a natural, organic way of course! ALL YOU NEED IS THIS VOLCANIC BALM Distillerie Saint-Hilaire (previously called De Saint Hilaire) Muscle & Joint Pain Relieving Volcanic Balm is exactly what you need after a sporty activity. This Volcanic Balm, the best-selling product of Distillerie Saint-Hilaire, has many active ingredients that can effectively calm and soothe joint and muscle pains. What’s also great about this balm is that it penetrates the skin easily after a moment of massage, so you will feel its magic almost in an instant after applying. Besides, its healing properties are also very effective for insect bite and nettle burn, making the balm a hikers’ favourite. WHAT DO ITS ACTIVE INGREDIENTS DO? 99% of its ingredients are of natural origin and 93% are organic. The making of the volcanic balm has remained unchanged for 30 years, using fresh and active ingredients harvested on the volcanic soil of Auvergne in France to help fight against inflammation. Here lists some of the ingredients and their properties: Arnica flower water (hydrosol): recognised for its anti-inflammatory and circulatory properties; Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) flower water: soothing, promote digestion, and have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects; Hyssopus officinalis (hyssop): antibacterial and antifungal, it helps with cell renewal; Spiraea ulmaria flower extract (Meadowsweet): rich in salicylates, mainly used for its circulatory, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects; Juniper essential oil: antirheumatic; Peppermint essential oil: invigorating, anti-nausea, the cooling effect of menthol numbs pains; Yarrow essential oil: has hemostatic and healing compounds that relieve your most persistent pain. Almost forgot, the balm fights against headaches too. Massage the temples and the neck with just a little amount will suffice. Be honest, with all its perks, isn’t it a must-have for those who love doing sports?

Summer is here, and so do its scorching summer days. Perhaps we have had enough of the melancholy autumn and winter for the last few months; perhaps it’s also the liveliness that summer represents. Though the blistering heat of summer can be quite uncomfortable, it has the magical power to push us to have even more outdoor activities. If you do fancy getting sweaty and sporty under the sunlight, we got just what you need to protect you. VARIOUS SUNBLOCKS TO PROTECT AGAINST UVA AND UVB Avène mineral sunscreen is not the usual sunblock that you see everywhere. Having the word “mineral” on the name, it clearly indicates that its sun protection function derives from the mineral that creates it. Because of this nature, it uses no chemical elements to filter out UVA and UVB. Its Thermal Spring Water also hydrates the skin, so even skin-sensitive people can use it without worrying about having a skin allergy. For sporty people, you can choose Avène Mineral Sport Fluid instead. It is highly resistant to water and sweat and has two special antioxidants to protect you from free radicals. We also have Uriage Bariésun Sun Lotion which is specially designed for Kids and sensitive skin too. ORGANIC DEODORANT TO NEUTRALISE ODOUR First and foremost, don’t get confused with deodorant and antiperspirant. An antiperspirant blocks the sweat glands from releasing sweat, while a deodorant simply prevents unpleasant smells. After all, sweating is good for our health. Our Organic Coconut Deodorant Cream is handmade in France using natural ingredients. Without any aluminium salts, this coconut cream has antibacterial and antifungal properties to stop the bacteria from causing odour. Plus, it is easy to spread on the armpits too. Learn more about our organic deodorant. NATURAL VOLCANIC BALM TO KEEP MOSQUITOES AWAY Who doesn’t love being close to nature? A day of hiking does wonder to our minds and bodies. That’s why we are introducing this natural balm to you. As the hikers’ favourite to bring for hiking, this volcanic balm is the best-selling product of Distillerie Saint-Hilaire (previously called De Saint Hilaire). Its peppermint aroma naturally helps repel flies and mosquitoes. It also has healing properties to soothe joint and muscle pains as well as very effective to treat itchiness from insect bite and nettle burn. We did write an article about it, click to learn more about this balm. For people who like nature, we can only imagine that natural products are what you seek. Voilà, suncream, deodorant, pain relieving balm, we do have some natural summer essentials to help you pass your memorable summer days outdoors.

Recently, Paris has awarded its “Grand Prix de la baguette de tradition française 2021” to an artisan baker in the 12th arrondissement in Paris. This Grand Prix de la baguette is an annual competition that determines the best baguette in the Paris region, so almost all of the Parisian bakers participate every year. To these bakers, this reward is as huge as Michelin stars. But just like winning a Michelin star, it is just as hard to win this competition. THERE WAS ONLY ONE WINNER For this 28th Grand Prix, 173 baguettes had joined the competition, but there was only one winner. The winner, an artisanal baker whose bakery’s called Les Boulangers de Reuilly, will not only be bringing 4000 euros home, he will also be providing bread to the Elysée Palace for a whole year. So yes, the French President will be eating the baguettes he makes every day. “IT WAS A SURPRISE!” “I have been baking my whole life. My father was a baker and I was almost born in the bakery. ” said the 42 years old winner. Winning the competition was a surprise to him, because there were so many baguettes joining the competition. He was not sure if he was gonna win, as it was not easy to stand out. The jury, composed of the deputy mayor of Paris, the professionals, the 2020 winner, and 6 Parisians, were required to choose the best baguette based on the following criteria: the appearance of a baguette the baking quality the firmness of the crumb the smell the taste WE WENT TRY IT OUT OURSELVES It’s not every day that we can taste what the Elysée Palace put in their daily menu, so we went out on a mission to try this 2021 best baguette. It did have a crisp crust and the intense flavour of wheat. The colour, close to coffee/golden, was what we were expecting. When we ripped it off, we could see the little bubbles that gave the baguette its lovely softness. If you compare the mass-produced baguettes, you can certainly taste the differences. Of course, there were so many baguettes to be tasted. The judges would not be finishing them all. So at the end of the competition, the unconsumed baguettes were donated to the homeless. Nothing’s wasted! P.s. love French food? Here is a street market in Paris for you :)

Because of some paperwork, I had to go to CPAM (the national health insurance administration in France) recently. There I was, lining up; I overheard a woman and the security talking. Technically speaking, it’s more like the security was talking to her, as she didn’t know French. A MEAN & NICE SECURITY The conversation was that he would not allow her to enter because she didn’t speak French. Standing in there, she hadn’t a clue as to why she couldn’t get in. How could she? She seemed she could use a bit of help, so I walked to the security and told him that I could be her translator. To be honest, the security wasn’t exactly friendly to her, so I was expecting the same treatment. To my surprise, he wasn’t. He was super nice and got me a bit lost there. At first, I didn’t understand, but now I do. I was speaking French! Yep, that’s the only reason I could think of, but it wasn’t the only surprise I had. I WENT TO THE WRONG PLACE! As I agreed to help her, we entered the building. Waiting, she told me she has been in France for two years and every now and then, she needs to go to CPAM. But this was the first time that she could not enter because of her French proficiency (how she communicated with the staff before is a mystery to me). Anyway, long story short, I helped her with her stuff and turned to mine. I asked the security again where I should hand in my documents. He looked at my papers and told me I shouldn’t be there. THAT’S THE BIGGEST SURPRISE!! Turned out that specific building is for those without any papers (meaning those who are staying in France illegally). Then, he gave me a map to the right location. He was also nice enough to tell me that this CPAM could transfer my documents to the right one. So this whole process got me thinking, clearly many were like me, misjudging it as the right place to handle their cases. TWO FRANCES Credit where credits due mean. He could have just sent me away and I would have wasted my time needing to go to another CPAM. He was being helpful, and that’s what I want to tell you. There are two Frances – one is the French speaking world, the other is the non-French speaking one. Sometimes, you get away without needing to know the language. But most of the time, it’s better to know it than not. After all, it is respectful to learn the local language if one plans to live there for a long time. P.s. there is another France that is very caring, and has something to do with the Teddy Bears!

The first Sunday of March is no ordinary day. It is la Fête des Grands-Mères (Grandmother’s day) in France. It doesn’t have a long history, starting only in 1987. Its origin was even just a marketing campaign originated by a coffee brand called Café Grand'Mère. But it has stayed and the French love having this excuse to love their grandmothers a little more on this day. To a lot of people (especially those raised by their grandparents), their grandparents are just as important as their parents, if not more. Before 3, I was raised by my grandma and mom. But I was so little that there wasn’t much I could remember. The memories I had are the memories that were told by my mother. Every time she said something about my grandma, I would look at the photos trying to imagine what happened. These memories became the only link I had with my grandma, so they mean a lot to me. I remember one of them was about me trying to “save” my grandma. She accidentally cut her finger while cooking when I was 2. Little me thought something serious had happened and ran away to the next door to ask for help. It was a little thing, but it’s enough for her to keep telling it all her life. The last two years are quite difficult, especially to the grandparents out there who couldn’t see their grandchildren as often. We wish you all health and happiness. 🍀 Happy Grandma’s Day! P.s. Check out the Candlemas in France too :)

Inside every adult lives a little child, who from time to time brings out your childishness. It happened to Philippe Labourel as well, who is the owner of a bookstore in Gobelins in Paris. One day in 2018, he placed some giant teddy bears around the neighbourhood. Why? He wanted to put a smile on every Parisian and encourage them to talk to each other. A GESTURE NOT AT ALL TRIVIAL Philippe was so serious about this and even gave a storyline to these bears. He imagined that they had lived at the bottom of the 🏔️ Himalayas and had to flee to Paris to escape capture from hunters. Like many others, he also had one and named him Gorille. One day, he imagined that Gorille complained about not having a little bear of his own; so Philippe bought him one and started the stocking of these bears. NOUNOURS EVERYWHERE IN PARIS At first, Philippe only placed these nounours in his own store and his friends’, but they have become so loved that he was asked to lend some out🐻♥️. As long as they promise to place them somewhere easy to spot, he is willing to lend the bears to them. Right now, it is estimated that there are over 50 of them in Paris dressed in different costumes. Some are wearing white coats in pharmacies; some are riding motorbikes in car shops; some are reading and some (who are called Starsky and Hutch) are staying in a police station. How funny is that! NOUNOURS UNDER THE PANDEMIC Originally, Philippe intended to get them back after a few months. Seeing how serious the pandemic has affected each other’s life, he had a change of heart. He has lent more instead so that they can be put outside different buildings to cheer everyone (especially the medical staff) up. Now, we even see them in libraries and restaurants to remind people of the importance of social distancing. Not only in the 5th and 13th arrondissements in Paris, they can now be seen in other cities in France, blending in nicely. Everyone loves nounours so much that people have formed a team of Protection of the Gobelins Bears to patrol and protect them. Next time you travel to France, while busy tasting champagne or taking pictures with the Eiffel tower or Arc de Triomphe, you might as well look for them. There might just be one around you😉! P.s. knowing a place takes time. Here are the two Frances that we got to experience.

While we were out searching for any locally made natural products, naturally we would come upon some places that were worth visiting. Today we are not talking about any French artisanal products. Today we would like to take you on a tour of the Île de la Grande Jatte in Paris. A CHARMING IMPRESSIONIST TRAIL The Île de la Grande Jatte is a little island situated in the Seine. As the Impressionists especially liked painting en plein air (outdoors) to capture the transient effects of sunlight, the picturesque parks and paths on the island made it a favourite hangout of the artists, apart from the famous Parisian cafés of course. Artists like Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, and Alfred Sisley always drew inspirations from it, including some renowned paintings like “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat and “The Seine with the Pont de la Grande Jatte” by van Gogh. THE ISLAND IS A CANVAS ITSELF La Grande Jatte is rich in history. The French king Louis-Philippe once lived there with his large family and installed himself the Temple of Love there. It was also a festive place because of the presence of taverns (purposefully settled in there to avoid the alcohol tax), so the Parisian loved going there to have a relaxing day drinking, dancing, and enjoying the Seine as well as the wooded and floral areas. Nowadays, the island has become a residential area full of luxury mansions, housing many famous people. The pleasant environment full of maple trees, black pines, lime trees, and some aromatic plants has made the island a popular place for jogging, kayaking, and strolling along the promenade to discover the local flora and fauna. Being a small island itself, it takes around 2 hours to complete the tour, including following the trail of the works of the Impressionists. Next time while you are in Paris, why not take a walk on this beautiful island? P.s. if Impressionism is what you love, here is also our Impressionist day in the Musée d'Orsay :)

First of all, can you name three renowned Gothic churches? My answers are at the end of this blog. When we think of the medieval period, we often associate it with the Dark Ages. It was a time of intellectual and cultural darkness in Europe (however inaccurate) when the western Roman Empire fell in the 5th century. It wasn’t until the 14th century that the situation changed - Renaissance came to light in Rome. So between the 5th and 14th century, it was a long period of cultural emptiness. Was it though? Judging from the historical architecture in France, it sure wasn’t. MANIFESTATIONS OF THE GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE In the 12th century, Gothic architecture was born in Île-de-France, France. It is a style of medieval art often seen in churches, including the ogival arches, the flying buttresses, stained glasses, and sculptures of Mary, Christ, as well as the Saints on the walls and columns of Cathedrals and abbeys, literally as the pillars of the church. You can also see some floral and vegetal decorations as well as grapes representing the Garden of Eden and the wines of Eucharist. On the exteriors of Gothic churches are some grotesque and monstrous sculptures conveying a visual message to the illiterates - believe and be protected by the church from evil and danger. In the case of Notre-Dame in Paris, you can also see some gargoyles. They have a more practical purpose. They spout the water from the roof out of the church after rain, protecting the buttresses, the walls, and windows from erosion. WINDOWS HAVE A VITAL ROLE IN GOTHIC CATHEDRALS They do, practically and religiously. Large glasses allow the transmission of light and have enough room to paint religious scenes. Their placement has certain rules too. The windows facing the north, often in the shade, depict the Old Testament while the windows facing the east, embracing every sunrise, have scenes illustrating the New Testament and Christ (sun being Christ’s symbol). The windows in the west façade are almost dedicated to Christ’s mother. They were painted with Roses, the symbol of the Virgin Mary. THE FALL Beginning in the mid-15th century, the Gothic style in Europe was gradually replaced by the Renaissance (aka Classical) architecture from Italy, losing its dominance. This type of Medieval art, once grand and flourishing but too distant from the aesthetic proportions and shapes of Classical art, was suddenly labelled as horrible and barbaric and outdated. So, the three renowned Gothic churches (and the most beautiful that I have seen) are: Sagrada Família in Barcelona Notre-Dame in Paris Duomo di Milano in Milan P.s. if art is what you love, here is also our Impressionist day in the Musée d'Orsay :)

Do you know there is less and less pure honey on the market? When I say pure, it means honey that is 100% turned from nectar by bees, without adding any other substances. The reason I am mentioning this is that it is getting harder and harder to harvest natural honey, because honey bees are dying. Yes, while we enjoy the easily accessible honey on the shelves of any stores, we seldom give any credit to the bees which do the hard work. Well, not Bleu Blanc Ruche! BLEU BLANC RUCHE Bleu Blanc Ruche are an artisanal brand in France. Their name has two significations. “Bleu Blanc Ruche” resembles “Bleu Blanc Rouge”, which is blue, white, red, the national colours of France. The word “Ruche” actually means hive in French, so the brand’s name is telling us its focus – protecting the bees in France. To create an ecosystem that works well with the bees and us humans, the brand has committed to working only with French beekeepers that are willing to invest in their own bee farms. Why? Because the bees are in a dying need to be increased in number and we need to keep the ecosystem balanced. HONEY’S BENEFITS After all, bees are essential to nature and to us. Without them, plants would have one less method to spread their seeds. We humans would also not be able to taste honey and improve our nutrition intake. Because of its nutrients and antioxidants, honey also does wonders for our health and skin. It protects us from free radicals that cause ageing and damage our cells; its antibacterial and antifungal properties reduce infection and help heal our wounds; it regenerates our tissue and many more… Check out our Spring Honey, Lavender Honey, Linden (lime) Honey, and Wildflower Honey to find out their uniqueness. IDEAS TO EAT HONEY But enough of their benefits, how do we eat honey? Well, you can eat it raw or mix a tablespoon with warm water to drink daily. You can also do what we did. Honey Lemon Sparkling Water Step 1: add a full teaspoon of lavender honey (or any honey you like) Step 2: add a bit of fresh lemon juice Step 3: pour in the sparkling water Waffles with Honey Any more ideas?

As soon as central heating kicked in last week, we felt the change of humidity in the house. Normally, it would mean my skin started to get itchy and tight. Only that it didn’t, not to my surprise though :D. Unlike Hong Kong, France is already in its autumn season. Having learnt from my previous winters here in France, I knew it would be the time my skin started to become very sensitive. So I have taken out two specific skincare from my stock to prevent me from finding a dermatologist. THE TWO BOTTLES DO FILL WITH WONDER I say that because nothing happens to my skin (no allergy, no itchy feeling) ever since I have been using them, which is exactly what I have wanted. We know a moisturiser does not replace a serum, and this BIODERMA Hydrabio Serum is even more irreplaceable. It is clinically proven to help the skin naturally rebalance the water level and maintain hydration. It is so light but effective that every time I use it, I feel like my skin is drinking water. It won’t get reddened or tightened after a long day out or when the warm air coming from my hairdryer accidently blows my face. This is the level of hydration my skin gets. SERUM + GEL-CREAM = DOUBLE HYDRATION If you have read until now, it means skin allergy concerns you too (or you just have dry to very dry skin), which is why you should also give BIODERMA Atoderm Intensive Gel-Cream a try. I, too, have minor eczema problems, and this gel-cream really has helped stop my face and body from getting irritated. It is so lightweight and soothing that my skin epidermis feels refreshed every time I use it. It is certainly applicable to sensitive skin, as it is what BIODERMA do. To my surprise, the gel-cream is also quite fast-absorbing. So next time you have a sudden urge to scratch, stop and try it. It does prevent itchiness, without leaving any sticky feeling. Skin allergy can be quite frustrating and all skincare products say they can help. But when it comes to skin sensitivity issues, it shouldn’t be a surprise that BIODERMA pop up. The French skincare brand has been the expert in dermatological care for 40 years. They do well because rather than treating the symptoms, the brand acts on the causes of skin imbalances so the skin can recover on its own. With that, maybe you should give it a try too?

It’s almost half a year since the launch of Maison Evelyn. Ever since I lived in France, I have taken an interest in French snacks. I love the fact that they are made by hand and I love the traditional recipes and tastes that the French are upholding. At the same time, because of my sensitive skin, organic skincare products have become a necessity for my delicate skin. So when I started Maison Evelyn, naturally French snacks and natural skincare came right up my mind. NOTHING STARTS EASY I have been in France for a few years now and nothing’s harder than starting a business here. From writing a business proposal to preparing all kinds of documents (France is a country that loves papers!) to going to different organisations for registration, it was a challenge. Because at the same time, I also needed to start selecting the products I wanted to offer and building an e-commerce website. Luckily, I love visiting boutiques and I found little pieces made by hand appealing, so I was also enjoying the work and didn’t realise months had just flown by. REASONS I LIKE FRENCH SNACKS I always enjoy sharing goodies, so the local snacks come in handy. Unlike those in Japan or Korea, French snacks are relatively modest. They thrive, however, on the traditional recipes and the quality ingredients used, which I think are what make them best of the world. Plus, there are seldom any chemicals or preservatives in their cakes, cookies or chocolates. Here, simple brown caramel beats the sweets that come in rainbow colours. THE LOCAL DESIGNER COLLECTIONS But snacks without preservatives decay; at the moment we couldn’t order a whole lot of them. It limits our stock and our variety. So recently, we have added a new category (Life Pieces) to Maison Evelyn. Life Pieces focuses on the tiny little accessories and daily life necessities that are made by hand by the French artisans. Like these Eiffel Tower Bookmarks, they serve as a reminder of the beauty of reading a paper book in life. How elegant and practical they are! When we are occupied, we seldom notice the time that passes. It’s exactly my case. I wasn’t getting enough sleep for a lot of nights, but whenever someone tells me that he loves my products, it’s the kind of satisfaction that makes it all worth it ❤️.

We genuinely love the brand tout simplement,. We love their simplicity yet a touch of meticulousness can also be found in their handmade accessories. tout simplement, are sort of like MUJI or Apple, where functionality and design are combined to deliver something that everyone enjoys having. A BRAND THAT VALUES SUSTAINABILITY tout simplement, (literally mean quite simply in English) are a French designer brand that stresses on their eco-responsible approach and regional know-how. Located in Morteau in eastern France, they strive to design objects that have a local root and a functional purpose that will last a lifetime. Sustainability is key, cause nothing is more environmentally friendly than things that last long. That is why their items are well and cleverly designed to keep us from putting them away in a dusty corner. WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THEIR DESIGNS The brand really has some beautiful designs. When we first came across the Eiffel Tower and Christmas Tree/Wreath Bookmarks, we sensed immediately the thoughtful idea and exquisite workmanship behind. Not only is Eiffel Tower a signature of France, a bookmark is also a warm reminder to us about the joy and beauty of reading a paper book. The Sun/Moon Magnetic Brooch is another fashion accessory that is classy and timeless. They are such an elegant design that goes well on all occasions. We love the fact that these delicate bookmarks and stylish brooches are assembled by hand, which makes every one of them unique. Combining functionality and design is what makes tout simplement, quite simply special. No wonder they are constantly invited to do some collaboration with other brands, among them are the Palace of Versailles, Louvre, Van Gogh Museum and Boucheron. Amazing right?