Three little words that slip off my tongue with ease, I love you, prove to be disquieting to the family of my husband. Instead, they are replaced by the sweet, familiar French saying bisous.

The exhibit Il Etait Une Fois Walt Disney presents the different layers of artistic influence lying behind animation. Like peering through a kaleidoscope, a melange of film projections, storyboard sketches, paintings and models embellish the Grand Palais.

Aboard the TGV, french-speaking Belgium is less than an hour and a half away from Paris. Reputed for the confection of chocolate and beer, and its wealth of Art Nouveau architecture, why not steal a weekend away in Brussels?

As Nicholas Sarkozy, president of the French republic, addressed his countrymen, he described what was lying behind his promise “everything is possible." Though many are unwilling to sacrifice personal interests for upward mobility, I feel that Sarkozy’s policies will be advantageous for France.

Stroll the avenues taking in landmark architecture and pausing to make acquaintances along the way in Sasek's caricature of the city, This is Paris.

Bakery cases holding macarons arrange the cookie sandwiches into a rainbow of rows in Easter basket hues. Perfumed in flavors like violet, spice bread, and chocolate,they are served in the likes of Paris's Ladurée where they were conceived in the 1930's.

To suit my Parisian lifestyle, I’ve exchanged marathon grocery store trips for mornings at the farmer’s market and whimsical visits to quaint boutiques. In a city where shopping is an art, I find simple pleasures in frequenting localities.

As the glow of the sun burns the last crisp notes from June air, we know that summer has officially begun. The influx of festival season encourages us to congregate outdoors. I divided my weekend between Rueil´s Dixieland Jazz Festival and Arts de la Rue in neighbouring Nanterre.

Even the French will admit that their language is a difficult one to learn. Upon arriving in Paris, I lacked the ability to communicate and immediately set to building my vocabulary. Discover why taking the initiative to learn French is time well spent.

Even the cheapest tickets to Roland Garros afford an intimate view. The “Allez!” of encouragement abounds like birdsong as Lacoste-suited officials and thin-armed ball boys scuttle to set the stage on the powdery red clay court. Here are a few tips for passing a Spring day at the French open.