This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
by Alexandra Potter
My new novel Love From Paris follows in the footsteps of Ruby Miller, who we last saw in India. This time she travels to Paris to visit a friend … but the City of Love has other ideas.
A locked apartment where time has stood still for nearly three quarters of a century; a bundle of secret love letters written by a mysterious ‘H’; a trip to a chateaux in Provence and a flirtatious French lawyer, all make for a mystery that sees Ruby turn Love Detective.
Researching locations is one of my favourite parts of the writing process and I travelled to Paris several times for Love From Paris.
TOP TIPS FOR PARIS
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Throw away your guidebook. Yes! Do it! Lose yourself in the maze of cobbled streets and around every corner you will discover something that will have you reaching for your camera …
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Book lovers cannot visit Paris without heading to the city’s most famous bookstore: Shakespeare and Company. Its name pays homage to the original book shop owned by Sylvia Beach, which was forced to close at the outbreak of the Second World War and was a favourite with famous writers such as Hemingway, Joyce and Fitzgerald. Filled with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, you can spend hours browsing the shelves in one of the many rooms. A true delight and one not to be missed.
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Paris is divided into arrondissement and The Marais, in the 3rd and 4th, is a particular favourite of mine; it’s also the setting for the apartment in my novel. Peruse the many boutiques, then relax and enjoy a cafe creme in Place des Vosges, which offers some of the best people watching the city has to offer.
Part of my novel is also set in Provence and with my motto of #havelaptopwilltravel, I jumped on the Eurostar in London and a few hours later found myself in Avignon.
TOP TIPS FOR PROVENCE
- If fields of sunflowers and lavender are your thing, head to Abbaye de Senanque, one of the most picturesque places in Provence. But make sure to take your camera … It’s an impressionist painting come to life.
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No trip to Provence is complete without a visit to Menerbes. This pretty hilltop village is the setting for Peter Mayles’ famous A Year In Provence.
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This is wine country. Vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see, so it would be rude not to sample the wine! Right? Order yourself a bottle of the palest Rose, sit back and enjoy the sunshine and the scenery.This is what life is all about.
Love From Paris is out on September 24 2015. You can follow Alexandra Potter’s adventures on Instagram and Twitter @AlexPotterBooks or on her website www.alexandrapotter.com.