Bonjour, Friends!

This week in Paris, nothing looks like Thanksgiving, but it is starting to look a lot like Christmas.

Back in the States, my friends are texting turkey photos and complaining about flight delays. Thursday here is just…Thursday. The boulangerie sells the same baguettes it sold yesterday. Which, in a way, is comforting.

Thanksgiving, for me, has always been about spending time with loved ones: a couple of days off to be with family and friends in one place, and a rare collective attempt to say, "I'm glad you're here."

Being an ocean away, I feel a light sadness at missing that ritual.

But Paris has its own ways of teaching gratitude.

It’s in the way the city slows down in late November, when the crowds thin out and the light turns silver. In the stranger who holds the café door open when you’re coming in from the cold. In the older couple sharing a chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) by the window.

I won’t be at a family dining table this week, but I will be here, walking through Paris, a city that somehow turned from an idea into my life, going home to my wife and son, and feeling absurdly thankful that I get to notice these small Parisian moments and share them with you each week.

Thank you for being here. 🙏❤️

Happy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours…
James

➡️ How Seriously Do the French Take Black Friday?: France Channel explores how Black Friday, a very American tradition, is being awkwardly embraced and adapted in France, revealing a cultural tug-of-war between consumerism and French values.

➡️ The best hot chocolates in Paris: TimeOut has done the delicious work of finding the city's best hot chocolates. From bean-to-bar purists to molten fountains, this list is a treat for anyone who believes winter is best enjoyed with a rich, warm cup in hand.

➡️ World Of Frozen To Open At Disneyland Paris Next Year: Forbes has all the details on “World of Frozen” opening at Disneyland Paris, where the park is being reimagined as Disney Adventure World with an Arendelle land, next‑gen Olaf animatronic, new shows, and a big nighttime spectacle over a brand‑new lake.

➡️ How France’s Historic Monuments Are Being Reimagined: France Today follows the Centre des Monuments Nationaux as it turns France’s historic sites into living stages, from VR‑enhanced Gothic basilicas to fairy‑tale castles and glittering royal jewel exhibitions.

This weekend I’m running my biggest storewide print sale of the year!

From Black Friday through Monday, every print in my Paris Love Affair shop is 30% off, with free worldwide shipping.

No code needed! Just add any print to your cart, and you’ll see 30% off applied automatically at checkout.

I’ve also just added 50 new images to the print shop, fresh corners of Paris to choose from.

If Paris lives in your memories or your plans, putting it on your walls is a simple way to keep that feeling close, help us keep the lights on, and bring a little more of this city into your home.

I love making a beautiful photo from the exact same spot as everyone else. There’s real value in simple beauty, that classic, postcard‑perfect image. But once I have that shot, I start looking for something I haven’t seen before.

Here are three simple rules I use to do that:

Some of the prints in my shop started with these little ideas. Try them next time you’re in Paris (or anywhere), and until then, you can always borrow my version of the city for your walls.

Let me know if you’d like more photo tips! [email protected]

This week, as we reflect on what truly matters (and maybe what doesn't), I'm sharing ZAZ's "Je veux," a joyful, defiant anthem that cuts through the noise of consumerism with a simple, powerful message: she wants love, laughter, and freedom, not luxury.

It's a reminder that the best things in life, and in Paris, aren't found in a shop window, but in the vibrant, messy, beautiful experience of living.

Custom routes. Real local stories. Zero tourist traps.