The Blog
Like the way we think about travel?
This is where we work it out: routes and rhythms, the ethics of a cheap flight, the right way to miss a train. If it lands, Mise en Place is the same voice once a month, and the My Life in Burgundy waitlist is open.
Browse our articles…
Trains Are Romantic. Missing One Is Not.
(6 minute read)
European train travel is magical until you're sprinting across a marble concourse with no idea which platform is yours. From sneaky validation rules to seat reservations you didn't know you needed, here's the practical guide to getting it right the first time.
Less Luggage, More Europe: The Multi-City Europe Packing Guide
(6 minute read)
Multi-city Europe trips punish overpackers. This practical guide shows how to pack for trains, stairs, cobblestones, and frequent hotel changes with less stress. Learn what to bring, what to leave behind, and how lighter luggage unlocks a smoother, more flexible journey.
Two-Base Europe Trips: Fewer Hotel Moves, Better Vacations
(5 minute read)
Stop paying the “move tax.” For a 9–12 day Europe trip, two home bases often beat five rushed stops: less packing, fewer transfers, and more energy for mornings and nights that matter. Get a simple checklist, sample rhythms, and plug-and-play city pair templates.
An Honest Ranking of Europe’s Train Stations Based on Vibes, Snacks, and Mild Existential Dread
(6 minute read)
Train stations are Europe in fast forward: espresso as medicine, croissants in hand, your life flashing on the departures board. This totally unscientific ranking grades major hubs on vibes, snacks, and existential dread, with practical tips for planning connections and layovers.
The Art of the Layover: How to Turn Airport Time Into Adventure
(7 minute read)
A layover is only misery if you treat it like limbo. This guide shows how to choose the right connection length, stash bags, clear immigration, and slip into the city for a meal, museum, or neighborhood walk. Turn dead time into a bonus destination.
Open-Jaw Flights: Add a City and Skip the Backtrack Day
(6 minute read)
Stop wasting a whole day reversing your route. Open-jaw flights let you arrive in one city and depart from another, so your itinerary flows forward. Learn when they are cheaper than round-trip, how to search and book, and which Europe loops become effortless overnight.
Rail vs. Short Flights in Europe: Time, Cost & Stress Compared
(5 minute read)
Rail or short flight for your next European hop? Stop comparing timetables and start doing door-to-door math. This clear guide covers time rules of thumb, hidden baggage and transfer fees, stress factors, and a simple worksheet to decide what really wins.
An Honest Ranking of European Airports, Based on Vibes and Chaos
(4 minute read)
Forget efficiency rankings. This unapologetically subjective list grades Europe’s biggest airports by vibes and emotional damage, from Zurich’s spa-like calm to CDG’s existential maze and Heathrow’s corporate purgatory. See where your usual hub lands, and plan your next connection accordingly.
Manual Labor: The Real Rules of Driving in France
(5 minute read)
My 1992 Peugeot is banned from central Lyon. How France's low-emission zones, autoroute tolls, speed cameras, and the priorité à droite rule really work, from someone who drives here every day.
Take the Blue Bike
(6 minute read)
Three days and sixty kilometers on a Vélib'. What the passes actually cost in 2026, why the electric bike is the whole point, the per-trip minutes trap that catches everyone, and what a backwards saddle is trying to tell you. From people who live here.
The Corsica Trip We'd Never Plan for You
(17 minute read)
August 2022: an overnight ferry we were too cheap to sleep on, a village festival we found on a wall, and a hike we began at 11:30 in August. The founding trip of our agency, and why we'd redo half of it.