This playlist is a rich musical snapshot of my European summer. It features a diverse mix of genres, from soulful R&B and high-energy dance to classic hip-hop and jazz.
The list spans various artists, including Dua Lipa, Kendrick Lamar, and The Rolling Stones. It also highlights international sounds, with French Pop, Brazilian Bossa Nova, and African music represented. This collection captures the vibrant and varied soundtrack of my travels
FIP (pronounced [fip]; originally France Inter Paris) is a French radio network founded in 1971. It is part of the Radio France group.
The concept behind FIP has scarcely changed since its founding: commercial-free music interrupted only briefly for occasional announcements about forthcoming cultural events (and, before 2020, traffic updates & short news bulletins). Currently, live broadcasts, from Paris, are from 7 am to 11 pm. During off-hours, a computer replays music programming from previous days.
All music programming is hand-picked by a small team of curators, who create three-hour blocks of music. They abide by a few rules, most notably paying close attention to how tracks transition from one to the other, across genres and styles, and especially making sure that a song is never played twice in a 48-hour window. FIP broadcasts around 16,000 artists and 44,000 different songs every year; 85% of its programming comes from independent labels.
These diverse sources offer a glimpse into various travel and leisure experiences across France and Switzerland, ranging from historical and cultural sites to hospitality and dining. Several documents provide contact and location details for Parisian and Saint-Malo businesses, including restaurants like Le Lion d'Or and Café de l'Ouest, and hotels such as L'Elysée Saint Honoré and La Maison des Armateurs. Tourist information for major attractions is also included, with detailed maps and historical context for the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris and the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel. Finally, a comprehensive Swiss train tour guide highlights cities, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and practical travel information for exploring Switzerland.
The Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre (English: Sacred Heart of Montmartre), commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur (French: Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, pronounced [sakre kœr]), is a Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was formally approved as a national historic monument by the National Commission of Patrimony and Architecture on December 8, 2022