Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Freelance Travel Writer, Travel Lemming

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Rachel Kapelke-Dale is a travel writer and novelist originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and now a local of Paris. She moved to France in 2009. She writes about the weird side of Paris history for her newsletter, “Beneath the Cobblestones.” She has written about her early days in Paris in her memoir, Graduates in Wonderland, with Jessica Pan. She is the author of the novels The Ballerinas, The Ingenue, and The Fortune Seller.

🏠 Local to: Paris, France and Milwaukee, Wisconsin

🌟 Favorite Destinations: Paris, Chicago, Normandy, Amsterdam, and Edinburgh

🎓 Education: Brown University (BA in Comparative Literature and History of Art and Architecture), Université de Paris VII (MA in Cinematographic Studies), University College London (PhD in Film Studies)

✔️ Fun Facts: She trained as a ballet dancer until she was 15. Rode on her university’s equestrian team. Currently working on a novel about the French Resistance. Can be distracted by the presence of a dog anywhere. Her hair has been every color.

Meet Rachel

Rachel Kapelke-Dale smiling for a photo in The Loire Valley, France — The Loire Valley, France

Rachel Kapelke-Dale enjoying her day in London, England — London, England

Rachel Kapelke-Dale reading in Amsterdam, the Netherlands — Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Rachel Kapelke-Dale's dog admiring the view on a beach in Normandy, France — Normandy, France

📚 What was Your Favorite Travel Experience or Story?

My college friends and I live in very different parts of the world. We try to meet up every year to travel together and catch up. The X factor is always my friend Ben, who travels for work.

In 2018, we decided that Amsterdam was the only logical city to meet in. I wasn’t excited at all. The only things I knew about traveling in the city were the clichés: the red-light district, cafés, that kind of thing.

But from the second I set foot in the city, I was charmed. The light there was different than in any place I’d ever seen. I studied Dutch painting in college. I knew that the Dutch masters used light uniquely. For the first time, I understood why.

I spent that trip overwhelmed by the beauty and the history of the city. I’ve since become obsessed with learning as much as I can about it.

Now, every year, I’m the one who insists that we go to Amsterdam!

🗺️ What’s Your #1 Expert Travel Tip?

Avoid checking a bag! It’s hard enough flying without waiting for your bags to arrive at the end. Or, even worse, waiting for your bags to come and never seeing them. I’ve lost more than one over the years…

My favorite alternative is to ship a suitcase ahead of time using a specialized door-to-door service. These are more reasonably priced than you might think, particularly compared to airline baggage fees.

However, my father runs marathons around the world with just a carry-on and local purchases. His alternative is to pack key items only. Then, he’ll buy anything he needs cheaply and locally. So, he might not pack his favorite running t-shirt. But he’ll definitely pack his perfectly broken-in running shoes.

In both cases, the keys are understanding what kind of trip you’re on, planning ahead, and knowing yourself. If I’m going to Milwaukee for two months, I want my books and shampoo to be waiting for me when I arrive. But I’ll take a duffle bag if I’m just going to Normandy or Amsterdam for a few days.

🛫 What Do You Insist on When Traveling?

Direct flights!

In 2009, I was flying to the U.S. from Paris. My eighteen-hour itinerary had me fly from Paris to Rome to Chicago to Milwaukee.

But the flight out of Paris was delayed. And Rome’s airport (Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci) is big. I was running as fast as I’d ever run to make that connection.

I’d also brought tons of carry-ons full of Christmas presents. First, the bottom of one bag fell out. Then, the bottom of another. I scooped up the teddy bears I’d bought for my nephews and kept running.

I arrived at the Chicago gate seconds after the door had closed. No problem–I could just push it back open. Right?

Wrong. I set off an ear-splitting alarm and was immediately surrounded by half a dozen security guards. I didn’t speak Italian then, so I gestured wildly with my teddy bears. Then I burst into tears.

A cleaning lady came over and yelled at the security men. To my shock, they backed off. She put my teddy bears on her cart and led them (and me) to the Alitalia desk to rebook my flight. I have never been so grateful to anybody or so unable to communicate it.

The plus side? I got a free overnight stay in Rome. My first time in Italy!

Anyway, I always take direct flights now.

✨ What Cultural Difference Surprised You Most?

Studying abroad in Paris was incredible. It led to me moving here for good! But my arrival was less than incredible.

I didn’t know then that Parisian apartment buildings have door codes. This seems like a minor detail. I thought it was minor enough at the time that I’d failed to write it down.

So in January 2006, I took an 8-hour flight and then lugged two huge suitcases with me on the train from the airport. I showed up at my rental only to find (despite having the keys) that I couldn’t get in!

I’d already traveled enough to take it in stride. I’d just wait until someone came out of the building, then go to my apartment. I waited outside–in mid-winter–for five hours before someone left the building.

It just goes to show you how much I love Paris. Also, it was a good life lesson: little things can make a big difference!