Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well here I am in Versailles, another trip back home. Its a special day because we are celebrating my wife’s birthday tonite,and our house is for sale by a realtor ,finally. Our move to Brittany is going well, the whole thing is very slow in France, land of the burocratic paperwork maze, but alas, all is going well.

As you might know, we are heading now into October, and fall vacation time leading up to all saints day or Toussaint Nov 1, then Armistice or end of WWI day on Nov 11, my boys school will be off from October 21 to Nov 2nd. During this vacation period we all plan to go out, so roads, hotels will be a bit more pressing ::)

My next trip will be a company business trip to Paris by Sept 28-30th, staying in the 17th of Paris and having conferences by the Arc de Triomphe. We will visit a trading room in the commodities market while there.

There is a nice expo at the Parvis de Notre Dame in Paris where the museum part will show a presentation in 10 stone design of the latest finding there, showing more clearly the evolution of Paris since Lutéce times. info as follows  ; location 7 parvis Notre-Dame, Pl Jean-Paul II, 75004, opening hours tuesdays to sundays from 10h-18h, closed Mondays, holidays and the Easter Sunday as well as pentecost day ,Tél +33 (0) 1 55 42 50 10.

When in Paris and need a space to work and keep tabs of home and business, you can choose and find it all here http://www.eworky.com/ ;name wifis areas and connection all over France, so far in French only.

see it here, an independant webpage for parking information in Paris, you find it on the map and they tell you all it has, prices included. webpage http://www.parkingsdeparis.com/EN/car-reservation-map.php you can reserve your space even before arrival! Also ,for camping cars etc. lots of good info and in English too.

this site in French tells you every taxi stand in each arrondissement of Paris, webpage http://www.taxis-paris.fr/ also the Paris region, with airport connection ,and shuttle information. A wealth of information for the visitor and resident alike. Hope it helps

This is a site I have used a lot, the parking in La Defense, area, good for visitors too, and enjoy by many working Parisiens ,nice overview of parking areas by building, you go into the window ,tap the name of the building you are looking and it tells you all the nearby parkings. webpage http://www.parkingsladefense.fr/

A great event ,that is going on now, I have seen it as friends of the castle, and partake in many heritage events in France, this one is a jewel, the story of the Library of Versailles from 1761-2011 (250 years of history), located at the building of the Hôtel des affaires étrangères (old foreign affairs building, where Benjamin Franklin came to sign pact of cooperation and help of his young nation) . It will last until December 3 2011, its in French ,but the official site is this one http://www.bibliotheques.versailles.fr/Statique/

Do you know you can rent a room at the Chateau de Versailles? yes indeed, done all the time, a lot more than visitors come here ::) The ones are La Gallerie des Batailles , at the wing of centre or aile du Midi, created by king  Louis-Philippe  in 1837. There are 35 painted frames on the walls that trace the most significant periods in French military history from Tolbiac (496 AD) to Wagram (1809 AD). My favorite place. Others are Salle de Croisades in the north wing, Gallerie des Cotelle, looking toward the bosquets and garden,the Orangerie, Chapelle royale or royal chapel, and the royal opera.

So much to do ,and see, France its a movable feast indeed. I have been to many places here while visiting and now living for the last 8 years; however, each day ,I see new things that amazes me. I am seeing and still in the moving stage, once all this paperwork is out of  the way, I plan on been keen on seeing everything around up close and personal ::) Cheers, and until next chat.

Well back from my company convention at Chantilly and Paris; boys started school and the daily activities of life takes off again in France.

My boys are doing well and alread expert in taking the local buses to and back from school in Sarzeau, Morbihan dept 56. I am looking forward to have them for the weekend to go out and explore the local area together.

My company convention was big huge, we had a great hotel at Dolce Chantilly, and went into Paris at Eurosite ave George V, in between we had a special show at the musée vivant du cheval at Chantilly and a boat ride aboard Dauphine in the Seine river at night with lovely views of Paris. ahh oui Paris eternelle, we will always have Paris indeed.

All is back to normal with my house in Versailles for sales plus some furniture. Getting the last paperwork out of the way before the whole family is together in the Morbihan, hopefully before Christmas.

As to Paris the Grand Paris project is underway that will take a whole new meaning to metro/train transportation by 2018 and last lines by 2025.  This is the webpage you can see in French http://www.latribune.fr/static/pdf/cartedu%20grandparis.gif

Basically, the metro automatic will have  200 km of lines and 72 stations. The city of Orly and its airport will have the line 14 of Paris metro  passing by Villejuif.  The airport at Orly will also be linked to the west at the University of  St Quentin en Yvelines ,and passing by the northwest of Nanterre. La Défense will be link as well to the airport at Roissy CDG passing by the airport of Bourget. Finally, a last course that will be call the Super Metro will finish the circle, beginning from Bourget, crossing the stations of  Sevran-Beaudottes, Chelles, Champigny Centre, Créteil ,and continuing just to Villejuif. Other networks will complement this circle inside of it linking directly the Stade de France and  Champigny-sur-Marne  passing by  Rosny-sous-Bois.  The first section will be done by 2018, and the rest by 2025.

Here in my new area the action is picking up with kids out to school, and darker days plus the usual rain on and off, fall is coming. Until october 21 for the next school vacation period and more travel. Now some pictures here which I usually dont put better now than never, enjoy them. Cheers