Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well stop by Paris briefly on my way home, and already looking forward to the Christmas season back in Versailles/Paris area with the family. First some new things

The BHV store at rue de rivoli ,near the Hotel de Ville is opening from December 5 to the 18 a new resto bar at the top with great views of Paris, entrance on 55 rue de la Verrerie , the charge will be 10€ admission plus one cocktail included, from 17h to 20h.  Blue lights, lounge music,white tents for a polar and romantic ambiance !

More and more Parisien and France restos are using board, black tables, and chalk boards to announce the menu; the traditional cartes will slowly disappears. Wait now for the electronic tablettes and sms text menus too.

My son broke his D&G glasses but luckily wont cost to replace as we had insurance, done by next saturday lol!! He is happy now ,and dad too ::)

Versace will be sold at H&M stores all over, this began at NYC last November, it will be under SA Collection name. Check it out in Paris too; at this moment Christmas is in the air in Paris, therefore, Karl Lagerfeld and Vanessa Paradis open the windows at Printemps, and Charles Winston after a concert at the rooftop did it for Galeries Lafayette. Tony Parker, the French basketball player did it at Disneyland, and Audrey Tautou, the French actress will do for the illuminations at the Champs-Elysées.

There is a new fragrance o Lolita Lempicka call Si Lolita now out.  Now the new thingy is that this Christmas will be a Noel British or a British Christmas in Paris. That means lots of British motifs and clothes, and fragrances, etc etc. My boys will love it. Just read Sylvia Fendi of the famous name just love South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida USA lol! And one of her favorites is to go by Little Havana, and eat at Garcia’s.

New areas chic to discover in Paris, around Bastille, go to Rue de Charonne,rue Keller, for a feast of colors, with plenty of mangas, tattoos, and bars until very late…. by the Rue Roquette, plenty of Latin bars awaits you. Getting near pl de la Republique (one of my best areas) check out Rue Oberkampf, rue Saint-Maur, at the crossing with rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud with the best bistros full of people with the world. Dont forget to stop by the new cultural info center at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal ,metro sully-morland, bastille ,webpage www.pavillon-arsenal.com

Just in France will have again a luxury cruise liner call FRANCE in 2015. Alain Ducasse the great chef is designing the 8 restaurants the boat will have!!! A boat of 17 bridges, 260 meters long, and 640 passenger capacity. It will come of the shipyard of St Nazaire not far from Nantes and me. It will a vitrine or window shop for all that is luxury and good of France.  This of course to relieve the first boat call France, I am sure those cruisers will know what I am talking about, and those new should get on this one, it is the ultimate. Cheers

And again my favorite LE FIGARO of the weekend has its top 15 bistros for Paris, voted by the locals ! Café des Musées 49, rue de Turenne, IIIe. Tél. : 01 42 72 96 17. Le Comptoir du Relais 9, carrefour de l’Odéon, VIe. Tél. : 01 43 29 12 05, Fish la Boissonnerie 69, rue de Seine, VIe. Tél. : 01 43 54 34 69; Le Café Constant 139, rue Saint-Dominique, VIIe. Tél. : 01 47 53 73 34;Bistrot Paul Bert 18, rue Paul-Bert, XIe. Tél. : 01 43 72 24 01.; L’Ourcine 92, rue de Broca, XIIIe. Tél. : 01 47 07 13 65. L’Entredgeu 83, rue Laugier, XVIIe. Tél. : 01 40 54 97 24;Le Baratin 3, rue Jouye-Rouve, XXe. Tél. : 01 43 49 39 70.L’Office 3, rue Richer, IXe. Tél. : 01 47 70 67 31. Racines 2, 39, rue de l’Arbre-Sec, Ier. Tél. : 01 42 60 77 34. Le Pantruche 3, rue Victor-Massé, IXe. Tél. : 01 48 78 55 60. Le Garde Temps 19 bis, rue Pierre-Fontaine, IXe. Tél. : 09 81 48 50 55; Vivant 43, rue des Petites-Écuries, Xe. Tél. : 01 42 46 43 55. Philou 12, avenue Richerand, Xe. Tél. : 01 42 38 00 13. Chatomat 6, rue Victor-Letalle, XXe. Tél. : 01 47 97 25 77. webpages not in all of them but easy in google.

Something from France telecom to see beautiful videos of chateau de Versailles and Fontainebleau and many more, the biggest museums of the world, links here http://www.pluzz.fr/le-plus-grand-musee-du-monde.html

http://paris-ile-de-france.france3.fr/emissions/le-plus-grand-musee-du-monde/index.php?page=article&numsite=1508&id_rubrique=1514&id_article=2519

Enjoy Paris, its always eternal ::)

just browsing by the Tour Eiffel in my car

Here we are in another year ends, Christmas is my favorite time of the year. What better way to do so than plan for it at Paris, this is just the beginning of some posts to come. It is complimentary to the page Paris at night and Christmas 2011.

I was in Paris because its always an excuse, because it was my twin boys 18 birthday wow!! now big men, times flies, and because it was the start of decorations, and Christmas market in the Champs-Elysées.

I took off from Vannes in Brittany by car as usual, with my twins boys who goes to school here while the mom and older plus my father stays in Versailles waiting for the house to be sold(have two realtors working on it). The ride was as usual very smooth on the N165,N24,A84,and A13;gas was at 1,359 euros per liter and tolls were 14,30 euros one way. Still a lot cheaper than going by train or plane or else. We arrive Friday night late just enough to sleep and ready for Paris the next day.

The day was begun at the George V parking lot underground ,one of my favorites spots to park my car as in several others. Of course,no question we drive a car, yes and a Ford to boot,nothing is better than driving. You see all, and visit all nooks and crannies of the city at your will .

We then proceeded to a  huge visit and Dad/Mom hefty price tag at Virgin Megastore at the Champs-Elysées. This was great as usual and they got their X360 videogame machine plus all kinds of tapes,and videogames. We then walk the Champs-Elysées just like tourists do, and it was fun, we heard/saw folks from many countries enjoying themselves in the big avenue; and lots of shopping too, who says there is a crisis lol!!!

We walk as far as the place de la concorde, and the big wheel or grande roue was there flashing already a Paris landmark and waited by many. The chalets or market stalls were abundant and nice with wood from the French vosges , all kinds of them, and they were already busy with the crowds. We notice some over pricing, as my oldest son work in the business of souvenirs stores in Versailles, there the prices sometimes are half of those in Paris ::) However, it seems of little importance as folks were gathering gadgets all over the avenue.

We visit the Sport24 store to see some nice shirts by Real Madrid but again a bit overprice than I could pay in Madrid ::) The main point was the walk and seeing all the lights been ready,and the festive mood of the people, lots of French kisses on the avenue, young lovers abound….

Finally it was time to head back, to find something to eat, well we were in tourist heaven so not much choice,however, we had eaten at Pizza Pino at montparnasse before and it was good portions at good pricing so we opted for it. Pizza Pino has a branch in the Champs-Elysées right in front of l’entrecote and next to pizza roma, cant missed it. The food and service was as always with us very good, the whole gang really enjoy it, the prices were a bit higher than montparnasse but then again you are in tourist central::: The experience was good overall. two bottles in pitchers of beaujolais nouveau, four goat cheese pizzas, one bruno and one palerme, ice creams,and creme brulée, plus cafe plaisirs-2 with sweets, plus 3 reg coffees, for the whopping 193 euros for 6 persons. We left happy as it was, also, my twins birthdays and as they wanted to shop for their gadgets there we ate on site.

We did not finish shopping we went across to FNAC another dept store , at the Champs-Elysées, and we purchase two samsung digital cameras there plus more cd, and dvds tapes for the kids and Dad ::) We then went over to the George V parking garage got in my car and drove over to the port de Suffren where the boat Maxim’s is.

The boat Maxim’s is a double decker maroons off the Seine just below the Tour Eiffel, and own by Pierre Cardin. Every year I get invitations to the tastings of wine and goodies there, you can eat on the upper deck or just buy and go home. Over the years we have done both, this time we just bought our regular house wines from the Loire,beaujolais nouveau, and plenty of chocolates, French chocolates home made by artists of the genre, really good. The parking there is free with attendance,and you get to see and walk around the Eiffel tower which after so many trps over the years no need to go up again lol!

The Maxim’s as usual was packed, parking in and out difficult because by the quais is one way only same road, the tops of the Eiffel tower esplanade was full of folks and the glow of the tower was as always nice. We were loaded ,more broked ,but very happy as usual of our Paris escapades.

We headed home but knowing it was late and just the hour for folks coming in and out of Paris for the night activities we took the direction of La Defense, went around the N13 direction suresnes and reach the A13 at just Versailles, nice ride by the road warrior once again. Here are some photos of the day, made more special because of my twins boys 18 birthday !!!

Yes, Paris is a place to come back again and again,AND ,if you are lucky enough to have worked there and lived nearby in Versailles you have the best in the world.Now that I am away starting a new chapter in my life in the Bretagne of France, every chance to come over is for excitement and nostalgia.

I was there yesterday by Montparnasse then Porte Maillot,and walk on the Champs-Elysées to the ave de la Grande Armée,grand indeed. Let me catch up with some of the latest from Paris. Little things to do in the most beautiful city in the universe!!!!!!!!!

Electric cars will be available the gare de Lyon to do your trip in the city,just go to the Avis counter there. This will begin november 21th and you can rent for half a day or full day. Marseille will have it too.

To preserve our European rights on train travel you can always call Europe Direct 00 800 67 89 10 11 or go to http://ec.europe.eu/passenger-rights

You should know due to heavy work to improve the railroad lines in France, schedules will change as of December 11th for 85% of the train network in France. The work will continue in 2012.

On more touristic notes, you can go to the Grand Palais from now to January 9 2012 for a story of video games at the galerie sud-est. The event for all aficionados of the videogame, more information and reservation at www.rmngp.fr

A wonderful retrospective on Spanish paintings from Zuloaga to Velazquez will be at the Musée de l’Orangerie in the jardin des tuileries. more information at www.musee-orangerie.fr and see exposition on the left column.

Great showing of Chinese history at the Louvre from now to January 9 2012, every day from 9h to 18h except tuesdays, with night admission to 22h on wednesdays and fridays. You go in by the pyramide du louvre cour napoleon; reduce rates after 18h on wednesdays and fridays for 6€ from the normal 10€. The program is call “La Cité Interdite”  or the forbidden city. More info at www.louvre.fr

At the Musée du Luxembourg, you will see the 3Cézanne et Paris” expo from now to February 26 2012; from 9h to 22h on fridays to mondays,and 10h to 20h on tuesdays to thursdays. admission 12€. the museum is by the French senat and famous garden at 19 rue de Vaurigard, metro lines 4 and 10 Odéon as well as RER B Luxembourg.Buses 58,84,and 89 takes you here too.

Of course, there is plenty more, but these are some of my favorite events;enjoy them they are all grand.

For a bit off Paris, this coming weekend there is the Salon du Chocolat at Vannes ,the city I work now. at the Parc des Exposition (le Chorus,an very old cereal storage place now use for these events) ,admission is 5€ with great chocolates makers and the special guest, the country of Peru. Chocolates of the Incas….more info here http://www.lechorus.com/detail_programme.php?id=81 , and of course I will be here lol!!!

And something I have been and will sadly missed this year is the Hospices de Beaune, the 151st edition coming up November 20th. It will have famous chef Michel Troisgros that will do six menus around the famous appellations of Pouilly-Fuissé,Corton,Corton-Charlesmagne,Meursault-charmes,Mazis-Chambertin, and Pommard-épenots. they will have 618 bottles of red wine, 143 bottles of white wine for sale by Christie’s. the benefits of the sale will go to charities of heart surgery and France Alzheimer. more info at www.hospices-de-beaune.com

And as always, we will always have Paris, right !!! ::)

from the quais over the Seine and the Conciergerie