Here I am on breton night of Wednesday, kids get off school at half day so traffic was less indeed. Another day in paradise, and waiting for the weekend as always ,the poor’s man reward.
However, while nice to be here, France beckons, and Paris awaits next week again, one can’t never be too far from Paris physically or mentally , it is always there.
Even the elusive Kris Kristofferson is coming to town. He will be at the Trianon, 80, bd de Rochechouart . Tél.: 01 44 92 78 00. On September 15 at 19h30. admission from 51 to 62 €. http://www.letrianon.fr/eventdetail592_KRIS+KRISTOFFERSON.html
Hey although nowdays I enter Paris by Montparnasse, I cannot forget my first train station of entrance to work in Paris, Gare St Lazare, it was a bit rusty and old, then, but it has gone a renaissance and its now I said one of the best train stations in France ,not to say Europe. Take a look at its flashy store front website here http://stlazareparis.com/ and of course, if trains is all you care about, the SNCF info site will give it to you in English, http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/en/frpsl/votre-gare/
This is a great theater near the area of my work,and visit next week, Théatre des Sablons, yes by metro Sablons or buses 43 and 82 at Chartres takes you here easy from Paris, the theater is in nearby Neuilly-sur-Seine dept 92. Great expectacles and Jane Birkin will be in December lol! http://culture.theatredessablons.com/spectacles
Come and relieve your 40’s when the video game took off and king now, with music n the basement or sous sol, with DJ and machines all over in a modernistic game environment, the food is classic of the times too, pizzas and pasta galore. The owners are involved in chic places like Pacha in Paris, so come and see it. Le Fantôme, 68, rue d’Hauteville (75010). Tél.: 09 66 87 11 20. Open from 11h to 2 h. Nostalgic because here was where my now wife worked,and be often afterward, the Paradis quartier , then and now magical Paris. No webpage yet but you get there on metro Poissonnière (line 7), and metro Château d’Eau (line 4).
For the ecolo side, the bicycle is great in Paris and more and more lanes have been opened. At the end of August 2013 there were more than 700 kms of lanes in the Paris region!!! Some sights, places to rent and regulations :
«Paris à Vélo Sympa», was the pioneer for over 20 years now doing it. see it at www.parisvelosympa.com then «Vélo Paris», has thematic rides by night,medieval and along the water, see it at www.veloparis.com . There are Vélos-Taxis such as around the Place de la Concorde , at the entrance to the jardin des tuileries as Drago Pousse-Pousse. Tél.: 06 42 25 08 22. All from 15€,according to the distance. Tél.: 09 70 40 66 69. www.tripup.fr
Don’t forget the stores , you have to be ready with the latest ,after all ,its Paris. The best is Vintage Cycles, offering many choices at 0, rue Alexandre-Dumas (75009). Tél.: 01 44 93 95 85. http://www.vintage-cycles.fr/ . Then you have Vélo Vintage with used bikes from the 60’s to 80’s to ride. 58, rue du Ruisseau (75018). Tél.: 06 13 13 42 27. http://velo-vintage.com/. Another good is Bicycle Store, with accessories for bikers at 17, bd du Temple (75003 ). Tél.: 09 51 61 68 29. http://www.bicyclestore.fr/accueil.
The city riders gets a subvention or refund of 25% of the purchase price of bike with electric assistance up to 400 euros this is until December 31 2013 , info in French at city mayor’s office http://www.paris.fr/pratique/deplacements-voirie/dossier/velo-a-assistance-electrique-paris-vous-aide/rub_7096_dossier_75490_port_16333
Right now you have from September 13 to 16 the Salon du Cycle at the parc des expositions de la porte de Versailles. You can test bikes on site, and rides with more than 400 brands from 27 countries. See all info here . www.lesalonducycle.com .
The cyclist takes a toll on Paris too, as many times they take their own rules at hand to the detriment of motor transport. Here are some of the unwritten rules, first, the cyclists do not give up the fact to take the shortest distance between two points; they take any street even in one way against the flow of traffic; on traffic lights , on green light they go with the cars, on red light ,they pass on the pedestrian areas and continue; the bikers never get off their bike, they prefer to walk with it, there is no square, or public place that is prohibited for them; so beware of the bikers when walking or driving in Paris. See the photo on the plan routes of bikes in Paris .
Last but not least ,the famous pain aux raisins or raisin bread is one of my favorites for breakfast and one of the best is my favorite Carette at place du Vosges, with fauchon, angelina, Smith, Lenôtre, and Bread & Roses as contenders.http://www.carette-paris.com/fr/
And I leave you with Paris, the movable feast, the city of lights, the city where all should begin and end. Cheers.
Paris1972-Versailles2003 