Here we are in the middle of the Fall season, cool,gray but no rains! Just back from latest escapade and now tomorrow out again this time to Brazil for a week. Before that, let me tell you some of the latest happening in my lovely country of France, with especial interest on Paris, bien sûr ::)
First, something past, the recent finished FIAC event at the Grand Palais and the docks of Paris was a great success and a rebirth of sort to the wonderful art of today. This was the 41th edition and had 191 stands from 26 countries. The Docks is the Cité de la mode et du design where about 60 stands were put up with representation of 13 countries. The art work was carried into other parts of Paris such as the Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin des Plantes, the Museum of Natural History, place Vendôme, the boats berges on the river Seine, the auditorium of the Louvre, école des Beaux-Arts de Paris,and Silencio at the ground level next to the Seine of the Cité de la mode et design. A great event in october stay tune for next, http://www.fiac.com/paris/en
The Samaritaine is coming along ,as political haggle slow down the process of the building permit ,stop ,than re started again. The project is led by the Japanese firm SANAA. It’s a perfect example of the paperwork maze and political rambling of Paris and France in general , that is making progress slow and other cities catch up to Paris’ charm. Another example is the Alésia cinemas where the urban rules of renovation have impacted the modern techniques of today to do a job of bringing back these magnificent building even in a different twist. There Is the Grand Paris project ,and It hopes that it will give the necessary push to achieve these projects and continue to maintain Paris at the top of cities to visit and enjoy. This is the site and it is in English, so be aware of the transformation of Paris ;http://www.societedugrandparis.fr/English
Recently Paris magazine published by the Aéroports de Paris had an interview with Stephen Clarke, the English writer who lives in Paris. He came up with areas he enjoys in Paris such as Drouot the antique house at 9 rue Drouot, 9é. The Abbey bookshop with a Canadian owner, where Mr Clarke sold his first book, “God Save la France” 29 rue de la Parcheminerie, 5é; BHV Marais store where he gets his supplies at 36 rue de la Verrerie, 4é; Bassin de la Villette, for walks and petanque game, and the many small restaurants coming up, at 19é. Finally ,the musée Carnavalet, the history of Paris, 16 rue des Franc-Bourgeois, 3é, where I tell visitors to go too, and know Paris rather than the more popular places, here you know Paris, http://www.carnavalet.paris.fr/en/homepage
You need to try the center of Paris-Brest, Saint-Honoré, etc you know those delicious gourmet delicacies of France, try them at Les Fées Pâtissières, 21 rue Rambuteau,4é, http://www.lesfeespatissieres.com/ YUMMY ::)
You want something different to stay in Paris? try the Kube hotel, 3 passage Ruelle,18é yes by Montmartre, right in a courtyard patio where the reception is a glass cube! all is black and white with high technology like fingerprint keyboard doors and resto with matching drinks,and the bar well the ice kube all in ice! constant temperature of -18C! http://www.kubehotel-paris.com/en/page/design-hotel-paris-home.1.html
And if going to the Cité de la mode et design is not enough, then eat at Le Playtime, 34 quai d’Austerlitz 13é, right at the foot of the cité, open 24/7 and is a pleasure boat! restaurant, reading room, bar with two terraces, club and concert hall and even a small pool! menu of tapas, meat, fish and vegetable dishes great for me in happy hours! http://www.leplaytime.fr/
You want to taste the sublime Beaufort cheeses, don’t go so far, have them in Paris from the coopérative laitiére du Beautofortain just opened a boutique at 9 rue Corneille 6é, as well as other savoyards cheeses too. How about a raclette? http://www.cooperative-de-beaufort.com/les_points_de_vente-paris_.html
For wonderful pièces of jewerly and watches head for Miller, 233 rue Saint-Honoré 1é, these are pre owned pièces all guarantee from the grandest names at 40-50% off! metro tuileries or opéra and parking Under the place Vendôme; now its your chance to show off the best of Paris at affordable prices; http://www.miller.fr/default.aspx?lang=en
And if burgers it is, but the grand Paris taste not fast food, then head for Mamie burger no webpage, the first store opened in 16 rue de la Michodiére ,and now one near the Opéra Garnier at 18 rue Saint-Fiacré 2é; the meat from butcher Hugo Desnoyer, the bread from Boulanger Rachel’s you won’t go wrong here. metro bonne nouvelle. burgers from 9€ and midday with fries from 14€ but real ones gourmet, the best.
The next big event is the Salon International du Patrimoine Culturel or like the international cultural heritage fair at the Carrousel du Louvre Paris from November 6-9,2014. The best for restoration experts and to know in detail these wonders we see, I was there at the beginning of them as a volunteer, and it is recommended for all lovers of heritage historical artifacts from tapestries to paintings to objects of arts. http://www.patrimoineculturel.com/?lang=en
Until November 2nd, at Giverny, the musée des Impressionismes 99 rue Claude Monet will have the Belgians! James Ensor,Emile Claus, Théo Van Rysselberghe and others showcase theirs 20C wares adding more touches to the impressionists movement. http://www.mdig.fr/en
The boat show comes back to Paris, Nautic at the porte de Versailles from December 6-14 2014. you want to see the latest in boating in Europe ,come here; http://www.salonnautiqueparis.com/GB.htm
The musée Picasso Paris open again yesterday, bigger , nicer, and more than ever, even the attic will be open to show the personal painting of Picasso own collection. The weekend is free this one, then is admission 11€, the Hôtel Salé where it is has been totally renovated for it. At last!! http://www.museepicassoparis.fr/en/
The musée des arts décoratifs for the 5th edition of the specialise magazine AD is doing a carte blanche to 16 decorators to create and present their wares until November 23rd; 107 rue de Rivoli 1é in Louvre, http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/francais/accueil-292/bandeau-487/francais/arts-decoratifs/expositions-23/actuellement/dans-la-nef/decors-a-vivre-les-arts-décoratifs/
Some anecdote of Paris, the coat of arms of Paris shows ” Il est battu par les flots mais ne sombre pas” meaning something like tossed by the waters she does not sink, showing the ship in the symbol of the city since 1853, recalling the roles of the nautes the city powerful river merchants in the middle ages. And you know there are about 30 cities that uses the name Paris from North America, Denmark, Africa to Russia. The city of lights shines even beyond its borders !!!
One building in Paris dear to me because I worked next to it for several years,and it was not only my leisure time for lunches but a place of relaxation at nights and looking at it thru my window every day was magical beyond words. This is the Opéra Garnier de Paris. Of course ,Paris is full of beauty, it seems every building is, but we all have our favorites ::) You see the wonderful Hall du Grand Escalier or staircase hugely magnificent, with white marbre of Italy mix with onyx and green marbre of Sweden. The Rotonde du Glacier or mirrored rotunda wiht large glass Windows for receptions and tapestries showcasing the culinary arts; the loge de la salle de spectacle or auditorium boxes decorated in gold, stucco,and red velvet, boxes in five floors as lounges for 4 to 6 persons! The creating of scènes is beyond my humble words, the orchestra seats done with springs and horsehair covered in red velvet ! the Grand Foyer with floors, paneling,chandeliers, gilding of sumptous décorations. Just awesome!! come to see it quick!! https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/
There is a new University in Paris, or Paris-Saclay, a huge 7 700 hectares park (19000 acres) to be built by 2020. Capacity for 60 000 students and 10 500 researchers in 600000 sq meters or 6,5 million sq feet of classrooms. IT will be the merging of 20 institutions now from the Université de Paris-Sud to the prestigious HEC business school, école polytechnique,and CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) http://www.campus-paris-saclay.fr/en As facts to do this, taking from the ranking of universities worldwide (The Times Higher Education ) where the best of France is Sciences Pô and HEC, it shows the potential to attract foreign students here, France gets about 5-10% of the total pool available with the bulk going to the USA. Paris ranked 2nd in attractive cities to study to first London and 3rd Los Angeles,in the top 10 the other from Europe is Stockholm. As there is lots of confusion on these rankings the European Union will start its own ranking starting this Fall; this is the groundwork of the régulations from the EU http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-548_en.htm and this will be the tool to use ,http://u-multirank.eu/#!/home?trackType=home&sightMode=undefined§ion=entrance
And who want to walk the petite ceinture of Paris, the little beltway of Paris. It was an old railroad line built in 1852-1869, and closed down in 1993 (except the RER C segment) and long of 32 kms. You can walk on it by Balard 15é, and see the garden or jardin partagés du Ruisseau 18é and my favorite walk in the 16é between the porte d’Auteuil and the Porte de la Muette for 1,2 kms. To where you can go to my favorite resto La Gare (the old station Muette)18 chaussée de la Muette ,www.restaurantlagare.com ;over roads see the portion of avenue Jean jaurés to porte d’Aubervilliers 19é . The Charonne station on rue de Bagnolet 20é was turned into a discothéque La Fléche d’Or (the name of the train that did London to Paris between 1926 and 1972). The old Auteuil station is now the Thai restaurant Mary Goodnight, 76 rue d’Auteuil. http://www.marygoodnight.com ;later in the station of St Ouen will host a restaurant opening in 2015, Le Hasard Ludique, music bar, concert hall, and atelier.http://lehasardludique.paris/ and before that an eco bar la Recyclerie. http://www.larecyclerie.com/
See the oldest market in Paris at le marché des enfants rouges: 39 rue de Bretagne 3é; open Tuesdays to Saturdays (8h to 20h) and Sundays some stands (8h30 to 17h)http://equipement.paris.fr/marche-couvert-des-enfants-rouges-5461; some times différences from mayor’s office of the 3rd arrondissement and the city of Paris;but inquire before going,anyway when there I use the morning hours ok.
So now you know, and I know, Paris is it and France is right behind it ::) cheers and happy Sunday.
Paris1972-Versailles2003 