Ok so here is some odds and ends from la Belle France. Things to come and already here,etc etc etc.
The first tactile screen for finding your way in the transport system of Paris RATP have been installed on the line 1 station Gare-de-Lyon. To this coming summer there will be about another dozen done again to help the users and especially the tourists, done in 7 languages. You will be able to do a walking trip plan on the ZenWay system on the screen .In the next weeks the stations that will have this would be Montparnasse (XVe), Denfert-Rochereau (XIVe), Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile (VIIIe), Les Halles (Ier), Madeleine (VIIIe), Gallieni (Bagnolet) and Concorde (Ier).
February 25 at 18h will be shown online a virtual memorial to the fallen in WWI at Paris. Built on the banks of the river Seine commemorating the 91000 Parisien perished in this war . the memorial will open in November 11 2018. See the link for the news.
memorial14-18.paris.fr/memor…
Motel One, a German hotel chain makes its appeariance in France. Their first hotel will be at 295, avenue Daumesnil (12éme), on a lot near the boulevard périphérique and the palais de la porte Dorée. Ideal location to visit the bois de Vincennes and a few meters from the Zoo de Paris. It will have 255 rooms and will be ready in early 2018.
After the terrorists acts of January 2015, the Aquarium de Paris has lost 40% of visitors 70% if counting since November last, soi t is now in financial difficulties, several dismissals of employees is taking place. This aquarium opened in 1867 done for the Universal Exposition, was the first aquarium in the World! Jules Verne is inspired with to do his novel 20 000 leagues under the Sea. After some renovations it opened again in 2006 with 3500 sq meters of underground space, having the decoration according the work Jules Verne.Le Parisien
« Verdun-Champs-Elysées, un siècle pour la paix », IN the Avenue des Champs Elysées by the rond point des Champs Elysées a photo exhibit on the battle of Verdun in WWI commemorating 100 years. It will be there until March 31st , and its free.
The McDonald’s restaurant located at 140 Avenue des Champs Elysées re open its doors today after nine months of renovations.It does annual sales of 13,5 millions Euros. It is the biggest selling McDo restaurant in the world, and France counts with 3 out of the 4 top selling restaurants in the world ,the other been in Moscow .
Château de Versailles, At Grande Ecuries, see the musée des carrouses.This is now open and renovated beautiful, Closed since 2007 it will now reopen from May 10 2016!!
The new entry to the Château de Versailles will be by the Pavillon Dufour , the left wing welcome center of the palace/museum. It opens to the public this Tuesday February 22nd. It will have 2 700 m2 of space. An opening to the right will take you to the cour Royale,and on the basement that you arrive by a large stair you will see the new things such as the toilettes, luggage lockers, given and returning of audioguides, patio , and the nice vaulted boutique store of the national museums.
It is from this basement that an exterior stair will bring you to the cour des Princes,which will take you to the gardens. The basement will,also, be accessable by the interior of the palace by another stair coming from the Grands Appartements. The rest of the work will be done by end of March where the Cour d’Honneur will be entirely clean of the temporary entrance of now. In April the Restaurant of Alain Ducasse will open on the first floor and second floor with an auditorium and foyer as well.
The city of Versailles has just receive their 4th flower rating given by the jury of the national council of cities and town in flowers. At Versailles, 90 agents keep and clean the 86,5 hectares of green areas in 13 parks and gardens in the city. The line trees extend for more than 14 hectares. Le Parisien
the new water garden theater at the Chateau de Versailles call the bosquet du Théâtre d’Eau open to the public on May 12 2015.
The 300th anniversary of the death of king Louis XIV will have many events in Versailles. Three events especially will be « Charles de la Fosse, le triomphe de la couleur » until May 20. From June 18 to November 8 we will have « Grand Trianon de Louis XIV au général de Gaulle » ,and later « Le roi est mort » from October 27 to February 21 2016 in the rooms of Africa and Crimea. A tent will be set up in the Bosquet du Théâtre d’Eau to have a rebirth by May 11 with the gardener Louis Benech and the artist Jean-Michel Othoniel. The castle museum will benefit all by opening the rooms dedicated to the Sun King. These and many more showcase here chateauversaillesspectacles.fr
The renovation were done already on the rosary and west facade of the castle of Vincennes; the second part will begin in February 2016 to repair the rooftiles and super structures of the Sainte Chapelle and Sacristy as well as historic glass in the choir and before choir. The End is Schedule by November 2017
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
Starting this Sunday Dec 6 the SNCF extends the offer of low-cost TGV train travel to 8 destinations in France including two in the region of Ile-de-France:Massy and Roissy CDG 2: the others are in Tourcoing and the station at « Haute-Picardie », between Amiens and Saint-Quentin ; also in Angers, Le Mans, Nantes ,and Rennes. See the trains blue and candy rose that were serving the south of France like Marseille, Montpellier ,and Lyon as well as Marne-la-Vallée (disneyland).Ouibus the new bus service has tickets from 10 €,available now for the period from December 13 to July 2 2016on sales at ouigo.com.The cars/bus have a bar and limited to one luggage per person. You will need to be at the gate or wharf 30 minutes before departure. Le Parisien.
The TGV low cost call Ouigo started in April 2013 with a sky blue and pink color that was only serving the south of France especially Marseille and Lyon will be increase starting first trimester 2016 with links in the North on stations of Tourcoing and the TGV Haute-Picardie, near Amiens (Somme),as well as those on the west such as Nantes, Rennes, Le Mans, and Angers. In the region of Ile-de-France,in addition to Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland) it will be possible to get on a Ouigo at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle TGV ,and Massy-Palaiseau TGV.
ventes.ouigo.com/search.aspx…
The council of Paris just announce the next free car day in Paris will be September 26 2016. This year it will be bigger encompassing many areas other than those from last year’s event. Hours between 11h to 18h. For memory the areas are the Champs-de-Mars, le Luxembourg, Montmartre, canal Saint-Martin, quartier Mouffetard, bois de Vincennes and de Boulogne.
The council of Paris has rendered a law to have the first Sunday of each month pedestrian only in the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, starting next Sunday May 1st(Labor Day).
Aficionados of walking trails and bicycles will have to reserve April 10 2016 for sure. The Rando of 3 Châteaux will be back. It is done since 2008 but in the north now it will come to the south of the departément 77 Seine-et-Marne in the region of île de France.
This year’s edition will have six different itineraries to choose that will pass by the castles of Blandy-les-Tours, Vaux-le-Vicomte and Fontainebleau !!!. They will have a trail of 42 kms, with 24 kms for experts runners/walkers and all public of 17kms and a family trail of 6 kms. Two trails on bicycles one of 28kms and another of 38kms.
This event is free. More in French at http://www.seine-et-marne.fr/Culture-sports-tourisme/Randonnees/Rando-des-3-chateaux
Enjoy France and all things French ::)