Here we go again with news of my belle France. Now days around my neck of the woods have been cold ,grey and rainy , temps down to 1C and then quickly now is up to 12C , on a cloudy Sunday in the beautiful Morbihan.
I start you off with the glorious chocolates of the Maison Bonnat. The great Madagascar 75% cacao sweet fruity and balance, the suttle and delicate Ecuador with flower aromas and honey; or the delicious Hacienda El Rosario, from Venezuela; delicate, powerful and simple; all just for the chocolate experts and lovers. you can, also try the tablets milk chocolate 55%. See taste buy at the new Paris boutique of Maison Bonnat Chocolatier; 189, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (8éme). Open Mondays to Saturdays from 10h30-19h30. You can have hot chocolates for two glasses from 6,50€ or four glasses from 11,40€. More here: https://bonnat-chocolatier.com/en/contact
Bad news for those wishing to have Sundays open for shopping in Paris. The administrative tribunal of Paris has cancelled the attempts to open on Sundays in tourist zones like Olympiades. From their birth in 2015 the ZTI=zones touristiques international applying the law Macron could benefit from this Sunday opening in 12 areas of Paris as well as by Disneyland Seine et Marne and shopping Val d’Europe. This law allows shops to open evenings until midnight every Sunday of the year. Some of these areas are the Champs-Elysées, les Halles, Haussmann, Le Marais, Montmartre, and Olympiades. Only those that were not opening on Sundays but were thinking of doing so will have no right to open now. Those that were already doing it can continue to do so; exceptions and new areas the ones around Haussmann (for the great deparment stores etc) and Beaugrenelle (the new wonderful shopping center IN Paris).
The good news sort of, is that the Hôtel Lambert has been totally renovated on its façade , the rotunda and the gardens. This mansion is located at 2 rue Saint-Louis-en-l’île right in the corner of the Île Saint Louis, Paris. It was built in 1640 by architect Louis Le Vau with paintings by Charles Le Brun (the guys from Vaux le Vicomte, Versailles etc!!!)Now as many in Paris fallen to foreigners belongs to the Prince Hamad Al Thani,(also owner of football/soccer club PSG) brother of the emir of Qatar.
And as I wrote extensively on the flooding of Paris well now its time for the cleaning, and a few more days of dirty wharfs of Paris. At the foot of the Hôtel de Ville, the pedestrian quays are not yet open ; but the road or voie Mazas has already open in the 12éme. The important road voie Georges-Pompidou, from Garigliano to Grenelle (16éme) are already clean. There still work to do in the section from Grenelle to Bir-Hakeim to have it open for circulation. The quays or quai Valhubert in the 13éme has already been cleaned and open. The quai des Bateaux-Mouche boats is also accessable and the first boat has departed ok and full this past Friday morning. On the famous Quai des Grands-Augustins (6éme) the sun is out and a huge vaccum is at work with a pump to clean the roads; yesterday Saturday the boat or péniche ,Belgrand was to arrived in Paris for push the water from the Seine river and jet spray the pedestrian quays where the truck and wash machines cannot enters. Some of the work going on in Paris, and the job is still far away from finish; plan ahead if need to pass by this areas or Paris in general. The city can inform you. pictures with info on the work in French: https://www.paris.fr/crue
One of most emblematic and romantic buildings in Paris, its a tower! Speaking of the tour Jean Sans Peur or john without fears tower. It was in the middle ages the highest inhabited buildng in Paris. It has remined entirely intact, this building tower of the 15C houses today a museum of daily life in the medieval period located at 20 de la rue Etienne-Marcel (2éme)). It has a donjon tower of 27 meters high square on top ,the equivalent of 8 floors. Today it remains the last witness to medieval civil and fortified architecture in Paris. You can from the top of the tower see the beautiful city of Paris. The building was first built in 1420 by Jean Sans Peur, aka Jean Ier de Bourgogne (duke John I of Burgundy). The tower was put in the middle of a beautiful mansion of the dukes of Burgundy that was here since the 13C. The huge palace that had the space taken from Montorgueil to the rue Saint-Denis, falls in disrepair from end 13C where only the donjon tower remains Intact. Here while the king Charles VI, falls very sick and incapable of ruling that his cousin takes the power, son of prince Louis d’Orléans, that takes the continuation of the kingdom. Jean Sans Peur goes as far as ordered assassinated the uncle and rival in 1407, in order to take over the royal finances for enlarged his principality , the Burgundian State. However, the wind change on the diplomatic games and the master of the donjon was finally killed in September 10 1419.
You can visit the tower floor by floor, the biggest is the grande Salle , the bedroom of the squire that of Jean Sans Peur, and common rooms with furniture from his last 20 years there as identical as they were done by artisan artists of today. The museum has a trail of figures in costumes of the 15C as well redone by modern masters. You see a huge mantle cover richly decorated, military decorations pants, jackets, ladies robes, or hats. At the street level or rdc here and on the vaulted cellars you see an exposition of the wine and its role in the middle ages with illustrations, objects of the period, instruments for vineyard work. A real passionate exposition; worth seeing it. The tower museum again is at 20, rue Étienne-Marcel, Open Wednesdays to Sundays from 13h30 to 18h, admission is 6€,guided visits on Saturdays and Sundays at 15h. You can reach it by metro line 4 stop/arrêt Étienne Marcel; RER A,B,D arrêt/stop at les Halles or bus 29 arrêt/stop Turbigo/Étienne Marcel. More on the region ile de France tourist page here: http://pro.visitparisregion.com/en/Destination-guide/Paris-Region-guide/Tours/Castles-and-monuments/Tour-Jean-Sans-Peur
The hops are coming back to Paris, yes beer. Leave branches that go up to 10 meters high enrolling around a support such as a pole, cable wall, are back. They already are in the island of Cité in the rue Saint-Sauveur or rue Buffon 5éme; in the walls of schools such as the Château des Rentiers 13éme or sports center such as Déjerine in the 20éme or the Fillettes in the 18éme will be vegetative as well. A total of 86 000 liters of beers could be brewed due to this initiative this year. The city hall of Paris already contributes with about 1 600 liters of beer of Paris where the barley is cultivated in the land by the bois de Vincennes with the Association Brasseurs de France. You know that in the 19C ,Paris was the European capital of the beer? Done here by the Alsacians, well back to the source. More on this site in French: http://maltsethoublons.com/2017/11/13/la-ville-de-paris-et-brasseurs-de-france-brassent-a-bercy/
There is a project up for vote to allow the swimming in the lake of Daumesnil. The city of Paris under the project swim in Paris or « Nager à Paris » wanted by the mayor Hidalgo is coming along. After the bassin de la Villette (19éme), this project by the shades of the Bois de Vincennes, on the lawn of Reuilly, and the Zoo will be presented as a family seasonal swimming offer with 8 490 m², of open air space, free and with lifeguards open from June 15 to September 15 and from 10h to 20h. It will allow a maximum capacity of swimmers of 2 023 per day with a total visitors of about 75K swimmers per season. There is a beach projected for the south bank of the island or île de Bercy given access to three pools with different depths fed by the water filter with biological filtration techniques and apart from the lake by a geomembrane and a inflatable structure. City estimated cost of all this for the happy taxpayers is 9,5M€ TTC. The file is under consultation in the mairie or mayors office of the 12éme arrondissement , 130, avenue Daumesnil. The review commission will be available for public questioning on Feb 22 ,Marc 8, from 16h30 to 19h,then on Feb 28 9h to 12h, and Saturday March 3rd from 9h to 12h. More here in city of Paris webpage: https://www.paris.fr/nager
Hey talking about food, what about France abundance of goodies such as the chicken of the Gâtinaise now trying to come back in vogue spearheaded by the harvesting house or Maison de l’élevage du Mée-sur-Seine (Seine-et-Marne) http://www.elevageidf.fr/ and the natural park regional or Parc naturel régional du Gâtinais since 2003. The park here: http://www.parc-gatinais-francais.fr/annuaire-des-produits-du-terroir/ The chicken was here since early the 20C but had slowly disappear giving way to more productive hens. This year there are already about 550 chickens that provides 2 000 chicks per year . About 300- 400 of them arrive by Vincent Morisseau, at one day old. This farmer established the farm of ferme de Filbois d’Aufferville (Seine-et-Marne), been one of three harvesters of the chicken of gâtinaises that has the territory of the natural regional park. The best way to cook this wonderful hen that I have tried many times is just roasted with a bit of garlic, butter, salt and pepper,and herbes of Provence ; it will please everybody. http://www.ferme-de-filbois.fr/
The Château de Pierrefonds is ongoing renovations. The new campaign by the Centre des monuments nationaux is on to restore the four bridges of the castle. The work will begin today with the covering of the structures in scaffolds and will be done by the end of November 2018. These bridges dates from 1870 and were in bad conditions . The three bridges gave access to the main courtyard of the castle and a new visitor circuits will be done by March 12. The work will be done by firm from Brest (Finistère/Brittany) that will restored them in their shops same way they did for the statue of the archangel in the top of Mont-Saint-Michel (Manche). These structures are composed of metal and wood and were first done by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in person !!. The work will allow to increase the capacity of the bridges for the passage of vehicles especially those of emergency personnel. The mechanism of the raising bridge will also be renovated so that it can be open in an exceptional manner. The sleeping bridge that gives access to the lices will be restored on site, and a temporary passearelle will allow pedestrians and vehicles to enter the main court or Cour d’honneur, during all the period of the work. Unfortunately for reasons of security , the castle will be closed to the public from March 12-25 2018 and from October 1-19 2018 . The Centre des monuments nationaux is also counting on doing other works in the castle such as souvenir boutique to come back to its original location and the floor of the Salle des Preuses , the biggest in the castle will be reinforce. More here: http://www.chateau-pierrefonds.fr/en/
The gare Versailles Rive Gauche will have a space Véligo. This will allow to rent bikes online ahead of your arrival in station, more here: http://veligo.transilien.com/fr/articles.php
According to a survey by Les Echos, the finance journal , the best companies to work for in the eyes of the French are : Decathlon , Cultura , Picard , FNAC, Amazon, Sephora, Grand Frais, Yves Rocher, Leroy Merlin, and ikea
And come to see the orchids with the expo Orchidées Mania in the jardin des Plantes. On the famous greenhouses of the garden hosting the 7th edition of the thousand and one orchid or « Mille et une orchidées ». This is done every February to the orchid lovers to discover the extraordinary collection in the museum of natural history or Muséum d’histoire naturelle. Joined by specialize gardeners that will allow you to come away with a pot;all this until March 5 2018 more info here: http://www.mnhn.fr/fr/visitez/agenda/exposition/mille-orchidees-2018
And he is back to the avenue des Champs-Elysées, talking of Pierre Hermé the great pastry/chocolat maker and now teaming with the great house of cosmetics of L’Occitane ; store and dessert bar with sales counter. A concept store to share friendship of the pastry king to Olivier Baussan, founder of L’Occitane (already in Paris with the maison Hermé). 21 years later Pierre Hermé is back on the Champs-Élysées, after clashing and leaving the maison Ladurée. The goodies are a bit pricey but you know where they are coming from ; 9,50 € cappucino, 20 € ice cream cup etc etc. You can take it home too almost everything in the boutique. L’Occitane-Hermé, 86, av. des Champs-Elysées, 8éme. Tél. +33 (0) 1-70-38-77-38. Open every day from 7h30,except Saturdays and Sundays at 8h30, and closing late at 23h30, even 0H30 Fridays and Saturdays. More here: https://fr.loccitane.com/bienvenue-au-86-champs-pierre-herme-loccitane,74,1,91244,1184739.htm
Go to the sweetness of France with framboises sirup of the maison Lou Fenérêts coming from the Haute-Savoie. La Torchette a crusty biscuit of almonds and hazelnuts raisins ,algie and a bit of rum done in Melgven,the Finistère Breton by the maison Georges Larnicol. How about vinegar from Rouillac, Charente, done with grapes of pineau blanc. Over 2 500 products like a tour of France ; this is at Le Printemps du goût recently open in two floors of groceries and cellars with fresh produce all made in France France. Done by such famous as Akrame Benallal (star michelin chef), Gontran Cherrier (baker), Laurent Dubois (cheesemaker) ,and Christophe Michalak (pastry maker) all showcasing the best of France. You are invited to go up to the 8th floor to taste their recipes on site with a grand view like a postcard over the tour Eiffel. All sold in the culinary space of 1 500 m2 in the great deparment store of the Grands Boulevards. Yes you know Au Printemps. http://departmentstoreparis.printemps.com/news/w/printempsdugout-47093
Back to the foodie, once a month in winter the restaurant Auteuil Brasserie is transformed into a terrace on the roof in a chalet style ;Sunday last there was a return to ski or « Retour du Ski » night with DJ and cocktails shops . Good place for the nights of Paris and good favorite area of the city for me. More here: http://www.auteuil-brasserie.com/
Jacky Ribault awaited long for this and now its there, his second gastronomic restaurant named L’Ours (the bear). The chef has one star Michelin since 2014 and already head of the Parisian restaurant Qui Plume la Lune, located at Vincennes,in the middle of the island or îlot Fontenay, i twill have tables for about 20 folks. Once entering the resto you will the head of a Canadian bear on a space of 300 M2 all under a cover of Baltard metal and wood and silvery glass and walls. The menus are at 45, 75 and 105 €, with a match food dish and wine averaging 50€ additionally. There is no carte so no need to look for one. Try it at L’Ours, 10, rue de l’Eglise. Tél. +34 (0) 1.46.81.50.34.email : contact@loursrestaurant.com
The first resto site is here : http://www.quiplumelalune.fr/
A bit of tour of France coming up.
Imagine been in the Roman arena of Nîme end of April 2018 to host the 9e édition des Grands Jeux romains (the great roman games) ; that will be held for three days the legendary episodes of the times. You can see at simple eye view the amphitheater dating from the 1C of our times, one of the best preserve in the Roman world, spectacular!!!This is an oval of 133 meters long by 60 arcades on top of each other, a symmetrical building to perfection by Roman engineers. See the wonderful square house or Maison carrée, right in city center , the only antique temple in the world totally preserve with precise proportions and impressive columns. Continue your journey into the gardens or jardins de la Fontaine, built around the water source of the Nemausus. DO your rides in poneys and pedal cars on the ruins of the mysterious temple of Diana for the kids, then climb the tower or tour Magne,high on Mont Cavalier, the highest and most prestigious of the Augustinian tower walls. If you come early June 2018 you can see the new and very much awaited museum of romans traditions or Musée de la romanité, that will show a futuristic building with all the collections of archeology of the city presented by Elizabeth de Portzamparc. Museum here: http://www.elizabethdeportzamparc.com/en/project/musee-de-la-romanite/
More on Nîmes here: http://www.arenes-nimes.com/en/node/1969
And this always amazes me since coming here since 1990 near my wife’s native town and on her department 77 Seine-et-Marne. The Royal edifice that hosted more monarchs than any other, total of 34 ! from Louis VI le Gros to Napoléon III, spanning almost 8 centuries. Spend a day at the Château de Fontainebleau, less than 45 minutes from Paris is to push the genealogical tree of the French royals. In the cour d’honneur, take a selfie in front of the horseshoe stairs where on April 20 1814 Napoléon said his farewell to his imperial guard. In the interior of the castle ,see the gorgeous apartments, the two small boudoirs of Marie-Antoinette, very refined. However, do what others failed to do, go out into the park and its four gardens and od a tour in horse wagon or a barque boat in the lake of carpes or étang aux carpes. Spend a bit more time and attends a grand vals like the one coming up on February 24th , a carnival with swords duels , renaissance dances ,masks shops and princesss dresses . Adultes accepted lol!
More here: http://www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr/spip.php?page=sommaire&lang=en
Enjoy France 85 millions cannot be wrong, again No 1 in the world on visitors. Great start on my week! Cheers!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 