Here I am on a weekend,and still sunny but rain is on the call, it had to be a weekend! We had summer like weather all week long and it feld nice. I am back to tell you the latest on my belle France.
What better way than to prepare for summer with some statistics. Europ Assistance ask the survey firm of Institut Ipsos to ask the French what are they going to be their summer vacation,and this is what they found. 69% of the French will plan on going away on vacation this year 4 points higher than last year and the highest number since 2012! This puts France on first place in Europe, in front of folks from Austria, Switzerland, UK. It will have budget of 1993€ per family a very economical amount putting the French behind the Swiss, Austrians, Germans, and Belgians that takes on average 2K€. The French, also,tell us will stay within France (of course ) with 57% of them a bit lower than last year 63%, most will stay by the coast/beach 61% and will be going in the family car (of course who says we take the train). The places outside France we will be going are Spain,16% (of course saw you on the road!) ; Italy 8%; and Portugal 7%.
Continuing with the beach concept, we have invented the Pavillon Bleu for tell us the most safe and full amenities beaches. Since its creation in 1985, 56 countries have follow us. France has 506 sites but the most is Greece with 534,and Spain on top at 691 sites. They are many but will list those for my beloved Brittany beaches (town and beach name) and ports here. The beaches in Brittany are Morbihan (dept 56) Carnac , Saint Colomban, Grande Plage; Guidel ,La Falaise, Le Loc’h, Pen er Malo ; Plouhinec, Kervegant, Le Magouero. At Finistere(dept 29) Clohars, Carnoët, Bellangenet, Grands Sables, Kerrou, Fouesnant-les Glénan , Kerler, Maner Coat Clevarec, Kerambigorn, Cap Coz (middle), Glenan ,Saint Nicolas , Le Conquet, Pors Liogan, Moelan sur Mer, Kerfany, Trenez, Névez, Dourveil, Raguenes (middle), Rospico, Saint Nicolas, Plougasnou Tregastel (middle) Plouhinec; Gwendrez, Mesperleuc ;Pouldreuzic ,Penhors , Roscoff , Saint Luc (Roch-kroum), Saint Pol de Léon , Plage Sainte Anne large ; at Côtes-d’Armor(dept 22) Trevou-Tréguignec ,Plage de Trestel ; at Ille-et-Vilaine (dept 35) Iffendic , Lac de Trémelin, Saint Briac sur Mer; La Salinette, Port Hue Saint Lunaire Longchamp Est, La Grande Plage, La Fosse aux Vaults, and La Fourberie. The pleasure boat marinas in Brittany are Côtes-d’Armor (dept 22) Port de Plaisance de Binic, Port de Plaisance de Paimpol, Port de St Quay Portrieux , at Finistére ‘dept 29) Port de Plaisance de Camaret ,Port de Plaisance de Douarnenez, Port de Plaisance de Morgat , Port du Moulin Blanc. At Morbihan (dept 56) Port de Gâvres, Port de Guidel , Port de Lorient centre, Port de plaisance du Kernével , and Port-Louis. More on the site here: Pavillon Bleu org
Something new at Paris. Just yesterday the team was finishing putting the final touches of Felicita, this is huge, 4 500 m2 open to the public with a huge terrace and 1000 seats for breakfast, brunch, apéros, dinners, and dance until late at night. The Caffeteria section will be open 24/24 all at the heart of Station F, this is it here in English: Felicita at Station F
And again an update on the Hôtel de la Marine that will be open in first trimester of 2020. ON the place de la Concorde ,built in 1758 by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, on the site of the old depot furniture of king Louis XV, host the high military command of France from 1789 to 2015 . there is the courtyard of the intendant covered with a glass canopy where visitors will be welcome, and on the floor of the cour d’honneur will have about 7000 light points to form a carpet of lights. This is one of many updates I have given on my news posts, and stay tune for more. Keep track if you will here in English: Hotel de la Marine Paris
Ok another survey , this one by Le Parisien newspaper, to see where is the best place to live with Children in the region of Ïle de France! Well ,you have one picture showing the no 1 cities per departément and one picture showing the highest top 20 rated cities. NO surprise for me because my kids went to high school there was Versailles!!! Photos
A wonderful town used to go often for work and now a few years out but still nice. The old Cannes , the view on the jardins du port Canto, tour du Suquet ,and on the route de l’Esterel is always very nice (and now the Cannes Film Festival). On the extreme section of the pointe Croisette, you will see a small cross (the name comes from this Croisette) the former Casino Palm Beach with memories of great film such as Jean Gabin, and Alain Delon, filming here Mélodie en sous-sol in 1962 by director Henri Verneuil. The new private beach of la Croisette had already spoken located between the hotels Majestic and Carlton (my job in charge of accounting here!). At the old place of the Plage royale becomes the La Môme Plage. to put your feet in the water facing the sea and get some delicious fish from menus of 45-75€ from sushis, ceviche, langouste, lobster etc and a nice pastéque salad ;more here: La Mome Cannes
You have TGV Paris-Cannes direct trains here and flighs by Air France , Easy Jet,and HOP to Nice airport at about 27 km. There is a direct bus or taxi. The tourist office of Cannes here: Cannes tourist office
a great show in Paris call the times of Flôlons a ballet of semi human and semi insects creatures on the spaces of the Opera Theater . More here: Garnier les Flôlons
a bit away from Paris…
To celebrate the 20 years of been name to Unesco World Heritage site, the city of Carcassonne, has invited Swiss artist Felice Varini to redesign the ramparts! The concentric circles in aluminum yellow lighting for five months the city ramparts like a fluorecent lifejacket. This is free until September 2018 more at the city page in French here Carcassonne Felici Varini
Something trivial for the lovers of the automobile. The magazine Le Bonbon of Paris for cultural and events info in French just did a study on the time it takes to travel Paris bike vs car, the results are amazing. I just took two examples one coming out of the Machine du Moulin Rouge to reach the Place de la République, and the other from La Villette to the Jardin du Luxembourg. The VT bike or the car the times were very similar even if the car needed to respect the code of the highway and cannot go on one way streets. For instance from la Vilette to the jardin du Luxembourg by bike 36 minutes, the car 40 min, moulin rouge to place de la republique bike 16minutes by car 17 minutes , these between the times of 15h and 16h ,there you go. Not bad at all,and I know for a fact because I drive in Paris usually reaching one central location and then walk. And if you are a night owl then the car is tops; enjoy Paris.
In Paris on the parvis de la cour de Rome from June 8 to October 12 2018, you will have Bella Ciao a street food market à l’Italienne ; a real Italian village next to the metro stop that will vibrate with the food of Italy starting at 18H30, Then every Wednesday to taste the specialties of fish, Thursdays to move to the sound of a DJ disco Italian and Saturdays to go to concerts and spectacles; most activities after the 8 june will be from 8h to 21h30. More info in French here: Bella Ciao le bonbon Paris
The museum or Musée Jacquemart-André is presenting a retrospective dedicated to Mary Cassatt (1844 – 1926). She is considered during her life the greatest American artist and the only American painter to have exposed her work with the Impressionists in Paris. You will discover the artist by going thru over fifty major works, supporting documentation , oils, pastels and designs, engravings all showing the modernity and its history of this American in Paris starting July 23 2018. The museum is at 158 boulevard Haussmann , closest metro Saint-Philippe du Roule on line 9. More here: Mary Cassatt an American Impressionist in Paris
In 1908, Auguste Rodin, living in the Villa des Brillants iǹ Meudon for about 12 yrs had built a shop in the common area of the Château des Conti iǹ Issy-les-Moulineaux to house of one of his molders and closest collaborator Paul Cruet. He was working for Rodin and later by the Museum Musée Rodin from 1905 to 1940 as chief molder. Now you can see the exposition Auguste Rodin et son mouleur Paul Cruet in the museum or Musée de la Carte à Jouer. At the end of his life he had a collection that he bequested to the city of Issy-les-Moulineaux in 1966 and 1974. Now all is at the museum or Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer, card playing museum including photos , aquarelles, and seven sculptures including a bust of Camille Claudel and a head of one of the Bourgeois de Calais, Pierre de Wissant. All will be shown together with a selection of works of which he worked on ́. This is now until August 12 2018 . The museum is at 16 rue Auguste-Gervais 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux with closest Métro Mairie d’Issy line 12. The museum has 9000 work including 6500 card games, 980 engravings, designs, and over a thousand other objects ,in the only museum of its type in France. More info here: Museum of playing cards
Les Amants de Nohant , the domain that hosted such names as Balzac, Flaubert, Delacroix, and Liszt while visiting the area , as well as the place of love for George Sand and Frédéric Chopin. Passionate relations, conflicting sometimes, told by the daughter of George Sand and put into music by a great singer. It was at Nohant that George Sand had spent a great part of her life and where she welcome many of her friends and lovers; including Frédéric Chopin that were visiting in June 1838. Les Amants de Nohant or the lovers of Nohant relives this tumultuous life by the story telling by the daughter of George Sand. The play all shown at the nice Théâtre Ranelagh, 5 rue des Vignes, 16éme closest metro La Muette line 9. More in French here: Les Amants de Nohant
Even in life Louis Pasteur became a myth, not only because he won over the rage, a deadly disease ,to whom we owe the pasteurization that bears his name but also to the advances in the domain of chemistry and microbiology. The exposition Pasteur, l’expérimentateur, at the Palais de la découverte, comes to the men and his scientific work,and try to explain the context of his work, his discoveries, and their applications beyond his legend. The Palais de la découverte that from its opening in 1937 has a room dedicated to work of Pasteur, done under the direction of his grandson Louis Pasteur Vallery-Radot. In the 80th anniversary of the museum palace Louis Pasteur is again of the honor in a wonderful chronological walk as well as thematic. Palais de la découverte – musée at avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt,8éme until Sunday August 9 2018. More info in English here: Palais de la Decouverte Pasteur
And last but not least from my beloved Versailles.
From 27 March to 30 October 2018, enjoy the Musical Fountains Shows and the Musical Gardens in the gardens and the groves open for the occasion. During summer, every Saturday night discover the Gardens of Versailles differently with the Fountains Night shows. On Saturdays and Sundays until October 28, 2018, on Tuesdays from 22 May to 26 June 2018 as well as on some additional dates ( Wednesday 15 August). The entrance to the Gardens is included with the Passport (1 or 2 days) and free for children under 6. timetable of the musical fountains shows more here http://en.chateauversailles.fr/news/shows/fountains-shows-and-musical-gardens#the-musical-fountains-show
And more on the city of Versailles tourist office in English: http://en.versailles-tourisme.com/visit-and-explore-versailles-the-royal-town/going-out-in-versailles-the-festival-town/shows-at-the-palace-of-versailles
There you have it, my belle France is loaded for summer. Have a great weekend. And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 