Quick run down on the latest from my belle France. It was sunny in the morning now cloudy in the afternoon, temps at 72F where I am while in Paris is 82F. Here is 22C while in Paris should be around 27C
Now August is here, and vacation time also near, can’t wait even if this year will be sad as not with my dear late wife Martine around. Time goes on , memories flashing!
The renovation of this great Church of the 9éme arrondissement will begin in 2019. Steeple, lantern towers, porch and roofs it goes, the scaffolding on the facade of the Church of the Trinity ! Currently at the mid-height of the building, it should reach the top of the steeple, at 60 meters, at the end of August . The restoration of the façade which opens on the square, the steeple, the two towers-lanterns arranged on either side of the monument, the porch and the roofs :The great building site of the Trinity which will start in 2019, should be completed in 2023. During the work, the church remains open every day and the masses continue to be celebrated every Sunday at 11h and 19h. Very nice Church wrote in my blog on it before.
Well follies of our modern world will come to hunt you or make our taxpayers money out the window. This past Tuesday, the 4 000 Autolib ‘ that are in the Île-de-France live their last hours. At midnight, it will no longer be possible to board a Blue Car. The autoparting service, which has been in place since 2011, ends on Tuesday night. The 150 000 subscribers have until Tuesday night to make a final farewell to their Autolib ‘. However, in case of non-return of a vehicle before 00H midnight, users are at risk of a financial penalty. 250m in debt! Leave us these dandies!
While the public transports problems continue with half hazard solutions and not long term;the beat goes on; lucky you only for a few days here, those that are here and need to work everyday is hell.I know it. Again, yes again ; a technical incident on the tracks causing the giant blackout. The incident started last Tuesday at 20h (8:00pm) on this fully automated line that crosses Paris from east to west and serves many tourist sites of the capital (Louvre Museum, Tuileries Gardens, Avenue Champs-Elysées…). A technical problem that affected a train between the stations Saint-Paul and Bastille totally paralyzed the traffic on the line. After the big mess on Tuesday night, back to normal for the users of Line 1 of the Parisian metro. More than two hours of hell for more than 3000 travelers. With twelve trains totally blocked on this line 1, it was between 3200 and 3800 users who were trapped, from police source. These travelers had to be evacuated down the tracks!, in sometimes chaotic conditions denounced forcefully by many Internet users on Twitter. Welcome to public transport in Paris!
And, don’t we love strikes, heck is a national pastime. In front of the entrances to the Eiffel Tower (7éme), water foggers soften the expectation of visitors under the Sun this past Tuesday. But as every year, lines/queues often extend far beyond the barriers… and extend the expectation of tourists. One of the three entrances to the Eiffel Tower is only for visitors who have booked in advance. A third access exists, by staircase only: The third elevator is only used in case of troubleshooting, explains the direction the online presale should concern 80% of the tickets by 2021. Internally, the SETE (operating company of the Eiffel Tower) has ensured to keep all the jobs by training the cashiers to other trades, including hospitality agent. After several meetings this Tuesday, the threat of a strike always hovers over the old lady. !!! Be prepare call ahead.
Just in for the Eiffel tower from their official site: “Le 2 août, en raison d’un préavis de grève, l’activité de la tour Eiffel pourrait être perturbée. Visiteurs munis de billets, consultez vos mails pour plus d’information. Suivez l’évolution de la situation sur nos réseaux sociaux et notre site internet”. Meaning there is a possible strike tomorrow August 2nd, those with already purchase tickets check your emails for more information,and follow the evolution of events in social media and the Eiffel webpage.
The exhibition presents nearly 80 photographs of the years 1945 to 1960, on the theme of the street, and for the most part unpublished, out from the reserves of the Centre Pompidou. A look at this post-war period, seen from the street in several European cities. Sabine Weiss au Centre Pompidou ,expo until October 15 2018 Place Georges-Pompidou ,4éme. Centre Pompidou
The new sign of a escape game, You have Sixty Minutes, opens its first Parisian room: The Cannibal of Paris. It all starts at 57, rue de Maubeuge, in the 9éme, on a night of 1972. “Following a violent dispute, a man carried a fatal blow to his wife. Not knowing how to get rid of the body, he decided to cut it out, then came to mind the idea of tasting a piece. This experience was for him a revelation and will be the first of a long bloody series… Open from Monday to Sunday from 10h to 22h. For groups of 2 to 6 players, starting at 16€ per person. You Have Sixty Minutes Le cannibale de Paris 57, rue de Maubeuge – 9éme. You can book your session online at You have sixty minutes
A pint at 3€ with a portion of French fries? It seems that is a yes at O’Petit Paris gathers the crowds from Monday to Sunday, from 14h to 01h30, and water the barge with its beers at 3€ in Happy Hour (3.90€ after), its planters at 2€ and its fries that fly out, all in a village atmosphere dear to Paris. Inside, this old tea room has a PMU atmosphere that will delight the fans and for others, the terrace would do very well. Attention, it closes at 23h but the most seasoned will make their the end of the sidewalk past that time 8, cour des Petites-Écuries ,10éme. More here: O’Petit Paris
Some visit to the masters and inspirational folks on France can be found below for your Summer trips.
About 130 years ago, in 1887, Alphonse Daudet buys the charming mansion below in Draveil, on the banks of the Seine, with its copyrights money. The writer wrote almost the most of his work knowing that he shared his time between his holiday residences and his apartments in Paris. La Maison Alphonse Daudet, rue Alphonse Daudet, 91210, Champrosay – 91210 Draveil . Count about 1h drive, RER D station Ris-Orangis, then 15 minutes walk.
The Departmental museum of Stéphane Mallarmé born in 1842, the poet is a teacher of English, his “livelihood obliged”, and has an intense poetic activity. The museum settled in its house on the banks of the Seine, although it also lived in Rue de Rome in the 17éme of Paris. The museum is at 4, Promenade Mallarmé-77870, Vulaines-sur-Seine. Count 1h40 by taking RER B to Melun station then Transilien R to Vulaines-sur-Seine Samoreau, then walk for 20 minutes
Château de Médan ; Maeterlinck, Belgian author, and Ronsard are roommates at the very beautiful castle of Médan, alongside Cézanne. We are obviously talking about their memoirs that still reign in this former hunting lodge, which was barely saved in the post-war period.Located at 50, rue Pierre Curie – 78670, Medan. One hour from Paris by car, not served by train networks
The Maison d’Emile Zola while you are in Médan, take the opportunity to discover the house of Emile Zola, who lived from 1878 to 1902 in this House which he was able to buy thanks to the success of his novel L’Assommoir. It was here that he wrote his novels afterwards and led a rural life. Located at 26, rue Pasteur – 78670, Médan .An hour from Paris by car, not served by train networks.
The Maison de Chateaubriand, in the Valley of the Wolves, is the place where he fled after his exile from Paris by Napoleon because of his hostility to the first Empire. He will write several of his works, in particular Les Martyrs, the itinerary of Paris in Jerusalem, The adventures of the last Abencerage , and the memoirs of the Tomb, in the Velléda tower.Located at 87 rue de Chateaubriand, but better put in your GPS rue Eugène Sinet. The Vallée aux Loups site can give more in French, need a car. http://vallee-aux-loups.hauts-de-seine.fr/infos-pratiques/les-acces-aux-domaine
The Maison d’Elsa Triolet-Louis Aragon The couple blossoming in the heart of this 5 hectares park, at the Moulin de Villeneuve. This mill of the late 12C was often the setting and source of inspiration for their writings. Today, the House makes both office of Memory place with the apartments and the tomb of the two writers, a place of research with a library of more than 30 000 volumes and place of support for contemporary artistic creation. Always interesting to take a tour. Located at Moulin de Villeneuve – 78730, Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines. One and a half hours by car, not served by train networks.
The Château de Monte Cristo is Alexandre Dumas who lived in this palace perched on a hill. He bought it in 1846 except that three years later he was riddled with debts and forced to sell this home. Located at Chemin du Haut Ormes-78560, Le Port-Marly. An hour from Paris about: Take the RER A to Saint-Germain-en-Laye and then the bus 259, stop at the station Jaurès
The Maison de Balzac ,he lived in this House of Passy under a nickname “Monsieur Breugnol ” to flee his creditors . The little carousel lasted seven years thanks to a clever ploy: the house had two entrances, in two different streets, rue Raynouard and Rue Berton. Entrance on 47, rue Raynouard – 16éme Metro Passy.
The Musée Jean-Jacques Rousseau Museum is in the Val d’Oise dept 95, we go to meet the writer, musician and philosopher Genévese. It stays at the “Petit Mont-Louis” from 1757 to 1762, fleeing Paris, “City of smoke, noise and mud”( really changed in almost 300 years lol!). He will come out with his Social contract published in 1762. Located at 5, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau – 95160, Montmorency. About an hour from Paris: Take the Transilien H train at Gare du Nord to the La Barre Ormesson, then the 337 bus to the cemetery of Deuil-la-Barre, then count a 25 minute walk.
The Musée Cocteau Museum; this museum house was the home of the French poet graphic designer, draughtsman, playwright and filmmaker. He will reside there for 17 years, first occasionally, then definitively from the moment he binds himself with his new companion Édouard Derma, far from the tumult of his Parisian life. Located at 15, rue du Lau – 91490, Milly-la-Forêt . At about 2h by car, not served by train networks
The Musée Victor Hugo Museum in the Marais, this is the hotel of Rohan-Guéménée where Victor Hugo lived, which became a museum in 1902. He lived on the second floor from 1832 to 1848, before his exile. To this day, the apartment details the existence of the poet before, during and after this exile. Located at 6, Place des Vosges Metro Chemin Vert or Bréguet-Sabin line 4.
Some ideas for peace and quiet this Summer :
The Little Venice of the Val-de-Marne (La Petite Venise du Val-de-Marne) at metro line 8 Créteil-University. We find four islands bordered by the Marne river, nested in each other. An oasis of greenery in this bucolic landscape and on the river float some boats and kayaks… pretty walkways, original architect Villas; Even the pigeons have left room for swans and mallards. In case of small or big hunger, we stop at the Domaine de Sainte Catherine, where we taste a market cuisine , while admiring the banks of the Marne on the terrace shaded by centuries-old trees.
Just a few meters from the Seine, benches of rigor are hidden in a well-known square of the inhabitants of the district. In the shade of trees, one reads sitting or lying on stone benches… in the form of an open book to read is to live in full light. So why not, but in town and especially in Paris in the summer, it’s still nice to be in the shade and a little hidden to avoid those who speak loudly when you want to be quiet in our stories. Take advantage of these quiet spots to classic books, a novelty and all the other books you love! At the Square Gabriel-Pierné 5, rue de Seine 6éme.
What is calmer than the flowing water? Nothing, and it is not the aficionados of the Vert-Galant square at the tip of the island ïle de la Cité that will tell you otherwise. When you are at the end of the park, feet in the water and facing the capital, it is perfect to make the emptiness and dive into a novel. We love it! Square Vert-Galand, 15 , Place du Pont Neuf 1éme
The garden of the Fondation Eugène-Napoléon, hidden in the depths of 12éme, at rue de Picpus, is an oasis of calm and voluptuousness as we love them. But it stays between us, please. Jardins de la Fondation Eugène-Napoléon; 1, rue de Picpus 12éme
And ready for Summer in Paris? I give some to think about!
After tasting the Frozé, the Granite with Rosé, or the Rosé Sangria, we get to the Rosénade, a subtle mixture of rosé wine and lemonade. Something to try this Summer in Paris. The ingredients of the Rosénade:
30 ml of Absolut Vodka Lemon, 150 ml of rosé wine, 2 leaves of basil, 1 quarter of a lemon, 15 ml of sugar syrup, 45 ml of carbonated water. You do in a shaker: basil, lemon and sugar syrup are mixed. We fill the ice shaker and add the vodka and the rosé. Shake, Shake, shake. We filter the whole thing and we pour into a cocktail glass. We add the carbonated water, a slice of lemon and a leaf of basil. Voilà c’est Paris!
Enjoy the Summer, and remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 