And not forgetting that I live here now, let me bring you up to my belle France with the latest news on the front as chosen by yours truly. It is now nice sunny cool breeze day it seems the heatwave of the last few days is gone at least in my beautiful Morbihan of Brittany.
Some of the latest tidbits of my France to follow.
UPDATE: An important event happening today in Amiens, Picardie. British Prime Minister Theresa May and Prince Williams will be there today! The Battle of Amiens took place from 8 to 11 August 1918, during the 3rd Battle of Picardie on the Western Front, in France. The English troops were between the towns of Albert and the channel of the Somme connecting Amiens to Péronne. General Sir Henry Rawlinson’s 4th British Army was spread out over 25 km of front, consisting of 7 divisions and 4 reserve divisions. Between the canal and the Amiens-Laon railway line were the Australians of Lieutenant-General John Monash and the Canadians. To the south of the railway line was the French Army of General Eugène Debeney, consisting of 8 divisions and 4 reserve divisions. The German defeat was clear, but the losses many. RIP freedom fighters! More here : Europe 1 in French but Video on the event
Paris Maudit or Cursed Paris, organized by the group Sous le Pavés (under the pavements) gives you a nice guided tour to some incredible places in Paris. Now you know I do not take tours but this one was recommended by people I trust to be very good. Rate:21€. Twice a week at 8h. Adults from 12 years old. Reservations : Sous les Paves guided tours
Kicked off the Champs-Elysées for his Christmas market last year, forced to give up his big wheel place de la Concorde, Marcel Campion bounces back!. He will install his Christmas Market chalets in the Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries )from November 24 2018 to January 6 2019. A domain that belongs to the Louvre and not to the city of Paris! . The rides on the space Carré des Sangliers on the Seine side (1 000 m2) and the large Esplanade des Feuillants (8 300 m2) are available for events, and the Louvre came through!
And to follow suit on Marcel Campion, until August 26, lovers of cotton candy, of rides and thrills have an appointment to the Festival of Tuileries which is held there every summer, for 20 years has therefore (re) installed for the summer its famous Ferris wheel, Cars bumper, a phantom train and the 6g , a merry-go-round at 140 km/h. But also fun animations like archery and a climbing wall. The little ones are not forgotten with a duck fishing and a throws. What a summer of madness in Paris! Festival (Fête) of the Tuileries.Jardin des Tuileries (Iéme). Every day from 11h to midnight, à1h on Fridays and Saturdays. Free entrance,but individual paying attractions. What thrills to bring my boys here and working just across from it for several years!
The sculpture exhibition “Les Sylphides” at the Bossuet Museum in Meaux (my dear late wife Martine native town always remembered) was extended until August 19. In addition to the “Sylphides”, the Bossuet Museum welcomes until September 16, the exhibition of another sculptor whose works pay homage to the female body: Jacques Coquillay and “The feminine ideal, 60 years of creation”. At 5, place Charles de Gaulle; Meaux 77100. Open every day of the week except Tuesday. All schedules on Bossuet Museum at Meaux
While in the same dept 77 Seine et Marne. The first Air Legend Paris-Villaroche, Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September, at the aerodrome of Melun-Villaroche. The planes are expected in the sky of Seine-et-Marne during this air meeting on the towns of Montereau-sur-le-Jard, Réau and Limoges-Fourches. One Catalina, an American seaplane, but also a P36, the first De Havilland Vampire Jet, released in 1945, the mythical Corsair, the Messerschmidt 109, the planes of the Battle of Britain: the Spitfire, a Skyraider… Forty-five planes of WWII, some still never seen in the île de France region before, will take the air. The two runways, 1 300 and 1 900 meters, and the hangars, including the incredible Eiffel hangar, will relive in great times, during the reconstruction of French aviation in the Fifties. The Dassault company has also carried out a number of test flights. Visitors will also attend a demonstration of the French patrol demonstration team on Saturdays and a simple passage on Sundays. At the same time, the public will be able to stroll through a village of exhibitors, do helicopter baptisms and children enjoy inflatable games. Paris-Villaroche Air Legend, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September, from 9h to 18h. Melun Airfield, entrance 27 euros, presales 24 euros. Ticketing and information at Air Legend air show
The capital of the river boating for 161 years, the city of Conflans-Saint-Honorine (Yvelines dept 78!) hosts the Musée de la Batellerie et des Voies Navigables( Museum of the inland waterways). It is in the Chateau de la prieuré, built in the 19C, just a few steps from the Seine river, that the collection rests. A castle that belonged to Jules Gévelot, captain of industry, manufacturer of hunting cartridges, deputy and mayor of the city between 1871 and 1881. The tour begins on the ground floor in the outer courtyard which gathers a large number of ancient objects such as parts of boats, anchors, propellers and other tools showing the evolution of transport boats. In the first room is presented an imposing model of lock that introduces the spectator to maneuvers. To access the first floor of the castle, you have to take the staircase of honor. We then arrive in the best preserved space of the property: The Hall of Honor. Here are presented the means of propulsion used in France and the current technique: pushing. Family, the museum presents Dioramas, staged models. One of them takes the visitor to the Place de Greve, in Paris, in the 18C in a scene representing a water mark, a river boat, of wood, flat-bottomed, without motor. All types of boats that have been able to sail on rivers, rivers or canals of France are exposed on the first floor Musée de la Batellerie et des Voies Navigables , 3, place Jules-Gévelot, in the Seine river at Conflans-Saint-Honorine . Open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 10h to 12h noon. and from 14h. to 17h30; Wednesday and Friday from 14h to 17h30. Price: from 1.50 to 5 euros. Reservations at +33 (0) 1.34.90.39.50 or River Boatings Museum
Also, take a cruise. The tourist office of Conflans- Saint-Honorine offers several forms of cruises on the Seine and the Oise rivers. Saturday, a day in the valley of the Seine with breakfast and lunch is organized. The boat will depart from the Seine river and its many islands which widens to the royal towns of Poissy and Mantes-la-Jolie. You can also enjoy a 1-hour walk every Sunday until September 9th. And inquire about the walk in the Vexin Natural Park. Information from the tourist office at 23, rue René-Albert. Tel.+33 (0) 1.34.90.99.09 or on Tourist office Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
La Roche-Guyon. Large cruise ships can now stop in the town, one of the most beautiful in France, since August 1st!!!. By the Ports of Paris. Stopover for cruise ships with accommodation of 135 meters maximum for a maximum duration of 24 hours. This is just in contact the city tourist office at La Roche Guyon on tourism
Memories of apéros happy hours with friends here and now back on. The emblematic Hôtel Lutétia on the left bank (rive gauche) reopens after four years of work. The address finds restaurants and bars that contributed to forging its legend: La Brasserie , the Orangerie and the Saint-Germain, which opens onto a new patio, the Bar Josephine, with jazz concerts, and an extended lounge of two Smoking Rooms. More at Hotel Lutetia Paris
Pierre Cardin celebrated his 95 birthday on July 2 last. The opportunity to return to the pair of fashions he formed with Jeanne Moreau, and those that were new and Saint Laurent, Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy who the house has just paid homage. The cinema needs elegance and the fashion of a showcase. Yet they have seldom made good housekeeping. While fashion designers have managed to impose some of their creations in films, few have experienced a rewarding relationship, apart from price discounts or red carpets. Yet, the joint history of cinema and fashion includes three notorious exceptions, three exceptional collaborations that have been surrended to the city… one is Pierre Cardin.More on the history here: Official site Pierre Cardin
Sad news indeed. The most starry chef in the world has just died at the age of 73. Present in New York, Las Vegas, London, Monaco, Tokyo, Hong Kong or Bangkok, it also has three tables and a cellar in the capital. Born in Poitiers in 1945, Joël Robuchon began his career as a chef at the age of 29 at the restaurant of the Hotel Concorde Lafayette (17éme). After being the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (best worker of France) in 1976, he took the direction of the kitchens of the Hotel Nikko (15éme) in 1978, where he won his first two stars. In 1981, he opened his first restaurant, Le Jamin (16éme), for which he obtained three macaroons in three years. In 1994, he inaugurated the restaurant Joël Robuchon Avenue Raymond Poincaré (16éme). Two years later, he makes his stars and announces his retirement. Retirement that it will not take completely, since it will create in particular the concept of the workshop, opening in Paris, Tokyo, London ,and New York. Last spring, Joël Robuchon, still full of projects, presented in the Golden Triangle what would be his last table, the pastry-tearoom-Restaurant-Sake Bar Joël Robuchon Dassaï (8éme). He will be missed but his creations continues ,here are to note: L’Atelier Saint-Germain 5, rue de Montalembert (7éme). Tél. +33 (0)1 42 22 56 56. Cave Joël Robuchon. 3, rue Paul-Louis Courier (7éme). Tél.+33 (0) 1 42 22 11 02. L’Atelier Étoile de Joël Robuchon ,inside the Publicis Drugstore, 133, avenue des Champs-Élysées (8éme). Tél. +33 (0) 1 47 23 75 75. Joël Robuchon-Dassaï. 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré (8éme). Tél. +33( 0) 1 76 74 74 70. More on his legacy here : Official site Joel Robuchon
The Museum of the Orangerie, which offers until August 20th an exhibition entitled “Nymphéas. The American abstraction and the last Monet» ,has since 1922, welcomes, in two oval rooms, the great ensemble of Nymphéas by Claude Monet (eight panels of two meters high and a total length of 91 meters), offered by the painter to the French State. See also, the works of the collection Walter and Guillaume acquired by the French State in 1950 and which brings together 146 works from the 1860’s to the 1930’s: Renoir, Cézanne, Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, etc etc… To visit preferably from the opening to enjoy the calm and the serenity of the place. Musée de l’Orangerie. Jardin des Tuileries . Place de la Concorde (Iéme). Every day except Tuesday, 9h-18h. Price: 9€, free for children under 18 years. Tel.+33 ( 0)1 44 77 80 07. More here: Musee de l’Orangerie Paris
See , taste , go now ! Sébastian Gaudard’s new patisserie reopening on August 21, it is towards the Salon de Thé that you will have to direct you to fill up with sweets near the garden three years after the store at rue des Martyrs (9éme), under the arcades Of the rue and the place des Pyramides, displays a real outraged charm. On the spot or to take away, you can find its traditional pastries brought to the taste of the day: Mussipontain, baba au Rhum, Saint-Honoré, Paris-Brest, puits d’Amour (well of love), millefeuille, Tropezian, Kouglof, strawberry tartes, and fruit pies. But also its ice cream, sorbets and eskimos! In the Salon de Thé French style of the first floor, it also offers some savoury dishes such as the croque-monsieur sandwich, as well as a brunch on weekends and holidays. Pâtisserie des Tuileries Sébastien Gaudard. 1, rue des Pyramides (Iéme). Tél. +33 (0) 1 71 18 24 70. Open every day except Mondays from 10h to 19h. Closed August 13-15. More here: Patisserie des Tuileries Sebastian Gaudard
There you go , some more at you from my belle France. Summer is back to bearable and we are stepping out! Care to join us? Lovely days are coming and me just around the corner for my 3 weeks vacation!!
And remember, as said, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 