Paris1972-Versailles2003

Ok folks, things are kicking again and we all should be glad. I am , already making  plans to go out into my belle France. For now, let me give you the latest on my series Some news from France already in its 308th post; thanks to all!!!

Let get the serious matters going on today with the virus wuhan covid19 coronavirus as you wish.

Spain will reopen its borders to the countries of the European Union on June 21, next Sunday. Except with Portugal for which the border will only reopen on July 1.
The Spanish government had already announced that foreign tourists would be allowed to stay in Spain without quarantine from July 1.  The appearance of two Covid-19 foci in intramural Rome has raised concern, while Italy is cautiously emerging from deconfinement. One declared himself in a squat in Garbatella, a popular district in the south of the capital. The second outbreak – numerically the largest with 109 cases including five fatal , is located at the San Raffaele Pisana hospital, on the western outskirts of the capital. The European Union has signed an agreement with the AstraZeneca laboratory. 300 million doses of the vaccine, expected for, perhaps, the end of the year, would then be sold, notably to France.  A rebound in China: after eleven sectors of Beijing closed on Saturday, China is recording an increase in new cases of covid.  The President of the French Republic speaks this evening at 20h (8 p.m.) French time. President Emmanuel Macron will probably announce the end of the confinement for June 22 in restaurants. Changes to the reception protocol in schools should also be formalized. And the beat goes on………

” No justice, no peace “. Knee to the ground, fist raised, this is what the protesters chanted in unison Place de la République this past Saturday. Thousands of people gathered again in Paris against police violence and racism at the call of the Adama Traoré committee. Right-wing activists of Generation Identity tried to disrupt the march by hanging a banner with the inscriptions: “Justice for the victims of anti-white racism”. Local residents hastened to tear it to the applause of the crowd. Adama Traoré has been portrayed as the French George Floyd of the USA. Life is the same and we go on……

And now for the lighter side of things in my belle France.

The new attraction of Futuroscope, which reopened this Saturday, the public is also setting out to conquer space. The objective of these roller coasters, the first for the park: to reach the planet Mars. In the waiting area of ​​”Objectif Mars”, you would think you were transported to a NASA training center: white sanitized walls and yellow lines on the ground, equipment of astronauts, robot voices and sounds of rockets adorned for takeoff. We were there several years back and looks similar to EPCOT in Orlando Fl.

With more than 1.6 million visitors last year, the Arc de Triomphe remains one of the star monuments of Paris. The Pantheon, with its 875,000 entrances, is not far away. This coming Monday, after three months of closure, like the Château de Vincennes, they will once again welcome the public. We will even have to wait on the 17th for the reopening of the Chapelle Expiatoire chapel, on the 21st to find the Basilica of Saint-Denis and on the 23rd for the Sainte-Chapelle which has benefited from dust removal works. Especially since the expected returns from July 2019 with the planned opening of the Hôtel de la Marine, whose construction did not resume until April 27, 2020 fall into the wate due to the virus. Its inauguration will have to wait until the beginning, or even mid-2021.

Open on Saturday March 14 and promptly closed on March 17 due to the virus, the Jardin des Arts, Albert Schweitzer or garden of the Arts 4éme arrondissement has been accessible for a few days. Bringing together these three plots along the Seine to make it a green space of 5,000 m2, in the quadrilateral formed by the streets of rue Nonnains rue d’Hyères, rue de Jouy, rue Geoffroy l’Asnier and rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, was not a sinecure. Dominated by the silhouette of the Hôtel d’Aumont which appears in the overhanging background, looks great, that of a French garden with its paths winding between lawns and flower beds  see it very central, the Jardin des arts – Albert Schweitzer,  18, rue de l’Hotel-de-Ville – 4éme. Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

The museums managed by the Hauts-de-Seine (92)  departmental council will reopen their doors, as planned, this Tuesday, June 16.  The jardin du musée départemental Albert-Kahn,in Boulogne-Billancourt, the Maison de Chateaubriand, in Châtenay-Malabry, and the Musée du Domaine Départemental de Sceaux will offer “an exceptional program” for the occasion, with new and free tours and entertainment until mid-July. The Albert-Kahn museum, under renovation, remains closed for work. Visitors will however be able to stroll through the superb stage garden of Boulogne-Billancourt.

This past Saturday noon (yesterday) , picnics were well done here and there, in the green grass in front of the Château de Champs-sur-Marne. But it was on the lawn bordered by rue Paul-Bert and avenue Victor-Hugo, outside the grounds of the estate. Indeed, since Wednesday and its reopening after almost three months of closure, the Château de Champs-sur-Marne allows its visitors to have a snack in a few dedicated places inside the 85 ha park, during opening hours of it  or 10h to 18h. These are the two large meadows located between the fountains and the Orangery.

Since this past Saturday morning, the site that houses the Musée vivant du cheval or living horse museum in Chantilly, has been welcoming visitors again, only on weekends for now, after more than three months of closure.  They were lucky to be able to take the horses out in the grounds of the Château de Chantilly. The return of the equestrian shows will be for later.

The Jardin d’Acclimatation were back open since  May 30, the leisure park adored by Parisian families … for free! An attractive offer, which you can take advantage of until June 22; beware of the disappointment, because the amusement park rides will remain closed until this date.

For the 9th edition of “La Nuit aux Invalides”, Paris returns to the heart of its own history. Lutèce traces 3000 years of the history of the city of Paris, to the rhythm of the sounds and lights projected in the courtyard of the Invalides. An exceptional show for a superb evening, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until August 30. History to spend beautiful summer evenings in Paris! 129, rue de Grenelle  7éme. Wonderful beautiful event if in Paris go see it. More here in French: A night in the Invalides spectacle

Go a bit further from Paris, take real air of the countryside only 1 hour from Paris, there is a veritable eden of greenery at the water’s edge … a little corner of paradise where stress and routine disappear for a weekend. This green Eden is called Montigny-sur-Loing, nestled right next to the forest of Fontainebleau. Swimming in the tranquil river, swans, canoeing, waterfall, rest and extreme calm … Paris seems far, far away, and yet! Opposite, the pretty half-timbered building catches the eye of bathers, and for good reason! this is the legendary La Vanne Rouge hotel-restaurant, which is looking for a buyer ! Any takers?

Some foodie news cannot be far from me! A little over a decade ago, Grégory Marchand fell in love with this small cobbled street where all the iron curtains were down.  It was abandoned, but he felled good there. Fresh from New York and London, where he trained in warm Anglo-Saxon cuisine. Located just behind rue Réaumur, a major Parisian artery, rue du Nil is a stone’s throw from rue Montorgueil, already surveyed for its bars and well-stocked hardware. Yet here no one has passed. Frenchie was born in 2009. Eleven years later, with a Michelin star and international recognition, Grégory Marchand has developed his restaurants as opportunities arise, all located on rue du Nil. A wine bar, a wine shop, a “fast-good” eating places. What unites its three addresses is the desire to share good and comforting in their most sparkling form. See try it believe, French international cuisine at its best.

And for a lighter meal ,huh? ::) you have The Brooklyn Pizzeria, opened by the Little Italy team, is a true ode to the gastronomy of the Boot (Italy). Farandole of antipasti, crispy pizzas cooked in the impressive wood oven at the entrance, pasta served directly in their copper pan, here the dishes are cooked with products from Italy and the pizzas are made from 100% organic flour, which does not spoil anything. On the decor side, the address is a mix between traditional trattoria and Brooklyn coffee, Special mention for the Margherita at 4 € and the lemon tiramisu, real little slaughter served directly in the dish. The Brooklyn Pizzeria, 33, boulevard Beaumarchais 3éme, open every Saturday and Sunday from 8h to 16h. As told by Parisians friends as me not tasted yet.

And for those coming next and renting apartments/hotels etc. Make sure it follow these principals for safety given by the Union nationale pour la promotion de la location de vacances or the National Union for the promotion of vacation rentals. webpage: UNPVL

For owners who are going to rent accommodation to tourists this summer. Among the main principles, it is indicated that the household must be started so as not to have to enter a room already cleaned and disinfected and that one must always clean starting with the cleanest area and ending with the dirtiest area. The principle is also to wash the floor from the bottom of the room to the exit. If there is a floor, it is necessary to start at the top first and then continue below. Inside the accommodation, it is best to use overshoes, or leave your shoes outside the accommodation and wear gloves to clean. It is also compulsory to disinfect all contact surfaces and floors, using a virucide complying with standard EN 14476 or bleach diluted with 0.5% active chlorine, i.e. 1 liter of 2.6% bleach and four liters of cold water. Finally, to avoid spreading the virus, the vacuum cleaner must be fitted with a very high efficiency filter for air particles – Hepa filter (high efficiency for air particles) -, otherwise, it is better to use a single-use impregnated headband detergent. The mops and cloths must be disposable or washed each time at 60 ° C in the same way as household linen. If they follow these principals , you will be safe in your apartment. Hope it helps.

Hope you can enjoy your vacation wherever it might be, and especially if in France! And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!