Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well Paris is always Paris, and  I can never be tired of writing about it, even if now I am a bit away in the Morbihan of Bretagne! I was last due to the wuhan virus last Nov/Dec 2019 and drove all over as was there for a month on a job assignment just by Roissy en France (CDG airport). This is a combine post with updated text only. The Black and White series!!!!

I was there again with the wonderful Parisien feel. Not too shaby for a boy of Versailles, and now Breton lol! I have been driving in the city for several years now, and can tell you that if you learned to drive in NJ/New York City, (like me!) Paris is a piece of cake!

One of my favorites areas is Auteuil, yes the old village annexed to Paris in 1860 by Baron Haussmann grand project that we see today by orders of Napoleon III.   This is still a village life, full of close quarters; stores, bars, restaurants and the local feel of a small town inside a bigger one. Auteuil will be always be that. Then went to classy 7éme arrondissement, that is the Tour Eiffel for a spin around it. I walked Suffren up and down, went to Fédération, and then pl Joffre standing on the other side of the Ecole Militaire.  The speed and traffic lights radars are increasing so be be careful on the road too, big fines awaits you. On top of having to pay more for parking in Paris, where are we heading? Due to more restrictions for the automobile without a well design plan to avoid congestions; it’s a mess really!

Some webpages I never leave home without looking are infotraffic and zagaz: Here they are:

Infotrafic: https://www.infotrafic.com/home

Zagaz: https://zagaz.com/

The time is beginning to be cold and more rainy, as if the cold winter is just around the corner, its also the Holiday season with Halloween, then Christmas and New Year’s . And I just became romantic of all those wonderful movies we/I saw about Paris!

How about the wonderful movies about Paris! Let me start with the one just facing Ile Saint-Louis on the quai de la Tournelle, the movie with Goldie Hawn. Everybody says I love you or in French Tout le monde dit I love you. Again, it was Woody Allen who let us know more about the bouquinistes of the rive gauche or left bank in Minuit à Paris or Midnite in Paris. A  bit higher you have quai de Montebello, where we had Jeanne Moreau give us a performance in Jules et Jim, and Audrey Hepburn  walk with Cary Cooper in Charade as well as Julie Delpy in the interior of the bookstore Shakespeare and Co for the movie Before Sunset.

You have again by Notre Dame the Quasimodo de Paris, or Paris burn. you visited the interior of the  Palais de Justice, in L’Ivresse du pouvoir or the power of drunk (sp?) , and the location of Quai des Orfévres ,and then 36. At the point of the island, the square du Vert Galant, gave us the loves of  La Désenchantée ,the dischentament, and Les Amants du Pont Neuf or the lover of the pont neuf. In fact ,it was in an apartment of the île Saint-Louis that the very British mannequin found in Les Poupées russes and Actrices.

Moving to the bridges at the pont Alexandre III  you saw Angel-A , then le Baiser mortel du dragon, as well as  Pars vite et reviens tard or leave early and come back late. The pont des Arts gave us Boudu sauvé des eaux ,and Vanessa Paradis jumps into the water at the passerelle Debilly in La Fille sur le Pont or the Girl on the bridge. On the pont de Bir-Hakeim, we saw the greatest and my blog title(Paris1972) Maria Schneider and Marlon Brando in Dernier Tango à Paris or the the Last tango in Paris. We have in the pont de Grenelle , the movie Dans Paris,and Inception.

In the Quartier Latin , we have La Traversée de Paris, and on Rue Daubenton Bourvil and Louis de Funés  at the hamman of the Grande Mosquée de Paris in the Grande Vadrouille. By Place du Panthéon, we have Corniaud, and as well the Lycée Henri IV where Sophie Marceau give us Boum. Moving along to the Opéra area we have Au Bonheur des dames at the place de l’opéra and Un Long Dimanche de fiançailles.  As well the maps given to Arséne Lupin wih Romain Duris.

By the St Germain des Prés area we had , J’ai vu tuer Ben Barka or I saw killing of ben barka. The great Simone Signoret in Le Temps de l’Innocence as well as Woody Allen in What’s next pussycat. Also,  Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob. In the Grands Boulevards area we have, Chansons d’Amour, and by the blvd Bonne-Nouvelle we see the theater du Gymnase where Coluche triumphs . At the other end the pl de la République we see Romain Duris again in Le Péril  Jeune.  By the Champs elysées we have Le Roi des Champs Elysées and Remontons les Champs Elysées as well as Taxi 2, Les Chevaliers du ciel, and the Le Gendarme à New York. At the end we see Zazie dans le métro, and Seuls Two. By the  place de l’Etoile, its the Arc de Triomphe that rises in Drole de frimousse of Audrey Hepburn and the loves of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in one of my all time favorites Casablanca. You have by the Louvre in Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou in the search for Da Vinci Code. Then its on to Bande à part, and Belphégor. Under the colonnade of the Palais Royal we have Charade. On the jewels of the Place Vendome or Le Cercle rouge. The galerie dorée of the banque de France shows in Marie-Antoinette, Vatel, and Tous les matins du monde.

Of course these are just some of the many hundreds that have made Paris, the most beautiful city in the world!!!

Now for the Christmas shopping, coming up these are tops and still available:  La Librairie des enfants.Children books . 89, rue de Levis (17éme).  Francis Kurkdjian-Saint Honoré,exclusive perfums of the best . 5, rue d’Alger 2éme). Maison Sarah Lavoine.  tendance mode from the wife of French singer Marc Lavoine; 49, rue Saint-Roch (Iéme).  And to have something from my region now while in Paris see Henri Le Roux caramélier et chocolatier.  butter caramels candy salted made in Quiberon (see entry on my blog) 1, rue Bourbon-le-Château, (6éme). Sœurs. this is brand clothing for women/girls. Here you have the Violette, one of daughter of Inès de la Fressange, manequin model of the brand . 88, rue Bonaparte (6éme). And, Boutique de l’Opéra Garnier for princesses facing n°8, rue Halévy (2éme).

And some if not all Paris Christmas market and children’s playgrounds. Ready for this year! Of course verify before in case of virus constraints. Amongst the lighting the most beautiful me think are those by the Champs-Elysées, Montmartre, bd Saint Germain, rue de Richelieu , Place Vendôme ; Forum des Halles, et Tour Eiffel.

Marché Paris Champs Elysées until January 2, 170 chalets. Avenue des Champs-Elysées, 8éme. 

Village du Père Noël de Saint-Germain-des-Prés  until Jan 2nd ,25 chalets along boulevard Saint Germain. Boulevard Saint Germain, 6éme.

Village de Noël de Montparnasse Dec 5-30th ,40 chalets, at the foot of the Tour Montparnasse,and inside the shopping center. 15 éme

Marché de Noël de Notre Dame  from Dec 11-27th art and gastronomy of France. Notre Dame, Square Viviani / quai de Montebello, 4éme. More on this year special spot:  https://www.marche-de-noel-paris-notre-dame.fr/index.php?lang=fr

Marché Noël at Auteuil, Fondation d’Auteuil from Dec 14-18  with local products of food wines, and decoration items as well as concerts 40, rue Jean de La Fontaine, 16éme.

The Marché de Noêl Alsatian at the Gare de l’Est. The famous Alsatian Christmas Market will once again take over the pavement of Gare de l’Est from December 2 to 18, 2020. For a little over two weeks, producers and artisans will be on hand to show us typical Alsatian culinary treasures! What if we went there to find good products and discover new flavors thanks to the many tastings planned!

Marché de Noêl BHV . The BHV Christmas market is becoming a must-see for end-of-year walks! Authentic snow-covered wooden cabins take place all along the rue de Rivoli. Craftsmen from all over France offer the most beautiful Christmas decorations, unique gifts but also delicious treats. And inside the department store, Santa Claus sets up his studio at the BHV Marais Observatory and invites young and old children to immortalize this unique encounter. Mid-November to mid-December

Marché de Noêl in the parvis de l’Hôtel de Ville: Located in the heart of Paris, the forecourt of the Hôtel de Ville houses wooden chalets surrounded by a pine forest. Local artisans present their know-how and their products. The older ones feast on waffles and mulled wine while the younger ones take turns on the large carousel with wooden horses, climb aboard a small train and even set off… to meet Santa Claus! mid dec to early jan.

The Marché de Noêl at Champ de Mars Christmas village: With its 60 artisanal chalets, it offers a magical moment under the magical setting of the great iron lady. Many activities are offered to the youngest: tastings of specialties, board sports and a beautiful ice rink of 300 m² (skate rental 6 € / glove compulsory). December to January

 The Marché de Noêl at Montmartre- Abbesses: Perhaps less famous, the Montmartre Christmas market is certainly not the least picturesque. Fifteen small wooden chalets are spread over the streets surrounding the Butte, in a warm and festive atmosphere. Handicrafts, local products and many gift ideas are on offer. The youngest can meet Santa Claus there and even give them their letter. From late November to early January,

 The Marché de Noêl under the Canopée des Halles takes place from mid November to end. A total of 30 exhibitors await you in the Chatelet-les-Halles district to share with you the magic of the holidays in Paris.

The Marché de la Défense  until 27^th December. 350 chalets, on the parvis,for many years the biggest in the area. all kinds of items for Noel Christmas including foods and toys  Parvis de la Défense, Puteaux (92).

The Marché de Noêl à Beaubourg about 50 châlets around centre Georges Pompidou carrousel, children’s activities, and white Christmas tree showcasing French products.

Here is the city of Paris entertainment site in English on Christmas markets: https://www.sortiraparis.com/arts-culture/walks/guides/34166-christmas-markets-2020-in-paris/lang/en

Again the city of Paris on lightings during the Christmas season 2020 in English: https://www.sortiraparis.com/arts-culture/walks/guides/99607-christmas-lights-2020-in-paris/lang/en

And again, the city of Paris on window shopping during Christmas in Paris 2020 in English: https://www.sortiraparis.com/interests/shopping-fashion/guides/57271-christmas-windows-2020-in-paris/lang/en

There you go folks always a magical moment, France does it well and Paris is sublime out of this world. Hope you are planning and if circumstances cannot make it enjoy it on youtube or video delay basis, worth the time. Hope you enjoy the post as I did writing it.

And remember,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

This small museum doesn’t get much attention, but if you are into museum you should look into them. They are in great areas, easily accessible, and great history in each. In my times here, I have taken the time to walk, and see many museums, and I like to bring your attention to these gems that in my opinion should get more coverage. As in latest post, this is an article with no pictures just book black and white style. I guess is my new area of entertainment but I rather like the architecture and history stories of these marvels. Enjoy the Grévin wax museum and Paris!

The musée Grévin, or popularly the wax museum is at 10 blvd Montmartre, 9éme arrondissement reach by metro Grands Boulevards lines 8, and 9. It has been renovated and has about 300 wax figures inside,from Charles de Gaulle,Céline Dion, to Michael Jackson etc. The great Hall of mirrors created for the Universal Expo of 1900 is great, a display sequence of the history of France, and a great children’s corner. This museum is going on since 1882, its magical inside especially if with young adults.

The musée Grévin museum is a private wax museum property of Grévin & Cie, and inaugurated on June 5, 1882, a subsidiary of the Compagnie des Alpes since its privatisation and located in the 9éme arrondissement of Paris. The Grévin theater (performance hall) and the Palais des Mirages (attraction using the principle of optical illusion) are also part of the museum visit. The Hall of the Cupola and the Hall of the Columns have very beautiful decorations in the Baroque style dating from 1882.

A bit of history I like

Until the 17C, it was common after the death of a royal figure to exhibit a representation of his face in wax. From this century, this work developed and became a court art in its own right. Thus, the wax funeral mask of King Louis XIV of France by Antoine Benoist is famous. He even made the wax cabinet fashionable, by creating an exhibition presenting all of Queen Marie-Thérèse’s immediate entourage.

A century later, around 1770, the Bernois Curtius was invited to Paris by the Prince de Conti, who authorized him to present at the Palais-Royal the exhibition: “the royal family at the Grand Couvert at Versailles”. A young girl whom he considers being his niece and who is none other than Marie Tussaud helps him. During the French revolution, the latter molds the dead faces of Marat, Robespierre and the royal couple. After the death of her uncle and master, she moved in 1795 to London, where in 1835 she established the famous Madame Tussauds wax museum.

In 1881, Arthur Meyer, then director of the daily Le Gaulois, wanted his readers to be able to “put a face” on the personalities mentioned in his newspaper. At that time, photography had not yet become the norm in the press. Meyer then decides to reconnect with a principle that is more than a century old and turns to the sculptor, caricaturist and theater costume designer Alfred Grévin ; who had produced caricatures for his newspaper and asked him to create the sculptures of the personalities that make the news. On June 5, 1882, the Grévin museum opened its doors and success was immediate.

The public walks through the following themed rooms: The large marble staircase; The Palace of Mirages; Red carpet ; Grévin Theater; Magic Box; Literary café; Elysée gastronomy; History; Imaginary; Sportsmen; Music; The Voice; The dome ; Detroit; The Columns Room and the Boutique.

The official musée Grévin: https://www.grevin-paris.com/

The Paris tourist office on the Grévin museum: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71063/Grevin-Paris

So now you see my black and white version lol! This is like writing a book, and I am looking forward to that in my next life… Hope you enjoy the Grévin wax museum of Paris!

And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!

This small museum doesn’t get much attention, but if you are into museum you should look into them. They are in great areas, easily accessible, and great history in each. In my times here, I have taken the time to walk, and see many museums, and I like to bring your attention to these gems that in my opinion should get more coverage. As in latest post, this is an article with no pictures just book black and white style. I guess is my new area of entertainment but I rather like the architecture and history stories of these marvels. Enjoy the Luxembourg museum and Paris!

The musée du Luxembourg you get there on Metro St Sulpice line 4 or RER B exit/sortie jardin du luxembourg.  It was the first museum in France open to the public in 1750 and in 1818 became the first museum to contemporary arts in Europe. Today is under the administration of the national museums of the Grand Palais. 

The musée du Luxembourg museum is an art exhibition space installed in a wing built perpendicular to the orangerie of the Luxembourg Palace by 19 rue de Vaugirard, in the 6éme arrondissement of Paris. Its current vocation is to periodically present thematic and original artistic exhibitions favoring three programming axes, in connection with the history of the place: the Renaissance in Europe, Art and power, and the Palace, the Garden and the Museum.of: Luxembourg in the heart of Paris, capital of the arts.

A bit of history I like

Luxembourg was the first neighborhood or quartier of Paris to have a public painting gallery, almost fifty years before the creation of the Louvre museum. Opened on October 14, 1750, on the very site of the Marie de Medici gallery, in the east wing of the Luxembourg Palace, the Royal Painting Gallery of the Luxembourg Palace had very early attracted foreign visitors, both for its wealth than by the diversity of the collections.

It was the Count of Provence, the future king Louis XVIII, who closed the gallery in 1780: in 1760 he had started to store his archives in the Luxembourg Palace, which he received as a supplement to his appanage in 1778. The administration crown took back the paintings as well as the set of paintings by Rubens, and deposited them in the Louvre in 1790, where the creation of a large museum had long been considered ,which finally happened in 1793 as the Central Museum of Paris.

There is a decision to create a Luxembourg museum in 1801, at the request of the praetors of the Senate and at the instigation of Joseph-Marie Vien, a prominent senator and painter. It then competes with the special museum of the French School, in Versailles, which also exhibits the masterpieces of national genius: many paintings are transferred from Versailles to Luxembourg (all did it from Versailles!), which precipitates its disappearance, which occurred in 1810. The museum then began its expansion into the palace, by annexing three rooms in the west wing, following the Rubens gallery, on the rue de Vaugirard side. Until around 1820, they hosted Views of the Ports of France by Joseph Vernet, then other canvases by Rubens and Lesueur. Following the restitution of works from the seizures of the Napoleonic wars, a large part of the canvases constituting the Musée du Luxembourg were transferred to the Louvre to fill in the gaps left by these restitutions.

King, Louis XVIII, wanting that the museum which was in the room of the Peers become again important and alive, decided in 1818 that in the same place would be arranged a museum of the living French artists. On April 24, 1818 opened, in the galleries of the Luxembourg Palace, the museum of living artists, with 74 canvases by living artists and 17 old artists, which were withdrawn in 1821. There were then exhibited, among others, works by David, Gros, Girodet, Ingres and Delacroix. They therefore reflect the official taste of the time, giving pride of place to history painting, portraits and classical landscapes, according to a well-established hierarchy of genres. This is how several sculptures now exhibited in the garden entered Luxembourg, including The Greek Actor or The Dancing Faun.

The victory of the Republicans in the elections of 1879 made it possible to change the choice of works presented at the museum. It was to create a museum of contemporary arts in the Orangerie Férou, built perpendicular to the  Orangerie, in 1839 and then temporarily assigned to the museum to house the sculptures, the new wing was inaugurated on April 1, 1886. Since 1861, the Musée du Luxembourg   opened up to foreign schools and this section finally became large enough to constitute an independent museum installed at the Jeu de Paume museum in 1922 and renamed “Museum of Foreign Schools” in 1932. The Caillebotte bequest allows the impressionists to enter the Luxembourg museum in force. At the same time, the State also began to acquire works by more modern artists. .In 1909, the collection of Alfred Chauchard was offered, rich in a formidable set of paintings from the Barbizon school, including the famous Angelus de Millet. In 1911, Isaac de Camondo made a bequest comprising four of Monet’s Cathedrals of Rouen. In 1937, the Luxembourg Museum was replaced by the Palace of Modern Art Museums, located in the Palais de Tokyo built for the International Exhibition, which only partially opened in 1942, then fully in 1947. It hosted from 1976 in 1978 the Salon of Young Painting. In 1979, the museum was reopened to focus on the art of the French regions.

From 2000, the management of the museum was taken over by the Senate of France, which turned towards the presentation of more ambitious artistic exhibitions, in particular of ancient art by forging links with Italian institutions and also wishing that the exhibitions of modern art are curate by museum curators or internationally renowned art historians. In 2010, the Senate delegated the management of the museum to the Réunion des Musées Nationaux-Grand Palais with the mission of organizing exhibitions there, favoring three programming axes linked to the history of the place, such as the Renaissance in Europe, Art and power and“ the Palace, the Garden and the Museum: Luxembourg in the heart of Paris, capital of the arts.

The official musée du Luxembourg: https://museeduluxembourg.fr/fr

The Paris tourist office on the musée du Luxembourg: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71452/Musee-du-Luxembourg

The boutique of museums on the shop of the Luxembourg museum: https://www.boutiquesdemusees.fr/en/shop/museum/musee-du-luxembourg/

So now you see my black and white version lol! This is like writing a book, and I am looking forward to that in my next life… Hope you enjoy the Luxembourg museum of Paris!

And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!