And here I go again with some news from France. The news are coming up fast now in the deconfinement phase just announce by the government of France. The weather has been cloudy and frequent showers in my neck of the woods but now calm. We of course all done at home as usual telling you the latest tidbits of my belle France. Here we go!
Some of my favorite events coming up in France, just need to prepare this year more than ever for the avalanche as tried to rent lodging north of Bretagne all book this month!!
Heritage Days of France or Journées du Patrimoine are coming again on Sept 18 19 2021 with the theme “Heritage for All – Together, bring heritage to life” or “Patrimoine pour Tous – Ensemble, faisons vivre le patrimoine”on its 38th edition!!! It was in 1984 that the first Open Doors Day in Historic Monuments was organized by the French Ministry of Culture, on the initiative of Minister Jack Lang. At the second conference of European ministers of culture in 1985, organized by the Council of Europe in Granada (Spain) , the French minister proposed to extend the initiative to European level. Thus in 1991, the Council of Europe formalized the European Heritage Days, in which the EU is associated. Once again Minister of Culture in 1992, Jack Lang extended the event from one to two days. The list is not known officially yet but I know these will be open with special rooms to see : Elysée Palace, Matignon, Musée d’Orsay n Arc de Triomphe, Philharmonie de Paris, the Louis Vuitton Foundation or the city of Fashion and Design; as well as the . Amphitheater of the Sorbonne. The Min Culture webpage: https://journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr/
Another great event I have participated and looking forward to more is the
Music Festival or Fête de la Musique in Paris Monday June 21, 2021 to Monday June 21, 2021. For 38 years, June 21 has not only marked the beginning of summer, but also the music festival. Created in France in 1982, it has been exported to many countries where it has met with the same success. The recipe is always the same: take advantage of this shortest night of the year to flood the streets with music and leave plenty of room for the expression of amateur groups. In Paris, multiple stages are mounted everywhere, in particular in the large squares and the gardens of the capital. The most emblematic scenes are generally found in the Jardin des Tuileries, the Petit Palais, the Institut du Monde Arabe, the Louvre, the Jardin du Luxembourg, on the Place Denfert-Rochereau or along the banks of the Seine. But amateur groups of all styles are quick to invade the streets and offer surprises at every crossroads. For the occasion, public transport is setting up shuttles that run all night long at advantageous rates ,and many times free. Official webpage: https://fetedelamusique.culture.gouv.fr
The Tour de France will be back and Paris will have the arrival of the 21st and last stage Sunday July 18, 2021. Ending as usual on the most beautiful avenue in the world. After more than three weeks of trials, the runners can finally breathe and celebrate the yellow jersey. From the Concorde to the Champs-Élysées, with the Quai des Tuileries, you can applaud the runners several times on the course. Official webpage: https://www.letour.fr/fr/
Since May 7, 2021 passengers from Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been subject to a quarantine obligation, upon their arrival on French soil. Before that, only five countries, India, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and South Africa as well as Guyana were affected by these measures, which could be subject to on-site controls. isolation. Be aware or be square.
The news just came from Mr Castex our glorious Premier Minister of the LR other party. Restaurants and bars with terraces of less than ten tables will not have to apply a gauge! The tables should still be separated by a screen, leaves or plexiglass. For terraces with more than ten tables, restaurateurs must apply a gauge of 50% of its area. Roughly speaking, this means that if a terrace measures 50 m2, the restaurant owner will be able to accommodate a maximum of 25 clients.lol!!
And there is always exceptions. Only 6 countries are totally open to tourists from around the world. No quarantine or test is required on arrival in these territories Mexico (yes my family is sending picture showing off lol!) , Tanzania, Albania, North Macedonia, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic.
Let’s give you the confinement rules unless they change as our government is prone to do nowdays. I give you a detailed recap of what reopens or not, when, and how. Let’s go ! Bars and restaurants: May 19: Opening of the terraces, at 50% of their capacity, and a maximum of 6 at the table! (see new changes above). June 9: Terraces open at 100% and interior rooms open at 50%. Standing bar service is prohibited! June 30: Total reopening of bars and restaurants, but consumption while standing at the bar remains prohibited. Shops: May 19: Opening of shops, with an imposed gauge of 8 m2 per customer! . Naturally, if the store is 8 m2 or less, only one customer at a time will be accepted. June 9: No more 8m 2, the gauge goes to 4 m2 per person! . June 30: There are no more gauges in the shops. Movies, theaters, performance hall … May 19: The halls reopen at 35% of their capacity, and can accommodate a maximum of 800 people. June 9: The rooms can now accommodate 65% of their capacity, and can accommodate up to 5,000 people. For all events welcoming 1000 people or more, the health pass will be required. June 30: No more gauges, rooms can reopen at 100%, but the health pass remains in effect. Hotel restaurants: May 19: Reopening of hotel restaurant and bar terraces. June 30: Total reopening of hotel restaurants and bars. Markets: May 19: An imposed gauge of 8 m2 per person indoors and 4 m2 outdoors!!!. June 9: The gauge goes to 4 m2 outdoors and disappears indoors. June 30: Gone are the market gauges! Museums and exhibitions: May 19: Opening with a gauge of 8 m2 per visitor. June 9: The gauge increases to 4 m2. June 30: No more gauges in place for museums and exhibitions. Concerts: June 30: Resumption on June 30, with a health pass for events of more than 1000 people. Outdoor festivals: Standing June 30: authorized with a gauge of 4 m2 per person. The health pass is in effect. Seated May 19: 1000 people maximum, and the maximum capacity is set at 35%. June 9: The gauge goes to 65% and the limit is set at 5,000 people. June 30: The prefect decides on the maximum capacity. Oh well and who is going to inspects and enforce this rules, not the property owners!
The Musée de la Chasse or hunting museum is getting a makeover. After 21 months of work, this Marais institution is ready to reopen with 250 square meters of additional exhibition space. Installed in two private mansions in the Marais (Guénégaud and Mongelas) at 60-62, rue des Archives (3éme), is only waiting for the lifting of health restrictions to reopen. Restoration of the furniture and the 2,000 works on display , the collection of the François-Sommer foundation, creator and owner of the premises, counts 5,000 , repair of the 17C parquet, installation of air conditioning in the painting rooms, replacement of the windows, creation of a bookstore and a café, the terrace of which will open onto the paved courtyard. the establishment has also and above all expanded, from 750 to 1000 square meters of exhibition space. The 25% increase in the price of the entrance ticket from 8 to 10 euros. webpage: https://www.chassenature.org/en/the-museum-of-hunting-and-nature/
The Elysée (Pres Macron) made the announcement yesterday Tuesday. The new site, which will pay tribute to the victims of the last fifty years, on terrorism will be created at Mont-Valérien,(92) near the Memorial of the Combatants for France (see post).
At Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (78), the former home of Pierre and Marie Curie is on sale for 790,000 euros. The Scientists stayed there during their holidays with their daughters until Pierre Curie died in 1906 in a traffic accident on returning to Paris. Great institut for the fighting of cancer I am in! webpage: https://institut-curie.org/liste/understand-cancer
The Racecourse of Maisons-Laffitte managed by France Galop launches a seduction operation with the racing teams. The owner and manager of the Yvelines (78) training center, France Galop, hopes to attract new professionals to its facilities where significant investments have been made. Its objective is to increase the number of racehorses at Maisons-Laffitte from 500 to nearly 800.
What if the travelers don’t come back? According to the latest Mobility Futures study from the Kantar Institute, users who deserted trains, subways and buses during the pandemic will ultimately remain fewer than before the Covid-19. Well you scare them into close quarters so how can you get them back! you pay…
Travel restrictions have been lifted. We take the opportunity to visit houses that have inspired great authors like Maurice Leblanc in Etretat, Normandy for example. Beautiful Anglo-Norman half-timbered house, located in the center of Etretat, the Clos Lupin nestles its two floors in the heart of a pretty garden. Inside, a fun museum around the character, who himself guides the visitor through twelve rooms filled with his “memories”: capes and top hats, objects from the Roaring Twenties, movie posters… Reality has even joins the fiction: certain visitors keen on esotericism, convinced that Maurice Leblanc has hidden traces there allowing to find the famous treasure of the Abbé Saunière, come to look for them at Clos Lupin. Le Clos Lupin, 15, rue Guy-de-Maupassant 76790 Etretat, webpage: https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/museums-and-heritage-sites/le-clos-lupin-museum-maurice-leblanc-house/
The Bois de Vincennes will be the hottest spot for Parisians and visitors this summer. I am happy to learn that one of our favorite chalets has been transformed into a beach to the delight of our little feet. The good news of summer is called the Beach Club, and it’s a 1000 m2 beach that takes place at Chalet du Lac. 15 beds chairs, deckchairs, a fogger, a shower, an ice cream corner, a barbecue and even a cocktail bar (yes yes yes), all on 200 tons of sand spread over 1000 m2 outdoors. The beach, installed in the old Chalet car park, will be open every day from noon and will offer a catering menu with small onions: on the program, a barbecue first, but also grilled vegetables, fresh salads for the summer , good little products and even a brunch buffet on weekends. Chalet du Lac. Edge of the Bois de Vincennes, Avenue de Bel Air 12éme. More in city of Paris entertainment in French: https://www.sortiraparis.com/hotel-restaurant/bar-cafes/articles/251222-une-plage-geante-dans-le-bois-de-vincennes-le-chalet-du-lac-devoile-son-beach-cl
Some historians also hypothesize that pain au chocolat was created in the 19C Austria by the baker August Zang under the name schokoladencroissant. According to the few existing figures, more than 80% of pastries that can be bought in traditional brands are of industrial origin nowdays. Yes find out the originals after all we are in France! One does wins awards and not in Paris. This is Louis Tortochot’s pain au chocolat installed in the residential suburb of Dijon. with its puffed up puff pastry (Label rouge flour, yeast, fermented dough, fresh butter and AOP butter), this pain au chocolat fits easily on the podium of its kind. But is it’s unique XXL chocolate bar that makes the difference, the sensation of a big chocolate explosion in the mouth. Louis Tortochot also periodically offers personalized chocolate breads in edible ink. Price: 1.20€ (2.50€ for the personalized). His bakery Du Pain pour Demain webpage: https://dupainpourdemain.com/
And there you go folks , some news from France, latest. It should be an exciting summer which by the ways starts celestially on June 21th Be ready or be square, the crowds will be huge so plan plan ahead y’all! And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 