Paris1972-Versailles2003

It’s time again to tell you my latest rants about some news from France. An eventful post in my blog that I have enjoyed together with you for the last 12 years now!! And for those non Roman CCCLVIII is 358 , another dandy round of news of my belle France , of course, chosen by me; there are many others. We are marching on to Summer rather quickly ,and then stop here with temps in 70’s F , and eating out in our veranda porch continues , grand! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The favorite village of the French in 2022 is… Bergheim. Located in the north of Haut-Rhin, in Alsace. Starting with its architectural heritage, with its 14C ramparts and its very well preserved gate towers through which one enters the town. Also remarkable are its ramparts which project walkers back to medieval times, with the grassy ditches at their feet in which sheep are in the midst of eco-grazing. A stop is also a must in front of Renaissance houses, classified as historical monuments. Quintin, Côtes-d’Armor, dept 22 in Brittany finished third. webpage: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/grand-est/alsace/le-village-prefere-des-francais-2022-est-bergheim-en-alsace-c-est-le-quatrieme-fois-qu-un-village-d-alsace-est-prime-2572708.html

On the occasion of the 39th European Heritage Days, the Favorite Monument of the French returns to France 3 TV! This year, you voted for the 14 monuments in the running for the grand finale from a selection of 42 places from the exceptional cultural, historical and architectural heritage of France. I chose the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte for my vote, You can vote here : https://www.francetelevisions.fr/et-vous/participer-a-une-emission/le-monument-prefere-des-francais-2915

The Tour de France 2022 is the 109th edition of the cycling Tour de France. The big start takes place on July 1, 2022 in Copenhagen and the finish will be judged on July 24 in Paris, on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. It is 3,350.1 km long and divided into twenty-one stages: six flat, seven hilly, six mountain and two individual time trials. Besides France, Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland are the foreign countries visited. It covers four massifs: the Vosges, the Alps, the Massif Central and the Pyrenees to finish. In France, eight regions and twenty-nine departments are crossed! The official Tour de France :https://www.letour.fr/en/

The stages are :
1st leg Fri. July 1 Copenhagen (DEN) – Copenhagen (DEN), Individual time trial, 13.2 km
2nd stage Sat. July 2 Roskilde (DEN) – Nyborg (DEN) plain stage, 202.5 km
3rd stage Sun. July 3 Vejle (DEN) – Sønderborg (DEN) plain stage 182 km
Mon. July 4 Transfer day
4th stage Tue. July 5 Dunkirk – Calais hilly stage, 171.5 km
5th stage Wed. July 6 Lille Métropole – Arenberg – Porte du Hainaut, hilly stage, 157 km
6th stage Thu July 7 Binche (BEL) – Longwy, hilly stage, 219.9 km
7th stage Fri. July 8 Tomblaine – La Super Planche des Belles Filles, mountain stage, 176.3 km
8th stage Sat. July 9 Dole – Lausanne (SUI) hilly stage, 186.3 km
9th stage Sun. July 10 Aigle (SUI) – Châtel – Les Portes du Soleil mountain stage, 192.9 km
Mon. July 11 Morzine – The Portes du Soleil ; Day off #1
10th stage Tue. July 12 Morzine – Les Portes du Soleil – Megève, hilly stage, 148.1 km
11th stage Wed. July 13 Albertville – Col du Granon – Serre Chevalier, mountain stage, 151.7 km
12th stage Thu July 14 Briançon – Alpe d’Huez, mountain stage, 165.1 km
13th stage Fri. July 15 Le Bourg-d’Oisans – Saint-Étienne, plain stage, 192.6 km
14th stage Sat. July 16 Saint-Étienne – Mende, hilly stage, 192.5 km
15th stage Sun. July 17 Rodez – Carcassonne, plain stage, 202.5 km
Mon July 18 Carcassonne Day off #2
16th stage Tue. July 19 Carcassonne – Foix, hilly stage, 178.5 km
17th stage Wed. July 20 Saint-Gaudens – Peyragudes, mountain stage, 129.7 km
18th stage Thu July 21 Lourdes – Hautacam, mountain stage ; 143.2 km
19th stage Fri. July 22 Castelnau-Magnoac – Cahors, plain stage, 188.3 km
20th stage Sat. July 23 Lacapelle-Marival – Rocamadour, Individual time trial, 40.7 km
21st stage Sun. July 24 Paris La Défense Arena – Paris – Champs-Élysées, plain stage, 115.6 km

After two years of Covid, Paris-Plages returns for “an edition without hindrances”From Saturday July 9 and until Sunday August 21, the traditional Paris-Plages returns to its two main sites, the Parc Rives de Seine and the quays of the Bassin de la Villette, as well as in various places. webpage : https://www.paris.fr/pages/paris-plages-de-retour-en-juillet-21277

The Meudon airship hangar is ready to take off again. Abandoned for 40 years, the last monument of the Universal Exhibition and first airship factory will reopen in the fall, transformed into a cultural space. Hangar Y, built in 1878 in Meudon in the Hauts-de-Seine 92 , then abandoned for 40 years, will reopen in October, City of Meudon: https://www.meudon.fr/hangar-y/

On the occasion of the retrospective dedicated by the Museum of Fine Arts to the artist born in Bordeaux (Gironde 33) in 1822, the metropolitan archives are offering an exhibition, “Rosa Bonheur, hors-cadre”, to discover her differently. first female artist to be awarded the Legion of Honor in 1865, then the first to be elevated to the rank of Knight in 1894. Rosa Bonheur, hors-cadre“, archives of the metropolis of Bordeaux, until Sunday September 18, 2022, from Monday to Friday, 9h30 to 17h, free entry. Webpage: https://www.musba-bordeaux.fr/fr/article/rosa-bonheur-a-bordeaux

On the A 13, the “site of the century” is soon coming to an end at Mantes-la-Jolie (78 Yvelines). Started six years ago, the work related to the construction of a new viaduct and the repair of the bands rolling are slowly coming to an end. In eighteen months, the highway will be returned to motorists. The Paris-Normandy Motorway Company (SAPN) has just confirmed that the schedule of pharaonic works at Mantes-la-Jolie will be maintained, barring disaster. Webpage: https://www.sanef.com/fr/autoroute-a13-autoroute-de-Normandie-Paris-Rouen-Caen

On the occasion of Cabaret Sauvage’s 25th anniversary, enjoy a whole month of music from July 1 to August 6, 2022. It was inaugurated in 1997, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. For the 25th anniversary, 25 performances will take place with many artists. Parc de la Villette – 19éme. webpage: https://www.cabaretsauvage.com/

Open-air cinema at La Villette Open-air cinema, Prairie du Triangle, From July 20 to August 21, 2022, opening from 20h to 23h. With reservation webpage: https://lavillette.com/programmation/cinema-en-plein-air-2022_e1550

Until August 14, the Playing Card Museum retraces the construction of the frieze La Vie imagined by Victor Prouvé to adorn the main staircase of the City/Town Hall of Issy-les-Moulineaux (92). Victor Prouvé is a total artist. In the Art Nouveau movement, we know him book bindings, casket, vase designs for Émile Gallé, soliflores in bronze, glass or even biscuit, fashion design sculptures and of course paintings. Victor Prouvé endeavors to represent each detail in size real in pastels, watercolors or charcoals. Along the way, we progress with the artist in the conception of this prestigious commission, intended to depict an ideal Republic. Webpage: https://www.museecarteajouer.com/victor-prouve-le-maitre-de-lart-nouveau-a-issy/

Pyrotechnic show, baroque dances and electro sounds return to punctuate the summer at the Palace of Versailles even in its impressive gardens designed under the reign of Louis XIV. This year, in addition to the legendary Fountains Night Show, numerous festivities for all ages, including the majestic Royal Serenade, punctuate the days and evenings in Versailles. A great way to (re)discover the royal domain. Every Saturday evening and until September,2022 happy visitors can stroll around the grounds of the Sun King and his court, and attend an intense program where firework shows, baroque dances and electro rhythms mingle. Accompanied by Groupe F pyrotechnicians and other elegant partners such as the Éventail dance company and the musicians of the Folies Françoises ensemble during the Royal Serenade evenings which precede the colorful projections and fireworks of the Nocturnal Musical Fountains Show . Two and a half hours of strolling await visitors who enter the royal domain to the sound of 17C music. From the recently restored Latona fountain, to the Mirror basin, passing by the captivating Water Theater or the grove of the Baths of Apollo, the traveling show hypnotizes young and old alike and rises to the top of the unmissable outings in summer families. Without forgetting, this year, two exceptional evenings which spice up the Versailles program: the Nocturnes de feu on Monday August 15 and the Electro Nocturnes on Saturday September 24. Les Grandes Eaux Nocturnes, until September 17 from 20h30 to 23h05 in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles (Yvelines 78). webpage: https://en.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr/

The Fnaim (National Federation of Real Estate Agents) of Greater Paris has just unveiled an observatory on the real estate attractiveness of almost 300 cities of Greater Paris. Each district of Paris is considered as a city in its own right. This is a completely new observatory since 11 additional criteria have been taken into account and are based on objective and non-qualitative data which are issued by official sources such as INSEE or city/town hall statistics. Several criteria : the price of housing, its quality (rate of central heating equipment, age and surface area of ​​housing, etc.), security (physical violence, damage to property, crime, etc.), health (number of general practitioners for 100 inhabitants, number of hospital beds per km² …), education (nurseries, colleges, high schools), public transport (metro, RER, bus, travel time home / job …), environment (surface of green spaces per inhabitant, evolution of car use…), trade (number of shops every 100 meters…), employment (unemployment rate…), culture (museums, theatres, stadiums, gymnasiums…), income and finally local taxation (housing and property taxes). See photo of course, Versailles is on the list top 20 !! I knew that lol ! Notice only two districts of Paris on the list.

On the Île des Impressionnistes, in Chatou, the Maison Fournaise restaurant is finally at ease. In short, neu-neu big caliber! Following the pretty ripolinage of the places and history of making people forget all these bouibouis years, we sincerely understand why the team at the recovery insists so much on announcing, in the spring of 2022, the house as “new” … An institution in Chatou! webpage: https://www.maisonfournaise.com/

There you go folks, another round of my some news from France coming to you freely by the road warrior of this blog. Hope you enjoy the post and do prepare, they say the Americans are back lol!! And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

You need to know that I love the road even if in my belle France public transport is pretty good, nothing beats the road and the car, for me. I have been driving since that faithful day in 1976 I go my first driver’s licence in New Jersey USA ; and from then on it has been a thrill on the road anywhere ! Lately in Europe, I have continue driving into countries and cities where most are afraid to drive (do to publication that do not know better) , Even in the left driving in London ! And the Arc de Triomphe of Paris ! As far as central Germany, and Italy, north to the Netherlands, and south to Portugal and Spain , wide and wonderful freedom of the road or put your pedal to the metal and go !! Oh no points no accidents fyi ! And of course, this post will be on my black and white series, no pictures !

Briefly, like to inject my beloved dear places where have worked or lived in my life, also several posts on them in my blog, Places on a world globe of special meaning to me each and every single one of them;as growing up to now, These are Punta Brava, Madrid, Perth Amboy, Daytona Beach, Holly Hill, Ormond by the Sea, North Miami, Hialeah, Miramar, Verneuil sur Seine, Versailles, Brech, and Pluvigner. Not to mention those nearby ,where I have worked such as Miami, Paris, Lagos, Curitiba, Geneva, Bazainville, La Défense, Suresnes, and Vannes. I thanked them all for the good times and the good cheers.

This time we were visiting the inlaws in Seine-et-Marne  dept 77 near Disneyland and the Brie cheese country so we took off by car again. This is the story of the road trip ; well prepared with online tools and careful watch of the GPS, never a problem I said ,even avoiding heavy traffics.

We went out on the toll road route as we wanted to arrive quicker to my mother in law house in the countryside of the Marne. They are very well place around the WWI museum and the American Monument in memory of the Americans of WWI ,the brie cheese original region and the closest big city to Disneyland Paris (yes not in Paris but in dept 77 Marne-la-Vallée). All live around the big town of Meaux.

From our home in pretty small Pluvigner, we went up on the D768 to hook up with the N24 direction Rennes.  We went around the beltway or Rocade sud (south) direction Le Mans on the N136, the road name of the rocade. We hook up with the N157 direction Le Mans linking up continuously on the A81 (L’Armoricaine highway) .  Where you take your toll ticket only. North of Le Mans we hook up with the A11 passing the wonderful old world region of the Perche. The A11 is call the Océane highway. We passed wonderful Chartres ; eventually hooking up with Saint Arnoult des Yvelines in our old dept 78 and paying the toll while hooking up with the A10 also call the Aquitaine highway.

Passing Janvy, we hook up with the N104 also known as the La Francilienne, a big beltway around Paris far from it that was done to help decongestion a bit of the Capital. Nothing to it is still heavily traffic as well lol!!! This road hooks up with the A6 also known as the Autoroute du Soleil or the sunshine highway direction Fontainebleau but just for a bit as we hook up again with the N104 as one continuous road. Following signs for Paris, Metz ,Nancy etc. You end up on the A4 autoroute or autoroute de l’Est or East highway; continuing direction Metz.  You past exit or sortie 14, this is for Disneyland and continue to a toll road to get into the A140 autoroute that links up with Meaux. Arriving by 16h to our mother in law house which is in the village of Chambry on the N405 road ,also known as the route du Varreddes.

On the way back , we decided to not pay tolls as we usually do even if it takes longer; it is also, a more scenic drive.

We left Chambry early by 10h50 or 10:50am and continue on the N405 then we took in city center Meaux the N3 our old road we took when visiting my girlfriend (later wife), and going to Paris together !!! It has been a long time….We drove into the A104 La Francilienne on the northern beltway around Paris. we hook up with the N2 directioin Soissons for a while to connect again with the N104 la Francilienne around the CDG airport. This roads hooks up with the A3 direction Bobigny Centre and then quickly into the A86 passing north by Saint Denis and Asniérés sur Seine.  We took the D7 along the Seine with Paris on the other side or our left hand side.  This is my old road taken to work duties many times by Suresnes.

We continue on the D7 along the Seine passing nice Boulogne-Billancourt and the Alfred  Kahn gardens. Eventually passing on the other side of the Bois de Boulogne and the racecourse or hippodrome de Longchamps. Passing by Saint Cloud and my old wine club shopping!!! until hook up with the A13 autoroute direction Rouen or also known as the Autoroute de Normandie.  We passed by our beloved Versailles, and sadly no time to stop by this time.  We hook up here on the A12 autoroute direction Dreux. Following it up on the N12 direction Dreux.  This is a long east west national road that links up with Normandie and even Bretagne. We passed by Houdan, Dreux, Nonancourt, Verneuil sur Avre, the old region of La Perche again, and onwards to around Alençon, right thru Mayenne, around Fougéres, and hook up with the A84 autoroute or the Route des Estuaires. You go straight into the rocade of Rennes or N136 direction Lorient. At the porte de Lorient or gate to Lorient hook up with the N24 direction Lorient.  We continue until the exit sortie D768 Baud that brings us down home. Arriving by 21h or 9pm.

Bison Futé is a government site very useful for traffic information: https://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/maintenant.html

My favorite info traffic webpage: https://www.infotrafic.com/home

For weather ,on or off the road ,we check Méteo France: https://meteofrance.com/

The info on the autoroutes or expressways especially we look here for the rest stops or aires and time our km/miles with stop on the best ones as far as facilities is concern: https://www.autoroutes.fr/index.htm?lang=en

We have GPS in our car but nevertheless we look at viamichelin to compare and many times I have found the paper directions better especially over long roads, the GPS is very good in cities and around them. https://www.viamichelin.fr/

And another wonderful trip with little traffic jams except a bit around the A86 in Paris area. This is just one trip one direction of many choices ,and over the years have tried them all, We are pretty much into no tolls road but if needed for some reason we can take the toll roads for a while, In and out, you take a bit longer but save on the money, paying tolls is like paying another tax ! You can see many posts on these towns and its monuments in my blog fyi. Hope you enjoy and find useful the post.

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