In my new life as retiree my blog is my biggest entertainement and before anything else, I like to thank everyone of my readers and followers to stay with me over the years since November 26 2010 !!! Thank you !!! I decided to trim some of my older posts in my series Some news from France and condense them as not to lose the most important parts, me think, of them, Therefore, this is my new work, the condense news of my belle France, Hope you enjoy it as I
Some news from France XXXIII April 1, 2011
There is a new sky high restaurant opening in Paris. The 7th is born led by the same boss as the nearby Terrass Hotel , it has a view of 250° sur Paris, AND a beautiful view afar of Versailles ! It opens tonite by 18h. Then will be open every day from 11H to midnite, located at 12-14, rue Joseph de Maistre (75018) . I gave this guy out to a group of expats associations in Paris and they love it. Olivier Giraud is a French one act comic,who does his stuff in English. The funny moments of life in France vs other countries, very funny and neutral indeed. He is until June 30, 2011 at the Théatre de la Main d’Or ,15 Passage de la Main-d’Or – 75011 Paris metro Ledru Rollin line 8.
Some news from France XXXIIII April 5, 2011
By June 1 2011, the statue of Louis XIV in front of the Chateau de Versailles will have two ornamental arches of steel encircling it !!! It will need almost 10 tons of steel to hold the structure weighting about 55 tons in a rocky soil around the equestrian statue, something that will make the firm in charge of it ,Greisch , that ,also did the calculation for the bridge over at Millau. The architect of this monstruosity is the French Bernar Venet. The structure in steel will have a height of 22 meters (72.6 ft) this according to the Le Figaro newspaper.
The Comédie Française known as the home of Moliére will be undergoing renovation so the acting will be move to the galeries d’Orléans at the Palais Royal;work continues until 2012. A wonderful exposition again I put it up here «Manet, inventeur du moderne», or Manet, the inventor of the modern at Musée d’Orsay, 62, rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, from April 5 to July 3 2011. First ever wonderful exposition on this wonderful painter . It was in 1863 that the grand jury of Salon refuse to present his work entitled Le Bain, This portrait by Edouard Manet that eventually became world famous under the name Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe or The Luncheon on the Grass will be examine in details with great explanations by experts on every inch of the painting.
Something closer to me, there for several years a group of folks in love with history and architecture in France and elsewhere who are trying to bring back a building long gone from the Paris scene and I am afraid for most forgotten. We have a webpage that is just beginning to be reinforce with my help and others , the front page is tuileries.fr , and it will be hugely done in the coming days and weeks. The Comité National pour la Recontruction des Tuileries is a great private effort that tries to rebuilt the Palais des Tuileries at a projected cost of 350 million Euros , and all will be from private funds/donors no taxpager money will be use. The land is already there now own by the City of Paris . We have so far about 400 members and growing fast as the webpage is enhance with all the good information. What are we trying to build, well The name Tuileries come from the middle ages where a roof tile business was there (used for the Louvre and the Tuileries) once this was gone, the gardens were done and carry the name of rooftiles or tuileries so you have the Jardin des Tuileries facing the Palais des Tuileries facing the gardens and the back the fortress now museum of the Louvre
Some news from France XXXV April 11, 2011
Another lover in the long list of Edith Piaf (dit Gassano), the champion cyclist Louis Gérardin. Between Nov 1951 and Sep 1952 many letters are now surfacing of this long distance love affairs. The letters were put for sale by Christie’s in 2009 ,and now its in a book call “Mon amour bleu , lettres inédites, d’Edith Piaf ” , préface BY Cécile Guilbert, Editor Grasset, 197p., 17€.
The best places to buy gifts and souvenirs at the Paris Museums ,a list I can concur is La Pinacothéque, 28, place de la Madeleine (8éme). There are two the boutique and the library, the boutique is entered by rue de Sèze and the library is at the angle of rue de Sèze and rue Vignon One very nice even small and a bit difficult to walk but nice is the Opera Garnier. Boutique is facing 8, rue Halévy (75002) Absolutely need to go at Chateau de Versailles, the boutique is wonderful, cant get enough, Pl d’Armes, Versailles ,upon entering to your left follow the wall of the building to your right hand side. And why not suggestion for families with kids coming over or staying in lol! its a movable feast the whole hexagone!!! how about Disneyland Paris for comparison and a treat! Jardin des Plantes, rue Cuvier, 75005. for education,and learning of our world; musée de la marine at trocadero to know the boats of the world until October 23rd Musée d’Histoire Naturelle, or natural history museum at 36, rue Geoffroy- Saint-Hilaire, 75005, story about the dinosaurs, My favorite when my kids were under 16 is the Jardin d’Acclimatation at Porte Maillot take the petit train combination ride and admission is superb, And for something adventures a bit away from Paris why not, its very nice. Un prince russe a Chantilly, the cosaques are coming with a Russian prince, at the Musée vivant du cheval, Grandes Écuries, 60631, Chantilly For the little ones you can make him/her a toy maker par excellence at the Musée du Jouet (toy museum) at 1, enclos de l’Abbaye, 78300, Poissy
Some news from France XXXVI April 15, 2011
The price of gasoline has reach an all time high in France, the SP95 on average of 1,53€ per liter or 8.36 USDollar per US gallon, and diesel or gazole at 1,37€ per liter or 7.49 USDollar per US gallon, also a record. And in my area of South Florida USA is only 3.75 USDollars for regular gas !!!
Anybody wants to follow Victor Hugo in Paris? here you have it. At 6, place des Vosges (75004), that was until 1848 the place Royale, the family of Victor Hugo lived from October 1832 to the end of June 1848. The apartment has 280 m² (3013 sq ft) ,and it is at the building known as the hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée,built in 1605. Enlarged it houses since 1903 the Musée Victor-Hugo. Juliette Drouet, the most close lover lived nearby at 14, rue Sainte-Anastase. There are 24 other place that he lived in Paris not too many still exist.
Not to be outdone, if you want Paris water at the source, drinkable and great, you can get it at these places, for plat or regular water at place Verlaine (75013), square Lamartine (75016), and place Hébert (75018). And for gaz or sparkler water you can do so at the parc de Reuilly (75012)
The Chateau de Fontainbleau will have an exposition call ” Parler à l’âme et au coeur. La peinture selon Marie Lesczynska” From June 18 to September 19, 2011, they will describe four new paintings given to the castle from 1749AD to decorated the room of the queen at Chateau de Versailles! However by end of the same year the queen decided not to keep them there so they were sent to Fontainebleau at the room of cosmetics of Marie Antoinette! All will on display with guided tours lecture if you wish ,And the first Festival of the Arts or I Festival d’Histoire de l’Art will be held at the Chateau de Fontainebleau from May 27,28,29 ,2011. The invited country of honor will be Italy with the theme folie or joy, the best of the French and foreing specialist on the Arts will be there too. there will be lectures and concerts, and the castle will have free access for all.
Some news from France XXXVII April 21, 2011
Then again one of my favorite wine events will be done at the Brongniart or Bourse in Paris from May 14-15 all day admission is 19€ or 25€ for the two days. The wines of Spain will be at the top of the list with many representations such as Campo de Borja, Enate, and Pago de los Capellanes.
Something new coming in the tourist frequentation figures for France in 2010. The use-visits to hotels in France came back well in 2010, while the camping does not slow down especially in the high range (we do this always with the family camping is great! ),this according to a survey by INSEE (the statistics survey arm of the French government). The increase in 2010 over 2009 of hotels nights was of 2,2% still not erasing the low in the crisis of 2009 but much better and still lower than on the record 2007 ,this following the study by INSEE and the DGCIS = general directory of the competitivity, industry and services. The business class visitors have increase by 4,6% over 2009 . The foreign tourists have increase 2,8% , and the French visitors to other regions then their own has increase 2%. The biggest winners are the high price deluxe hotels with 12% for those in the 4 and 5 stars rating , 3,7% for those in the 3 stars rating and a decrease in the 2 stars rating to -0,7%. The Chinese are on top with 45% of arrivals , then the South Americans with 28%, and Middle and Near East with 23%. The European are less than in 2009 by -0,2%, the UK, traditionally the most important market has decrease largely in 2010 vs 2009 by -6,7%. The other side is that the countries of Eastern and Central Europe have increase +13,2%, and for the Russians +28,3%. For the 2010 season ,the camping has increase by 0.9% to 103,8 millions nights/visitor.
Some news from France XXXVIII April 23, 2011
The airports of Paris has begun a new service for all passengers passing or coming or staying at its airports, call the la Conciergerie. All the services typically done by a concierge at a hotel will be available at the airport of Roissy CDG and Orly, in various languages such as French, English, Espanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Chinese-mandarin , and Japanese. There will be five counters to provide this service ,the two already working are at Terminal 1 at CDG and at Orly Ouest terminal. By the end of the first trimester 2011 3 others will be operational at terminals 2E and 2C at Roissy CDG and at Orly Sud terminal
The stand for cotton candy, hot dogs, churros, etc at the Jardin d’Acclimatation by the Porte Maillot in Paris is been discontinue by the new owners of the concession the firm of LVMH. The business belong to two sisters that carry the family tradition there for 42 years,and born next door. The new concession is more upscale with a branch of Angelina and Joies de Sofi an upscale restaurant. The new owners said the 13 employees will be absorbed by the new business that won in a bidding game. Of course ,another Paris tradition is gone, one that my kids grew up with;so sad. The sister have 3 months to leave the place
Some news from France XXXVIIII April 27, 2011
Dogon, at the musée de Branly, will expo 330 statues, masks and objects of daily life retracing 10 centuries of dogon art of Mali from the first contact with the Tellem until the coming of the European style in the 20C. It is there until July 24 2011 ,Until September 25 2011 the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporaine has an expo on Voodoo the belief of the western Africa still practice today in many parts of the world. bld Raspail at metro Raspail or Denfert-Rochereau lines 1 and 6
The Café A de la Maison de l’Architecture, just around the Gare de l’Est, and old hanging around place of yours truly , the cafe is on a terrace, hidden in the center of an old convent of Recollets that now houses the Maison de l’Architecture. Its peaceful around tiles and a big shaded tree planted by the franciscans monks. Another is La Divette de Montmartre, this is the most rock n roll bar in Paris. On its walls you will see posters and vinyl records in 45 and 78 rpm of old ;it is said this is the most important European collection of vinyl records; its wonderful just for the look but the food is not bad ::) 136, rue Marcadet, 75018.
Statistics on the debt of individuals in France by the Banque de France tell us that most are single household about 65% and that most are renters or 80%. Most about 95% are those that took out a loan with a bank! This is a phenomenon more and more visible here as the credit financing companies have a total campaign to make take out second cards, and store cards and small loans even for vacations that just get a very high interest rate as much as 25%!
Some news from France XL April 29, 2011
I was by Rivoli, and Louvre, Hôtel de Ville, Chatelet, Opéra Garnier areas walking today, and driving all over the Arc de Triomphe or better yet going in circles, its fun ::) Amazing I had my Dad Elio with me and he was perfect not tired at all lol!! Usually I drive him drag the poor old man. He was a Champ today. We use the parking at sags on St Germain l’Auxerrois Church area right by his clinic, the clinique du Louvre. We had our early shot at Le Nemours Cafe right before going in to the Palais Royal shops and garden (now under renovation), right past the Comedie Française. Then we had lunch at Indiana Cafe , the usual American fare . Le Nemours, 2 pl Colette,metro palais royal/Louvre line 1 . Indiana Cafe i, we literally open the second floor today !!! brand new ,and a bit dusty… it is on the old Chez Clovis at 33 rue Berger (now the whole area under renovation but open , Forum Les Halles area), the service was fantastic and the food great
And ,I just finished filing my US and French tax return for 2010. The dreaded period of paperwork and filing is over, the hit will be ok, I am prepare. Its just not fair that the USA is the only industrialised country in the world who makes its citizens continue to file income taxes even while living and citizen of another country ie France! When the French go live in the US they dont need to do so , but when Americans comes to live here, we do lol!!! Get to work, we are in the 21C Americans!!!
There you go folks, a big task but a work of love to keep the best, me think of these wonderful older posts over the years, These are what I think worth keeping of my older Some news from France series, and I thank you, Again, hope you enjoy this post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 