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.
For many years, I have and do participate in several travel forums around the globe in English, French, and Spanish. The experiences have been sublime, the sharing of ideas have been superb. In my opinion, the best advice comes from the person who has visit and then live in a place or vice versa I had friends who told me to write a book on travel to France, well that was too much flattering, and time consuming. Then ,there were others who suggested why not a blog….a blog??? what was that lol!!! I asked several friends who were into it,and one from Spain who I have great respect for what he is doing , told me to come to wordpress because it was easy to set up and use. Well as the saying goes the rest is was history.
Paris 1972 was born in November26, 2010,and it has been a thrill of a lifetime. Why the title ,well because after watching The Last Tango in Paris with Maria Schneider and Marlon Brandon I wanted to visit Paris, and I did for the first time. Its a love story that continues to this day without sight of ending it…. because Paris is a moveable feast. And then, there was Versailles in 2003 !! My arrival as citizen/resident in my belle France.
Welcome to my blog !!! November 26, 2010
Well I am finally into a blog after many years posting elsewhere. Hopefully this will allow me to share with my friends and family my travels and favorites pastimes over the years,and to hear back from folks similar stories. It will grow with us,looking forward to it. Thanks, Special thanks to my all time first likes contact/friends Kevinashton and Timothy (trip by trip) !!! And carryover contact/friend from my previous travel forums Jeannette !!
Some news about France December 9, 2010
First the trains zones in Paris will be change beginning in July 2011. Now we have 6 zones stemming from Paris proper zone 1 all the way to Mantes la Jolie on the west and Melun in the east with Disneyland in zone 5. Now the longest zone will be zone 5 ,eliminating zone 6. The idea is to have a unique tariff for all transport by the year 2012. As July is the month where tarifs prices change in France, you will need to be on the lookout for that date on new tarifs update while traveling in France.
In addition the WTO=World Tourism Organisation has come up saying that France will remain in first place for visitors in 2010. In 2009, France had 74,2 million visitors, United States 54,9 m, Spain 52,2 and China 50,9. For 2010 France will keep its first place, according to the organisations estimates with USA second and China moving up to third, Spain fourth.
Some News about France II December 16, 2010
The new announcement in Paris is that the electric car will be part of the scene soon the same as the velib bike has done. Groupe Bolloré have just won the contract to installed in Paris for the electric car and they can be rented. From now until the end of 2011 about 3000 cars will be available in Paris and 27 neighboring communities; in about 1000 stations of which 700 will be inside Paris. It will be about the same concept of the Velib bike system. This concept is already in Antibes and Nice will have it soon . The phenomenon started with the city of La Rochelle.
Latest news all over the papers, the head of king Henry IV has been found and identify. The head is in good condition, it is held at a bank vault pending the process of bury it with the rest of the body at the Basilica of Saint Denis, this is taken part by the descendant of the Bourbon line of kings, the Duke d’Anjou or Luis Alfonso de Bourbon, which if they have monarchy again will be Louis XX. Apart from other disputing the crown, from royal and imperial sides. The ceremonies will be reveal soon after negotiations with the French government on how and when to do it.
Some news about France III December 26, 2010
In Paris, the Seine is at its highest level in years….3,69meters the highest since 2006 declaring a level 3 alert for flooding on a scale of 6. The Zouave is been watch carefully all night by Paris authorities as it tells them when higher alerts are needed in case of flooding. The roads are closed for precautions according to the Le Parisien newspaper, voie Georges Pompidou and the Tuileries tunnel by the Louvre is close to traffic. However, the pleasure boats on the Seine had a huge success as folks wanting to ride a boat in freezing water was unique, does not happened often I guess Lol!!!
Some news about France IV January 1, 2011
Paris will be under video protection by 2012 and it will start in 2011 at certain areas first like the district 7, 8,16, and 18 (arrondissement) with about 250 cameras. And like every new year in France, everything goes up ,prices that is ,and of course we craint a bit more. Minimum wage is now gross 1365 € per month or 9€ brut per hour. However, we will pay one euro more for the doctor visit to 23€ (social security remburse up to 22€ so we end up paying only one euro for doctor visit). auto and home insurance will go up from 3-8% and of course dont forget to keep an eye in July for the raises on public transport ::)
Some news about France, V January 10, 2011
The luxury hotels in Paris are getting ready for a facelift due primarily from the increase in tourism and the arrival of some heavy hitters like the Shangri-là, Royal Monceau, Mandarin Oriental, Majestic Peninsula will be done by 2012. The regal grands to have some renovations done so ask for rooms and direct info if planning on staying on them are as follows: Crillon ,under new owner saudi arabian prince Mishal, they will put about 60-70 Mill € on the hotel. Plaza Athénée just purchase 3 adjacent buildings for expansion of rooms and meeting salons. George V is ongoing renovation by block of floor for 2 years and only! 20M€ for carpets, electricity, and decorations. Prince de Galles is going to close for one year from February 15 to do a complete make over trying to obtain the five stars nomination. Meurice is going to renovate its kitchens,and columns for about 2M€ while already renovated the ground floor with designer Philippe Starck. The Bristol, already 15M€ invested with new rooms, and a new restaurant. Only the Ritz stays without, waiting for a buyer to do so….stay tune. Info taken from the Le Parisien newspaper in French of today January 10 2011.The hotel Méridian Montparnasse will now be call Pullman Paris Montparnasse from now on. Manage by the French group ACCOR.
Some news about France VI January 12, 2011
Some wonderful exhibition of the boat FRANCE, from the old cruising lovers, will be on displayed at the marine museum or musée de la marine. The dates are from February 9 to October 23. The nearby musée Albert Kahn, is showing its clichés japonais from now until august, photos by Albert Dutertre, showing the soul of nature to the Japanese civilization, poetry of gardens, total 94 reproductions, 6 montages of films and an smartphone app plus a children tour of games Until January 31, At the museum (musée) Guimet you have an exposition of Mean, Beast, and the gods of the steppes. This is the first time will be shown in France, the history and heritage of the people of Kazakhstan, At Fontainebleau, the museum castle is holding an exhibition on Henri IV and the time of splendor at the castle in honor of his 4 century of his death. Until February 28 , At the musée du Petit Palais the first expo on Giuseppe de Nittis, friend of Manet,and Degas, first time done since 1886. The life of boulevards in contrast with his native Italy. Until January 16. In the musée de la Poste, an exhibition on famous women Calamity Jane ,real name Martha Canary. It will be until March 12. At the musée Baccarat back in Paris, you will have an exhibition More real than nature, until May 15, the museum was redone by designer Philippe Starck. Crystal collection signed by great names of Designing/Art, nearly 300 works will be presented from the 19C to our days. Expo from February 1 to May 31 on fabrics sewing and haut couture at the Musée Bourdelle. Inspired on the stylist of curtains antiques, sort of sculptures of artist Alix Grés, you can see 200 pieces of the collection of the museum of or musée Galliera , Go to La Geode to see until February 2nd, the Sea Rex 3D for a trip across time which is spectacular, you go thru the eras Triassic, jurasic,and Cretacea to find animals very much still unknown like the Mosasaure or Liopleurodon see it is a must while here, From February 8 to March 15 at the musée du Quai Branly, you will have expo on Christian Lecroix collection on women of the East. Dresses from Syria,Jordan, Palestine,and the Sinai Desert with magnificent dresses to showcase the women of the region,
A new bar à hors-d’oeuvres that is just dandy open recently call L’Avant-Comptoir, 9 carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006. tel +33 01 44 27 07 97. open 12h to 23h. This was an old créperie This is a relation to my previous mentioned , Le Comptoir du Relais next door and same owners,
A new museum in Meaux dept seine-et-marne 77, to open in November 2011 will do a prelim at the musee Bossuet (bishop confessor of king Louis XIV and city of Meaux), cité episcopal in city center. easy to get from Paris gare de l’Est train station, you get the musée de la Grand Guerre. and an exposition on women in the war. Until March 31st. The beginning of many expo and exhibition on the grand guerre or WWI . This is the area of the Battle of the Marne, and my wife native town, And Versailles ,again, from March 1 to June 19, the Thrones, in the Grands Appartements of the chateau come to see mythical and luxurious chairs and thrones of the world, about 50 of them from all civilisations,
Some news from France VII January 13, 2011
La Gaité Lyrique, close for a long time is due to reopen March 2 2011. Built in 1861 this theater has seen its glory days gone before now been brought back alive. It is to be a center of research ,studios, and concert halls (70-750 pers capacity), boutique, café. The place will be flexible as the walls will be the screens! The Pinacothéque will have expanded space (3000 sq meters) and new stuff by January 26 opening. It has about 60 works of arts presented to the public for the first time . Collections from the Esterhazy family on loan from the museum of Budapest, work from the Romanovs tzars of Russia coming from the Ermitage, and the L’Or des Incas or the gold from the Incas
The restaurant inside the Opéra Garnier is soon to finally see its day. As the site is a historical monument many arrangement had to be made to do so, but it seems that now by spring 2011 it will see the light .Many chefs are going for it, notably Alain Senderens , And finally what many were expecting Abercrombie & Fitch will come in the old building of the Thai airlines at 23 avenue des Champs-Elysées. Making it the principal store for the marque and its European HQ. Opening expected late April early May 2011. Levi’s will be here too by the old Planet Hollywood building at 76 avenue des Champs-Elysées. Opening for this year is uncertain as work has not begun, but its expected, so follow it up ok. Its coming to the AVENUE
Mandarin Oriental will have its first hotel in France by next summer 2011. 247 rue Saint-Honoré, close to the Ritz and Costes. Expect to pay about 800€ per night, Paris is worth it. The hotel will have 138 rooms and suites ,a pool of 15 meters long ( 49.50 ft), and two restaurants, one a gastronomic one with 45 tables by chef Thierry Marx,and a counter Asian style Le Camelia where goodies from Thaïland, China, and Japan. In addition to a Champagne bar and cake shop where the pastries can be tasted on site or take home, W Paris Opéra hotel, the chic brand from Starwood will come to the Opéra area by end of 2011. by rue Meyerbeer, 75009 .The ground floor and mezzanine will have view over the Opéra Garnier and the lobby will be like a real living room where evenings will be celebrated. The service conciergerie promise to be a « whatever, whenever », worthy of the palace hotels. The decoration will be done by Rockwell (with Diego Gronda as head of the team of designers) ambiance « show off »will be the rigour.
Some news from France VIII January 17, 2011
The north tower of the Church of St Sulpice in renovation for eleven years its now done and glowing white. The tower is from the 17C. AD. It welcomes about 900 000 tourists per year in the 6éme arrondissement of Paris. It was the site of the novel Da Vinci Code later a movie. The first stone for the church building was in 1646 by Anne of Austria. The north tower is 71 meters high ( 234 ft) with four evangelical statues each weighting 20 tons. The objects of the restoration and material use will be exhibit later on in the Musée Carnavalet from May 31 to July 4, 2011.
Some news from France IX January 20, 2011
SNCF the French rail company conglomerate has reported a 22,4% increase in revenue in 2010 even with the strikes (and they still keep raising the prices Lol!! including a 2-3% raise on TGV lines). My twins boys competed first in a beyblade tournament at the Grand Recre store 14 rue d’Alésia, near Montparnasse station with competitors from all the region of Paris Ile de France. Gathering honorable mention awards.
Some news from France X January 24, 2011
In 2010 the airline wars between Airbus and Boeing is continuing as Airbus began to pull ahead of its rival. 2010 orders were Airbus 574 and Boeing 530 while deliveries of aircraft in 2010 was Airbus 510 and Boeing 462. As it has been done lately in Fontainebleau,and Versailles; it is now Chambord to do the same. It will open a deluxe hotel that will be ready by the end of 2011. It will have about 40 rooms in two buildings. And did you know that France gastronomy is now part of UNESCO World Heritage sites as in Inmaterial section,given credit to the best culinary experience in the world !!!
Some news from France XI January 28 2011
The great cartoon event once again in Angouleme is playing out now, today, my son participated last year with his school, and some of his work are in my house ::) If you love BD, cartoon series this is the event to be every year. Some restos with the look of the IV Republique Française still in them. Retro look to the 1950’s. First,my favorite one is Chez Germaine,30, rue Pierre-Leroux, 75007. Also, L’Auberge Bressane, 16, avenue de la Motte-Picquet, 75007, and Astier, 44, rue Jean Pierre Timbaud, 75011,
Some news about France XII January 31, 2011
Hôtel de la Marine facing the place de la Concorde is in the process of finding a buyer or keep it under some kind of State/Heritage consortium and keep it open. It is a national heritage of great history and houses today the HQ of the French Navy. February 2nd is the day of the Chandeleur in France, an old Christian celebration today known as the Day of the Crêpes, the famous Breton mouthfuls.
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 