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 LI June 11, 2011
The new area of Brech is awesome beautiful and peaceful, I live in an apartment that is just at a roundabout on the main road in the village, we have about 2000 people there,then for about 1,2 km we have the main city center where the church, post office, and mayor’s office is , all total the town communities we have about 6K people. It is only 4 kms from the expressway and it takes me only 30-35 mins by car to go to work.
News from Paris, there will be a restaurant at the Opera Garnier! It will be open by June 27th headed by two stars chef Christophe Aribert. Near me only until June 13 the Antiques are king, in Versailles its the Fete du Printemps, all around its old squares such as Passage Carré, Village,and Bailiage, with over 50 antique vendors. all in the Notre Dame neighborhood near the market.
Some news from France LII June 18, 2011
I finally have internet at my new apartment, and just bought me a new samsung digital camera!!! After all the paperwork and running around of getting settled in and all connections on, while getting to work normally ,this is my first full weekend free! On my way along country roads like the D19 end up in Brech ,which is where i live ::) just to go over the mayor’s office and do my mails, and see the famous museum of St Degan, ecomusée. Continue along and found a jewel call Ste Anne d’Auray; here there is a huge basilica with many memorials including the one Pope John Paul II visited in 2008; my first pictures will be from here, it is gorgeous again. Impressive buildings; St Anne is the grandmother of Jesus,and the patron saint of the Bretons; it appear to a Breton farmer in around 1628AD and the shrine was built later in her honor. You must visit it. my area biggest town, Auray ,this is wonderful. Many buildings to visit and a great halle or market of fish ,seafood right in pl de la republique city center! Along the river you go down to St Goustan, and the place is sublime. Its a small town inside a town, along the river Loc’h with boats and quais and the remnants of an old castle with wonderful views. All alongisde the quais there are bars,restos all facing the river and medieval streets with more of them. Plus another big church and monuments;all seems medieval lost in time. Definitively a place to come back and check every nook and cranny of it.
Some news from France LIII June 25, 2011
My event last week was good at Château Thierry near Epernay/Reims; had nice lunch with wine at the office! stay at a nice BW hotel in town;then went to Versailles saw the family and next day was at the Aero Club de France (near Arc de Triomphe) in Paris hosting a cocktail reception for the Paris Air Show my US University ERAU held; great to see old friends and met new ones in a historical splendid place as is the Aero Club de France.
Some news from France LIIII July 2, 2011
A very familiar mini palace or mini palais in the Grand Palais , very grand with a now renovated terrace to die for it My event at the Aero Club de France turn out wonderful with almost 90 persons in assistance during the glorious Paris Air Show which once again beat records of attendance with over 345000 folks!! The old friends and new ones experience is always nice ::) Thanks guys. and Eagles Soar!!!!
The Grandes Eaux nocturnes at the Château de Versailles continues with great perspectives over the Grand Canal and fireworks by 22h The show by the Grand Canal is from 21h-23h, and the Bosquets and fountains from 21h05 to 22h55, and at the bassin d’Apollon from 23h to 23h20, The same at the Grandes Ecuries across the castle to your left, dressage and baroque music with a wonderful choreagraphy with the horses under Bartabas.
Festivals abound for summer in the Paris area, my favorites on past years been the Jazz festival until 31 july at parc Floral in Bois de Vincennes. Late August in the Domaine St Cloud at St Cloud dept 92 just outside Paris is the Rock ‘n Seine rock and roll music festival. Until 17 july Vivaldi is at the gardens of the Château de Versailles
Some news from France LV July 30, 2011
In the morning I went to Paris Orly to pick up my Dad Elio from his month long vacation with his sister in Miami/Key West, Florida USA. He has lots of stories and many goodies from the old home.
Musée quai de Branly, arts-expositions, the MAYAS ,from the beginning to the top, or better in French, Mayas, de l’aube au crépuscule. this is running now until October 2, tuesdays, wednesdays, and sundays from 11h to 19h, nighlty on thursdays, fridays and saturdays until 21h. 160 pieces shown coming from the Mayas civilization in Guatemala are on displays, wonderful!
Paris plages is on again, with the usual warning to us locals to avoid the city center of PARIS for driving ::) Its their 10th anniversary with many special events, and its gaining in popularity ever since, Paris Plages, until august 21th on the parvis de l’hôtel de Ville , voie Georges Pompidou , and on the bassin de la Villette
Some news from France LVI August 13, 2011
The Rotonde de Stalingrad is back , renovated and great looking. The Rotonde was done in 1788 and was the phare of the walls of the store Fermiers Genereaux . It was here that the offices of the rights of passage of merchandise entering Paris was found. When these righes or taxes were eliminated in 1791, the building was abandoned, then serve as headquarters of the municipal garde from 1830 to 1865,then house of salt from 1865 to 1921. The Rotonde was saved from the demolition of Baron Hausmann while extending the limits of Paris in 1860 (see my entries on villages and arrondissement of Paris),and was reborn after the fire of the communes in 1871. Finally escape the tracing of the metro line 2 from 1900 to 1903. It house from 1960 the commission du Vieux Paris (commission of old Paris) that stayed until 2004. In 2009, the project of renovation took place that ended just this week!!!!! The Rotonde now has a circular brasserie with traditional French dishes, it has a big terrace!
The Louvre goes to Lens there by 2012!!! Just coming out of the Gare de Lens train station you see the happening, all over is getting ready for the grand opening seven years after its annoucement and I spread the word too in many travel forums . For its international part the Architects are from Japan; with glass and metal in squares with a gallery of time looking into a gallery of glass. We know here that one of its beauties will be the painting by the great Eugène Delacroix, will have its opening there at the gallery of glass or “galerie du temps”. Some others promise there will be a Botticelli, a Watteau, one Boilly, a Léonard de Vinci, a Poussin:and many others. All total will have about 900 works of arts, 250 in the gallery, 70 for the pavillon de verre (glass house), and 200 for the expositions, will be there for one to three years. The visit to the gallery will be free for the first year.
About 80 works of arts from the palace will be on display at Arras in the north of France, and only half an hour from the louvre at Lens .The agreement between the Musée des beaux-arts d’Arras (fine arts museum of Arras) and the Château de Versailles. It will lends some of its beauties to Arras for the next 10 years . The collections that will be seen with the expositions of long term showing (18-24 months) will be house in a wing at the abbey of Saint-Vaast.
Some news from France LVII August 31, 2011
Something new, Aéroports de Paris is given a new service for passengers n the restaurants of the terminals 1 and 2A at Roissy CDG. Using a small USB key which will be given free of charge, the clients could recharge their mobile phones while eating. The concept is from Powerkiss ,and it works by electromagnetic induction.
Some news from France LVIII September 13, 2011
My company convention was big huge, we had a great hotel at Dolce Chantilly, and went into Paris at Eurosite ave George V, in between we had a special show at the musée vivant du cheval at Chantilly and a boat ride aboard Dauphine in the Seine river at night with lovely views of Paris. ahh oui Paris eternelle, we will always have Paris indeed.
Some news from France LVIIII September 24, 2011
There is a nice expo at the Parvis de Notre Dame in Paris where the museum part will show a presentation in 10 stone design of the latest finding there, showing more clearly the evolution of Paris since Lutéce times. info as follows ; location 7 parvis Notre-Dame, Pl Jean-Paul II, 75004,
I have seen it as friends of the castle, and partake in many heritage events in France, this one is a jewel, the story of the Library of Versailles from 1761-2011 (250 years of history), located at the building of the Hôtel des affaires étrangères (old foreign affairs building, where Benjamin Franklin came to sign pact of cooperation and help of his young nation) . It will last until December 3 2011
Do you know you can rent a room at the Château de Versailles? yes indeed, done all the time, a lot more than visitors come here ::) The ones are La Gallerie des Batailles , at the wing of centre or aile du Midi, created by king Louis-Philippe in 1837. There are 35 painted frames on the walls that trace the most significant periods in French military history from Tolbiac (496 AD) to Wagram (1809 AD). My favorite place. Others are Salle de Croisades in the north wing, Gallerie des Cotelle, looking toward the bosquets and garden,the Orangerie, Chapelle royale or royal chapel, and the royal opera.
Some news from France LX January 27, 2012
The New Year Chinese is celebrated in Paris,the international city of France; the festivities will be tom Saturday,in the Marais, from 14h30,and it will have a parade departing from place de l’Hôtel de ville ( Paris 4éme),with the mayor of Paris,and the Ambassador of China in France . The parade will cross the 4éme and 3éme arrondissements by streets such as rue du Temple, rue de Bretagne, rue de Turbigo, and rue Beaubourg . There will be festivities by the métro Belleville from 11h30, by the same metro at 15h, shows of dance and martial arts will be presented. And a mayor parade in the 13éme arrondissement , starting at 13h passing by 44, avenue d’Ivry ,avenue de Choisy, place d’Italie, avenue d’Italie, rue de Tolbiac,and the boulevard Massén.
Some News from France LXI February 8, 2012
Some unique museums that you need to visit, while in town, apart from the popular ones are Musée de la chase et de la nature or museum of hunting and nature in the wonderful hotel de Guénégaud, the Musée Picasso, vastly in renovation on the wonderful hôtel Salé ,the renovation will take to reopen by june 2013, and the wonderful project of the Maison de l’histoire de France that will be in the rectangle of the Archives Nationales, hôtels de Soubise and de Rohan). If the project is maintained it will open by 2014 or 2015. In this area of Paris 3éme you can try the first creperie in Paris, Breizh Café 109, rue Vieille-du-Temple. and the wonderful Café des Musées 49, rue de Turenne.
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 !!!