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 CLXXVII December 4, 2017
Gregory Porter, the jazz great is given a free concert in the auditorium of the Paris newspaper Le Parisien today at 10 rue Grenelle at 14h30. His last CD album entitled « Nat King Cole and me », honoring the legend Nat King Cole that he uses as a idol model. He has done work with the English pop group Metronomy, and concerts in festivals like the « Rock en Seine » in Saint-Cloud (Hauts-de-Seine), and recently at the Chorus in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine).
The beautiful square place Clémenceau (8éme),with a wonderful statue of the Général de Gaulle on the side of the Petit Palais is back. Newly clean sits there for all to see, the only statue of him officially authorized by the family.
A wonderful digital project is taken place to preserve the information on the fallen in World War I, known here affectionally as the poilu or hairy. It is call « Adoptez un poilu », or adopt a hairy; going on since December 2016 on the archives of the department 78 of Yvelines. Done on the celebration honoring the Great War or WWI soldiers as they will give new meaning to them. Each participant will have a trace, a history of their efforts and all done by volunteers. Once this work done, it will be kept in perpetual memory for all those who fought from the old department name of Yvelines such as Seine-et-Oise (Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-d’Oise). They have already done 82 000 files and need 235 000 and hope to have it all done by November 2018 just in time for the big commemoration of the 100 year anniversary.
And now an anecdote for the road warriors in us::)It used to take 13 minutes to drive the expressway from west to east of Paris that was 60 KPH when it opened in 1967; it was not called yet the voie Georges Pompidou but it was very good to avoid 23 bridges and many red lights doing it going under 7 underground ways. Today, the same road going at 70 KPH will take you 57 minutes from the start of the wharfs or quai de Bercy from the Porte de Saint-Cloud! Of course, assuming there is no traffic jams or special events going on lol!!!
Trocadéro On Ice ; the most romantic at the end of the day and before going for dinner come here for a spin facing the iron lady (Tour Eiffel) an ice skating ring of 300 m2, very nice. Going on from December 21st to January 8th on every day from 11h to 21h. Go in by the Jardins du Trocadéro – 16éme. Together with a nice Christmas market The rooftop or toit de la Grande Arche going on from December 15 to January 14 ,you can come in costume too ,and a panoramic view of 360° of Paris. Skating between the towers of the Grande Arche The ice skating in the forum des Halles is another popular one. It has the biggest Christmas market at Châtelet, around the fountain or fontaine des Innocents. Grab some hot wine and on the floor, ice skating that is. It will be from December 15 to January 14 with times differences on December 15 from 14h to 19h ; December 16-17 from 11h to 19h and December 18-22 from 14h to 19h and December 23 to January 14 from 11h to 19h; entrance by 101, rue Porte Berger – 1éme The patinoire du Champ-de-Mars or ice skating under the Tour Eiffel with a nice smallish this year village de Noël or Christmas market with cabins, chalets and of course the ice skating on the Champ-de-Mars. It will be from December 21th to January 8 2018. Entrance at Champ-de-Mars / 2, allée Adrienne Lecouvreur – 7éme.
Some news from France CLXXVIII December 30, 2017
The event at Versailles is Kapla, where visitors could admire the work of the model construction of most of the grand monuments of Europe, like the tour Eiffel, Sagrada Familia, Tower of Pisa, Big Ben etc. At the Espace Richaud until Jan 14 2018
At the parvis de la Grande Halle de la Villette you will see a great rides event, this is the 2nd edition of the fun fair or Jours de Fête giving your family over 30 rides including a nice ice skating rink, carrousel etc.Location; Place de la Fontaine aux Lions, parvis de la Grande Halle de la Villette, 211 avenue Jean Jaurés, 19éme; until January 8 2018
Some places to celebrate the New Year in style if in Paris at this time: Party until dawn and free Champagne until 01H with pastries free until 05H at the Aquarium du Trocadéro, le Club 5, avenue Albert de Mun (16éme). From 21h to 05h admission 49-59€. The historical Opéra Garnier; you will be able to walk into the dance floor, heated terrace, salon lounge inside, and the square outside as well as the vaulted mezzanine with a panoramic view of the party. All nicely decorated in 800 m2 space of dancing, with DJ El Paco with the best clubbing music of the last 30 years. You know it ,this is at 8, rue Scribe (9éme). From 22h to 06H, admission 55-65€. With DJ Sebastien Kroos keeping you busy all evening together with a light show in one of the best neighborhoods in Paris at the YOYO at the height of fashion, with at the end a breakfast will be serve included in the admission price. YOYO is in the Palais de Tokyo 13, avenue du Président Wilson (16éme). From 22h to 06H ,admission 55-65€.
The Paris transports will be ready, hopefully::) Six lines of the metro (1,2,4,6,9, and 14) will be open past their usual schedule between 02h15 and 5h30. However, not all stations as an example line 4 the direct between Montparnasse and Saint-Michel and on the 9 no stops either between Nation and Oberkampf . The same will be on the RER trains and Transilien. However, on the RER A and B will work all night both ways. ON the other lines RER C and D ,lines H J L N P and T4 tramway will only work in the direction Paris tothe suburbs. On the Noctilien night buses the circulation in Paris will be restraint with some modifications especially on lines finishing at Châtelet. Also, lines N21, N122, and N145 leaving gare Montparnasse and the N22, N144 leaving gare de Lyon, and the N23 leaving gare de l’Est and the N24 leaving Saint Lazare. To link up with these stations you can use the beltway or rocade lines N01 and N02 (circular lines). Bear in mind the service will be free. Some of the further actions to secure safety will be filtering points to access the rond-point de l’Etoile as well as the avenue des Champs-Elysées. There will be about 31 checkpoints with police presence to search you upon entering these points.
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 