This is my latest from my belle France; And it is that 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 14+ years , And for those non Roman CCCXCV is 395 ! ,I have come back to new posts and continue the saga of this series with news of my belle France ! Of course chosen by me; there are many others. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Head to Asnières-sur-Oise to discover Royaumont Abbey, (see post) one of the most beautiful jewels of Gothic architecture in France. Voted the largest Cistercian abbey in the Île-de-France region, this particularly well-preserved abbey has shone through the centuries, bearing witness to 800 years of fascinating history. A cultural getaway about 30 km from Paris, coupled with a monthly gourmet event, with this all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch to be savored under the beautiful vaults of the abbey. Built in 1228 by the young Louis IX and his mother Blanche of Castile, this Cistercian abbey with its slender columns and polished stone is a true little gem of the Middle Ages, Discover a secret table created by chef Patrick Derisbourg. Every last Sunday of the month, the place hosts a buffet lunch in a Gothic-style vaulted room. Located at 3, Jard of the Royaumont abbey. The Abbey of Royaumont on its brunch : https://www.royaumont.com/restauration-hotellerie-abbaye/brunch/
Paris is a cultural city and it never stops making us understand this and reinventing itself to make us vibrate more and more. It is more particularly at the Picasso National Museum that things will move in the coming years. By 2030, the famous museum in the 3éme arrondissement plans to open a huge 2,300 square meter garden, thus becoming the “first open-air museum” dedicated to the legendary painter. A very large green space, certainly, but above all a place where fabulous Picasso sculptures will be exhibited, such as The Goat. Currently, works by the Spanish artist are already in public spaces in the United States, New York and even Chicago, but not yet in the French capital. This new space should therefore be “in the spirit of Picasso with an audience that will be able to interact with the works. An additional wing will be added to the current building located in the Marais, providing the public with an exhibition space of 800 square meters, double the current size. A café-restaurant, a bookstore dedicated to art works and educational spaces will complete this “Picasso 2030” project, supported by the City of Paris and the Ministry of Culture. The Musée National Picasso-Paris 5, rue de Thorigny 3éme, The official Musée National Picasso-Paris : https://www.museepicassoparis.fr/
We often tend, a little too easily, to reduce Soulages’ work to his canvases, which he himself describes as outrenoir. Huge flat areas of black paint reflect the light to bring out the color. Indeed, while the painter left behind more than 1,700 paintings on canvas, he also offered us several hundred equally astonishing paintings on paper more than 800 ! And it is these latter that the Musée du Luxembourg is showcasing starting this fall. Soulages, une autre lumière (Soulages, Another Light), Musée du Luxembourg, 19, rue de Vaugirard 6éme Up to 11 January 2026. The official Musée du Luxembourg on the event : https://museeduluxembourg.fr/en/agenda/evenement/soulages-une-autre-lumiere
He is undoubtedly one of the greatest American painters of the 19C, and undoubtedly the greatest portraitist of the period. However, this is the first time that a monographic exhibition will be devoted to John Singer Sargent in France. It was in the city that the artist developed his technique and honed his style, and even created some of his greatest masterpieces. The Musée d’Orsay is paying him a well-deserved tribute at the end of the year, bringing together more than 90 of the painter’s paintings, including some never before shown to the French public. John Singer Sargent.Éblouir Paris ( Dazzle Paris) , Musée d’Orsay, Esplanade Valéry-Giscard-d’Estaing 7éme Up to January 11, 2026. The official Musée d’Orsay on the event : https://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr/agenda/expositions/john-singer-sargent-eblouir-paris
Sleep, as we all know, is extremely important. Firstly, because we spend a third of our lives asleep, and secondly, because it is simply vital. Yet, more than that, it represents a very mysterious state, during which the mind travels to the land of dreams, which intrigues and fascinates scientists and artists alike. The Musée Marmottan Monet is now returning to the symbolism of dreams, particularly in the 19-20C. A pivotal period, during which knowledge about sleep was transformed. Through around a hundred works, the institution revisits the links that art maintains with this very particular state, touching in turn on love, eroticism, and death. L’Empire du sommeil (The Empire of Sleep) ,Musée Marmottan Monet, 2, rue Louis-Boilly 16éme, From October 6 2025 to March 1st 2026. The official Musée Marmottan Monet on the event : https://www.marmottan.fr/en/expositions/the-empire-of-sleep/
In 1925, Paris hosted the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, located between the Grand Palais and the Trocadéro. This extraordinary event reflected the spirit of a vibrant and inventive society following the Great War or WWI. It was a springboard for the Art Deco style, highlighting revolutionary figures such as Le Corbusier, Auguste Perret, Henri Sauvage, and Robert Mallet-Stevens. 100 years later, the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine invites us to relive this major cultural event through an immersive scenography exploring the then-emerging concept of modernity. Paris 1925:L’Art déco et ses architectes or Paris 1925: Art Deco and its Architects, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, 1, Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre 16éme, From October 22, 2025 to March 29, 2026, The official Cité de l’Architecture et du patrimoine on the event : https://www.citedelarchitecture.fr/en/agenda/exhibition/paris-1925-art-deco-and-its-architects
This winter, the Museum of Asian Arts -Guimet is celebrating the art of Japanese comics. Through original plates, 18C illustrated books, and painted scrolls, the exhibition explores the origins and evolution of manga. Throughout the rooms, in a dialogue with the museum’s collections, the manga reveal their influences, drawn from traditional Japanese culture as well as satirical press, early cartoons, and Western culture. The institution is also highlighting the full talent of master manga artists, for our greatest pleasure. Manga. Quite an art! Museum of Asian Arts -Guimet ,6, Place d’Iéna 16éme, From November 19, 2025 to March 9, 2026, The official Musée des arts asiatiques -Guimet on the event : https://www.guimet.fr/fr/expositions/manga-tout-un-art
The Château de la Chasse and its unique silhouette. We take you on a journey of discovery of this mysterious medieval building with its almost unreal softness, perfect for strolling, dreaming or disappearing for a moment from the modern world. This small castle, modestly perched in the Montmorency forest, bears the marks of a complex past. It was built in the Middle Ages, before undergoing transformations , notably its deliberately truncated towers and the roofs reworked in the 18C which today give it this air that is both severe and tender. Almost unfinished, it bears within it the traces of past hunts, walks in the immense estate, or even its exceptional guests: Charles V, François I, Louis Bonaparte, Rousseau or Victor Hugo. All around, the forest plays its role as a living decor. Shaded paths, carpets of leaves, fern undergrowth, moss-covered banks, and above all its 3 ponds over which the morning mist glides in a mystical atmosphere. These expanses of water, veritable giant mirrors, place the castle between heaven and earth, sometimes giving us the impression that it is floating. The Château De La Chasse, ruisseau du Petit Moulin in Saint-Prix or stream of Petit Moulin in Saint-Prix, The official village of Saint Prix on the castle : https://www.saintprix.fr/le-chateau-de-la-chasse/
The Fête des Lumières or Festival of Lights returns to Lyon from December 5 to 8, 2025. Combining light shows, popular traditions, and solidarity, the event promises a dazzling new edition that will bring together millions of visitors from around the world. In 2025, the donations collected will support Singa, an association committed to the inclusion of refugees. Present at the Biennales de l’Hospitalité and a partner of the recently opened Maison de l’Hospitalité, the organization builds lasting bonds between exiled people and host societies. Stay tune for more !
Each year, L’Étudiant examines 47 French cities hosting more than 8,000 students. The criteria analyzed? Cost of living, training options, employment, transportation, health, culture, and of course quality of life. In this major comparison, Rennes stands out, just behind Toulouse (1st), Besançon and Montpellier (tied for 2nd place), and Grenoble. Nantes is no 8.
In Bordeaux, the prize for the longest street is naturally awarded to Rue Sainte-Catherine, the famous shopping street in the city center. However, it is Rue Pasteur, located in the residential district of Caudéran, that holds the record. It stretches for approximately 2,900 meters,or almost 3 km connecting various intersections and several sectors of western Bordeaux. The street that crosses the heart of the Caudéran district runs alongside emblematic places. A stone’s throw away, Parc Bordelais spreads its 28 hectares of greenery, the lungs of the neighborhood. More discreetly, the Protestant cemetery, founded in 1827, recalls the multifaceted history of Bordeaux. Along the street, you will also come across local shops. Like many French streets, it bears the name of Louis Pasteur, a scientist renowned for his major discoveries in microbiology and vaccination.
The musical adapted from Jacques Demy’s film is a sensation at the Lido (see post). A festive and invigorating show, enhanced by the melodies of Michel Legrand and the costumes of Alexis Mabille. A favorite that brightens up this fall. “Les Demoiselles de Rochefort” at the Lido 8éme, every day (except Monday) at 20h The official Théâtre Lido on the event : https://theatredulido.com/en/upcoming-events/les-demoiselles-de-rochefort/
A stroll in Chatou,(see post) from the Impressionist Island to a Sufism museum This town in the Yvelines dept 78, the setting for many of Auguste Renoir’s paintings, is home to opulent villas and cultural institutions. It is also the starting point for a long-distance hiking trail that runs along the Seine to Giverny. Chatou, nestled on the banks of the Seine between Croissy-sur-Seine and Montesson, is now accessible by the RER A. Only 250 meters separate the Chatou-Croissy RER station from the banks of the Seine, which can be reached in less than five minutes on foot. Chatou is in fact the starting point for a circuit inaugurated in 2023, the Pays La Seine Impressionniste long-distance hiking trail,130 km long to Giverny ! (see post).
The landes de Lanvaux or moors,near my home, a wooded and peaceful refuge in my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 in my lovely Bretagne, Less frequented than the coast, this green Breton ribbon, is home to manors, parks and menhirs. It is a peaceful stroll, amidst heather and broom. They are nicknamed “the balconies of the Gulf of Morbihan”, although they only reach 175 meters: in contrast to the overcrowded coastline, it is in the heart of the Armorican Massif that the Lanvaux moors run. North of Vannes, between Camors, to the west, and Redon, to the east, they form a natural border between the gulf and inland Brittany, 5 km wide and some 70 km long. First stop: the fortress of Largoët, one of the highest keeps in France The place is ideal for indulging in a life-size escape game in the heart of the forest,
If you like Eugène Boudin, (yes!)you’ll love Honfleur (yes !!). The Impressionist painter has a museum in his name in the town in the Calvados dept 14 of Normandie, where he was born. Many other artists stayed in this “Norman Barbizon,” attracted by the changing light of the estuary. Eugène Boudin is considered one of the fathers of Impressionism because his painting celebrates the moment, fleeting sensations, the impermanence of light, but also because he encouraged Claude Monet, then a teenager, to paint with him from life. These are particularly numerous on the iconic Vieux-Bassin, a reminder that Honfleur was an important port from which many explorers set sail, such as Samuel de Champlain, founder of Quebec City in 1608. Moving away from the water and the beautiful Sainte-Catherine Church, another local landmark with its wooden structure and bell tower separated from the rest of the building, there are fewer people…On the hillside, the Eugène Boudin Museum houses around a hundred of the painter’s works. It is the third largest public collection after those of the Musée d’Orsay and the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime dept 76). During his lifetime, the artist left a substantial bequest to the institution founded by his painter friend Louis-Alexandre Dubourg. (see posts on the above).
And why not see the “La Reine Margot” or Queen Margot film revisit Patrice Chéreau’s masterful work, a convulsive opera about religious fanaticism, Starring Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, and Jean-Hugues Anglade . Re-released October 1st 2025, At the beginning of the 16C, Catherine de Medici, capable of slaughtering her own offspring, intends to put an end to the Wars of Religion. She marries her daughter, Marguerite de Valois the Catholic (Isabelle Adjani), to Henri de Navarre (Daniel Auteuil), the Protestant… Patrice Chéreau adapts Alexandre Dumas’s novel with unprecedented violence. The filmmaker recreates the savagery of St. Bartholomew’s Day, drawing inspiration from the paintings of Zurbarán, Géricault, and Goya, summoning images of the Iranian crowds after Khomeini’s burial or those of the fratricidal struggle in the former Yugoslavia, recalling “The Godfather” and “Goodfellas.” The result: a convulsive opera about religious fanaticism marked by the director’s obsession with bodies and faces, coupled with a gallery of saccharine, incestuous, and monstrous damned. It is Charles IX (Jean-Hugues Anglade), sweating, during a very slow agony, the Protestant blood he ordered to be shed, who finds the role of a lifetime here.
There you go folks, my latest round of my some news from Francecoming to you freely by the road warrior travel guy . Again, hope you enjoy this post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 