On A Clear Day You Can See…The Whole of Paris (not forever)

FROM THE EIFFEL TOWER
Well, the weather held and we got to go up Mr Eiffel’s Tower. It was cold, but sunny and the air was crispy clear, so the views were great—only from the 1st and 2nd levels, unfortunately, as the 3rd level was closed for ‘works’. Many people were visiting, but the lines were [...]

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Pics from Jacquemart-André

Here are a few pics from our visit to this lovely museum in a mansion. No pics of the exhibits inside though. Enjoy.      

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Living the Dream

Yesterday it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the USA, which got me thinking about life’s accomplishments and one’s dreams. He had a dream, about civil and racial equality, and did see some of it come true, even though he was assassinated so young really.
Other than having dreams, I doubt there’s much similarity between [...]

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Frenzied Finish to Fragonard

The Musee Jacquemart-André, housed in a lavish 19th-century mansion, had a special Fragonard exhibition until January 13, 2008.
This retrospective of the quintessential 18th century French artist had around 100 paintings and drawings of society life, “both naughty and nice, from effervescent frou-frou and frolics to serene faces”.
Fragonard illustrated works by La Fontaine, for an edition [...]

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Markets (Part 3)—Bountiful Streets

Local people love their markets and patronize them faithfully, so they get to know who has exactly what, where it came from etc. The hustle and bustle is fun, to meet your neighbors and friends for a chat, to stop for a coffee afterwards, once your baskets or bags are full of fresh produce.
Three of [...]

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Markets (Part 2)—Local Flavor

Our local market in Lozere, part of Palaiseau (a SW suburb of Paris)
The weekly/twice weekly roving markets are a little different to the regular shops on a market street as they are not there every day. All the special products may be under one roof or grouped in a square (in warmer weather, but even [...]

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To Market To Market (1)

One of the things many people like best about a trip to France is a visit to a local market. Each market has its own flavor, reflecting the style of the region or the neighborhood. The markets give an authentic taste of everyday French life, as well as a snapshot of French culture.
(market at Palaiseau)
 
(fun-fair [...]

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Out From Under The Cloud (of Smoke)

Yay!! Hooray!!!

The French government has enacted a law banning smoking “dans les CHR” (cafes, hotels, restaurants), which went into effect on January 2, 2008. In 2007, another law banned smoking in other public places, such as offices, schools, government buildings, and that was largely adhered to.

Many French people of all ages smoke, especially in the [...]

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Cluny Museum Free for 6 months

 Way to Go, Paris!!

Le Musée du Moyen Age de l’abbaye Cluny (the Museum of the Middle Ages in the Cluny Abbey) in the St. Michel area (5th arrondissement) will offer free admission from January 2, 2008 to June 30, 2008. This was a very nice surprise for us when we visited last weekend.
The Cluny, plus [...]

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“Le Pain”—Proud to be Picky (about bread)

Bread is the staple in France, served at practically every meal, and whenever it’s served it must be fresh, so the bakeries, or boulangeries, are an important part of French cuisine and culture.
 
The French take their bread very seriously, especially since the period during the 70s and 80s when the boulangeries scrapped old-style methods of [...]

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