Saturday, January 24, 2009
Les Cartes Postales: Le Trocadéro
Below the building a large aquarium was built to contain fish of French rivers. It was renovated in 1937 but closed again for renovation from 1985 until May 2006. The space between the palais and the Seine is set with gardens, designed by Jean-Charles Alphand, and an array of fountains.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Free Admission to Paris Museums
If you were looking for an excuse to head to the local Paris museums for a day out, come April, you won't have any better one.
Beginning April 4, visitors under 25 years of age, as well as professors, will be admitted into the French national museums and monuments for free. This includes Paris' Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. The normal admission fee for adults at the Louvre, for example, is around €9, or $12. So, if you qualify, take advantage and brush up on your French culture!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Stroll a Parisian Flower Market
Did you know that in medieval times, cathedrals were completely painted with bright colors, both inside and out? None of this painting remains except on the inside of Sainte-Chapelle, another fantastic church known for its stained glass windows. You’ll find it hidden within the walls of the Palais de Justice.
On your way back to Le Marais from Ile de la Cité, be sure to stop at the incredible flower market. There are nearly 50 stalls offering thousands of potted flowers. From
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Marvel at Notre Dame
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Tour Hotel de Sens
Continue across the bridge and you’ll be on Ile Saint Louis, an island that is a favorite among Americans. This is the real
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Walk Village Saint Paul
Just to the west of Village Saint Paul, you’ll notice a long medieval wall with towers. This is the only section left of the Philippe Auguste fortifications. Dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries,
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Visit 63 rue de Monceau
Wouldn't you love to tour one of the many beautiful Parisian mansions dotted throughout the city? Since most have been divided into apartments or are not open to the public, ce n'est pas possible.
But, there is one- the Musée Nissim de Camondo, a spectacular private hotel at 63, rue de Monceau.
The entire collection is stunning. All of the French XVII century objects are woven in history—tables and vases from Marie Antoinette, and carpets from
A Stroll Through the 9th
A jewel of the 9th district, the Parisian home of the French Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau [1826 -1898] is located at 14 rue de la Rochefoucauld, hidden away in the Nouvelle Athènes neighborhood. One could often walk by without noticing this extraordinary museum since the heavy doors appear to be always closed.
The second story is actually the painter's old workshop, built in 1895. There are broad windows and a high ceiling framing the room. The third story, connected by a remarkable spiraling staircase, leads to the second workshop of the artist.
The walls are completely covered with oversized paintings of more than two hundred biblical and mythological characters.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Empress' Retreat
On
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Friday, November 07, 2008
A Look Back at Paris's Hôtel de Ville
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
More Movies Featuring Paris
From a 1944 novel by Colette and 1951 musical comedy, this 1958 Leslie Caron film won nine Oscars, with songs by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe; set in a glorious Belle Époque Paris, with costumes right out of Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."
Breathless
The landmark 1960 French New Wave film with a too-cool Jean-Paul Belmondo and heartbreakingly young Jean Seberg running from the cops on the mean streets of
Is
A 1966 pseudo-documentary style re-creation of the liberation of
Friday, October 24, 2008
More Movies Starring Paris
Director Billy Wilder's 1957 bittersweet romantic comedy about an American playboy (Gary Cooper) and the mischievous
An American in
The 1951 classic starring Gene Kelly as a struggling American artist and Leslie Caron as a pretty young parisienne. Their "American in Paris Ballet," set to the music of George Gershwin, makes you want to go to
More Movies Starring The City of Light
Last year's animated hit about a rat named Remy who has a talent for cooking. The
Le Divorce
A 2003 movie based on a sly comedy of manners, starring Kate Hudson, about the fundamental incompatibility of a French family and an American family. Features scenes of contemporary Paris, plus French actor Thierry Lhermitte as sexy Uncle Edgar.
Funny Face
This quirky classic starring Audrey Hepburn opposite Fred Astaire, dancing their way through 1950's Paris, from beatnik cafes in Montmartre to the couture ateliers on the Rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Starring... Paris!
If you can't afford
Amélie
Probably one of the most famous French films in recent times, this 2001 eccentric romantic comedy follows a shy young waitress looking for love, mainly around