Dinner and Dancing in the City

If you're strolling through Paris this weekend, stop by one of the most mythical places in all of the city: La Coupole. Located at Boulevard du Montparnasse, this brasserie was created in 1927 and remained of the hottest sights in the city to see and be seen until the 1960's. People like Josephine Baker, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and many other artists and celebrities of the times used to frequent this place for a drink and dance in the basement dance hall. La Coupole has most recently been redecorated with artists' sculptures and paintings.

French Heritage Days

Every year since 1984, on the third weekend of September, the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) takes place. For those two days, many buildings that are usually closed to the public, open their doors for the world to see. About 15,000 architectural masterpieces can be visited throughout France. Some, like L’Elysée, (the home of the President of the Republic, pictured above) are more visited than others.

The house was built between 1718 and 1722 as the residence of Henri-Louis de la Tour d'Auvergne (1679-1753), the Comte d'Evreux. It was named the Élysée when the Duchess of Bourbon owned it in 1797 and since 1874, has been the official residence of all the French Presidents.

Paris by Water

For a trip through the heart of "Parisians Paris", try a romantic tour of Canal Saint-Martin, Paris' second waterway.
The canal was opened in 1825 after Napoleon ordered the artificial waterway dug to supply the city with water. However, by the 1960's, traffic had dwindled to a trickle and the canal narrowly escaped being filled in with paved over for a highway.
The tree-lined canal is an idyllic sight and a popular destination for Parisians and tourists alike who watch the barges navigate the series or locks and bridges.
And a note for French film buffs: the canal is featured in the 2001 movie Amélie, in which Amélie Poulain enjoys skipping stones at the locks of the canal.

A Grand Parisian Manse

Much like all of Paris, walking around the grounds of Hôtel de Sully is like stepping back into the past. Located in the historic Marais district, it was built by Jean Androuet du Cerceau in 1625 and purchased ten years later by Sully, the former minister of Henri IV. There are two courtyards, the first paved with cobblestones, the second a quiet grassy area and garden featuring statues representing the four elements and the seasons.
The building is currently occupied by the Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des Sites. It is also home to an extensive bookshop with items focusing on Paris.

Autumn in Paris

Summer is almost at a close and autumn leaves will soon be dropping around the city of lights. Post Impressionist painter Mentor Huebner depicts the season here in his painting Autumn in Paris, (1961). Huebner traveled throughout the world and painted some 2000 landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes. He worked at top speed to capture the perfect light, and could complete a landscape in one day.

A Softer Side of Bruni

French First Lady Carla Bruni stuns on the cover of the August issue of Vanity Fair with gorgeous pictures taken by Annie Leibovitz. Bruni reveals all, from her childhood, to previous lovers, to meeting the President of France. She dismisses rumors and speaks of her love for the President, showing an oft hidden softer side.

Musée de la Vie Romantique

When Dutch artist Ary Scheffer lived in this villa at the end of the lane, the area was home to so many artists and writers it was known as "New Athens". George Sand was a frequent guest at many of Sheffer's soirées as were many other notable names of the time. The museum contains many mementos owned by Sand and Scheffer and is located at the foot of Montmartre.

Place de la Concorde

During the revolution the government erected the guillotine in the Place de la Concorde. The first notable execution was that of King Louis XVI in 1793 along with Queen Marie Antoinette the same year.

The guillotine was most active in the summer of 1794 when more than 1,300 people were executed in the course of a month.

The Valley of Grace

Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII, vowed to erect a magnificent temple if God blessed her with a son. She got two.

The resulting Eglise du Val-de-Grâce (Church of the Valley of Grace), was erected in 1621 and home to a Benedictine monastery. It is now a military hospital and museum and is one of Paris' most stunning examples of baroque architecture.

Holiday on the Seine

A Seine-side holiday. That, in a nutshell, is what Paris Plages (Paris Beaches) is all about. Complete with sandy beaches, deckchairs, ubiquitous ice cream sellers, and concerts for French and foreign guests, the Seine’s banks become pedestrian and the beaches are spread across three spots (Louvre/Pont de Sully, Port de la Gare and Bassin de la Villette). This summer festival lasts for one month spanning July and August.

A Paris Book Recommendation

In an excerpt from her book, The Radiant City, Lauren Davis writes, "People come to Paris to work out something, to try a dream that may very well have failed at home. They believe they can either forget themselves, or find themselves... That’s the thing about Paris: you may not be changed in the way you dreamed of, but you will certainly be altered...[Paris is] a city that is both beautiful and brutal".

A Rose by any other name...

If you find yourself wandering Paris on a lazy afternoon, meander through La Promenade Plantée. The railway tracks atop the Viaduc des Arts have been replaced by a promenade planted with roses, shrubs and rosemary. It continues at ground level through the Jardin de Reuilly and the Jardin Charles Péguy on to the Bois de Vincennes in the east.

The Most Famous Cemetary in the World

Cimetière du Père-Lachaise is both beautiful and haunting depending upon when you go. Visit Paris' largest cemetery in summer for a gorgeous display of all that nature has to offer, or walk the stone path in wintertime and you'll feel transported back in time amongst imposing gothic mausoleums. Some of France's most famous residents are buried here including Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Honore de Balzac, Chopin and Marcel Proust.

First Lady Sings Sweet

Stunning model, singer, and... oh yeah, French First Lady Carla Bruni recently released her third studio album titled Comme si de rien n'était (as if nothing happened). The album features thirteen folk-inspired tracks that were penned by the First Lady herself, and a cover of the haunting You Belong to Me. The album has held strong in the number one position on the French charts since its release in July.

Classic Paris

Commissioned as an act of penance after France's defeat by the Prussians in 1870, work began on Sacre Coeur in 1877. It was finished in 1914 and only consecrated in 1919. The interior is adorned with extravagant neo-Byzantine mosaics and offers a fantastic view of Paris from the dome.