10 photos of the Cité des Fleurs
Like this:
10 photos of the Invalides
Like this:
Left or Right, make up your mind!
The French have the reputation to love debates and to have the ability to fiercely defend their convictions for hours. The heydays of French influence in the world have been marked by glorious periods such as the Century of Light and the creation of the Encyclopedia. All aspects of the daily life are rythmed by talks and passionate discussions can be sparkled at any time, be it with family, colleagues or friends. The idea is not necessarily to convince the person in front of you that you’re right and s/he is wrong, the real source of pleasure lies in the verbal confrontation itself.
It is quite easy to witness this salient trait… Even if you don’t know a single word of French, you shouldn’t have any trouble understanding the general idea. It doesn’t take any linguistic skills; the body language speaks for itself. The first option is to sit at the terrace of a café and eardrop. The second option will require some involvement on your side. While talking to Parisians, just ask this simple question: on which bank of the Seine is it better to live in, the Left Bank or the Right Bank? Each one of them has its own history and characteristics, but each Parisian has a very clear opinion about them.
The ones in favour of the Left Bank will invariably talk about Montparnasse, Saint-Germain des Prés and its tremendous artistic atmosphere, the posh tranquility of the 7th arrondissement and the many peace havens such as the Luxembourg gardens… A general belief deeply enrooted in the Parisian minds holds that once you’ve settled on the Left Bank, you will never be able to move back to the Right Bank…
Advocates of the other Bank will reply that the Paris City Hall is on the right side of the city and so are all the trendy districts like Montmartre, Bastille or the Marais.
If you run out of arguments and don’t want to be left out of the debate, some rational facts may help you add fuel to the flames:
- out of the 20 arrondissements composing Paris, 6 are on the Left Bank while 14 are on the Right Bank…
- out of the 2.3 million inhabitants, 0.7 live on the Left Bank while 1.6 live on the Right Bank
- the Eiffel Tower is on the Left Bank, while the Champs Elysees are on the Right Bank…
A trendy brand, Loft Design, recently capitalized on this Parisian pastime and launched a range of T-Shirts displaying your favorite side of the River Seine, making the confrontation more visbleat every street corner!
History itself won’t be of any help as Paris was created on the Ile de la Cité, in the middle of the River Seine, between both banks…
And if, by any chance, your interlocutors agree, just ask them then the best arrondissement to live in… The likelihood to reach a new agreement will be close to nil!
Like this:
10 photos of Beaubourg
Like this:
As most European cities, Paris is characterized by a motto, yet, very few Parisians would be able to quote it, although it is engraved almost everywhere in the city. This is not surprising however since the presence of that motto can largely go unnoticed but once you know about it, you’ll get to see it every step on a stroll through Paris, from public buildings like schools, museums, train stations to streetlights, bridges, fountains… It is even engraved on the firefighters’ helmets!
“Fluctuat Nec Mergitur”, to name it, is a latin quote that literally means “He who rises with the wave is not swallowed by it” … It became Paris’ official motto in November 1853 upon Baron Haussmann’s unilateral decision.
It refers to the fact that Paris at Roman times, or Lutetia as it was then called, was barely a fishermen village by the banks of the River Seine. The fishermen used to gather to form a corporation that controlled and ruled the trade exchanges taking place on the river. The motto is symbolized by a ship with either one or three poles floating over turbulent water. In many cases, the ship is surmounted by three towers to remind us that the history and the rise of Paris are closely entangled with the River Seine.
Most of the signs scattered all around the city are pretty ancient, often more than a century old, which explains why they may be dilapidated and thus easy to miss, but the symbol is still used today in a modernized version on more recent buildings, such as the Morris columns or even the public toilets!
You can also hear the motto in one of Georges Brassens’ most famous song, “Les copains d’abord”:
“Ses fluctuat nec mergitur
C’était pas d’la littérature
N’en déplaise aux copains de sort
Aux copains de sort »
Now that you are aware of its presence, the search for the motto may start, but stay on the look-out, details with the motto are legion! And if you want to be sure not to miss any signs, here is a non-exhaustive list of places where you can easily spot them:
- Passage du Grand Cerf (75001)
- 6, rue Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois (75001)
- Fountain of the Place Malraux (75001)
- 1, rue Louis le Grand (75002)
- Bourse du travail, 67 rue de Turbigo (75003)
- Musée Carnavalet (75004)
- Paris City Hall (75004)
- 19, rue des Boulangers (75005)
- Institut Catholique de Paris, 21, rue d’Assas (75006)
- Fountain in front of Saint-Sulpice (75006)
- Streetlamps of the Alexandre III Bridge (75007)
- Main gate of the Petit Palais (75008)
- Top of the Saint-Lazare church (75008)
- Main gate of the Gare de l’Est (75010)
- La Motte Piquet Grenelle Metro Station (75015)
- 3, rue Doudeauville (75018)
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Like this:
Palais de Tokyo, the new place to be for Modern Art lovers!
With the Museum of Modern Art, the recent reopening of the Palais de Tokyo on April 20th and the soon-to-come re-opening of the Galiera Fashion Museum expected in 2013, the posh 16th district, and especially the Avenue du President Wilson, is progressively turning into a hotspot for fashionistas and modern art buffs.
One of the major events of the cultural scene in 2012 is the massive and ambitious renovation of the Palais de Tokyo, that should raise it to the pinnacle of modern art and make it an unequalled cultural venue in Paris. The opening last week was preceded by a 30 hour-pre-opening that attracted more than 35.000 visitors who were impatient to discover the new design of the place.
The Palais de Tokyo was built between 1934 and 1937, with a massive architecture very similar to that of the neighboring Trocadero. The place was turned into a Modern Art Museum in 2002. For its tenth anniversary, the museum has undergone a major face-lift with the surface dedicated to exhibitions multiplied by 3, going from 8.000 square meters to 22.000. The Museum now displays temporary exhibitions on three floors. On show are pieces of arts from various artists more or less famous. The objective of the place is to be a stepping-stone for new forms of art, be it painting, sculpture, music, dance or live performances. This perpetual sense of innovation often makes the Palais de Tokyo and the artists on display hit the headlines of the cultural magazines.
The Palais de Tokyo is more than a mere museum. It houses a large bookstore with many books that can’t be found anywhere else , as well as a trendy restaurant, the Tokyo Eat, famous for its original restrooms… In 2010, the museum launched for a few months a restaurant on its roof which served gastronomic food and offered a breathtaking view on the nearby Eiffel Tower.
Palais de Tokyo
13, avenue du Président Wilson,
75 116 Paris
+33 1 81 97 35 88
The entrance ticket costs 8€ (free entrance the first Monday of every month from 6pm to 12am)
Open Monday and Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm to 12am
Closed on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th
The Tokyo Eat restaurant is open on Monday and Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm to 1am
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Like this:
10 photos of the Petit Palais
Like this:
It is hard to imagine that within a short distance of the busy Champs Elysees lays a real peace haven where gourmets can enjoy a break that is both gastronomic and peaceful. Nested in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne, the Pre-Catelan restaurant is housed in the sumptuous Napoleon III pavilion which offers a most pleasant terrace and garden.
Chef Frédéric Anton is in charge of the restaurant. He was trained by one of the most iconic French Chefs, Joël Robuchon. His cooking has a reputation for being extremely sophisticated yet simple, offering an amazing moment to all food lovers, whatever their expertise in this area may be. He likes to cook simple and basic produces and makes the most out of them by delicately enhancing their flavors.
Anton became the chef of the Pre-Catelan in 1997 and earned his third Michelin Star ten years later, in 2007. He also won the coveted title of “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best Craftsman) in 2000.
Some of his specialties include:
- Sea Urchins
- Lobster from Brittany served with seaweed stuffing
- Bone Marrow
- Langoustines cooked with paprika and caviar
Le Pré-Catelan
Route de Suresnes
75016 Paris
+33 1 44 14 41 14
Closed on Mondays and Sunday evening
Tasting menu at 190€
Photo from the Relais & Châteaux Website
Like this:
10 photos of the Grand Palais
Like this:
L’Astrance, harmony at its climax!
When you walk by #4 of the rue Beethoven, you may at first be surprised by the lack of ostentatious signs of luxury: no valet service or groom to welcome you. Don’t get put off by this sober mise-en-scene however, you would miss a great culinary experience! Behind the modest entrance door, a contemporary setting awaits you and puts you in the condition of enjoying a memorable gastronomic treat.
Since the opening of the restaurant in 2000, Chef Pascal Barbot has always focused on putting all his energy in preparing the best cuisine. He first started his education in London before coming back to France. Since then, he’s had one of the most prestigious mentors a cook could ever dream of: Alain Passard, the three-star Chef of the Arpege. Barbot joined the elitist club of Chefs distinguished with 3 Michelin stars in 2007.
He is famous for his exceptional use of condiments, spices and seasonings. His great sense of harmony makes him one of the few chefs who combine more than five ingredients in a single dish, without taking off the overall impression of balance and lightness. His culinary work is perfectly complemented by the expertise of Alexandre Jean, the sommelier who makes sure that each wine served precisely matches and sublimates the dishes.
Reservations are mandatory to get a table. The restaurant is usually fully booked one month in advance, and sometimes even more!
L’Astrance
4, rue Beethoven
75016 Paris
+33 1 40 50 84 40
Menu between 70 and 290€ (drinks not included)
Photo from the Paris Best Restaurants website
