Let's Explore
Check list to see and do Destinations Tours, Guides, Walks & Wheels Museums Sightseeing Famous Graves sightseeing destinations in Paris, around Paris, outside France, within France
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Wrapping the Arc de Triomphe
Some dreams become reality. Fabric is covering the Arc de Triomphe sixty years after Christo and Jeanne-Claude envisioned the project L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped” is entirely funded by the Estate of Christo V. Javacheff through the sale of Christo’s works of art. It receives no public funds”. In mid-August steel protective framing covered the arch. On Sunday, September 12, 25,000 square meters of fabric began its descent. By September 18, 3,000 meters of red cord will complete the package. This gift to Paris will stay wrapped until October 3. The noisy roundabout will fall silent for the three weekends between September 18 and October 3. Only those…
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Appreciating and Admiring Oceanic and Arctic Circle Art Virtually
Appreciating and Admiring Oceanic and Arctic Circle Art Virtually - Jacques Chirac. On a Thursday I visited my friend’s niece. Gisèle, at an art gallery. The gallery is a stone’s throw away from the National School of Fine Arts (École des Beaux Arts) in the Saint-Germain des Près quarter. It was the first Thursday of the month, and coincidentally a virtual live-streaming tour was about to begin. I was one of two live guests at a full exhibition tour of Oceanic and Eskimo (Arctic Circle) Art. During non-pandemic times, you can stop in at Galerie Meyer and ask questions about the exhibits . During pandemic times, virtual live-streaming and catching…
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Paris Churches and Art Galleries–New Museums?
Starving for art and culture in Paris? Churches and art galleries are filling the culture gap left by temporary museum closings in Paris....Eglise Saint-Merry as a Gallery...Walking near the Centre Georges Pompidou, I felt an urge to walk into the Eglise (church) Saint-Merry. As I entered, the interior of Saint-Merry mixes scaffolding with temporary art.
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Notre-Dame de Paris: Oaks and Stone – the Latest News
The day after the fire, President Emmanuel Macron said that Notre-Dame de Paris would be repaired by 2024. That was the easy part. Where do you find trees at least 100-years old to replace Eugène Viollet-le-Duc's spire? Where do you find the stones to replace those from 760 year ago that were damaged by water and fire? Finding trees and stone is the easy part. The race against time is the hard part. The President and the committee in charge of the reconstruction have decided to restore the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral to its 1865 renovation. The oak trees for the spire (flêche) are located west of Paris in the…
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Springtime Silence in Paris for 55 Days
It is time to turn the page on Chapter 2020. Who would have guessed that one would feel a bit nostalgic for the Paris Springtime in 2020!? All of the ups and downs and changes during the Springtime in Paris lockdown from total confinement to mostly open for summer and back to partially open; having to differentiate between what is essential (food) and non-essential (books) and back to semi-partial of partial and curfews. Aiiieee!! A Nostalgic Period? One Parisian confinement period stands out among all the rest of 2020. Between March 15 and May 11, 2020 Paris went silent.
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Blue Velvet Christmas in Paris
Three Paris monuments are wearing Blue Velvet this year. La Ville de Paris theme this year is “Paris Scintille” (Paris sparkles). Until January 3, Paris sparkles with white drops of light dripping down the façade of the Hôtel de Ville (City hall) and the Luxor Obelisk on Place de la Concorde. The Bastille Colonne de Juillet (July column) has no white drops but was my first dramatic glimpse of the blue velvet. What You Will See The Hôtel de Ville plaza is an illuminated, enchanted, fairy-tale forest with two free merry-go-rounds, including a double-decker. There are wood chalet kiosks with various treats. One kiosk is selling spiced wine, pretzels, waffles,…
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Paris: Shopping for Essentials – Who decides?
Thinking about the holiday shopping ahead? France is working through a vocabulary issue: what is considered essential shopping and what is non-essential? On the morning breakfast show, Télématin, Gabriel Atal, a government spokesperson, said it was unfortunate the government chose the legal form of the word, essential. In other words, deciding what is or is not essential is very controversial. Small businesses are hurting in November Monoprix, a mini-department store (grocery, household, parapharmacy, clothing, toiletries, etc.) was fully open during the first 55-day lockdown. This time, to be in solidarity with the small business, certain departments are cordoned off: books for example. However, magazines are sold because the magazine kiosks and…
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Paris: Marais and the Louvre Concerts Virtually
Feeling like a walk through the Marais, visiting famous Paris restaurants or listening to a concert at the Louvre while staying cozy at home with a glass of French wine? If so, then save these dates: Louvre Concerts November 10 and 12; The Jewish Marais November 18; Famous Parisian Restaurants December 3.
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Le Jardin du Luxembourg: Live or Virtual Visit
Feeling like taking a walk through a garden today? I have a recommendation. On a sunny mid-October morning, I visited the Luxembourg Gardens live and virtually while testing a guided tour application. Gary Kraut's Luxembourg Gardens tour began at the kiosk on one side of the Sénat and ended on the other side. The GPS and phone camera helped me stay on the path and Gary’s easy-to- follow instructions and his map guided me physically. Simultaneously following the tour and taking photographs, I needed that GPS, 15-second rewind and camera to get me easily back on track.
