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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Where To Store Your Luggage in Paris
Do you sightsee in Paris with your luggage? Is it time-consuming to return to your hotel to pick up your luggage? Luggage storage locations are dotted all around Paris. Reserve in advance.
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Renovated Stravinsky Fountain Reopens
They are colorful, spew water and engage your curiosity. Street artist, Jeff Aerosol, looks in their direction. Saint-Merri protects them from the wind. What and where are these objects that recycle their own water? The Stravinsky Fountain or Fontaine des Automates between the Pompidou Center and the church Saint-Merri will once again be open to the public on November 7, 2023. The work of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely has been renovated for the first time in 40 years. The reddish building next to the fountain is home to an acoustic and music institute. Keep reading. The Icram will take you on a journey of stories and sound. On a…
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How Do You Eat a French Radish?
Have you ever thought about how you eat a French radish for an aperitif? You can either bite into it directly or use a French method my husband showed me. Cut the center with a knife and slip in a pat of butter. Butter in France is either doux (sweet) or salé (salted). I could have sprinkled some salt or dipped it in salt, the sweet butter catching the grains. Two other thoughts when eating a radish: Are they in season? and which wine is it paired with? In season, my tastebuds like mildly flavorable and not bitter. Some varieties are spicy. One lunch time, after asking the server for…
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Passport? Obtain an Emergency Passport
For the first time in four years, I would be visiting my family in the States. For the past four years, my French passport was my entry to other countries before and after the pandemic. Wednesday afternoon, six days before my departure, while entering information into the airline website, the moment of desperation descended upon me. The expired passport, two business days, a weekend and Labor Day stood between me and the flight. Asking those around me for their experiences helped bring down the tension, but I had to act swiftly. With a quick exchange of emails with the Embassy I received a Friday morning appointment, stood in line with…
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Sarah Bernhardt – Woman Created the Star (Et la femme créa la star )
The artist, Sarah Bernhardt’s life knew no limits. There was no frontier she could not conquer during her 79 springtimes on earth. She was an emblematic figure, the “divine Sarah”, the “holy monster”, the “golden voice”. Miss Bernhardt (1844-1923) created the star that she was. She was the influencer of the epoque. This icon’s face appeared on major brand beauty, soap, cigar and food products, posters and calendars. Bernhardt’s “S” silhouette, her sharp profile and curly, red hair corresponded perfectly to the aesthetics sought by the Symbolists and Art Nouveau artists. Four hundred pieces make up the exhibition “Sarah Bernhardt – And the Woman Created the Star” (Et la femme créa la star) at the Petit Palais until August…
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Paris Plages 2023 is Open with Swimming in the Seine
On July 8, 2023 kayaks and sailboats were gliding on the Seine. About 25 Parisians, including city hall employees, were diving in and swimming between the Pont Sully and the Pont Marie bridges. Mayor Anne Hidalgo gave the signal. With this move, she is officially promoting Seine swimming for the Paris Olympics 2024. The Seine will then reopen to the public in 2025. The Seine has been closed to swimming since 1923. Mayor Jacques Chirac optimistically predicted cleaning up the Seine starting in 1988. It has taken three decades to get started. Sunday, walking along the Quai de Béthune (Bras de Marie) and below the Quai des Célestins, swimmers in bathing suits, caps…
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Printemps Haussmann Reopens Le Grand Escalier
Opening the daily newspaper, Le Parisien, the photo of a magnificent staircase in Printemps Haussmann met my eyes. After forty years, Printemps Haussmann reopened Le Grand Escalier (the Great Staircase). Get lost in the mirrors that reflect and the balustrades that twist to infinity. A major renovation project is complete. Forty years after Printemps closed off the staircase in the rotunda, the beautifully refurbished 1924 staircase once again reaches to the 7ème ciel (the seventh heaven) the rooftop. The staircase reopened Thursday, June 1, 2023. The only way to reach Le Grand Escalier is through the Caumartin women’s building. Excited to see the renovation, I entered the Caumartin rotunda, crossed the mosaic floor to…
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Spend the night in the Opera Garnier?
Glancing at the Arts in the City‘s newsletter, the headline “Reservez une nuit d’hôtel à l’ Opéra Garnier” (Reserve a night at the Opera Garnier) caught my eye. Mark your calendar and keep your computer open! Reservations open March 1 at 6 pm (CET-Paris). The first date to reserve is July 16. Sit down for the next piece of information: 37 Euros a night. The Opera National de Paris and Air BnB are collaborating for an extraordinary experience: a one-night stay in the Box of Honor. This loge (box) usually reserved for visiting dignitaries (without the bed, of course). Additional, fun information about the event “Guests will sleep in the largest opera box in the Palais Garnier – the Box of Honour – a…
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Finding Treasure Around the Corner in the Bastille
Have you ever wanted a specific, stylish item? And you searched until you found it? My search was for finding the hanging lamp treasure that would fit in with my 1890s library ceiling. No flea market was needed. The treasure was literally, around the corner from my apartment in the Bastille. I looked through the window of a vintage lamp store. After 27 years, I finally pushed open the door of Arts et Lumières, looked around, looked up and fell in love. Once I made the decision about buying the lamp, I took my time. Uuntil one day, the signs Tout doit Disparaitre (Everything Must Go) and Déstockage Massif (Clearance…
