• Full moon over the Louvre pyramid Colleen's Paris
    Monuments

    Full Moon Traveling Over the Louvre Pyramid

    Were the children at the Louvre on the night of the full moon aware of the Moon Knight? The Egyptian god of light in the night is Khonsu. The name Khonsu means traveler. Khonsu is depicted as a falcon with a moon above its head or as a child in the human form. In the Marvel comics series, the spelling is changed to Khonshu. The avatar for Khonshu is Moon Knight. A few nights ago, a colleague texted me that he was with friends near Saint-Michel. I sent him back a message to watch for the full moon. He wrote they went to Notre Dame and took selfies with the…

  • Image of carrousel and Hôtel de Ville in the background for Christmas
    Let's Explore,  Seeing Paris

    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,…

  • Image of brasserie Le Renard and tabac neons
    Photography-Art,  Seeing Paris

    Bright Colors: Paris Evening Lights

    A week after seeing a part of Paris in black and white, it was time to focus on bright colors. Along the way, I recalled other ways to view the evening light in reflections and patterns. I was one of seven photographers who followed a spontaneous route from the Metro Temple along Rue de Turbigo, off and on Rue du Temple, toward Arts et Métiers (museum), rue du Renard (fox) down to l'Hotel de Ville and the Pont d'Arcole. On the bridge....

  • Image in front of Hotel de Ville in hommage to Jacques Chirac
    Let's Explore,  Seeing Paris

    Notre-Dame Bell, Emmanuel, Rings for Chirac

    Walking along the narrow rue Galand the sound of a muffled bell ringing reverberated against the walls. Sitting at the café, looking at my watch, it was around 11:20 on a Monday morning. My friend guessed it was a church nearby; I guessed Notre-Dame. Couldn't be.... perhaps the towers were damaged. The constant soft ringing was not signalling the quarter, half or full hour. Earlier I had heard on French television the time for the funeral ceremony that would pass from Hôtel des Invalides to Saint-Sulpice.  We walked toward Notre-Dame from where the mystery sound originated. Emmanuel, the 300 year old was ringing.  The ringing was manually orchestrated. The first…

  • Images of Paris Plages 2017 posters
    Archive

    Paris Plages 2017 – Villette Update

    Update for Paris Plages: Clémence from the Seine-Saint-Denis Office of Tourism contacted me with information in English about the Basin de la Villette section of Paris Plages. Paris Plages takes place in two locations every year: along the Seine (Parc Rives de Seine) and in the Bassin de la Vilette. Bassin de la Villette is the new hoping part of town in the northeastern section of Paris. Paris Plages began July 8 and continues to Sunday September 3. As they say on the Mairie de Paris’ webpage: "What would summer be without Paris Plages". For maps of where to go swimming (baignait) what's happening along the basin and what's to…

  • Claude Monet - Gare Saint Lazare Crédits photo © RMN (Musée d’Orsay) Hervé Lewandowski
    Museum exhibitions

    Paris Exhibitions of the Past

    The Paris Mayor’s office has a list of Paris museums and their links to check for current exhibitions. You can also check for current exhibitions at the city/municipal museums. The Paris Tourist Office provides a list of museums. And l’Officiel des spectacles provides museum information in their weekly magazine and online (Use Google Translate.) The following two exhibits are at the same Hotel de Ville – one entrance fronts rue de Rivoli and the other is around the corner on the street, Lobau. The Impressionists at the Hotel de Ville Until July 23, 2011. “During its renovation work, the Musée d’Orsay is loaning out several dozen canvases and drawings. Most…

  • Paris Christmas Ferris Wheel
    Archive

    Paris Christmas Events

    The following list will help you enjoy Christmas events in and around Paris beginning in November: Concorde, Tuileries Ferris Wheel Place de la Concorde Ice Skating: Parvis de l’Hôtel de Ville (plaza in front of city hall) Christmas windows Nativity Scenes Saint-Vincent de Paul church – close to the gare du Nord 5, rue de Belzunce 75010 PARIS December 18, 2010 to January 6, 2011 Eglise Saint-Georges-de-la-Villette 112, avenue Simon-Bolivar 75019 Paris Metro: Bolivar Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre December 2010 Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, Paris Christmas crèche at the Notre-Dame de Lorette church Eglise Notre-Dame de Lorette 18bis, rue de Châteaudun 75009 PARIS Metro: Notre-Dame de Lorette Notre-Dame du Perpétuel…

  • Soldes Paris Sales Printemps
    Archive,  Going Out

    General July Activities In Paris

    Use Google Translate for Paris activities and information on the following web sites: For a complete list of exhibitions visit the newspaper leParisien.fr-Paris étudiant.com web site l’Officiel des spectacles or buy the magazine for 35 cents when you arrive in Paris. Summer Sale begins end of June in Paris Between end of June and beginning of August. look for the deals – and get there early. Within two weeks everything has been picked through. The good news is that summer vacation begins two days after the sales begin so perhaps the natives will leave and the tourists can buy everything! Doors open at 8 a.m. The commercial law (article L 310-3 du…

  • Les Pestacles-Festival for kids June to September
    Archive

    June in Paris – Events, Festivals, Music, Sports

    This article has been archived and is no longer being updated.   GARDEN The Greenhouses in Jardins des Plantes opened in 2010 after several years of renovations. SPORTS “Roland Garros in the city”  at the Hôtel de Ville – During Roland Garros the esplanade is set up for  mini-tennis, watching the RG matches on the big screen, and exhibition matches in the square. MUSIC Activities for the kids – every Wednesday for the whole family, Parisians, French visitors and tourists. Parc Floral (when you are not visiting the Chateau de Vincennes!) Where: Esplanade Saint Louis in front of the Chateau de Vincennes What: Concerts, readings, street artists and performers, circus…