Fish or Films? Something New in Paris to Delight

Did you know that there has been an aquarium beneath the Palais de Chaillot for years? Closed for twenty long years, it has recently opened its doors again to visitors... But don’t imagine that you’ll see the old aquarium renovated. This is a whole new venue named CinéAqua. Its originality lies in the association of aquarium and audiovisual in an innovative complex of 40 seawater tanks of different sizes, three cinemas and dozens of screens showing animated films, cartoons and documentaries. The music and cartoons are “home-made” in the “CinéAqua studios”. Activities such as the celebrated fish feeding and discovery workshops all add spice to the tour of the aquarium. Its philosophy is to respect the environment and its fragility by favouring as far as possible breeding in captivity and propagation within the aquarium. A paradise for tropical fish enthusiasts!

Friday Night Thoughts Of Paris

I leave you this evening, 28 August with the sights and sounds of Paris.
Sweet Dreams!

The Ritz Hotel is Ritzy again!

After years of neglect, I am happy to announce that the Ritz Hotel is once again one of the Grand Dame Hotels in Paris. It's a blend of traditional Classic French style with all the modern electronic conveniences you expect today in a hotel. The Ritz now is the best of both worlds.
To stay at the Ritz is to get an insight into the French Culture and its history.
Don't forget having a drink at the Hemingway Bar prepared by the greatest bartender in the world; the reknown Colin Field.

Protravel is proud to offer (based on availability) a stay for 3 nights and you only pay for two. With that offer you also get daily buffet breakfast ($65 per person value) , a welcome bottle of Champagne, VIP services and a possible upgrade to the next room level; based upon availability at time of check in.
Please contact me for details.
This is the year to fall in love with France all over again!

Hidden Corners of Paris - Ave Rapp - Art Nouveau

29 Avenue Rapp is situated in the Eiffel Tower Quarter of Paris, an area where everything is on a monumental scale. A prime example of Art Nouveau architecture, architect Jules Lavirotte has created a doorway lavish in its use of flower motifs intermingling with female figures, in a manner that is deliberately erotic and which was considered subversive at the time of its completion in 1901.
The street has other wonderful examples of this style.

Near Ave Rapp, I can recommend a lovely terrace nestled into this very Parisian district ,one of our capital’s most elegant neighborhoods. The Café Alma is found along a large avenue under the shade of century-old trees. Seated comfortably at the café, you’re just a short walk away from the Eiffel Tower, the new museum designed by Jean Nouvel and shopping along avenue Montaigne just across the bridge. Take advantage of this ideal situation to take a break at any time of day

Lake Dining In Paris

Today my thoughts go to Paris and having lunch by the waterside and there are several places in the city that I enjoy; one of them is the Le Chalet Des Iles, a fully restored Second Empire pavilion in a romantic setting of the two islands of the Bois de Boulogne. You cross by boat and find yourself admit peacocks in the charming setting where the perfume of elegant ladies of Pissaro, Renoir and Monet still floats in the air.
Open every day from noon to 2:30pm and from 8:00pm to 10:30pm. Average price: Euro50
If the weather is good, ask for a POND TABLE

A Foodies Delight - Rungis (outside Paris), The Biggest Fresh Market in the World - Tour

Les Halles was an area of Paris, located in the 1er arrondissement, just south of the fashionable rue Montorgueil. It is named for the large central wholesale marketplace, which was demolished in 1971.

After the market of Les Halles in Paris closed, the suppliers of food goods moved to Rungis (a suburb near Orly Airport) .
The market supplies Paris with nearly half of its fish, meat, fruit, vegetables and flowers. Every day 1,690,000 tons of products are delivered by 26,000 trucks, and bought by 20,000 regular buyers.

Visitors and tourists are not usually welcome, but we can offer an exclusive tour of the market, once a month, on the 2nd Friday.
There needs to be 20 people signed up before it can go, but there are usually enough sign ups, that it does go

The tour visits: include the fish/meat/dairy/fruits-vegetables and cut flower buildings plus bus transport from and to Paris – a professional guide – a blouse and cap and a traditional Rungis breakfast (cooked pork meats and cheeses- deserts and wine and coffee).
The cost is Euro65 per person for this interesting peek at an essential part of Paris, if you are a foodie!

Warning: Not for the squeamish – lots of dead animals about – fur, fowl and fish and cameras are NOT allowed.

What did Paris Look Like in the 1950's? - Join Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson and Audrey Hepburn to Find Out

Experience Normandy from a bike

Normandy is the ideal area for all cycling lovers and you will appreciate at your own pace the beauty of the green and lush landscape as well as the richness of the architectural heritage.
You will enjoy guided visits with a local leader who is passionate about regional history and nature.
The programs are only suggested and will be modified according to your interests, your aptitude and the number of participants.
A full-day tours run from 9 am – 6 pm
For example:
OMAHA BEACH SECTOR
• Departure from Bayeux in minivan towards Formigny
• Bike at POINTE DU HOC.
• Bike at OMAHA BEACH (Visit and lunch).
• Bike at AMERICAN CEMETERY .
• Back to Formigny by mini van and then to Bayeux.
Contact me for full details

The Best Way To Tour Paris............feel like a local

There are many wonderful ways to tour the city of Paris. Private car driver and guide, semi-private van and driver/guide, coach tours, but my favorite of all is hosted by a wonderful lady who does a half day and whole tour, using the transportation the Parisians use ( the Metro and buses).
For me, this type of tour is the best when trying to understand the rhythm of the city and how the locals travel within it..
The tours are for 1 to 6 people ( these are private tours) Below are the highlights of those walking tours.
Please contact me for details.

Highlights of Paris Walk – a day. (Can also be a half day)
Learn about the history of Paris starting from the Roman era to the ancient French Kings, through the ages to the occupation of World War II and how Paris evolved today. It’s an easy to follow commentary with interesting details and many anecdotes.

Starting with the gorgeous Jardins du Luxembourg, we continue through medieval streets of the majestic Pantheon and down hidden paths leading to open air markets bustling with commerce, squares with pretty fountains, boutiques, stores, cafés and many more facets of daily life in Paris. The history of Paris continues while, we make our way to the islands on the Seine. The highlights include Notre Dame, Île St Louis, Le Marais.

The Notre Dame, is a fascinating Gothic structure. Hear about the legend of the carvings in the façade, the flying buttresses, what happened to it during the Revolution and the famous rose windows. Inside you will see the glorious colours of these windows and the vast internal structure and perhaps hear the organ play.

Lunch is on the Île St Louis, the pretty village-like island behind the Notre Dame. A 17th century wonder of architecture, filled with cafes, creperies, bistros, boutiques, fromageries, hand-made chocolate shops, a store selling exquisite jams and jellies, vinegars and flavoured mustards from Provence and of course, stop off for the famous ice cream made on the island. We continue our walk into 16th and 17th century Paris while taking one of the stone bridges into the back streets of Le Marais.

In the heart of Le Marais, a magical area of narrow, medieval streets, cobbled passageways and grandiose mansions, we visit the stunning Place des Vosges. Along the way, some of the most wonderful local fashion and accessories boutiques. Wander through the Jewish Quarters and take in the atmospheric boutiques and gourmet shops finishing on top of the George Pompidou centre for spectacular views over Paris.

The Buzz On The Champs Elysees

Charles Bremmer, London Times Paris corespondent reports today Tourists were not the only species swarming on the Champs Elysées over this mid-August holiday weekend. Squadrons of bees were also enjoying the sunshine, part of a fast-multiplying population that are making honey a new Paris industry.
The Tuileries, Luxembourg and lesser gardens of central Paris are home to hundreds of thousands of bees which, like those in other urban areas, are said to be far more productive than their chemically-stricken country cousins.
"There is a huge quantity of flowers in Paris," Yves Védrenne, General-Secretary of the National Apiculture Union, said the other day. As well as the flower beds of the parks and gardens, the boulevards and edges of motorways offer bee-friendly pollen such as acacias, limes and chestnuts, he said. Not only is the city largely free from the pesticides and fertilisers that are killing the countryside bees, the extra warmth of the urban area promotes earlier breeding.
.There are some 300 registered hives in the French capital, with more believed to be undeclared as area residents try their hand at an art which can be learnt on two-day courses.
The grandest hives were those of the venerable colony on the roof of the Opéra. They were joined this month by some 140,000 bees installed high on the glass and steel dome of the Grand Palais, the 1900 exhibition hall off the Champs Elysées [top picture].
"The bees are very happy in the city. They have everything they need," Sébastien de Gasquet, director of the Grand Palais, told the media. The Tuileries are nearby and "there is enough for them in the grounds of the Grand Palais alone, he said.
The Champs Elyseés honey is to be sold under the Grand Palais label, joining other luxury miel de Paris brands which cost a steep 15 euros for a 125 gramme (4.4 ounce) pot at Fauchon and other grand food outlets.
The honey flavor is described by the experts as sweet and subtle, lacking any trace of exhaust fumes or the Métro underground smell that is a Paris signature.

Childhood revisited......This Is Paris

Yesterday, while at the bookstore, I came across a relic from my past; several children’s travel books ( now newly reissued) by author/illustrator M. Sasek, entitled This is…………..Paris ( London, Rome etc).
Someone once remarked, 'you can’t go home again', but they were wrong, because once I opened this wonderful book, my childhood came rushing back!

Originally published in 1959, Miroslav Sasek’s This is Paris is a leisurely tour through the city’s avenues that stops to take in landmarks, caress street cats and say bonjours to a café garcon, apartment concierge, street painter, policeman, flower girl, and the Mona Lisa. It is non-fiction presented on the sugared spoon of a cartoon with French vocabulary and history intertwined painlessly into the simple text.

The tour makes a stop in tranquil Luxembourg Garden where toy boats glide across the reflecting pond.

It paints a picture of Paris presenting the sights and sounds of its rues: letter boxes and spindly street lamps, modes of transportation from bus to metro, and various markets from Seine-side bookstalls, to the bustle of les Halles, to the colorful Sunday bird market.

The charm of Paris is intertwined with that of the 50’s: curvy automobiles and kitsch meet eternal architecture, berets, reflections like puzzle pieces on the Seine River, grey skies and leafless winter trees.

Undoubtedly some things have changed in the 50 years passed since the book was written.

Eiffel Tower Dining - another option

Because dining atop the Jules Verne Restaurant at the Eiffel Tower can be a VERY expensive experience, here is another option that is a bit less.

A new restaurant opened up on the first platform at the end of March. called 58 Eiffel Tower. It sits at 58 meters above the ground, hence the name! The restaurant is unique in that it serves products only produced in France (or French territories) so the ingredients are fresh and only what is in season.

The preparation of the food is a challenge due to the harsh constraints of all the fire regulations for the tower. There is no gas, everything is electric which any chef will tell you is not the easiest when it comes to controlling temperature, etc. They offer a really lovely fixe prix menu for 80 Euros that includes a glass of champagne, a starter, wine and water, main course, dessert and coffee. It really is quite reasonable considering where you are eating it! You can also order a la carte as well, if that is what you prefer

You must make a reservation. This reservation allows you to (a) go to a special booth where you do not have to wait in line to pick up your ticket, (b) access to a special no-wait line to access the elevator to the first platform (c) full access to the first platform. If you want to go to the second platform, you have to pay a supplement. When making a reservation, try to get a table on the outside so you have a view on Paris, rather than on the inside, which gives you a view of the interior of the tower

An Amazing New Addition to the Champs Elysees

Laduree, famous for its macaroons and tea room has a new Bar which one can escape the frantic Champs. The bar mimics the Art Nouveau butterfly cocoon with a futuristic twist. The menu offers gourmet snacks from truffle omelette's to caviar blinis along with the signature Laduree pastries and a full selection of cocktails.
13 rue Lincoln, 8e

Aépure, a new beauty concept store selling solely independent brands from around the globe

With the launch of Aepure last month, a breath of fresh air is blowing through the world of cosmetics retail in Paris. Liking simplicity, spontaneity, true stories, a young entrepreneur decided to leave his job as manager for a large international cosmetics company, in order to share with French consumers, “the best market in the world”, the creative and innovative brands he discovered in the course of his many trips abroad. For this atypical concept’s first store, retail design firm Saguez & Partners has given it the personal and original feel of a magazine. Entering 35 Rue Guénégaud ( 6e) is is like going behind the scenes of a catalogue store: wake up your senses, turn the page: lots of new things to see!

Chef Alain Ducasse's Secrets Go Public

"You don't just learn how to cook from books. It's important to try it out too" Based on this adage, the famous chef opened his own cooking school. No fewer than 4 kitchens, a wine cellar, a store and a team of chefs are available to budding cooks. There are two levels of courses and ten different themes.
Various packages run from Euro 165 per half a day and up.
www.ecolecuisine-alainducasse.com

London - "To Be Linked To Paris Metro" - London Times 03 Aug

London could be linked to the Paris Metro under an ambitious plan to run international trains on a new €20 billion line that will ring the French capital.
SNCF, the state railway network, says that under the proposed system passengers would be able to take the Eurostar from London St Pancras direct to an underground stop on the new line, dubbed Le Grand Huit (The Big Eight) because it will form a double loop around Paris.
Jean-Pierre Farandou, deputy managing director of the SNCF, said travelers would be able to get from the City to the La Défense business district west of Paris in two and a quarter hours.
“Other possibilities can also be imagined, like La Défense to Lille or La Défense to Brussels,” he said.
The 87-mile (140km) line is part of a plan by President Sarkozy to create a Greater Paris in a bid to break down barriers between the residents of the capital and their often impoverished suburban neighbors. Le Grand Huit will also link airports and new towns around the capital.
The Autonomous Parisian Transport Network (RATP), which runs the underground system, wants trains on the new line to be fully automated and driverless, reaching speeds of 50mph (80kph). The line, which will largely be underground, is scheduled to be completed by 2020.