France + All Things French
Have you noticed how often you hear car horns honking when walking the streets of Paris? It is a sound that is synonymous with any busy global city, but Parisian drivers seem to make more noise pressing their car horns than many other cities I've spent time in (well, maybe on par with New York and Shanghai). However, Paris is the city of light and romance so shouldn't it be quieter!
Place Marcel Aymé is just off Rue Norvins in Montmartre, the 18th arrondissement of Paris, and it's where you'll will find the quirky bronze sculpture of Dutilleul. Dutilleul is the man who possessed super powers in Marcel Aymé's book Le Passe-Muraille (the Passer Through Walls).
As you've probably guessed, Dutilleul's super power was to be able to pass through walls. This is a cool sculpture and worth a look when in Montmartre. On one of my trips to this area, I spent a fun afternoon with Helene, who happily shared the local history and her insider knowledge on le Passe-Muraille as we walked around.
Our ultimate book reading guide on everything French is perfect for Francophiles, jam packed with books on France, French people, events, history and fun fiction. This list of 31 books covers just some of the books I have in my own library which I've read and can personally recommend.
For even more 'must read' books and my personal reviews search 'book' on the home page search bar and loads more reading options will pop up. There is honestly something for everyone either in this list or in our other already published book reviews.
Enjoy your reading ...
Invader is a French artist that's intriguing, clever and has secretly been placing his mosaic work of alien invaders all over Paris for the last 20 years.
"I define myself as an UFA, an Unidentified Free Artist. I chose Invader as my pseudonym and I always appear behind a mask. As such, I can visit my own exhibitions without any visitors knowing who I really am even if I stand a few steps away from them." - Invader
As you may know I love researching and exploring new places for my readers, especially historical, fun, and secret (sometimes even weird) places and facts on Paris. Today I thought I'd share what I know about the famous French street artist Invader, and where to find his art.
Château de Canon Garden is the second garden in our Gardens of Normandy Series exploring the beautiful grounds, parks, and gardens of châteaux around the region of Normandy.
This week we take a look at Château de Canon, a special property because it has been privately owned by the same French family since it was built in the 18th Century. As a result of the family’s care and respect, the property has maintained its original design, aesthetics, and garden plan. In May 2000 , the gardens received the first prize of the Garden Art Company.
When I was in Paris the other month I spent a lot of time at the Paris booksellers along the River Seine, also known as the bouquinistes. I enjoyed looking through secondhand and rare edition books, posters and out of print magazines.
My impulsive purchase saw me carrying my antique and very delicate newspaper, Le Petit Journal (dated Sunday 23 August 1896) and ancient print gingerly around on my day's wonderings and then even more gingerly on my long haul flight home. (Can you see all the ancient Le Petit Journals clipped along the stall above?)
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.”
― T.S. Eliot
The other month I was standing in awe in the oval reading room of the National Library of France - Richelieu Library, otherwise known to the locals as the BnF and the beauty of this building nearly brought tears to my eyes. I am not joking, the immense and kaleidoscopic oval reading room designed by academic architect Jean-Louis Pascal took my breath away!
Beatrice Colin’s book To Capture What We Cannot Keep is described as Captivating and bold, a haunting love story of 1880's Paris and I found it a delightful and easy read interweaving Haussmann's new Paris, the Eiffel tower, 1889 World Fair and the Panama Canal.
It’s February 1887 and young Scottish widow, Caitriona Wallace (Cait), is acting as chaperone to two wealthy Scottish charges, Alice and James, when by perchance she meets Émile Nouguier in a hot air balloon in Paris. Émile is the chief engineer working on the Eiffel Tower and part of the bourgeois social class so any future that Cait and Émile aspire to, is constrained within the social strata of their time.
