This is the actual multi-day museum pass Frugal Scholar was referring to in her comment on my post on Musee D'Orsay this week.
I was simply suggesting you buy your tickets for the Musee D'Orsay on-line prior to the day you go, but she is right: the Museum Pass (which I have never used, fyi) does seem a great deal for the money: 4 days for 56euro? I think I'll buy one this summer when I am in Paris only for that short stay.
Researching the site further, I realize why I never bought one before: you can either have it shipped to you (for an additional cost, which lessens the economical appeal) ....or pick it up when arriving in Paris, on rue des Pyramids for free. Or buy it in the CDG airport, or FNAC outlets.
Okay, it's sounding better and easier.
Given that the pass includes entry to the Musee D'Orsay, the Musee national de l'Orangerie, the Musee Cluny (medieval art and culture), the Louvre, the Musee Rodin, and the Musees des arts decoratifs, when it costs me 16euro alone for the first two sites... and it will get me in without waiting on lines... and I'll have paid for all of my entries upfront and never have to worry/open my wallet again, this seems a worthwhile purchase.
It also means that I'll be bound and determined to get to at least 4-5 museums during my five-day stay, no matter what.
Showing posts with label museums and monuments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label museums and monuments. Show all posts
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Musee D'Orsay: #1 tip for visitors to Paris
I have not exactly picked up the ball and run with it, or some other athletic metaphor. But January through mid-March has been another wild ride (why do I think my life will be quieter or run more smoothly or peacefully? It is a delusion I am consistently seduced by...)
But here is Paris share 1/50: The Musee D'Orsay.
Forget the Louvre. well, don't "forget" it, but let's get real: the Louvre is a wonderful repository of artifacts and global art--but if you want to "know" Paris go to the Musee D'Orsay. Spend a morning there, after which your entire Paris experience will be richer, deeper, more complex and interesting.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30*-6 (except Mondays); open Thursday nights to 9:45 pm.
Cafes: 3 inside; carts outside, and nearby cafes (tourist prices)
The museum is a renovated train station and it is one of the most difficult interiors to navigate. Pick up a map. To get to the 5th floor: go directly to the rear of the main floor and take the escalators at rear center all the way to the top. To get to the niveau median: go left (East) or right (West), up one set to steps and down the long hall of rooms which open into/through/around one another.
Interested in Monet? Manet? Degas? Van Gogh? Toulouse-Lautrec? Gaugin? Caillebotte? Renoir? Courbet? Corot? Any painter/sculptor/designer/photographer of the 19th century? You'll find them here, in juxtaposition with their peers. If you pay attention, this is as much about the evolution of Paris during the 19th century as it is about the evolution of art.
When heading for the Impressionists, ignore everything else.
In specific order, here's what you must see:
If you are interested in decorative arts or early/mid-nineteenth century art, go there last. I say this because these rooms are always empty and you will not be battling crowds. You can then enjoy these spaces at your leisure. Both are rich, rich, rich in materials: you will find yourself nearly hypnotized by the holdings.
Last---but far from least!--go to the bookstore. Even if you are uninterested in art history books and textbooks, this is one of the best museums shops in Paris. It is filled with great gifts for children (or wonderful stuff for your children of all ages, if they're with you), mothers & mothers-in-law, and everyone else. This bookstore is not as good as it used to be, and yet it is superb.
My final recommendation: buy your ticket (or tickets) ahead of time. If you do so, you will eliminate all standing in line: you will sail by all those standing outside as if you were Queen Elizabeth (or Wills and Kate). I suggest buying through FNAC, if only because you can open an account and buy all your museum/event tickets early here, print them before you leave the US, and enjoy waving royally at the wilting peeps in the "line."
*If you do not have a ticket, be in line by 9:15 am to get in nearly as soon as the museum opens (May-Sept); if you do have the advance pre-ticket... see "Wills/Kate" note above.
Directions: The museum is located on the Left (South) Bank of the Deine, directly across from the Louvre. It can most easily be reached by taking the #12Metro to Solferino, or the RER C to Musee D'Orsay, or walking across the Passarelle Solferino from the Quai des Tuileries. Here's a map. It is a longer, but lovely walk from the Place de la Concorde across the Pont de la Concorde and along the Seine.
Associated museums:
Musee Marmottan Monet, 16th arrondissment: Monet, Morisot, Renoir in small museum
Musee Victor Hugo, 4th arrondissment: Hugo's home with special exhibitions. Bonus: located in the Place des Vosges!
Musee de l'Orangerie: 1st arrondissement: special exhibitions of Impressionist painters
Musee Carnavalet, 3rd arrondissement: a museum of the culture of Paris, medieval to modern times. Bonus: location in the Marais district!
But here is Paris share 1/50: The Musee D'Orsay.
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| Musee D'Orsay, from across Seine |
Forget the Louvre. well, don't "forget" it, but let's get real: the Louvre is a wonderful repository of artifacts and global art--but if you want to "know" Paris go to the Musee D'Orsay. Spend a morning there, after which your entire Paris experience will be richer, deeper, more complex and interesting.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30*-6 (except Mondays); open Thursday nights to 9:45 pm.
Cafes: 3 inside; carts outside, and nearby cafes (tourist prices)
The museum is a renovated train station and it is one of the most difficult interiors to navigate. Pick up a map. To get to the 5th floor: go directly to the rear of the main floor and take the escalators at rear center all the way to the top. To get to the niveau median: go left (East) or right (West), up one set to steps and down the long hall of rooms which open into/through/around one another.
Interested in Monet? Manet? Degas? Van Gogh? Toulouse-Lautrec? Gaugin? Caillebotte? Renoir? Courbet? Corot? Any painter/sculptor/designer/photographer of the 19th century? You'll find them here, in juxtaposition with their peers. If you pay attention, this is as much about the evolution of Paris during the 19th century as it is about the evolution of art.
 |
| For Impressionist Rooms: walk down this central hall to rear, take escalators |
When heading for the Impressionists, ignore everything else.
In specific order, here's what you must see:
- The Impressionist section (fifth floor, SE corner). This is the intense collection of paintings and sculptures by Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, and their associated pals between the 1860s and 1880s. Come early to avoid crowds, ignore the tourists filming (instead of looking at) the paintings, and find bliss.
- The pastels and drawings of Degas, Lautrec, and others--same floor. Smaller, intimate dark rooms to preserve the materials/media.
- Van Gogh, Lautrec and later post-Impressionists:W side, 1 staircase up from entry floor, Rms 71-2 (Niveau median).
- Individual (free/unticketed) exhibitions.
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| Impressionist Rooms, Musee D'Orsay |
If you are interested in decorative arts or early/mid-nineteenth century art, go there last. I say this because these rooms are always empty and you will not be battling crowds. You can then enjoy these spaces at your leisure. Both are rich, rich, rich in materials: you will find yourself nearly hypnotized by the holdings.
Last---but far from least!--go to the bookstore. Even if you are uninterested in art history books and textbooks, this is one of the best museums shops in Paris. It is filled with great gifts for children (or wonderful stuff for your children of all ages, if they're with you), mothers & mothers-in-law, and everyone else. This bookstore is not as good as it used to be, and yet it is superb.
My final recommendation: buy your ticket (or tickets) ahead of time. If you do so, you will eliminate all standing in line: you will sail by all those standing outside as if you were Queen Elizabeth (or Wills and Kate). I suggest buying through FNAC, if only because you can open an account and buy all your museum/event tickets early here, print them before you leave the US, and enjoy waving royally at the wilting peeps in the "line."
*If you do not have a ticket, be in line by 9:15 am to get in nearly as soon as the museum opens (May-Sept); if you do have the advance pre-ticket... see "Wills/Kate" note above.
Directions: The museum is located on the Left (South) Bank of the Deine, directly across from the Louvre. It can most easily be reached by taking the #12Metro to Solferino, or the RER C to Musee D'Orsay, or walking across the Passarelle Solferino from the Quai des Tuileries. Here's a map. It is a longer, but lovely walk from the Place de la Concorde across the Pont de la Concorde and along the Seine.
Associated museums:
Musee Marmottan Monet, 16th arrondissment: Monet, Morisot, Renoir in small museum
Musee Victor Hugo, 4th arrondissment: Hugo's home with special exhibitions. Bonus: located in the Place des Vosges!
Musee de l'Orangerie: 1st arrondissement: special exhibitions of Impressionist painters
Musee Carnavalet, 3rd arrondissement: a museum of the culture of Paris, medieval to modern times. Bonus: location in the Marais district!
Friday, March 29, 2013
If I were in Paris... Friday, March 29, 2013
The weather in Paris today is 47 degrees and rainy... not the best weather for a flaneur or flaneuse, enjoying the streets or views of Paris.
In which case, let's consider indoor entertainments near each other.
Starting in the 4th arrondissement, there is an exhibition at th Hotel de Ville, Paris Haute Couture, celebrating Paris fashion and including key examples from the collection of the Musee Galliera. This free exhibition is open from 10 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday.
A short walk from there along Rue du Rivoli is the Louvre, which right now has some really interesting special exhibitions.
For example, through June the museum is celebrating the opening of its new exhibition rooms for Islamic Arts. In connection with this, through June 8, is an exhibition on Walid Raad, a Lebanese installation artist. Here is a video of the exhibition.
And of course, a rainy, chilly day might be the perfect day to fully explore the Louvre, on a week outside the tourist season. On a day like this, one could wander through the museum and really enjoy the paintings, sculptures and rooms full of decorative arts, precious items and history.
Another short walk down Rue du Rivoli is the Musee des Arts decoratifs, which has an exhibition on Fashioning Fashion: Two Centuries of Fashion 1700-1915. This show runs until April 14 and includes changing styles from France, Italy and England.
What else can you do in this area of the tightly-knit 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements?
In which case, let's consider indoor entertainments near each other.
Starting in the 4th arrondissement, there is an exhibition at th Hotel de Ville, Paris Haute Couture, celebrating Paris fashion and including key examples from the collection of the Musee Galliera. This free exhibition is open from 10 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday.
A short walk from there along Rue du Rivoli is the Louvre, which right now has some really interesting special exhibitions.
For example, through June the museum is celebrating the opening of its new exhibition rooms for Islamic Arts. In connection with this, through June 8, is an exhibition on Walid Raad, a Lebanese installation artist. Here is a video of the exhibition.
And of course, a rainy, chilly day might be the perfect day to fully explore the Louvre, on a week outside the tourist season. On a day like this, one could wander through the museum and really enjoy the paintings, sculptures and rooms full of decorative arts, precious items and history.
Another short walk down Rue du Rivoli is the Musee des Arts decoratifs, which has an exhibition on Fashioning Fashion: Two Centuries of Fashion 1700-1915. This show runs until April 14 and includes changing styles from France, Italy and England.
What else can you do in this area of the tightly-knit 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements?
- You can wander the Tuileries Gardens.
- You can have hot chocolate at Angelina.
- You can eat and shop at the Louvre Carrousel.
- You can visit the bookstores at the Louvre, the Musee des Arts decoratifs and the Comedie Francaise.
- You can stroll the Palais Royal gardens.
- You can stroll up to the Opera Garnier and tour that gorgeous building, as well as their current exhibition.
- You
Friday, March 15, 2013
La vie en rose: Edith Piaf in Paris
Piaf is now known globally to an entire new generation thanks to the 2007 French film La vie en rose, for which Marion Cotillard received the Oscar and the Golden Globe. It is a tremendous film and Cotillard's performance is magnificent. I highly recommend it.
Piaf herself is also magnificent. And confusing, and mysterious, and compelling.
Born in 1915, Piaf lived the first part of her life in Paris in the 20th arrondissment -- Belleville.She died in 1963 at the age of 47 having lived a passionate and troubling life.
This is a clip of Piaf singing "La vie en rose," considered by many to be her signature song:
As an alternative, here is Mirielle Mathieu singing the same song nearly 50 years later. Matthieu is also a fine French singer, with a completely different style.
From 1929 to 1935 Piaf sang in the streets of Paris as a street performer, at first with her biological father, who was a street acrobat. After she parted ways with him, Piaf performed in the 18th, 19th and 20th arrondissements as well as the suburbs of Paris. In 1935 she was discovered by the club owner and impresario Louis Leplee, who supposedly gave her the signature style of stage presence, costuming (the little black dress) and gestures she used for the rest of her life.
Piaf performed in clubs in Paris until World War II and began changing her street image. She met and made friends with influential people.
During the war, Piaf lived in Marseilles, but performed in Paris at Nazi-sponsored events. She also claimed to be a member of the Resistance and to have aided those targeted by the Nazis to escape in various ways.
After the war, Piaf was an international celebrity. She aided several actors and singers to fame, including Yves Montand and Charles Aznevour. Her love life was complicated: she had one child who died with an early lover, then later married after the war twice. The great love of her life was boxer Marcel Cerdan, who was killed in an airplane crash after little more than a year of their relationship.
Piaf is buried in Pere Lachaise cemetary.
One of the quirkiest museums in Paris is dedicated to her. This article in The Guardian reviews it clearly. This Time Out review gives another angle.
This article is a kind of virtual tour of Piaf's Paris. If one wanted to walk in the singer's shoes, these are great resources. The fact is, her voice was a treasure, and her life was the kind of messy, troubled voyage we've come to expect of great artists, espeically women artists perhaps... but it is also sad and ridiculous on some level.
From another direction, Piaf's story is the story of Paris in the first half of the 20th century. Her movement from abandoned child to street performer to singing star is also the story of Paris's own history and geography, even to her interment in the city's most famous cemetary, perhaps ironically located in the same arrondissement where she was born.
Her great legacy is the gorgeous recordings we have and, as in the clip, the sense of Piaf as a performer. It is clear that she loved performing and felt more alive while singing than at any other time.
Piaf herself is also magnificent. And confusing, and mysterious, and compelling.
Born in 1915, Piaf lived the first part of her life in Paris in the 20th arrondissment -- Belleville.She died in 1963 at the age of 47 having lived a passionate and troubling life.
This is a clip of Piaf singing "La vie en rose," considered by many to be her signature song:
As an alternative, here is Mirielle Mathieu singing the same song nearly 50 years later. Matthieu is also a fine French singer, with a completely different style.
From 1929 to 1935 Piaf sang in the streets of Paris as a street performer, at first with her biological father, who was a street acrobat. After she parted ways with him, Piaf performed in the 18th, 19th and 20th arrondissements as well as the suburbs of Paris. In 1935 she was discovered by the club owner and impresario Louis Leplee, who supposedly gave her the signature style of stage presence, costuming (the little black dress) and gestures she used for the rest of her life.
Piaf performed in clubs in Paris until World War II and began changing her street image. She met and made friends with influential people.
During the war, Piaf lived in Marseilles, but performed in Paris at Nazi-sponsored events. She also claimed to be a member of the Resistance and to have aided those targeted by the Nazis to escape in various ways.
After the war, Piaf was an international celebrity. She aided several actors and singers to fame, including Yves Montand and Charles Aznevour. Her love life was complicated: she had one child who died with an early lover, then later married after the war twice. The great love of her life was boxer Marcel Cerdan, who was killed in an airplane crash after little more than a year of their relationship.
Piaf is buried in Pere Lachaise cemetary.
One of the quirkiest museums in Paris is dedicated to her. This article in The Guardian reviews it clearly. This Time Out review gives another angle.
This article is a kind of virtual tour of Piaf's Paris. If one wanted to walk in the singer's shoes, these are great resources. The fact is, her voice was a treasure, and her life was the kind of messy, troubled voyage we've come to expect of great artists, espeically women artists perhaps... but it is also sad and ridiculous on some level.
From another direction, Piaf's story is the story of Paris in the first half of the 20th century. Her movement from abandoned child to street performer to singing star is also the story of Paris's own history and geography, even to her interment in the city's most famous cemetary, perhaps ironically located in the same arrondissement where she was born.
Her great legacy is the gorgeous recordings we have and, as in the clip, the sense of Piaf as a performer. It is clear that she loved performing and felt more alive while singing than at any other time.
Friday, October 5, 2012
If I were in Paris... Friday, October 5, 2012
If I were in Paris today...
I'd go to the exhibit on Bohemes at the Grand Palais. This exhibit is dedicated to the myth of Bohemia as the "home" of artists, starting in the mid-19th century. The exhibition includes the work of such artists as de la Tour, Degas, Corot, Turner, Matisse, Van Gogh and Picasso and traces the intersections of artistic life not only in the visual arts but in literature, criticism and music.
This is one of the new brand of exhibitions curated to connect grand themes across and through and between artists and media and styles.
There's a music festival and exhibition dedicated to Django Reinhardt starting tomorrow, as well. At the Cite de la Musique, it includes concerts through next week. Reinhardt was the jazz guitarist who introduced and made world-famous that distinctive French sound evoking French gypsy music. Reinhardt was born into a family of gypsies living in Paris, and started recording as early as age 18.
By the way if you are a fan of the film Chocolat, you'll recognize the style.
And yes, in both cases, I'd wind up the day in the bookstores.
But this is the perfect day to be walking along the Seine or through the Jardins du Luxembourg, to enjoy autumn. To take a lunch of French baguette, cheese, grapes or figs and an Orangina or split of wine, along with your best book and a camera. Yum!
I'd go to the exhibit on Bohemes at the Grand Palais. This exhibit is dedicated to the myth of Bohemia as the "home" of artists, starting in the mid-19th century. The exhibition includes the work of such artists as de la Tour, Degas, Corot, Turner, Matisse, Van Gogh and Picasso and traces the intersections of artistic life not only in the visual arts but in literature, criticism and music.
This is one of the new brand of exhibitions curated to connect grand themes across and through and between artists and media and styles.
There's a music festival and exhibition dedicated to Django Reinhardt starting tomorrow, as well. At the Cite de la Musique, it includes concerts through next week. Reinhardt was the jazz guitarist who introduced and made world-famous that distinctive French sound evoking French gypsy music. Reinhardt was born into a family of gypsies living in Paris, and started recording as early as age 18.
By the way if you are a fan of the film Chocolat, you'll recognize the style.
And yes, in both cases, I'd wind up the day in the bookstores.
But this is the perfect day to be walking along the Seine or through the Jardins du Luxembourg, to enjoy autumn. To take a lunch of French baguette, cheese, grapes or figs and an Orangina or split of wine, along with your best book and a camera. Yum!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Saturday's agenda
With only seven more days in Paris, tomorrow is all about hitting the small exhibitions. I plan to return to the Musee D'Orsay for the exhibit on Misia, reine de Paris, the Impressionists and one last view of the bookstore.
Then the Musee Malliol for the Artemisia Gentileschi exhibit.
Then lunch at the Galeries Lafayette cafe and souvenir shopping.
Then the exihibit of opera tragedy queens at the Opera Garnier next door.
Then a quick walk to visit La Madeleine, and home. Exhausted, no doubt.
Then the Musee Malliol for the Artemisia Gentileschi exhibit.
Then lunch at the Galeries Lafayette cafe and souvenir shopping.
Then the exihibit of opera tragedy queens at the Opera Garnier next door.
Then a quick walk to visit La Madeleine, and home. Exhausted, no doubt.
More Passerelle
The Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir is a bridge intended only for passage to walkers or bike riders. When crossing, you can choose to walk low or high, or a combination.
I choose to walk high, all the way.
On the other side, the top arch dumps you into a park, which was filled with sunbathers, families, and kids out of school. This stone staircase has a fountain running through the middle, which the kids loved.
From here, I walked through the surprisingly untended park (unlike the Tuileries or Luxembourg gardens, just a lot of green space and dirt paths to a cafe and finally the Metro home.
I want to talk some more pictures of the Passerelle and the Tolbiac side. It is a very peaceful place to sit and consider the day, the Seine, and the work one is doing deep within the stacks.
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| Not my photo! But a good overall picture |
I choose to walk high, all the way.
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| First length, higher and steeper than it looks in the top photo |
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| Second length, cresting up toward middle of bridge |
From here, I walked through the surprisingly untended park (unlike the Tuileries or Luxembourg gardens, just a lot of green space and dirt paths to a cafe and finally the Metro home.
I want to talk some more pictures of the Passerelle and the Tolbiac side. It is a very peaceful place to sit and consider the day, the Seine, and the work one is doing deep within the stacks.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Simple Pleasures: Passerelle
Oh, today...
I am staying in the apartment. Doing laundry, cleaning, sweeping, and finally blogging.
I have been in the archives all week, from 9 am to about 4 pm everyday... and I am exhausted. So many people, such hard chairs, writing and researching and writing. I get back to the apartment at about 6pm, and I am done for. Didn't see anything, didn't enjoy anything, didn't even have fun researching: the encyclopedia entries I am working on right now are pretty cut and dried. Mostly fact-checking, and not particularly interesting. But it is paying for about half of my Paris apartment rental, so necessary.
I went to bed early last night, and got up late this morning. In the middle of the night I thought, I don't want to go there t'morrow. I'm not going.
After my roommate left, I went back to sleep for another three hours, then woke, took a shower, and stuffed sheets and towels into washer (the wash cycle takes about two hours). Then sat down to catch up on whatever is happening on the internet.
Notes to self:
I plan to take more, better pictures myself.
I am staying in the apartment. Doing laundry, cleaning, sweeping, and finally blogging.
I have been in the archives all week, from 9 am to about 4 pm everyday... and I am exhausted. So many people, such hard chairs, writing and researching and writing. I get back to the apartment at about 6pm, and I am done for. Didn't see anything, didn't enjoy anything, didn't even have fun researching: the encyclopedia entries I am working on right now are pretty cut and dried. Mostly fact-checking, and not particularly interesting. But it is paying for about half of my Paris apartment rental, so necessary.
I went to bed early last night, and got up late this morning. In the middle of the night I thought, I don't want to go there t'morrow. I'm not going.
After my roommate left, I went back to sleep for another three hours, then woke, took a shower, and stuffed sheets and towels into washer (the wash cycle takes about two hours). Then sat down to catch up on whatever is happening on the internet.
Notes to self:
- back home in the Big D, start back with yoga and walking regularly. You are out of shape, madame!
- add in some core exercises as well as strength and flexibility workouts. Because.
- working all the time is boring and makes you boring and cranky.
- a good view makes everything better
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| My early morning view from Tolbiac of the Passerelle: misty and mysterious |
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| A better, fancier view of the whole thing |
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Fountains
One of the essential points of the baroque garden as imagined and designed by Andre Le Notre ( the gardener behind Vaux-le-Vicomte, Versailles, Fontainebleau, St. Germain en Laye, and countless other gardens of the period in France, England, and Italy, including the Vatican), is that it be interesting not only intellectually in its scope, symmetry, and mathematical use of landscape (vertical and horizontal) but that it be sensual.
So the baroque garden includes texture, movement, rhythm, stillness, variation, sound, and, in the case of Versailles, color. Most baroque gardens used only green, but Louis XIV loved flowers, both for color and scent, so flowers as well as flowering and fruit-bearing trees were integrated into the overall design.
Movement, reflection, and sound were added by the inclusion of fountains and pools throughout the garden. And of course the Grand Canal.
Pools offered serene, cool spaces of water countering the green parterres, trees, and topiaries and the paths. Theyalso reflected the blue skies above. Fountains shot water vertically or diagonally and gave life to the silent, still gardens.
At Versailles, the messages of the garden's fountains and pools carries the stories of Apollo, n'est-ce pas? sweeping upward toward Louis's palace, even into Louis's bedchamber.
The Latona Fountain at the head of the Allee Royal: Latona was the mother of Apollo and Diana in Roman mythology, a goddess.
Ovid tells the story of the fountain: when Latona was looking for refuge after having given birth, the Lycian peasants refused her water. In return, being a goddess, she turned them into frogs who had to live in the mud and water ever after. So there. So the fountain depicts Latona, Apollo and Diana on top, then descending/widening rings with fountains and figures of peasants transforming or transformed. Ha!
This is what it looks like with the water turned on, which it wasn't last Wednesday.
The fountains arch up and out, filling the basin, but also causing the water to flow down the layers of the wedding-cake style construction. The figures of Latone, Apollo and Diana are marble, but the others are brass, I think, a golden-colored metal in any case.
So the baroque garden includes texture, movement, rhythm, stillness, variation, sound, and, in the case of Versailles, color. Most baroque gardens used only green, but Louis XIV loved flowers, both for color and scent, so flowers as well as flowering and fruit-bearing trees were integrated into the overall design.
Movement, reflection, and sound were added by the inclusion of fountains and pools throughout the garden. And of course the Grand Canal.
Pools offered serene, cool spaces of water countering the green parterres, trees, and topiaries and the paths. Theyalso reflected the blue skies above. Fountains shot water vertically or diagonally and gave life to the silent, still gardens.
At Versailles, the messages of the garden's fountains and pools carries the stories of Apollo, n'est-ce pas? sweeping upward toward Louis's palace, even into Louis's bedchamber.
The Latona Fountain at the head of the Allee Royal: Latona was the mother of Apollo and Diana in Roman mythology, a goddess.
Ovid tells the story of the fountain: when Latona was looking for refuge after having given birth, the Lycian peasants refused her water. In return, being a goddess, she turned them into frogs who had to live in the mud and water ever after. So there. So the fountain depicts Latona, Apollo and Diana on top, then descending/widening rings with fountains and figures of peasants transforming or transformed. Ha!
This is what it looks like with the water turned on, which it wasn't last Wednesday.
The fountains arch up and out, filling the basin, but also causing the water to flow down the layers of the wedding-cake style construction. The figures of Latone, Apollo and Diana are marble, but the others are brass, I think, a golden-colored metal in any case.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
More pictures of Versailles
Since I took about 150 during the one day I was there, I'll add them in slowly...
These first pictures are of the approach to the palace, from my hotel, then the rear of thepalace (but only part of it) and a view from that level (the palace level) down towards the Grand Canal. Where I was headed.
The palace is on a hill, by the way, which you should get from the pictures. You walk up to get to get to the entrance of the palace, then down into the gardens. Three villages were razed to create the expansive gardens around and behind Versailles.
Basically, to get to this point directly behind the palace took me about 35-40 minutes. I hadn't yet had to show my ticket, just walked into the gardens. The gardens and park are free weekdays and open to the Versailles public everyday.
In the summer, on weekends they have the Grands Eaux Musicales, where they blast baroque music in the gardens and shoot all the fountains about 15 minutes on the hour.
This was part 2 of the walk. From the palace to the Grand Canal.
These first pictures are of the approach to the palace, from my hotel, then the rear of thepalace (but only part of it) and a view from that level (the palace level) down towards the Grand Canal. Where I was headed.
The palace is on a hill, by the way, which you should get from the pictures. You walk up to get to get to the entrance of the palace, then down into the gardens. Three villages were razed to create the expansive gardens around and behind Versailles.
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| Around the corner from my hotel, walking down the main street toward the gates of the palace |
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| The crowds at 10 am on a Wednesday morning |
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| The chapel and a wing added after Louis XIV's time |
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| The northern side of the rear of the palace, with some of the southern reflecting pool |
In the summer, on weekends they have the Grands Eaux Musicales, where they blast baroque music in the gardens and shoot all the fountains about 15 minutes on the hour.
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| See the little blue within the green? That's where I am going. |
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| A great picture of the Allee Royale, from the Palace level, looking from the Latona Fountain to the Grand Canal. Where I'm going. |
 |
| Topiaries: each one different |
 |
| Approaching the Apollo Fountain at the bottom of the Royal Allee |
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| This is what the palace looks like from the Apollo Fountain. That's how far I came. |
Thursday, June 14, 2012
In the gardens...
I saw this...
and this...
and this...
and this.
All pretty.
 |
| L'Allee Royal, the central allee leading from the palace to the Grand Canal |
and this...
 |
| One of the figures of the Latona Fountain, a man transforming into a frog |
and this...
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| The Apollo Fountain, modeled after a young Louis XIV |
and this.
 |
| The very 21st century gardener, taking pictures of the flowers on his cell |
Friday, June 8, 2012
If I were in Paris... Friday, June 8, 2012
I AM in Paris!
Yesterday was another day of writing in the apartment. The view makes everything worthwhile and I am very pleased with my output.
Then, late in the day, I went here:
To see this Matisse exhibit.
The focus is on a lifelong habit by the artist of making two, three, four, or more versions of the same view or subject at the same time. The exhibition puts the different versions side-by-side for comparison. Most striking are the three versions of Pont Saint-Michael in Paris: one is a very Monet-like view, one seems an imcomplete Gauguin-like rendering, and the final one reminded me of a very colorful early Kandinsky. Amazing that all three were done in the same year, of the same subject, by the same artist using completely different styles, color pallates, painting techniques.
The exhibition was beautifully done, too, with the works on big, white walls and in large rooms, so the crowds seemed minimal. Delightful to walk around, see the work, then go eat dinner in a cafe at Chatelet. My favorite cafe there, Ma Vieux Chatelet, is apparently under construction, so we went to the Cafe Sarah Bernhardt across the place. Just as good, although my chicken was a skinny one.
The Pompidou cener is also having a retrospective of Gerhard Richter, so I'll be going back there this stop for that exhibit. Richter is simply brilliant.
On the way to the exhibition, I stopped at Mariage Freres and bought myself some tea: Casablanca, a green tea with mint, and Nil Rouge, a red tea with citus and spices. This is only my first stop: I ahve more tea to buy as gifts and for myself.
Big plans today? Finish the section of the manuscript I am engaged with, eat lunch at the little cafe down the block, buy more coffee capsules, walk up to Sacre Coeur, start rewriting the next section. A simple day.
Yesterday was another day of writing in the apartment. The view makes everything worthwhile and I am very pleased with my output.
Then, late in the day, I went here:
To see this Matisse exhibit.
The focus is on a lifelong habit by the artist of making two, three, four, or more versions of the same view or subject at the same time. The exhibition puts the different versions side-by-side for comparison. Most striking are the three versions of Pont Saint-Michael in Paris: one is a very Monet-like view, one seems an imcomplete Gauguin-like rendering, and the final one reminded me of a very colorful early Kandinsky. Amazing that all three were done in the same year, of the same subject, by the same artist using completely different styles, color pallates, painting techniques.
The exhibition was beautifully done, too, with the works on big, white walls and in large rooms, so the crowds seemed minimal. Delightful to walk around, see the work, then go eat dinner in a cafe at Chatelet. My favorite cafe there, Ma Vieux Chatelet, is apparently under construction, so we went to the Cafe Sarah Bernhardt across the place. Just as good, although my chicken was a skinny one.
The Pompidou cener is also having a retrospective of Gerhard Richter, so I'll be going back there this stop for that exhibit. Richter is simply brilliant.
On the way to the exhibition, I stopped at Mariage Freres and bought myself some tea: Casablanca, a green tea with mint, and Nil Rouge, a red tea with citus and spices. This is only my first stop: I ahve more tea to buy as gifts and for myself.
Big plans today? Finish the section of the manuscript I am engaged with, eat lunch at the little cafe down the block, buy more coffee capsules, walk up to Sacre Coeur, start rewriting the next section. A simple day.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Day 4: Errands and Printing
Today's tasks include printing out more items (I ran out of ink at home, so have to go to the office), picking up books at the office, and picking up dry cleaning. Also: laying out what I plan to pack and editing. Ferociously.
Today's discussion has to be Versailles and the Handel festival this summer. I plan to buy a ticket to one of the Handel operas being performed in Versaille's opera theatre, and then spend the following day visiting the Trianons and Marie Antoinette's ferme. Two days, with an overnight in a hotel in Versailles.
Why? Never seen an opera at Versailles. Never visited the ferme or the Trianons. Been inside the papalce multiple times... I can forego another visit, but this seems the right moment to make the rest happen. Did it, got it... ticket to Alcina by Handel (in the gods!), hotel room, ticket to gardens for the following day--Done!
What I'll do on Day 7 & 8: go back to the archives. The whole thing about working in the archives is that I have figured out that working no more than four hours is the smart move; any more time than that working ina second and my brain becomes mush. I have a translation project on hand for the down time, so I can certainly find things to do outside of the necessary research: translate the play, finish/edit/submit the second novel, write the paper I'll be giving in Exeter, prepare my Oxford course. LOTS to do... not including visitng cafes, museums, monuments, and shopping.
Today's discussion has to be Versailles and the Handel festival this summer. I plan to buy a ticket to one of the Handel operas being performed in Versaille's opera theatre, and then spend the following day visiting the Trianons and Marie Antoinette's ferme. Two days, with an overnight in a hotel in Versailles.
Why? Never seen an opera at Versailles. Never visited the ferme or the Trianons. Been inside the papalce multiple times... I can forego another visit, but this seems the right moment to make the rest happen. Did it, got it... ticket to Alcina by Handel (in the gods!), hotel room, ticket to gardens for the following day--Done!
What I'll do on Day 7 & 8: go back to the archives. The whole thing about working in the archives is that I have figured out that working no more than four hours is the smart move; any more time than that working ina second and my brain becomes mush. I have a translation project on hand for the down time, so I can certainly find things to do outside of the necessary research: translate the play, finish/edit/submit the second novel, write the paper I'll be giving in Exeter, prepare my Oxford course. LOTS to do... not including visitng cafes, museums, monuments, and shopping.
Friday, March 30, 2012
If I were in Paris... March 30, 2012
Supremely cool, the season of tourist exhibitions intended to blow out visitors' minds has begun. Right now, for instance, you can see the following exhibitions:
Oh, and tonight or tomorrow, Go see the Ballet of the National Opera of Paris dancing to Jerome Robbins' choreography for "Dances at a Gathering." That's at the Opera Garnier. Of course, you can also go to The Merry Widow at the Opera Garnier in a new staging of this delightful operetta.
Or tomorrow go to a concert of medieval music and Gregorian chant and Greg at Notre Dame de Paris in the afternoon, part of a concert series about Lent.
I think that's enough for now. Get out, go see, enjoy.
- Debussy, art and music: Musee de l'Orangerie, through June 11
- Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs: Les Arts Decoratifs, through September 16
- Ricard: again, Les Arts Decoratifs, through August 26
- Jews in Orientalism: Musee d'art et d'histoire de Judaisme through July 8, an exhibition on the perception of the Jew as an "Oriental" figure in art and history of the 19th century
- Matisse: a huge exhibition at the Centre Pompidou
- Degas and the Nude: the first major exhibition of the works by Degas in Paris in 24 years. Musee d'Orsay, through July 1
- Artemisia: Musee Maillol, through July 15; an exhibition of the works of Renaisance female artist Artemisia Gentileschi
- Rain: Musee du quai Branly, through May 13
- Twilight of the Pharoahs: Musee Jacquemart-Andre, through July 23
Oh, and tonight or tomorrow, Go see the Ballet of the National Opera of Paris dancing to Jerome Robbins' choreography for "Dances at a Gathering." That's at the Opera Garnier. Of course, you can also go to The Merry Widow at the Opera Garnier in a new staging of this delightful operetta.
Or tomorrow go to a concert of medieval music and Gregorian chant and Greg at Notre Dame de Paris in the afternoon, part of a concert series about Lent.
I think that's enough for now. Get out, go see, enjoy.
Friday, January 20, 2012
If I were in Paris... Friday, January 20, 2012
I would definitely head over to the Palais du Luxembourg and see the exhibition on Cezanne et Paris, an exhibition of over 80 works by the master painter. My favorite, of course, are the apples, pears, oranges and other still life paintings, but I like a good Cezanne on any day.
Afterward, weather permitting, a nice stroll through the gardens would be wonderful. I would suggest a visit to the small but delightful Musee Zadkine, but it is closed for renovations.
It might be even better to stroll over to Bon Marche and window shop, but the area of the 6th arrondissement near les Jardins du Luxembourg is rich in shopping, street sights, churches, and certainly cafes. One can walk in any direction and find entertainment. I particularly advise a walk down Rue de Rennes. You can visit the chocolate shop of Jean-Charles Rochoux, as I did.
I would also recommend a visit to St.-Sulpice, a church featured in The DaVinci Code, but more importantly featuring wonderful paintings by Delacroix. I also love Saint-Germain-des-Pres, an abbey and
square that form an early part of the history of medieval Paris. Best of all, Saint-Germain is nearly next door to Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots, two of my favorite cafes and the center of existentialist Paris. Pricy, but no better sightseeing of Parisians than here.
As you walk through this are, keep an eye out for the many statues, monuments, and rememberances of Paris history. In America, we're not used to have two millenia of history documented everywhere around us, but Parisians pass these everyday, monuments that form a rich history and certainly part of their self-possession. Like this one of revolutionary figure Danton.
Afterward, weather permitting, a nice stroll through the gardens would be wonderful. I would suggest a visit to the small but delightful Musee Zadkine, but it is closed for renovations.
It might be even better to stroll over to Bon Marche and window shop, but the area of the 6th arrondissement near les Jardins du Luxembourg is rich in shopping, street sights, churches, and certainly cafes. One can walk in any direction and find entertainment. I particularly advise a walk down Rue de Rennes. You can visit the chocolate shop of Jean-Charles Rochoux, as I did.
I would also recommend a visit to St.-Sulpice, a church featured in The DaVinci Code, but more importantly featuring wonderful paintings by Delacroix. I also love Saint-Germain-des-Pres, an abbey and
square that form an early part of the history of medieval Paris. Best of all, Saint-Germain is nearly next door to Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots, two of my favorite cafes and the center of existentialist Paris. Pricy, but no better sightseeing of Parisians than here.
As you walk through this are, keep an eye out for the many statues, monuments, and rememberances of Paris history. In America, we're not used to have two millenia of history documented everywhere around us, but Parisians pass these everyday, monuments that form a rich history and certainly part of their self-possession. Like this one of revolutionary figure Danton.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
If I were in Paris... Friday (I mean, Saturday!), November 12, 2011
Travel down to the 15th and see an exhibition at the Maison de la Culture du Japon on the "floating world" or ukiyo-e, until 12.17. One hundred and fifty engravings by eight masters of the 18th-century art form, depicting the streets of Tokyo and other cities: geishas, kabuki, samurai, merchants, and the common folk of Japan represented by such artists as Utamaro and Hokusai.
These engravings are beautiful and capture a world long gone in Japan, but still a living part of the people there today. This style of engraving was highly influential on such Western artists as Vincent Van Gogh, James Whistler, Odilon Redon, Henri Fantin-Latour, Toulouse Lautrec, among others.
Go go go!
Then I would walk over to the Musee d'Orsay for what promises to be a fantastic exhibition on the Aesthetic Movement in England during the last part of the 19th century: "Beaute, morale et volupte dans l'Angleterre de Oscar Wilde." Oh, my heavens!
And then a lovely walk along the Seine east, toward Notre Dame... stopping somewhere for a coffee or a glass of wine.
These engravings are beautiful and capture a world long gone in Japan, but still a living part of the people there today. This style of engraving was highly influential on such Western artists as Vincent Van Gogh, James Whistler, Odilon Redon, Henri Fantin-Latour, Toulouse Lautrec, among others.
Go go go!
Then I would walk over to the Musee d'Orsay for what promises to be a fantastic exhibition on the Aesthetic Movement in England during the last part of the 19th century: "Beaute, morale et volupte dans l'Angleterre de Oscar Wilde." Oh, my heavens!
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| Go to my exhibition! |
Friday, November 4, 2011
If I were in Paris... Friday, November 4, 2011
And it's back... my favorite round-up of things I will miss in Paris. Sigh... but I love it.
Time to head back to the Musees des Arts Decoratifs, because they always have beautifully curated and informative exhibits, like...
One that's closing after today: "Face A Face: un project de Matthew Bakkom" in the library of the museum (111, rue de Rivoli). This includes images drawn from one of the initial donations to the museum.
One on toys, "Plastique ludique: Libuse Niklova designer des jouets," which closes Sunday. Czech designer Niklova designed toys during the mid-20th century.
One on jewelry (always a favorite with me!), "Alphonse Fouquet (1828-1911) - des dessins pour des bijoux" which are Fouquet's drawings for the glorious items created by this master jeweller during the second half of the 19th century. By the way: his son Georges Fouquet's shop is on view at the Musee Carnavalet as designed by Alphonse Mucha: glorious art deco work. It is a wonderful "family" business.
And speaking if the Musee Carnavalet -- the museum of Paris history and a lovely jewel box to visit itself -- they ahve an exhibition on the the depictions of Les Halles, the great shopping market in the heart of Paris from medieval times to the present. They also have an exhibition on "Le peuple de Paris au XIXe siecle" which looks to be fascinating: views of the city's populations from beginning to end of the most important century in the city's history (or is that just me?).
Time to head back to the Musees des Arts Decoratifs, because they always have beautifully curated and informative exhibits, like...
One that's closing after today: "Face A Face: un project de Matthew Bakkom" in the library of the museum (111, rue de Rivoli). This includes images drawn from one of the initial donations to the museum.
One on toys, "Plastique ludique: Libuse Niklova designer des jouets," which closes Sunday. Czech designer Niklova designed toys during the mid-20th century.
One on jewelry (always a favorite with me!), "Alphonse Fouquet (1828-1911) - des dessins pour des bijoux" which are Fouquet's drawings for the glorious items created by this master jeweller during the second half of the 19th century. By the way: his son Georges Fouquet's shop is on view at the Musee Carnavalet as designed by Alphonse Mucha: glorious art deco work. It is a wonderful "family" business.
And speaking if the Musee Carnavalet -- the museum of Paris history and a lovely jewel box to visit itself -- they ahve an exhibition on the the depictions of Les Halles, the great shopping market in the heart of Paris from medieval times to the present. They also have an exhibition on "Le peuple de Paris au XIXe siecle" which looks to be fascinating: views of the city's populations from beginning to end of the most important century in the city's history (or is that just me?).
Friday, August 26, 2011
If I were in Paris... Friday, August 26, 2011
I am almost tempted to bypass this post today. This first week of school has been chock-full of drah-ma already. Sigh.
I wish I were in Paris, mes amies!
I never really talk about the 13th, but it is an arrondissement that has blossomed and my connection to the Tolbiac brings me there on a regular basis. I have come to appreciate its quiet nature, in a part of Paris that seems almost suburban, in the sense of lacking tourists (beyond summertime scholars).
Almost three years ago now, exactly, I posted this about Tolbiac and my adventures there.
What I didn't mention then is that Tolbiac, indeed the entire BnF group, put on some of the best exhibitions in the city.
Right now, the Tolbiac has two exhibitions running through September 4, that I think are worth seeing.
"An African Summer Season," which includes maps, drawings, photographs by Europeans about Africa from the Renaissance through the 18th and 19th centuries. The exhibitions considers how Europeans saw the continent--literally as a land mass--first, the coasts and later the interior areas. It also considers how "mapping" defines an area through the eyes of those exploring and depicting.
"Paul Jacolet" focuses on the the engravings, watercolors, and drawings of this artist who studied Japanese techniques and, then, married them to an awareness of Western art.
By the way, at the Opera Garnier, the BnF has an exhibition on "Opera's tragic actresses" (through September 25), which I would say is worth seeing (another exhibition I would give my eyeteeth for!). This exhibition focuses on a few of the great 19th to early 20th centuries singers who worked at the Opera Garnier, showing them and their careers through photographs, objects, jewels, costume sketches, and Rare documents, as the site says.
At the Richelieu, there is a show on "The art of illumination in Islam." Again, this promises to be a focused, brief but delightful show that would take a visitor only an hour or so, and then one can settle to lunch or a coffee at a nearby cafe.
But if I stayed in the 13th, I would certainly explore the area near the Tolbiac or take a little bit of a walk. One can get really great Asian food--Vietnamese or Chinese, especially--in this district, which was at one time where new immigrants from those countries settled. Similarly, go see La Butte aux Cailles, a little neighborhood with a lot of good eating possiblities as well as simply charming, narrow streets and interesting buildings.
If you are at the Tolbiac, be sure to walk across the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir, a foot/cycle bridge.
Very cool bridge, lovely walk.
I wish I were in Paris, mes amies!
I never really talk about the 13th, but it is an arrondissement that has blossomed and my connection to the Tolbiac brings me there on a regular basis. I have come to appreciate its quiet nature, in a part of Paris that seems almost suburban, in the sense of lacking tourists (beyond summertime scholars).
Almost three years ago now, exactly, I posted this about Tolbiac and my adventures there.
What I didn't mention then is that Tolbiac, indeed the entire BnF group, put on some of the best exhibitions in the city.
Right now, the Tolbiac has two exhibitions running through September 4, that I think are worth seeing.
"An African Summer Season," which includes maps, drawings, photographs by Europeans about Africa from the Renaissance through the 18th and 19th centuries. The exhibitions considers how Europeans saw the continent--literally as a land mass--first, the coasts and later the interior areas. It also considers how "mapping" defines an area through the eyes of those exploring and depicting.
"Paul Jacolet" focuses on the the engravings, watercolors, and drawings of this artist who studied Japanese techniques and, then, married them to an awareness of Western art.
By the way, at the Opera Garnier, the BnF has an exhibition on "Opera's tragic actresses" (through September 25), which I would say is worth seeing (another exhibition I would give my eyeteeth for!). This exhibition focuses on a few of the great 19th to early 20th centuries singers who worked at the Opera Garnier, showing them and their careers through photographs, objects, jewels, costume sketches, and Rare documents, as the site says.
At the Richelieu, there is a show on "The art of illumination in Islam." Again, this promises to be a focused, brief but delightful show that would take a visitor only an hour or so, and then one can settle to lunch or a coffee at a nearby cafe.
But if I stayed in the 13th, I would certainly explore the area near the Tolbiac or take a little bit of a walk. One can get really great Asian food--Vietnamese or Chinese, especially--in this district, which was at one time where new immigrants from those countries settled. Similarly, go see La Butte aux Cailles, a little neighborhood with a lot of good eating possiblities as well as simply charming, narrow streets and interesting buildings.
If you are at the Tolbiac, be sure to walk across the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir, a foot/cycle bridge.
Very cool bridge, lovely walk.
Friday, July 15, 2011
If I was in Paris... July 15, 2011
I'd definitely enjoy the clean-up from Bastille Day celebrations, which is undoubtedly going on all over the city. And with the temperatures only at 79 degrees and sunny, it would be a beautiful day to take the train to Versailles and enjoy the gardens.
Versailles is a wonderful day trip, but you do have to plan carefully in order to miss the hoardes of tourists who go there every day during warm weather.
A couple of serious pieces of advice:
reserve/buy your ticket on line a day or more ahead of time, including printing it out;
the chateau opens at 9 am: get there before it opens, by taking an early train from Paris and a picnic breakfast; plan to arrive by 8:30, at least;
the gardens open earlier and stay open later... go after you've seen the chateau.
If this is your first visit, buy the ticket for the general chateau (des Grands Appartments,15 euros), which includes all the public rooms in the main building, including the Hall of Mirrors. If you go on a not-so-busy-day that will take you about 90-120 minutes, unless you simply cannot stand the crowds or get caught in them.
After that, you must make a choice.
I would suggest the tour of the private rooms including the Chapel/Theatre for an English-language tour (and these ONLY go at 930 am daily) which take you to the royal apartments of Louis XV, the Chapel, and the Opera in a guided tour. If you buy the tickets online, you will also get a ticket for the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's theatre: a 2-fer. I have taken this tour several times and it is very good; you'll have to do it prior to the general tour.
Or--plan to see the gardens. The gardens are extensive--including the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's "farmhouse" and the Grand Trianon. The gardens between the house and the Canal are much, much bigger than they look, and making it to any of these three very interesting constructions, especially on a hot day... enough.
You will also want to visit one--or more--of the several shops, which do not duplicate merchandise.
In other words, make a plan and work it thoroughly. There are places to eat on site, where you cna grab a sandwich or sit down to a more elaborate (and expensive) meal. It is not worth it to leave the site, eat, and return. (See below for my caveat here.) If you can, bring sandwiches, fruit, a baguette and cheese, and your own water. mostly to avoid the crowds. You can certainly eat in the gardens, and alongside the Canal is a nice spot.
You can also rent a boat and go out onto the canal, andI believe bikes are for rent in town, if you simply want to bike the gardens and do nothing else. Also not a bad way to spend the day.
Right now there is an exhibition on "Le XVIIIe au gout du jour" at the Grand Trianon of the fashions of the most popular era of the early 18th century. It is co-curated with the Musee Galliera, which is the leading fashion museum in Paris (I've written about it before here and in other Friday in Paris posts). The description looks fantastic, if you are a buff of history, fashion, costume, or cultural history.
And closing this weekend--Sunday--is an exhibition "Venise Vivaldi Versailles" about the baroque triad. Yes, I would go go go! This weekend is a performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons played by Fabio Biondi, the violin soloist. Played in the damn Opera! Oh, my goodness!!!!
In other words, Versailles is a huge "French baroque" theme park and it will take you at least a day to see even part of it. Oh, and on the way home stop at Le Potager du Roy for dinner: the vegetarian food expertly prepared there comes from the original gardens of Louis XIV, which are also open for viewing. The Sun King loved vegetables, including asparagus, peas, and enarly everything except the potato, which he found to be common. Expensive but worth it.
Versailles is a wonderful day trip, but you do have to plan carefully in order to miss the hoardes of tourists who go there every day during warm weather.
A couple of serious pieces of advice:
reserve/buy your ticket on line a day or more ahead of time, including printing it out;
the chateau opens at 9 am: get there before it opens, by taking an early train from Paris and a picnic breakfast; plan to arrive by 8:30, at least;
the gardens open earlier and stay open later... go after you've seen the chateau.
 |
| Entrance courtyard |
If this is your first visit, buy the ticket for the general chateau (des Grands Appartments,15 euros), which includes all the public rooms in the main building, including the Hall of Mirrors. If you go on a not-so-busy-day that will take you about 90-120 minutes, unless you simply cannot stand the crowds or get caught in them.
After that, you must make a choice.
 |
| Map: Chateau at bottom, canal at top |
I would suggest the tour of the private rooms including the Chapel/Theatre for an English-language tour (and these ONLY go at 930 am daily) which take you to the royal apartments of Louis XV, the Chapel, and the Opera in a guided tour. If you buy the tickets online, you will also get a ticket for the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's theatre: a 2-fer. I have taken this tour several times and it is very good; you'll have to do it prior to the general tour.
Or--plan to see the gardens. The gardens are extensive--including the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's "farmhouse" and the Grand Trianon. The gardens between the house and the Canal are much, much bigger than they look, and making it to any of these three very interesting constructions, especially on a hot day... enough.
 |
| Latona Fountain: looking to canal from back of chateau |
Les Grands Eaux are on Saturdays and Sundays only during the summer season: the fountains in the gardens are turned on, and baroque music blasts as well, giving it a certain aspect of "The Sun King" as you promenade. The tickets are extra, unlike the free access during the rest of the week.
You will also want to visit one--or more--of the several shops, which do not duplicate merchandise.
 |
| Orangerie: Still holds orange trees from 1660s |
You can also rent a boat and go out onto the canal, andI believe bikes are for rent in town, if you simply want to bike the gardens and do nothing else. Also not a bad way to spend the day.
Right now there is an exhibition on "Le XVIIIe au gout du jour" at the Grand Trianon of the fashions of the most popular era of the early 18th century. It is co-curated with the Musee Galliera, which is the leading fashion museum in Paris (I've written about it before here and in other Friday in Paris posts). The description looks fantastic, if you are a buff of history, fashion, costume, or cultural history.
And closing this weekend--Sunday--is an exhibition "Venise Vivaldi Versailles" about the baroque triad. Yes, I would go go go! This weekend is a performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons played by Fabio Biondi, the violin soloist. Played in the damn Opera! Oh, my goodness!!!!
In other words, Versailles is a huge "French baroque" theme park and it will take you at least a day to see even part of it. Oh, and on the way home stop at Le Potager du Roy for dinner: the vegetarian food expertly prepared there comes from the original gardens of Louis XIV, which are also open for viewing. The Sun King loved vegetables, including asparagus, peas, and enarly everything except the potato, which he found to be common. Expensive but worth it.
Friday, July 8, 2011
If I was in Paris... July 8, 2011
Obviously, I would be preparing for July 14, France's day of independence. Oh, and watching the Tour de France avidly.
Today I would go to the Theatre du Chatelet and buy a ticket to see the Miami City Ballet, the company run by Edward Villella, in Paris. Or, if tickets were sold out there, to FNAC and snag a standing room place. Oh, yes. This is one of the best ballet companies in the US, and they are makign their Paris premiere. Oh, delight! I would of course hope to see something by Twyla Tharp, who has created several ballets just for them.
Interestingly, I might go see a small exhibition at the Fondation Cartier, on voodoo, from a private collection. "Vaudau," the French word, focuses on African voodoo, and here is a site where you can preview (or view, if you won't be in Paris) the flavor of the works. All I can say is, wow--the photos look amazing. The foundation is at 261 Blvd. Raspail, in the 14th, not far from where I stayed during the summer of 1999.
Not too far away, the Gobelins factory--the Manufacture des Gobelins--the great home of tapestries and rugs from the days of Louis XIV onward--has opened for its 400th anniversary. There is a sizable exhibition of period as well as contemporary pieces on view.
Not a very lively day, but frankly, this is the perfect weather (rainy!) for shopping and for sightseeing. Go early to all monuments--most open between 9 am and 10 am, so plan for a breakfast stop at a cafe nearby and then standing in line... This holds true for the Eiffel Tower, the climb up Notre Dame's bell towers, the Louvre, and probably the Musee D'Orsay. To avoid crowds, go to smaller museums, like the Zadkine, or less famous ones, like the Musee du Quai Branly. same with cathedrals.
Since it is raining, I say go shopping, whether at Galleries Lafayette (stop in the top floor cafe for lunch) or Bon Marche. Everything in Paris is on sale!
Today I would go to the Theatre du Chatelet and buy a ticket to see the Miami City Ballet, the company run by Edward Villella, in Paris. Or, if tickets were sold out there, to FNAC and snag a standing room place. Oh, yes. This is one of the best ballet companies in the US, and they are makign their Paris premiere. Oh, delight! I would of course hope to see something by Twyla Tharp, who has created several ballets just for them.
Interestingly, I might go see a small exhibition at the Fondation Cartier, on voodoo, from a private collection. "Vaudau," the French word, focuses on African voodoo, and here is a site where you can preview (or view, if you won't be in Paris) the flavor of the works. All I can say is, wow--the photos look amazing. The foundation is at 261 Blvd. Raspail, in the 14th, not far from where I stayed during the summer of 1999.
Not too far away, the Gobelins factory--the Manufacture des Gobelins--the great home of tapestries and rugs from the days of Louis XIV onward--has opened for its 400th anniversary. There is a sizable exhibition of period as well as contemporary pieces on view.
Not a very lively day, but frankly, this is the perfect weather (rainy!) for shopping and for sightseeing. Go early to all monuments--most open between 9 am and 10 am, so plan for a breakfast stop at a cafe nearby and then standing in line... This holds true for the Eiffel Tower, the climb up Notre Dame's bell towers, the Louvre, and probably the Musee D'Orsay. To avoid crowds, go to smaller museums, like the Zadkine, or less famous ones, like the Musee du Quai Branly. same with cathedrals.
Since it is raining, I say go shopping, whether at Galleries Lafayette (stop in the top floor cafe for lunch) or Bon Marche. Everything in Paris is on sale!
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