Vive La France – Heritage Days 2011

France celebrates its heritage every year on the third weekend in September during Les Journeés du Patrimoine. The doors of thousands of museums, monuments, government buildings and privately owned sites are opened to the public—for free. Many stay open late into the night. In addition, each city hosts its own concerts, performances, and exhibits.

The weekend is a wonderful chance to explore both legendary and lesser-known places of interest. Among the Paris hotspots: the Paris Archives, the Court of Appeals, the Palais de l’Elysée (the French President’s residence), the Senate, and the National Assembly. Many locations offer special guided tours, including the Moulin Rouge, where you can peek backstage.

Journées du Patrimoine Sept 17 & 18, 2011

Fireworks over Cannes

Since 1967, the International Fireworks Festival has dazzled and delighted Cannes visitors and residents (200,000 each night to be approximately exact) with its pyrotechnical wizardry set to music. As if the area’s natural beauty weren’t enough, the 900-foot-long bay reflects the dripping colors that arc across the sky, from the Esteral Mountains to Pointe Croisette. Every balcony, terrace, boat deck, café, bench and inch on the promenade is taken with spectators lucky enough to enjoy such a sight during their visit.

The final two evenings of the Festival for 2011 are Monday, August 15, when Russia shows off its flair for drama, and Wednesday, August 24, when the heavens give way to Italy. The shows run 25-30 minutes long and are, of course, free.

Nocturnal Delights of Mont Saint Michel

Every evening until the end of August, the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel reveals a unique brand of bewitching magic. Visitors can wander the halls and passageways at will as beautiful sequences of light, sound, music, mirrors, shadows and images illustrate the ancient history of this World Heritage Site, transporting them to bygone days on a unique and dreamlike tour.

Details
Where: Mont Saint Michel
When: Through August 31
Hours: Mondays through Saturdays from 7 p.m. until midnight (last entry at 11 p.m.)
Cost: Adults: 9€; free under age 18

LYON – Arts on a Summer Evening

Rising behind the graceful city of Lyon and overlooking the Rhone and Soane Rivers (which meet here), the UNESCO Fourvière district is historic, picturesque, and, in mid-summer, devoted to the arts. During its Nuits de Fourvière, which continues through July 30, ancient Gallo-Roman theaters offer "under the stars" viewing of some of France’s finest artistic performances—including dance, plays, concerts, cinema and magical circus acts from around Europe.

Lyon’s Fourvière neighborhood, laced with narrow lanes and winding stairways, offers numerous restaurants, bistros and bars, all open to the lovely evenings. Crowning the hill is the huge gleaming Basilique Notre-Dame, completed in 1876; city views from here are spectacular.

•Details:
Nuits de Fourvière – through July 30
For more information: www.nuitsdefourviere.com
Tickets online at: http://nuitsfourviere.fnacspectacles.com/

Beaune Goes Baroque

Burgundy’s lovely wine center, Beaune, offers an idyllic setting for the International Festival of Baroque Music. Since 1982, the prestigious festival has showcased more than 75 Baroque operas—25 of them world premieres—performed by highly acclaimed musicians in the courtyard of the historic 15th century Hospices de Beaune and in the Basilique Notre Dame. The music is played on period instruments. Performances, which include opera, concertos, and recitals, are held all four weekends in July.

Details:

When: July 1 – July 24, 2011

Information: www.festivalbeaune.com (in French only) OR Email: festival.beaune@wanadoo.fr

Festival de Carcassonne

One of the best preserved walled towns of Europe, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Carcassonne hosts an annual summer festival with a breathtaking array of events—110 to be somewhat precise. Visualize Madame Butterfly performed outdoors against the backdrop of this medieval architectural jewel... Or an exquisite performance of dazzling trapeze acts high in the sky... Or elaborate equestrian performances by member of the Versailles Academy. Every nook and corner is claimed by entertainers, popular artists, and buskers who sing traditional French and Occitan songs of heritage and tradition, while the Grand Theatre and Basilique Saint-Nazaire reverberate with the sounds of Jose Carreras and a roster of beloved jazz and pop stars. Top it all of with a bowl of cassoulet and a classic French vintage and this Festival is sure to be a magical travel highlight.

DETAILS:
When: June 16 – August 15
For more info: www.festivaldecarcassonne.fr
Tickets to specific performances available at each event from 8.00 p.m. every performance night. Or, online at: www.fnac.com or www.ticketnet.fr

Paris – A Musical Feast!

For 30 years, la Fete de la Musique has taken place in Paris — and now in cities all over the world — on June 21, the Summer Solstice. Established by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, the concept of shared music spread first through the major cities of Europe, then throughout the world (120 countries and 350 cities to date!). Place Denfert-Rochereau is THE scene of the event and thousands of people come to play, sing, dance and revel in one of Paris’ top festivals of the summer. Any music lover with an instrument is invited to join the bands, which often include renowned maestros at this energetic celebration of jazz, classical, reggae, electronic, funk and rock.

Details:
What: Fete de la Musique
When: Tuesday, June 21. All day, all evening
Where: Place Denfert –Rochereau

Belleville’s Open Studios Weekend

Delightfully depicted in the Oscar-nominated animated film, Triplets of Belleville, the intriguing Parisian neighborhood of Belleville—a true cultural kaleidoscope—is a hotbed of artistic creativity. Over the last weekend in May more than 120 artists (painters, sculptors, photographers, woodworkers, performance artists and videographers) open their ateliers–studios–to showcase their work. It’s a great opportunity to both explore this diverse and lesser-visited neighborhood as well as meet and converse with the artists themselves. Hundreds of cafes, little ethnic eateries and a walk in the enchanting Parc de Belleville can make this a wonderful day outing for those looking for a little “je ne sais quois” in Paris.

Pssst: Edith Piaf was born here (under a streetlamp it is said) and a plaque at number 72 Rue de Belleville commemorates the event.

Event: Portes Ouvertes, Ateliers d'Artistes de Belleville
When: May 27 – 30
Times: 2:00 – 9:00 p.m. each day
Where: Belleville (10th, 11th, 19th, 20th arrondissements)

Michelin Restaurant Stars 2011

The prestigious Michelin Stars for 2011 twinkle above 571 restaurants throughout France. There are 470 One-Star, with 46 of them new to the list; 76 awarded Two Stars, of which 5 are new; and 25 that have maintained their ultimate Three-Star status.

In Paris, there are 70 starred restaurants. Forty-five of them have one star and six of these are new; 15 have two stars, including three new ones; and the ten three-star restaurants join the ranks of some of the finest in the world.

Here’s the list of the shiny new stars awarded in France this year:

• 46 New 1-Star Restaurants
Amboise – Château de Pray
Annecy / Veyrier-du-Lac – La Nouvelle Maison de Marc Veyrat
Avignon (2) – D’Europe, Le Diapason
Belfort / Sevenan – Auberge de la Tour Penchée
Bordeaux – 7 ème Péché
Le Bourget-du-Lac – La Grange à Sel
Bry-Sur-Marne – Auberge du Pont de Bry “La Grapille”
Caen – Ivan Vautier
Cagnes-sur-Mer / Cros-de-Cagnes – Bistrot de la Marine - Jacques Maximin
Cannes – Mon Rêve de Gosse
Cergy-Pontoise / Méry-sur-Oise – Le Chiquito
Colmar – L’Atelier du Peintre
Courchevel – Le Strato
Le Croisic – Le Fort de L’Océan
Gargas – Domaine de la Coquillade
Issoire / Sarpoil – La Bergerie
Le Lavandou / Aiguebelle – Le Sub
Lille / Bois-Grenier – La Table des Jardins
Lyon (2) – Au 14 Février; Takao Takano
Marly-le-Roi – Le Village
Mayenne – L’Éveil des Sens
Montauban – Abbaye des Capucins Spa & Resort
Monte-Carlo (Monaco) – Vistamar
Nice – Flaveur
Orléans – Le Lièvre Gourmand
Paris (6) – Le Baudelaire; Sensing; Les Ambassadeurs; Antoine; La Fourchette du Printemps; Frédéric Simonin
Périgueux / Chancelade – Château des Reynats
Pierrefonds / Saint-Jean-aux-Bois – Auberge à la Bonne Idée
Porto-Vecchio – U Santa Marina
Quiberon / Portivy – Le Petit Hôtel du Grand Large
Reims – Château les Crayères
Saint-Chamond – Les Ambassadeurs
Saint-Valery-en-Caux / Ingouville – Les Hêtres
Sancerre – La Tour
Strasbourg – La Cambuse
Strasbourg / La Wantzenau – Relais de la Poste
Val-d'Isère – La Becca
Villeneuve-sur-Lot – La Table des Sens

• 5 new 2-Star Restaurants
Cannes / Le Cannet – Villa Archange
Paris - Passage 53
Paris – Jean-François Piège
Paris – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon-Étoile
Saint-Sulpice-le-Verdon – Thierry Drapeau Logis de la Chabotterie

• 25 3-Star Restaurants (none of them new)
Baerenthal / Untermuhlthal – L'Arnsbourg
Chagny – Maison Lameloise
Eugénie-les-Bains – Michel Guérard
Fontjoncouse – Auberge du Vieux Puits
Illhaeusern – Auberge de l'Ill
Joigny – La Côte St-Jacques
Laguiole – Bras
Lyon – Paul Bocuse
Marseille – Le Petit Nice
Monte-Carlo (Principauté de Monaco) Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse
Paris – Le Meurice
Paris – L'Ambroisie
Paris – Arpège
Paris – Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée
Paris – Le Bristol
Paris – Ledoyen
Paris – Pierre Gagnaire
Paris – Astrance
Paris – Le Pré Catelan
Paris – Guy Savoy
Roanne – Troisgros
Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid – Régis et Jacques Marcon
Saulieu – Le Relais Bernard Loiseau
Valence – Pic
Vonnas – Georges Blanc

• 8 Rising Stars
Annecy – Les Trésoms
Beaune – Hostellerie le Cèdre
Biarritz – L’Atelier
Clermont-Ferrand – Pré Carré
Ponthierry – L’Inédit
Propriano – Le Lido
Tours – Barju
Vaux-en-Beaujolais – Auberge de Clochemerle

Le Millenaire – Shopping Heaven Near Paris

The Paris suburb of Aubervilliers is officially open for business. The Millennium Mall (Le Millenaire), a fantastic example of urban renewal, houses 140 retail stores and eight restaurants, one of which is a river barge and six that boast waterfront terraces. It’s France’s biggest commercial project in more than a decade and built with optimum green design. Stores include such popular favorites as Carrefour, Guess, Yves Rocher, Zara, Bershka, Swarovski, FNAC, ConfoDECO, Alcott, and H&M. Located along the Canal Saint-Denis, the mall project undertook renovation of old warehouses and dockyards and constructed matching architectural styles to create a “town-like” effect, complete with public green spaces and paths along the canal.

Chocolate Eggs, Bells and Fish (oh my!)

In the week leading up to Easter (Pâques), the windows of patisseries and confiseries (candy shops) brim with colorful cakes, candies and an amazing array of masterfully decorated chocolate eggs that are almost too beautiful to eat. Where we Americans gobble up chocolate rabbits (and yes, bunnies–chocolate and otherwise–are a French favorite as well), in France the tradition focuses on le poisson d’Avril—chocolate fish, which start appearing in sweet shops on the first of the month and are consumed through the Easter holiday. The other ubiquitous favorite, chocolate bells—cloche volant—are a symbol of the resurrection and of celebration, and a most delicious part of the Easter feast. Vive le chocolat!

Celebrating 800 Years at Reims Cathedral

Spectacular Reims Cathedral—a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the church where most of the French kings were crowned—is celebrating its 800th anniversary. The official celebration begins on May 6 and continues for six months until October 23, 2011.

Event highlights include concerts, exhibitions, lectures, and special church services. Visitors to the Cathedral will have access (on guided tours) to the thermal baths and the baptistry. And, at the city’s Opera House and the Palais du Tau, special concerts include the sublime Gregorian choir of Champagne, organ concerts, and music by performers from around the world. Reims is located 81 miles an hour and 45-minute drive) east of Paris.

DON’T MISS...The dazzling light projection show, Dream of Colors, on the Cathedral’s facade, which offers a fascinating glimpse into how the church looked in its original form. The 20-minute displays begin May 6.

TIMES
•May: Friday – Sunday at 10:30 p.m.
•June: Thursday – Sunday at 11 p.m.
•July: Tuesday – Sunday at 11 p.m.
•August: Tuesday – Sunday at 10 p.m.
•September: Thursday – Sunday at 9 p.m.
•October: Friday – Sunday at 8:30 p.m.

Paris Marathon

If it’s April, it must be marathon time around the world. Always a front runner at monumental events, the Paris Marathon has hosted an average of 35,000 runners annually since 1977. More than 250,000 spectators cheer them on! The course is, well, magnifique... This year on Sunday, April 10, it all begins in front of the Arc de Triomphe. Runners head down the Champs Elysées and past fabled icons such as Notre Dame, the Bastille, the Pompidou Centre, and the Eiffel Tower and follow the Seine to the Finish Line at the bottom of Avenue Foch. More than 70 music venues provide suitable accompaniment en route and, should you forget you’re French for the day, there will be wine and cheese at the 20th mile marker.

Details

When: Sunday, April 10, 2011
Start Time: 8:45 a.m.
Start Line: Top of the Champs Elyseés (Arc de Triomphe)
Finish Line: Avenue Foch

Easter at Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte

This beautiful 17th century chateau sits just 30 miles southeast of Paris. The baroque exterior, its lavishly furnished interior, and the exquisite gardens, designed by famed landscape architect, Le Notre, offer a perfect morning or afternoon break from the city. During Easter Sunday and Monday (a two-day holiday in France), the Chateau puts on fantastic Easter egg hunts and makes a holiday outing fun for the whole family. There are also a series of free workshops during the holiday, including chocolate making, face painting and origami.

The chateau is open daily in April from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Edouard Manet Exhibition – Paris

For the first time in nearly 30 years Paris presents a retrospective of the works of Edouard Manet at the wonderful Musée d’Orsay. Titled “Manet, the Man Who Invented Modern Art,” the exhibition focuses on the works of this Impressionist master who ushered in the era of modernism and showcases how his art reflected the historical perspective of his time (1832-1883). This exhibit promises to be THE art exhibition of the year.

Details
• When: April 5 – July 3, 2011
• Where: Musée d’Orsay
• Hours: 9:30 to 6 p.m. Daily. Open until 9:45 p.m. on Thurs., Closed Mondays.
•Tickets: online at: http://www.fnactickets.com

MUSIC IN THE MUSEUMS

Like most world-class museums, Paris offers many outstanding concerts performed at some of its finest museums. Visitors can enjoy both great visual art and a performance, all within the same venue, and often spur-of-the-moment.

Here are a few upcoming March performances:

The d’Orsay Musuem
•Tuesday, March 8 – Cantabile – The London Quartet: Songs of Love and Death
•Friday, March 18 – Soloists from the Orchestre de Paris perform music by Janacek and Dvorak
•Tuesday, March 22 – Soloists from the Vienna Philharmonic perform music by Strauss, Brahms, Enescu
•Thursday, March 31 – Angelika Kirchschlager in recital; songs by Mahler, Berg, Marx
TICKETS ONLINE: http://musee-orsay.fnacspectacles.com

The Louvre
•Wednesday, March 30 – Escher Quartet performs Mendelssohn, Jalbert, and Beethoven
TICKETS ONLINE: http://louvre.fnacspectacles.com

Musée du Luxembourg & Lucas Cranach

After closure for a year and a 2.75 million-dollar renovation, Paris’ Luxembourg Museum reopened earlier this month with the first ever retrospective of the works of Lucas Cranach, a major painter of the German Renaissance. The exquisite portraits, elegant nudes, drawings and engravings in Lucas Cranach and His Time illustrate the ties of the artist’s work to those of his European peers, and offer a chance to understand the complexity of Cranach’s time in history (1472-1553).

Details:
Through May 23, 2011
The Musée de Luxembourg
19 rue de Vaugirard
Open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Christmas Day and May 1.
For advance ticketing:
www.museeduluxembourg.fr/en/ticketing

The Cristal Room Baccarat

Paris diners in search of a glamorous environment can enjoy a superb meal at the headquarters of famous Baccarat crystal. The Cristal Room Restaurant is a wonderland of designer Phillippe Starck’s imagination—from rustic brick walls and pink upholstery to glittering Baccarat chandeliers, candelabras, gilt mirrors and, of course, impeccable table settings crowned with sparkling glasses and goblets. The menu is haute French cuisine, the wine list rises to every occasion, and a special bubbly is the obvious indulgence. The Baccarat Gallery Museum, which takes up an additional four rooms in the mansion, displays more than 500 objects, including legendary masterpieces, limited editions and commissioned works. The “factory” room informs visitors on the four-element process of producing some of the world’s finest crystal.

Cristal Room Baccarat
1 Place des États-Unis, Paris
Hours: Every day for lunch and dinner
Reservations: 01.40.22.11.10

The Baccarat Gallery-Museum: Open every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day, 9 – noon, and 2 – 6 p.m.

MONDRIAN at The Pompidou

The intriguing Piet Mondrian and his groundbreaking artistic movement he called Neoplasticism —De Stilj or “The Style”—is the focus of a fascinating exhibit at the Pompidou Center in Paris. Influenced by Picasso and Braque during the height of their Cubist period, Mondrian took the geometric concept one step farther, making shapes on a grid with primary colors, along with black and white, the focus of his movement. The Pompidou showcases the artist’s work and its evolution from his time in The Netherlands and Paris, London and New York. The exhibit runs through March 21, 2011.

Hours: Every day (except Tuesdays & May 1) 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at
http://billetterie.cnac-gp.fr/reservation_effectif.asp

Air France Les Cars & Paris: A Bus for All Reasons

Whether travelers are flying into Charles de Gaulle or Orly Airports, Air France’s Les Cars (French for “motorcoach”) offer an uncomplicated and inexpensive way to reach the center of Paris – or vice verse. And, you don’t have to be an Air France passenger. Les Cars are air-conditioned, have special luggage compartments and do not require tired travelers to tow their suitcases up and down stairs. The ride takes between 45 minutes and one hour, time of day and traffic depending.

Details:

•TO PARIS (from Charles de Gaulle):
The coaches departing CDG leave from four different stops:
Terminal 1 - Exit 34 (Arrivals level)
Terminal 2A-2C – Exit C2
Terminal 2D-2B – Exit B1
Terminal 2E-2F – Gallery level, Exit 3
WHEN: Every half hour from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

•FROM PARIS to Charles de Gaulle:
The coaches depart from:
Place de l’Etoile, Porte Maillot, Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse
WHEN: Every 30 minutes from 5:45 a.m. to 11 p.m.

•TO/FROM ORLY AIRPORT:
Coaches leave from both Orly-Sud and Orly-Ouest with stops/pick-up at:
Place del'Etoile, Porte d'Orleans, Gare Montparnasse, Les Invalides.
WHEN: Every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

•COST: From 11.50 – 18 € for adults; From 5.50 – 8 € for children

•HOW: Book online or call the reservations center in the US: 1-866-996-9727
www.lescarsairfrance.com OR www.linkparis.com/air-france-buses.htm

Ski Courcheval!

The French Alps offer legendary skiing, great winter-long snow conditions, and the world’s largest linked slopes area. Courcheval is part of this region known as “Three Valleys” ski area, which offers nearly 400 miles of gorgeous groomed trails and slopes, and stunning scenery that sweeps from Mont Blanc to the Swiss and Italian Alps. Parisian skiers often jet down to Courcheval for the weekend—there’s even a little airport right on the slopes. Four “villages” offer a range of accommodations, a number of spas, and–surprise!–some excellent gourmet dining.

Chocolatine tip: For visitors in Courcheval on Tuesdays (through March 8), the Bar des Verdons at the top of the gondola hosts a very lively Happy Hour from 5:30 to 7:15.

JANUARY SALES: Insider Tips!

Starting today, January 12 (until February 15), the “legal” winter sales are on all over the city of Paris. It’s a veritable shopping field day for those who know how to strategize, be physically comfortable during the frenzy, and tackle some of the lesser known, but equally fabulous, shops. Here are a few recommendations for where to shop like a Parisian this month!

Galerie Vivienne
5, rue la Banque
This beautiful former mansion, with glass arcade and mosaic floors, houses a multitude of exquisite shops, galleries, a charming tearoom, and interior décor. Pssst: The Nathalie Garcon shop offers delectable women’s fashions at excellent discounts.

Bonpoint
6 rue de Tournon
A beautiful 3,000-square-foot concept showroom inside a Paris mansion, features themed rooms, a formal garden, tea room... And an exquisite collection of children’s clothing.

Dandy Parisien
19, rue Guisarde
Elegant (“never flamboyant!”) and distinctive men’s clothing in a trendy shopping setting.

Désordre Urbain
96, rue Nollet
One-of-a-kind fashion accessories by more than 50 designers make this a treasure hunt extraordinaire!

Maalkita
49, passage des Panoramas
Ready-to-wear, eco-friendly, and urban chic... Everything is made from beautiful organic fabrics! Lots of home décor items, too.

Fête des Rois: Let us all eat cake!

Epiphany, or the Feast of the Magi—known as Fête des Rois—falls on January 6. Twelfth Night takes place on this day and the 12 Days of Christmas come to a close. Most of Europe celebrates this holiday and, since the Magi, or Three Kings, brought their legendary gifts to the Christmas Baby on this day, it’s customary to give a present to young children. For centuries, France has carried forward the tradition with an Epiphany cake—galette des roi—which can be enjoyed on January 6 or throughout the month of January . All this week patisseries and sweet shops showcase their own specialties of this delicious cake, which is made with pastry dough and almond cream. What makes it extra special is the “feve,” or prize, hidden in the cake. (Traditionally a bean, the feve, was used as the prize, and the name has stuck.) A coin or tiny ceramic king is baked into the pastry today and whoever happens to find it in their piece becomes “king for the day!”

As Chocolatine wishes you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year, we also hope you enjoy this delightful tradition— and may the feve be yours to discover!