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