Blog Posts

Love is Here to Stay

5/16/2020

I'm a believer.
Go where you thrive.
And in Paris, that means point your feet in the direction of food.

Among the best way to make friends with food is at the source such
as roving markets (marchés volant) or market streets (rue commerçants).
In a nutshell, hightail it to any place the chefs and the food-lovers go.

This blog has already introduced you to a variety of food markets where
temptations and rapturous Paris delicacies are boundless.
As I always try to fit in a new market or two on every trip, it was long past time
to check out one that many of the most gluttonous of we amateur gourmet
sleuths have proclaimed to be in a league of its own.

Rue de Nil is a trendy but deadly serious food street.
Located in the Sentier district of the 2nd arrondissement, it occupies
a noble position in the hierarchy of gastronome know-it-alls.
Though the street is small in scale, rue de Nil in no way takes a back seat
the more famous market streets of the city.

You'll find a butcher, a baker, a fishmonger -- all the usual suspects -- including
a variety show of veggie shops, coffeemakers -- even a Michelin starred
restaurant and a deli-style take-out joint.
A visitor can walk the street in mere minutes; a food lover can spend
hours gripped by its sights, tastes and smells.

Superb quality and freshness is the hallmark of a street like this.
You won't walk away longing for the "good old days".
Rue de Nil is a crossroads for a new era -- a golden era -- of good eats
and a proud Parisian tradition of elevating breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This street proves the old adage that food is love.
There's no time like the present to make room for love.

"A crisp roast chicken would set the world aright."
George R.R. Martin, author of "Game of Thrones" series

Everyone's favorite restaurant on rue de Nil was baptized "Frenchie" in 2009.
The brainchild of Chef Gregory Marchand, it serves as the flagship of the street.
Long known as one of the mega-stars of Paris cuisine,
Frenchie has earned a Michelin star yet remains as unpretentious
and authentic as the day it was born.
My first whiff of Frenchie was on tv; I'll never forget
Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert's euphoric review.

If you can't get reservations, there's a Frenchie Wine Bar*
and a Frenchie-to-Go** outpost nearby.
Whichever you choose, you can get a bite of what makes
Paris so characteristically delicious.
*wine & small shareable plates
**deli style takeout including fish 'n chips and pastrami

A small street with big tastes.
Please consider making rue de Nil your next gourmet
port of call in a city full of delicious destinations.

"People who love to eat are always the best people."
Julia Child

Then there's always the charm of returning to a tried-and-true favorite.
In Paris, that means a trip to rue Cler.
Yes, it's in the guidebooks.
Yes, it's crowded and maybe even a bit too perfect.....
No matter.
This is a market street you must see at least once in a lifetime.

Nearly everyone who visits Paris comes to the 7th arrondissement so they
can check off the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon's Tomb, and Rodin's Le Penseur.*
*The Thinker.
But for me, rue Cler will forever be the
meat and potatoes -- oops, bad pun -- of the neighborhood.

Rue Cler is one of the best places possible to investigate many
food options and aim for what appeals most to you.
The choices are divine.
It's a street that isn't as helter-skelter as some Paris markets tend to be;
everything is tidy and Instagram ready.
But that doesn't mean it lacks charm or authenticity, just that
you'll need to brace yourself for some big Paris sighs and that
pit-in-your-belly feeling that you've been missing something special all your life.

"I have made a lot of mistakes falling in love, and regretted most of them,
but never the potatoes that went with them."
Nora Ephron, American Writer & Film Maker

Spend a little time on rue Cler where surely you'll fall in love AND eat the potatoes.

Without question, the flowers on rue Cler look good enough to eat.
The flower-power of this street feels like spring
lasts twelve months a year and every day is your birthday.

After inhaling buckets of endorphin-raising bouquets,
you'll be primed for the wide array of over-the-top food choices.
Butchers, bakers, candy-makers, green grocers, cheese experts,
wine merchants, florists..... a destination for truffles and paté maison, organic
meats and wines as well as a long look at elegant Parisians at every turn.
Where to begin is like a puzzle with 500 pieces all in the same color.

Begin with a paradox -- Is it Italian or is it French?
I'm speaking of course of Davoli, a classic food store where you can pick up everything you'd ever want for a memorable dinner to unpack at days end.
Prepared foodstuffs range from salami to olives to read-made risotto
and escargots à la bourguignonne make this an exquisite destination.

But don't go too overboard if you must take the metro "home"
because you have many other stops to make.
Console yourself with a scoop of Martine Lambert's ice cream.
Made with lait cru -- unpasteurized milk -- and crème fraiche, it tastes like
it came from heaven though you're close; the frozen delicacy hails
from Normandy where cows surely have been sanctified by a higher power.

"When you only have two pennies left in the world,
buy a loaf of bread with one and a lily with the other."
Chinese Proverb

Walking Paris is one of life's greatest gifts.
Walking rue Cler amps up the reward, bestowing a feeling that
you're one of THEM -- a real local -- a little more polished,
a smidge more well-bred than you feel at home.

Here's hoping you'll give this V.I.P. street a chance to seduce
your taste buds and activate your inner Parisian on the very next trip
you make to the most delicious city on the planet.

If you love the hum of an every day market street,
head for rue Montorgeuil in the heart of Paris.
You can't beat it, both for delicious foodstuffs and for great people watching.
In spite of all the tourists milling about and regardless of the
not-so-warmly-welcomed invasion of Starbucks, it still feels like Paris.
This is a time-honored neighborhood where history can never be erased,
undeterred by an avalanche of pumpkin spice lattes.

Marie Antoinette loved oysters fresh from the sea -- don't we all -- and it
was here that her court's master chefs received their
daily deliveries -- direct from Concale's* icy shores.
While most women would have given their eye-teeth for Marie's
royal jewels, I lust for her oysters.
Miraculously, we can still get our daily quotient of the queen's mollusks.
Rue Montorgeuil's oyster palace is Au Rocher de Concale, a traditional seafood restaurant with an oh so pretty facade and a legend that began in 1846.
Their claim-to-fame are the Bretagne oysters that Marie loved so much.
So now you know, Marie's legacy to Paris is so much more
than a prison cell and a scaffold.

If a genie showed up at my doorstep and say "You're wish is my command"
I'd be awfully tempted to ask for the queen's daily allotment of oysters,
happily showing up for my own delivery on rue Montorgeuil where the
icy freshness of the fresh catch and the sense of community would
perhaps make me a real Parisian now and forever.

"Eating a raw oyster is like french kissing a mermaid."
Chris Gardner, American businessman, author & motivational speaker

"You can be miserable before you have a cookie and you can be miserable after
you eat a cookie but you can't be miserable while you are eating a cookie."
Ina Garten, American Food Hostess & Author known affectionately as The Barefoot Contessa

Of course, not to be missed are rue Montorgeuil's sweetest offerings.
Patisserie Stohrer is the storybook ideal of a pastry shop.
Its legend began in the king's court in Poland where Nicholas Stohrer,
pastry chef to King Stanislas I came with the royal court to France when
the king's daughter married Louis XV of France.
In 1730, the enterprising chef left court and opened his own
shop in the very place it sits today.

Stohrer is beautiful with a to-die-for painted* ceiling, glittering chandeliers
and outrageously sultry pastries that include the original sweet treat
that put rue Montorgeuil on the map.
Baba au rhum, a much loved confection, is a small yeasty cake smothered in fine spirits and filled with pastry cream or chantilly.
It's a dessert that ranks high in many of Paris' finest brasseries -- another
delicious tradition that remains in vogue no matter what century you land in.
*painted by Paul Baudry, famous for his frescoes at the Palais Garnier.

One of the more popular stops on rue Cler is à la Mère de Famille,
a candy store with a tradition so long it would make Willy Wonka blush.
Though this golden oldie didn't make its debut on this particular street*,
it opened its doors here** due to its unrelenting popularity.
Suffice it to say, whatever your sweet tooth wants, it will be amply
rewarded -- chocolates, ice cream, pastries and more are on tap.
Be on the lookout for their particularly ravishing mendiants, a famous
french confection made of chocolate, nuts and dried fruit.
Thank you God!
*there are numerous locations throughout Paris so if you miss out this time, you'll run into another one soon.
**the first opened in 1761 on rue Faubourg Montmartre which is still open.

"After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you could conquer enemies,
lead armies, entice lovers.
Emily Luchetti, American pastry chef, lover of chocolate

Don't judge me. I can't get enough.

"Food, far more than sex, is the great leveler.
Just as every king, prophet, warrior and saint has a mother,
so every Napoleon, every Einstein, every Jesus has to eat."
Betty Fussell, American Food Writer

If a taste of escargot is on your must-do list, make a beeline for
L'Escargot Montorgueil where you'll find every way to enjoy the classic.
Bathed in butter, garlic and shallots or unconventionally covered in puff pastry,
you can immerse yourself in the indigenous roots of french cuisine.
If you enjoy dining in historic establishments, this 19th century eatery,
where Picasso and Proust once filled their bellies, is a rewarding way
to satisfy your hunger for both history and fine cuisine.

G. Detou isn't technically on rue Montorgeuil but it's close enough --a great place to stock up on salt from Brittany and special little treats for your pantry.

The French take pride in their long tradition of good food.
My own belief is that this all fits in with its well-earned reputation
as the world's celebrated city of love and romance.
If food is love -- and who doesn't agree with that -- then Paris and its
remarkable treasure of food markets is the most romantic place in the world.

Forgive me, but who could resist a reminder of Gene Kelly
singing to Leslie Caron in the 1951 film classic "An American in Paris"?

"Our Love is Here to Stay"

"It's very clear
Our love is here to stay
Not for a year
But ever and a day

The radio and the telephone
And the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies
And in time may go

But, oh my dear
Our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way

In time the Rockies may crumble
Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay
But our love is here to stay"
Lyrics by Georges Gerswin, American composer

Paris market superstars such as rue de Nil, rue Cler
and rue Montorgeuil are here to stay.
And so is our hunger for them.
Food and love fill our spiritual tank every day we're lucky enough to walk Paris.

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Bewitched in Clisson

4/17/2020

1 Comment

Do you recall a certain cute-as-a-button t.v. witch who, with
a famous twitch of her nose, cast a spell on the nation?
She was my childhood hero, an irresistible sorceress named Samantha Stephens,
a role model "perfect housewife"* who lived on the small screen in my living room.
The sitcom classic was fittingly named "Bewitched".
*yeah yeah, I know, women's choices were pretty limited in 1964....

With characters like Samantha & Darrin, nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz,
Larry Tate, dotty Aunt Clara, Uncle Arthur and glam-queen mother-in-law Endora,
the vintage comedy held me captive for thirty minutes week after week.
With her paranormal powers, Samantha could conjure up George Washington
for a spur-of-the-moment washing machine commercial
or fly off to Paris to meet her mother for a girl's-day-out.
But most often, she used her magic to help hapless husband Darrin
as he struggled to climb the corporate ladder, eager to
live out a normal middle class life -- aka the American Dream.

Speaking of hocus-pocus, our travel adventures and dreams of
future travels cast a spell on those of us who can't curb our travel appetites.
More often than not it is France that puts the double whammy on our hearts.
Every so often, it hatches a curve-ball so exceptional,
it can only be attributed to wizardry.
In this case, the sorcery applies to a unique village in the Loire Atlantique, just
a quick train ride away from elegant Nantes*, one of our favorite cities in France.
*the-many-faces-of-nantes.html

Clisson is a small town that delivers a peculiar bonus -- an OPTICAL ILLUSION.
One moment you're in France, the next you're in.... TUSCANY!

"The real secret of magic lies in the performance."
David Copperfield, American magician/illusionist

Does this French village have an identity crisis? Hardly.
Clisson was built -- or should I say re-built -- to resemble a romantic corner of Italy.

As soon as you pass through the Pays du Loire vineyards*, you'll discover
a ruined castle, an irresistible river, and narrow winding streets that feel
just a bit different than your typical French village.
Fire up your imagination and you can see it -- a French salute to Tuscany.
*featuring the region's trademark Melon de Bourgogne vines which magically produce
a wonderful mineral-rich white wine called Muscadet

When the medieval town was mowed down during the civil war of
the Vendée (1793-1796), the charred remains of its castle and town center
were rebuilt by Francois Frederic Lemot and the Cacault brothers.
A little imagination, a dash of abracadabra -- and boom,
the charming Tuscan-faced town of Clisson was (re)born.

'We were given one country and we've set up in another."
Frances Mayes, American author of "Under the Tuscan Sun"

Look at the size of this sprawling castle ruin!

Francois-Frederic Lemot is perhaps best known
as one of Napoleon Bonaparte's favorite sculptors.
Long before he became an accomplished artist,
the young Lemot needed to learn his craft.
It was that experience that forever shaped his life both at work and at home.

The moment he first laid eyes on Clisson, Lemot was reminded of his youth
and the many fine days he enjoyed a classical fine arts education in Italy.
He wished to recapture the memory of his time as a student, recalling
the beautiful landscapes and architecture of his adopted land.
For much of his life, he devoted much time, talent and money to this effort.

Artist Pierre-René Cacault and his brother, art collector Francois Cacault,
conspired with Lemot to recreate Clisson into their own Tuscan fantasy.
Together they labored to shape both buildings and landscapes
into a vision worthy of an Italian oil painting.

The 13th century Chateau de Clisson was a priority.
Lemot purchased the castle ruins, admiring its fortress-like details.
As a visitor, you'll marvel at the cannon ports, arrow slits and
medieval minutiae that evoke days of old.

Though partly ruined, the castle provides plenty of interesting corners and vistas.

Inspired by his time in Italy, Lemot became consumed by the landscapes of painter
Nicholas Poussin, hoping to transform Clisson into his vision of an oil-worthy masterpiece.

As you walk through Clisson, note the terracotta rooftops and Italian-influenced
villas including Lemot's own, a neoclassical gem surrounded by
picturesque gardens and parasol pine trees.

Look for the Eglise Notre Dame de Clisson, a church originally founded
by Olivier V (Le Vieux) de Clisson in the 14th century.
It was renovated in the 19th in the Italian style with a Tuscan bell-tower
and Renaissance-style fresco adorning the stone-vaulted choir.

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."
Buddha, Hindu Prince/Founder of Buddhism

The Eglise Notre Dame de Clisson captures the essence of Italian style in a region long admired for French wine, history & culture.

Fantastic signs in Clisson -- This one is particularly special.

For such a small town, Clisson imparts big personality.
One surefire way to investigate the distinct character of a city is to stop
by a local market -- and Clisson doesn't disappoint.
Its Les Halles is a must-see destination, a 15th century timber frame
structure that channels hundreds of years worth of local culture.

Grab a coffee or a beer and sit a spell.
You'll fall under the siren song of community.
The locals all show up for their daily dose of gossip,
their characterful faces animated under the ancient wooden beams.

This covered marketplace hosts a highly regarded farmer's market
once a week which we disappointedly missed -- but then there's
always lunch in a new town to make everything right again....

The menu of the day was found just a block from the old castle.
It worked wonders on a pair of hungry travelers -- not exactly earth shattering
as far as French cuisine goes -- but an especially good beginning (autumn soup)
and ending (a chocolate cherry fantasy) -- an essential reward for
our voyeuristic adventures in Clisson.

"If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff."
Remy from "Ratatouille"

Les Halles in Clisson is worthy of a serious stop and smell the roses moment.

It's only appropriate -- Italian shoes in an Italian-flavored town -- always a perfect fit.

Is Clisson as Italian as its promoters proclaim?
Well, ok, I'll admit it may be a bit of a stretch -- smoke & mirrors, a little blue sky
and an overactive imagination -- but as you wind your way around
dungeons and castle walls, think about the famous last words
of one of Italy's most famous Renaissance painters*: "Happy".
*Raphael, considered one of Italy's most important Renaissance artists

Happy. That's what your day in the Tuscany of France will feel like.
Surely that's worthy of a little wink and a nod.
Enjoy a glass or two of the local Muscadet de Sevre et Maine wine
and in no time you'll be singing my all-time favorite Ella Fitzgerald tune,
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered".

And oh, by the way, this sleepy little town also produces a
MASSIVE open-air rock, metal & punk festival called Hellfest.
If that's not magic, I don't know what is.

After all, this is France -- and it's all good.
Be a good witch. Fall under the spell....

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Toulouse-Lautrec Saves the Day

3/25/2020

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There are days when you wake up with a feeling you need to be rescued.
In challenging times like these, many of us appreciate just about anything
that has a concrete bearing on the health and happiness factor.

And so it happened to me, that early morning gut punch that came out of nowhere.
You may think, oh no, were you in the midst of a family or health crisis?
No, the simple truth is I woke up in my favorite city with my annual
my-time-in-paris-is-about-to-run-out disorder.
There is no known cure but there are a few ways to tamp down the fever.

Lucky for me -- and countless others -- the Grand Palais hosted
a huge spectacle of Toulouse-Lautrec's works.
Long before I arrived in Paris, I secured my ticket, knowingly
choosing a date toward the end of my trip.
You see, based on my own travel history, I realized I'd be hard hit
with my own personal Reign of Terror -- missing Paris even
before I've left the country -- and would require some good cheer.

What good planning!
Like a day at the spa, the art of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec gladdens even
the most clinically depressed Eeyore that resides part-time in all of us.

Let's face it.
Great art protects your heart and strengthens your immune system.
It battles stress and a negative mindset.

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places
where other people see nothing."
Camille Pissarro, Danish-French Neo-Impressionist

The artist most identified with Parisian nightlife was born
to the good life in 1864 in Albi,* a remarkable small city in southern France.
*Albi -- all-powerful-albi.html

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec hailed from a wealthy, well-established French family,
one that did not encourage his choice to become an artist.
T-L's life was difficult early on when an accident** caused his torso to grow
into adult size but left his legs profoundly shortened.
He despised his grotesque appearance, likely leading him to
Paris and the Bohemian hills of Montmartre where a
non-conformist lifestyle offered him a chance to fit in.
**his broken legs never mended; he also had a congenital condition, doubtlessly because his parents were 1st cousins

Before long, the peculiar looking painter was accepted into Montmartre's
avant-garde society, where he found his oeuvre, painting and
promoting the over-the-top culture of the butte's cafés and cabarets.
Wicked fun ruled the day.

"I have tried to do what is true and not ideal."
Toulouse-Lautrec

Toulouse-Lautrec expressly loved to paint performers & prostitutes -- and
they in return seemed to love him back.
Reveling in the dissipated and freakish nature of many of these nighttime entertainers, the misfit artist swam in the same current -- drinking too much, engaging in too many dark entertainments*; still, his creative spirit prevailed,
producing volumes of canvasses and more.
*he suffered and likely died of syphilis at a young age

The legendary french artist created magnificent works with
a tender dexterity that portrayed even the most down-in-the-mouth
prostitutes in a sensitive light -- not an easy task.

It's doubtful they used terms we use today such as branding and leveraging.
But T-L created instant name recognition for his favorite celebrities in
a manner that would have Madison Avenue nipping at his heels.
His use of vibrant colors and expressive lines
matched the ebullient nightlife of Montmartre.

Though he had the ability to paint in the traditional old-school manner,
his most memorable pieces define the joie de vivre
that defined Paris before the first world war.
His style -- remember, we're talking 1890's Paris -- was resolutely modern,
the same description the Grand Palais applied to his
recent show "Toulouse-Lautrec: Resolutely Modern."

Though he could boast great range (as the Grand Palais show
manifestly illuminated), I was struck by how such a run-down wreck of a man practically invented the Montmartre myth single-handedly.

Maybe it's because we're attracted to the heartbreak of Toulouse-Lautrec, the man.
But mostly it's the talent, the audacity of his daredevil lines
and confidence of his color palette.
Perhaps today Toulouse-Lautrec would be a street artist.
And he'd be the cool guy we'd be dying to meet.

"I don't belong to any school. I work in my corner. I admire Degas."
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

T-L was true to his word. He worked that little corner he created.
A true individualist, the man had range,
spreading his talent over a wealth of mediums.
Producing over 1,000 canvases, 350 posters and thousands of drawings,
the artiste extraordinaire could not be accused of resting on past success.
Even as he began to drink more and more -- one admirer quipped
"He does not give his moustache time to dry" -- Toulouse-Lautrec
single-handedly expanded his graphic design into a movement.

His posters -- many created by first drawing on stone*, were cheap.
They were meant to be slapped up all around Paris in order to advertise
cabarets and cafés -- the Moulin Rouge & Folies Bergère in particular -- but
their reach far exceeded their expected ambition as people
fell in love with the bold artistic expression.
Thousands were pasted up and many soon disappeared -- peeled
off so they could be savored and tucked away at home.
*lithography, a method of printing

T-L also labored to promote local headliners.
Jane Avril, May Belfort and Aristide Bruant soon became household names.
La Goulue was already celebrated for her famous dance at the Moulin Rouge,
but as soon as Toulouse-Lautrec promoted her leggy can-can via
steamy posters plastered all over Paris, they both toppled the charts.

The man with the sad biography -- the disabled artist who loved to paint the
seedy side of Montmartre's absinthe playground -- became an icon
of advertising and public relations by doing what he loved best.
His visually stunning art became the greatest ad campaign of the day.

"Nobody reads ads. People read what interests them, and sometimes it's an ad."
Howard Luck Gossage, San Francisco ad guru during the "Mad Men" days

Graphic design by Toulouse-Lautrec: It's all in the smallest details....

Simple lines with emphasis on caricature of his subject make this portrait unforgettable.

Incredibly, Toulouse-Lautrec also co-authored a cookbook.
"The Art of Cuisine" is a joy to behold, offering
both illustrations and recipes with T-L's signature joie-de-vivre.
He loved to cook and often hosted dinners for friends that ended with
endless conversations about food -- a Frenchman's favorite pastime.

And in the just-for-fun department, here's a cocktail* recipe allegedly
served by T-L at one of his alcohol-soaked parties in the 1890's.
Published by Saveur Magazine in 2014, combine 2 1/2 oz. cognac
with 1/4 oz. absinthe in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.
Prepare for the earth to shake!
*Named Tremblement de Terre -- The Earthquake
I've seen other recipes with 3 parts cognac and 3 parts absinthe but only make it this way if you wish to go blind....

"The French and their food. They put each meal on a pedestal."
Giada De Laurentiis, Italian-American chef, food writer, TV host

Horses were often a favorite subject of T-L.

Toulouse-Lautrec's acclaimed cookbook is full of recipes, sketches & T-L personality!

Who doesn't love a circus? Horses had been a favorite since childhood.

The simple life of the working class was not a fashionable genre in Belle Epoque France but Toulouse-Lautrec made you want to take a second look.

Sensitive by nature, he showed empathy for all classes -- from sex workers
to celebrities of the day -- without distinguishing the culture clash between them.
Perhaps it was because he had a view of both sides of life.
He had grown up in a mansion with wealth and
a prominent family name but chose a different path.
He seemed to find something he needed in the seedy corners of Paris
with a drink and a paintbrush in hand.

In the end, his art did not save him -- but it certainly has bolstered
those of us who admire the artist's genius.

This was an ad for an American magazine called "The Chap Book"

Thank you, Grand Palais, for bringing us the great Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
Your exhilarating undertaking helped get a travelin' girl out of her end-of-trip blues.

We pine for inspiration and beauty, two of the many reasons we travel.
Over the years, many of us have learned there's no end
to finding what we crave when we're in Paris and no need to let it go.

So the next time you wake up with a feeling you need to be saved,
don't just sit there and "take" it.
Think about what you love and go after it.
Perhaps like me, that one saving grace just might be great art.
It will transport you to a better place and wake up
the happy side of your brain.

"The nicest thing about the rain is that it always stops. Eventually."
AA Milne, author of "Winnie-the-Pooh"

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Spiritual Paris, Melting Pot of Faith & Design

3/1/2020

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You've heard it said before, "You've see one, you've seen 'em all,"
referring to places of worship in Europe.
Well, take it from me, that's baloney.

In Paris alone, there are hundreds of cathedrals, synagogues, temples,
mosques and pagodas -- many distinctly diverse and out-of-the-ordinary.
Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Orthodox,
and more, there's something for everyone.
Whether you're hoping to quench your spiritual leanings or to satisfy a yen
for luscious architecture, Paris offers a melting pot of faith and design.

During my last visit to Paris, I couldn't bear to face Notre Dame's new reality,
the gut-wrenching damages from the 2019 fire.
Looking for something a bit off the beaten path, I ventured deep into the
5th arrondissement and discovered a new and enchanting holy place.

A search for the exotic is the reason many of us travel.
My first stop, the Grande Mosquée de Paris, rewarded that quest.

Walk into the mosque -- not far from the Jardin des Plantes -- and SHAZAAM!
You're transported to another time and place.
The Grand Mosque of Paris is as exotic as it gets, mysteriously novel to
newcomers not educated in the theory and practice of the Muslim faith.
Visitors are welcome to walk around as they wish with one exception; the
prayer room is reserved exclusively for those observing the Muslim faith.

With its fountains, flowering trees and emerald green shrubbery,
the patio is positively poetic, a sure bet to wake up
your curiosity the moment you arrive.

Surrounded by ornate tiles and the soft sounds of a tranquil fountain,
you may feel as if you've woken up in Marrakech instead of Paris.
The sunken garden is the perfect spot to revive yourself, a perfect
sanctuary that pays tribute to nature at its peaceful best.

The Great Mosque of Paris was built as a tribute to the French Arab community
which valiantly enlisted and fought for France during WWI.

The moment I laid eyes on its square minaret, I was reminded that
many of France's greatest treasures exceed a momentary satisfaction.
These sites exist for the greater good; as temporary guests
we are fortunate to be able to take in their soul-stirring example.

Substantial evidence has been uncovered of a true-to-life war story
that took place in the colorful halls of the Great Mosque.
During WWII, the mosque's rector saved between 200 and 500
Jews and resistance fighters.
By issuing fake certificates of Muslim identity, they
offered safe passage, preserving the lives of innocent people.
The mosque's rector, Si Kaddour Ben Gabrit, was eventually awarded
the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor and recognized by Yad Vashem*
as one of the Righteous Among the Nations.
*Israel's memorial to the victims of the Holocaust

In February of 2019, the Vatican's Pope Francis and The Grand Imam
of Al-Azhar co-authored and signed a document focused
on the goals of world peace and human fraternity.
If you don't know about this, I urge you to google "Abu Dhabi Document"
for the opportunity to read about the holy alliance these spiritual leaders
initiated to come together in a new spirit of peace and love.

Perhaps a first step in your own education is to visit a holy site of "another" that
you may not fully understand but may come to gain insight into and appreciate.

"Faith leads a believer to see in the other
a brother or sister to be supported and loved."
Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyab

A poster teaching Muslim children how to pray.

The holy prayer room

At its best, the Grand Mosque of Paris helps the uninitiated
awaken to a "different" viewpoint of the city.
Like many of the great cathedrals of Paris, it offers a learning experience
and perhaps, even more important, a closer connection
to everyday life in the community.

Many of us travel so we can immerse ourselves into
a cultural diversity we don't enjoy at home.
Why not walk through the door of a new spiritual frontier, not to change
your own course necessarily but to open your eyes to the world at large.

"Religions are different roads converging upon the same point. What does
it matter that we take different roads as long as we reach the same goal."
Mahatma Gandhi

In a complete about-face, our next stop was the Armenian Cathedral of Paris,
often referred to as the Armenian Church of St John the Baptist.
Located near the Champs Elysée on rue Goujon,
it's easy to visit and well worth the stop.

The French Armenian community is the largest in the European Union.
Many Armenian refugees moved to Paris following the Armenian genocide*.
Still more are asylum seekers arrived from Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Iran,
hotspots where people of this faith and ethnicity are no longer
easily integrated into society.

*the mass extermination and expulsion of roughly 1.5 million Armenians
by the Ottoman government from 1914 to 1923

Many Armenians gave their lives to France during WWI.

In case you're unfamiliar with the Armenian church,
it's a Christian faith with close ties to the Catholic Church.

The Armenians are an ancient orthodox community whose history claims
it was the first state* to adopt Christianity as its official religion in the 4th century. For many years, they suffered and fought to maintain their spiritual community.
The founding of a beautiful church in Paris was a triumph of faith and determination.
*then called the Kingdom of Armenia

Did you know that Charles Aznavour - aka the "French Sinatra" - was
baptized and wed in the Armenian Church of Paris?
On October 6th, 2018, a requiem in his honor was held post-mortem.

Aznavour (given name Aznavourian) was born of immigrant parents.
Long recognized not only for his sad love songs and bevy of famous lovers,
he was also honored for his service during WWII after giving
shelter to Jews and Armenians trying to dodge the Nazis.
Named "Entertainer of the Century" by CNN and Time Online,
he edged out the likes of Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.
His music -- much like Paris itself -- is timeless.

My last stop was to visit an old favorite, the Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés,
an iconic church in the heart of the sixth arrondissement.
Just across from tourist favorite Café Les Deux Magots,
this property is currently enjoying a major facelift.
The restoration is not complete but oh my, what a difference it has already made.

Originally built around 512 AD, the church (built as a Benedictine monastery)
previously held celebrated relics from the One True Cross.
Rebuilt around 1000 AD, it was again nearly destroyed
during the French Revolution.
Initially employed as a prison -- off with their heads -- it was later used to
store saltpeter (the key ingredient in gunpowder), setting off a massive explosion. The damage was monstrous and sanctuary was again out of commission.

Due to the historic nature of the property, they tried one more time,
rebuilding in 1862.
Finally restored* in the 19th century, its square bell tower dominates the skyline
of the exclusive neighborhood. Its Romanesque and Gothic architecture reminds
us of its bragging rights as the oldest church in Paris.
*Victor Hugo led the campaign to restore the nearly unsalvageable church; it took 30 years to complete.

But now, with this latest facelift, the old grime has been lifted,
brightening up the dark interior immensely.
The luster of the artwork has been restored in more than half the church
thus far, its heavenly colors restored to their original glory.
Luscious paintings and frescoes decorate the nave.
Rich marble columns, a gorgeous floor and incredible acoustics
complete the reincarnation.

You can now "adopt" a star on the ceiling to help fund the restoration -- American Friends for the Preservation of St-Germain-des-Pres will add your name to a star for a donation to the fund.

Secular principles and freedom of religion are two pillars of the French state. Catholicism is still predominant but Protestantism, Islam, Buddhism and
Judaism are among the faiths the citizenry of France holds dearly.

The country has come a long way in religious tolerance -- from
"I am the religion of all those who are brave and good"* to
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."**
*King Henri IV of France; **Napoleon Bonaparte

In 1905, France was officially established as a secular state, pledging
to perpetuate the separation of church and state.

France and many democracies have long trumpeted a simple truth.
Governments do better without kings and noblemen than with them.
Adding to that principle, as U.S. President James Madison once said,
"Religion flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Government."

Religious tolerance may wobble from time to time throughout
history -- today's treatment of Jews in France is a particularly sad state
of affairs -- yet whenever I have the opportunity to visit a holy site,
I'm reminded of the big picture.
When we work together, it's beautiful; when we don't, we face life's ugliest horrors.

Millions of us worldwide look forward to the day we can once again
visit a rehabbed Notre Dame Cathedral.
But while you wait, don't let anything keep you from enjoying
a spiritual walk in Paris.
There is much to discover in this city that God has blessed.

"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs.
Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others."
President John F. Kennedy

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The Many Faces of Nantes

2/2/2020

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Sometimes you need to break your own rules.
As much as I love discovering new cities, I felt the tug of an old French friend.
My beloved Nantes, capital of the Loire Atlantique, was calling me back.

Returning to Nantes felt like finishing a dream I had already started.
Where it all began... Link to blog 1: do-you-know-nantes.html
And like so many do-overs, this homecoming brought
both surprise and a sense of satisfaction.
Much like rereading a favorite book, it reinforced my affection
for the city, heightening my appreciation to a whole new level.

What impressed me most about Nantes the second time around?
I was held utterly spellbound by one very distinctive feature.
Time and time again, I came upon a multitude of faces -- unforgettable
faces -- that portray and animate the city in a most unique way.

Yes, Nantes shows it face -- literally -- on nearly every corner of the city.
Whether sculpted, painted or creatively assembled, Nantes bares its soul
through the eyes and expressive character of each face.
Usually human, sometimes animal or beast, rarely repetitive or predictable,
these faces made me see the city in whole new light.

Nantes presents a wide range of sights.
Much as you'd expect in this part of France, it nails
historic spectacle with traditional Loire treasures -- a 15th century castle
featuring a magnificent moat and Renaissance courtyard,
a larger-than-life art museum and a soaring 15th century cathedral.
But it's the relaxed and downright laugh-out-loud adventures that I love most,
enticing a visitor to extend his stay longer than planned.

Each face tells a different story -- at times dignified and thoughtful --
and as often as not, the polar opposite, lighthearted and irreverent.
The faces of Nantes -- I love them all.

"It is only at the first encounter that a face makes its full impression on us."
Arthur Schopenhaeur, German Philosopher

"I never forget a face, but in your case, I'll make an exception" Groucho Marx, American comedian

From Henri the Navigator to a souped-up carrousel filled with strange and
onerous creatures of the sea, the faces of Nantes will keep you entertained.
It's a city that works to keep you on your toes, proud of its reputation
for stoking imagination and creativity.

After all, this is the place where Jules Verne created
audacious novels such as "Journey to the Center of the Earth"
and "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea".
Action, adventure, unlimited imagination -- that's the story of Nantes.

No need to travel "Around the World in Eighty Days" to see the very soul of this city.

"Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real."
Jules Verne, "Around the World in Eighty Days

Time out for fun -- where inside they tease "Beware of pickpockets and loose women"....great cocktails and youthful ambience.

It's easy to launch yourself headlong into Nantes' creative personality.
A good place to start is the old quarter, home to the city's centerpiece castle.
At Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne you'll come face to face with Anne of Brittany, whose face helped make her queen two times over*.
*she married two French kings -- Louis XII and Charles VIII
Anne wanted nothing more than to keep Brittany
autonomous within the kingdom of France.
Today her city no longer belongs to her beloved Brittany.
During the mid-20th-century, the borders were redrawn and Nantes
became part of the Loire-Atlantique within the Pays de la Loire region.

From the castle, immerse yourself into the cozy medieval-flavored Bouffay quarter. Half-timbered houses and narrow cobbled streets
have never buzzed with so much youthful enthusiasm.
Young people are enamored with this quarter,
drawn by rollicking bars and tempting creperies that line its old streets.
Contemporary art mixes with the traditional
as is so often the case in art impassioned France.
The square where the guillotine used to exert its punishment
is now one of the best places to drink a beer in the sun.

"On victory, you deserve beer. On defeat, you need it.
Napoleon Bonaparte

Window dressing Nantes-style ---- What a face!!

The face of an angel is extra special to Nantes in this iconic landmark.

Faces pop up in Nantes when you least expect them.

If you're a fan of horror stories or the occult, perhaps you've
always wanted to learn how to battle evil spirits.
You've come to the right place....

In order to combat malignant spirits, architectural ornaments
called mascarons were placed on many houses.
Admittedly not too effective, they contribute to a fun parade of homes tour.
These faces, especially the grotesques, are a cornerstone
of fun, funky, unconventional Nantes.

Be on the lookout for these stone faces, often found on doors and windows.
A good place to root around for a good look is on the Île Feydeau.
Monumental mansions feature the look-at-me faces
alongside pretty ornamental wrought iron balconies.
Popular in the 18th century, they almost seem more suited
to today's exhibitionist instagram-ready century.
Give in and search for your own favorite ugly mug on rue Kervégan.

Allée de Turenne, lined with rich shipbuilders' houses,
is rich in architectural beauty and historical context.
Sea monsters and creepy seafarers bring it to life.
In truth, real monsters lived here - aka slave traders who put Nantes on the map.
More about that later.

"People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seems wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down"
"People are Strange" lyrics by Jim Morrison of The Doors

Ooh la la! Nantes commercial community is flush with signage showing its "face".

Street Art is everywhere -- and it's the good stuff. Nantes is cool, edgy and urban.

Don't miss the Bouffay quarter, filled with youthful faces and character-filled streets such as rue de Juiverie.

Author Jules Verne is memorialized in several different places throughout Nantes.

Want to see more?
There are so many choices -- Theatre Graslin or the Jules Verne Museum? Cathedrale de St-Pierre et St-Paul or the Jardin de Plantes?
Marché Talensac or Passage Pommeraye?
Plan your days wisely for you will never run out of opportunity.

Or do as little as possible and just soak up the scenery
in the many squares of Nantes.
Make your way to Place Royale or Place Graslin where café sitting
counts as a cultural shot in the arm.
Indulge in the beautiful 18th & 19th century architecture -- palaces, fountains
and an art nouveau spectacle called La Cigale will leave you hankering
for a mountain of euros and a real estate agent.

Better yet, stop by any one of Nantes 100 -- yes, I said 100 -- public parks.
The Jardin des Plantes -- easy to find as it's just across from the
train station -- is a particular bright spot to begin.
Stop and smell the roses -- or any of the other 10,000 species
in the Jardin des Plantes*
*They take particular pride in their camellias, first introduced in the 19th century.

Nantes has introduced many efforts to reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions.
Green space is taken seriously in this forward-thinking city.

Stepping off his pedestal, this instagram-worthy bronze by Philippe Ramette personifies light-hearted Nantes.

Chocolate art -- a face that looks almost too cute to eat -- notice I said almost....

You'll be wearing a happy face if you dine at Nantes' most famous brasserie La Cigale.

If you're into unforgettable faces, make a beeline
to Cathedrale de Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul.
Construction began in 1434 and didn't end until over 450 years later.*
Built with beautiful white stone, the cathedral is an assembly of styles.
*that's even longer than it's taking to build the road by my home...

But for me, the highlight was inside those sacred walls where the tomb
of Francois II and Margarite de Foix stopped me cold.
Anne of Brittany forever memorialized her parents with the tomb,
long considered a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture.
Surrounded by angels and their trusty greyhounds, the artist
also created an amazing sculpture with two faces -- an old man
representing wisdom of the past and a young woman looking toward the future.

The cathedral has suffered its own fair share of
stranger-than-fiction history over the years.
It was damaged severely by WWII bombing and later
barely survived a massive fire in 1972.
Thank goodness a massive restoration effort has brought it back to life.

A fun-to-know fact of history I recently learned; It was here that
finance minister Nicolas Fouquet was arrested by d'Artagnan**.
Just in case you've never heard of him, Fouquet is the guy who embezzled
state funds to build the fabulous Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte.
He's the dummy who invited the jealous king to dinner and a hissy fit.
In a bad case of chateau-envy, King Louis XIV jailed him for life and
began his own quest for best house on the block.
**yes, d'Artagnan is the guy made famous by Alexander Dumas -- one of the kings musketeers

Look carefully! He/She is no mistake -- gives new meaning to the term "two-faced".

If there is just one place in Nantes you can't afford to miss,
it's Les Machines de l'Île -- Nantes' version of the Biggest Show on Earth.
No, it's not a circus or the theatre or a museum
or quite anything I can attach a name to.

Quite simply, it's a spectacle of innovation and daredevil design.
I've been talking about this mind-boggling landmark since the first
time I laid eyes on it and couldn't wait to return.

The Great Elephant will stop you cold.
Who in his right mind would expect to see a 40-foot tall mammal
with working parts strolling around town?
I was worried I'd miss him this time around because I had read he was
"sick" and in "rehab" -- but the gods were kind.
Like all good patients, he was walking around the parking lot testing his legs.
How do they do it??
On a personal tour of Le Carrousel des Mondes Marins --
-- a 3-tiered interactive merry-go-round of sea animals, we enjoyed a "ride".
Calling it a merry-go-round seems inappropriate because this is definitely
not kids' play -- though it's a sure bet you'll reconnect with your inner child as
you manipulate the mouths and tails of these stranger-than-fiction sea creatures.

Coming eyeball-to-eyeball with these hypnotic faces -- a giant squid,
a bulging-eyed crab, and many other SpongeBob-like creations -- may help
you cultivate your own Captain Nemo fantasy.
Get your kicks drinking in their facial features -- bewitching eyes,
noses and mouths; unlike those you see at the Academy Awards,
none of them are made of plastic!
Only natural materials such as wood and leather are used
to bring these aquatic animals to life.

Please make sure you also go to The Gallery which is
where this Jules Verne-inspired innovation comes to life.
These amazing innovators continue to build on their reputation and have fresh
ideas to expand this mind-blowing research-comes-to-life park.
Trust me, you'll be back.

Artistic detail captures legends of the sea at the Marine World Carousel.

Nantes makes it ridiculously easy to visit.
Just follow the Green Line around town. Literally.
They have painted a green line to lead you from one great venue to the next.
It's a traveler's dream.

The one site that is NOT easy to visit is the chilling
Mémorial de l'Abolition de l'Esclavage -- the Abolition Memorial -- an unsettling monument that details the history of the slave trade and the world struggle to end it.
It hurts to make this journey but in the end beautiful FREEDOM rings.

In the 18th century, Nantes was a major center of the slave trade in Europe.
Over half a million slaves passed through its port on 1800 individual expeditions.
Nantes' riches grew as its shipping community made a killing from the evil practice.

This memorial, set inside a recreation of a ships' hold, retraces the history of the slave trade and takes particular care in revealing the slow progress of abolition. You'll see and hear from famous leaders who spent
most of their lives fighting for freedom.
Martin Luther King Jr, Maya Angelous, Bob Marley and Nelson Mandela
are a few of the freedom fighters who lead us to the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the word FREEDOM in dozens of languages.
It's an amazing walk through history.

"Education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world."
Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid revolution who did his best to change the world

It's easy to spot the violin repair shop -- signs, signs, everywhere a sign....

Glad to see they get away from Springfield once in awhile....

These faces seem to smile -- no wonder, they live in the Jardin des Plantes.

For the love of a good book -- Perhaps this studious face is deep into a Jules Verne classic.

"A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction." Oscar Wilde, 19th century Irish poet & smartass

Don't miss the elegant Passage Pommeraye -- a 19th century shopping arcade.

Glass pavers with the names of slave ships line the pavement outside the Memorial de l'Abolition de l'Esclavage.

The ugly face of slavery is captured at the Slave Memorial in Nantes.

Nantes offers way too many opportunities for fun to detail in one sitting.
If you have a taste for adventure, make this your next stop in France.
You can even board at train at the airport* in Paris for a direct ride.
*Roissy Charles DeGaulle
In a matter of a few hours, you'll be searching for your favorite face.

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
lyrics by Ewan McColl, British singer/songwriter

"The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless skies
The first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hand
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command my love
And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time my love
The first time ever I saw your face
Your face, your face"

"Buy the ticket. Take the ride."
Hunter S. Thompson, American writer

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

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Angels in Paris - Chapelle Expiatoire

1/5/2020

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The Chapelle Expiatoire may be the monument
your overwrought conscience has been missing.
Too often left out of guidebooks and Paris tours, it's a
reminder of Paris' sometimes disagreeable past.
Perhaps like me, you'll find more than one reason to fall in love
with this beautiful and historical place.

EXPIATORY - the act of atonement
Making amends for acts of wrongdoing can be a lifelong project.
Muddling through life's challenges and confusing truths
often results in more questions than answers.
Most of us hope to bury our mistakes and make a turn for the better.

Paris is a wonderful place to celebrate life
and all the beautiful things that accompany it.
But it's also a place where even the most casual visitor faces the ugliness of
history and the regretful results of society's sometimes less than stellar behaviors.

Opened in 1826 to honor the memory of the deposed -- and beheaded --
King & Queen of France, the chapel sought to atone for the acts of violence committed during the French Revolution against the royals.
The memorial honors King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette and a curated
collection of others who succumbed to the gruesome truth of the guillotine.
The Chapel and its garden is a beautiful oasis in the heart of the city,
one that every Paris lover should slowly uncover and savor.

"Success is relative. It is what we make of the mess we have made of things."
T.S. Eliot

The Chapelle Expiatoire is located on the hallowed ground of the former
Madeleine Cemetery, one of several burial sites for those executed
during the bloody 2-year period we now call the Reign of Terror (1792-1794).
Charlotte Corday, Madame du Barry and dozens of Swiss Guards
savaged in the Tuileries Garden mob massacre
were some of the cemetery's well-known residents.

When the monarchy was briefly restored in 1814,
King Louis XVIII immediately transferred his brutalized brother
and sister-in-law to the Basilica of Saint-Denis.
He sent most of those buried in the Madeleine Cemetery
to the Paris Catacombs and began his pet construction project.
From the ashes of the Reign of Terror came the Chapelle Expiatoire.
Its stated purpose was to memorialize the king's dearly departed
brother, recasting Louis XVI's and Marie Antoinette's reputation.
The bloody French Revolution had scarred
the nation and sullied the family name.
With his atonement chapel, Louis XVIII hoped to absolve the sins of a nation.

"A king should die on his feet."
King Louis XVIII of France

Statue of Louis XVI looking toward heaven with an angel showing him the way.

For years the French nation wanted to forget its bloody past
so the Chapel Expiatoire was controversial.
By 1871, The Commune insisted it be torn down.
Cooler heads prevailed and still today, a mass is held in the chapel
every January 21st to commemorate the beheaded king.

The chapel is beautiful and calming.
It's ironic to consider history's bloodiest pages produced a memorial
as dreamy and gentle as this....

"It is not "forgive and forget" as if nothing wrong had ever happened,
but "forgive and go forward", building on the mistakes of the past
and the energy generated by reconciliation to create a new future."
Alan Paton, South African writer and anti-apartheid activist, author of "Cry, the Beloved Country"

Marie Antoinette holds on for dear life to "Religion", perhaps seeking a rewrite for her reputation.

The queens of France in all their glory

If you enjoy neoclassical architecture, you will love the Chapel Expiatoire.
Attached to the chapel is a little museum that's filled with treasures of the period.
It brings history to life and manages to make the royals
and their entourage a little more human.

Included is a photo of La Dame de Gourbillon
who headlined a scandal at court for years.
It's a juicy one, leading to her eventual removal from court
and still later, seizure of her letters to and from the queen.
Today's tabloids would have a field day with this one!

Madame de Gourbillon, the future queen's lady-in-waiting and "friend"

A letter from Louis XV dated 1771 is featured in the little museum

Beautiful stone arches separate the chapel from the museum

Supposedly the exact spot where King Louis XVI was laid to rest in the Madeleine Cemetery

The lovely garden is flanked by rows of centographs, built to honor
the Swiss Guards who unflinchingly died while defending the King.
In case you don't know their story, here's a quick overview.

In a defining moment of the French Revolution,
the revolutionaries -- aka the mob -- stormed the Tuileries Palace.
They wanted blood -- the king and queen's blood to be exact -- and their
terroristic intent could not be stopped.
There were close to 1000 Swiss Guards willing to
defend the castle and their monarch but to no avail.
An estimated 800 of them lost their lives during that hellish day in August of 1792. Dedicated to the memory of these lost soldiers,
the tombs honor the memory of those who served.

I often ask myself WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE THEM?

The world continues to brew a stew of hatred; too often I'm among
those wringing my hands and bellyaching about the "others".
It often feels like there are more of "them" than "us".
Hate crimes, ugly twitter feed and lies leave many of us feeling defeated.

We want truth but we need to learn to look for it in-between the lines.
Finding our better angels is not always easy.
The outrageous language and actions of others need not stain our own good hearts.
Showing respect for others through our own behavior is a good start.

Atonement. It's a loaded word.
Healing and moving on.
We need more of that.
Love vs Hate -- which do you choose?

"When they go low, we go high."
Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States

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Chateau de Foix: On Top of the World

11/23/2019

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Every now and then, you wake up knowing it's not going to be an average day.
That's exactly how I felt one bright autumn morning as I opened my eyes
and realized this was the day we were going to Foix.

I had long dreamed of seeing the history-heavy town that is situated
between Toulouse and Andorra at the threshold to the Pyrenees.
Known as an eye-popping milepost in the footprint of southwestern France,
Foix is a straightforward train ride from the charming city of Toulouse.

Chateau de Foix sits on top of the world -- or at least
that was my first impression as I finally reach its apex.
Fresh mountain air, a strong whiff of the dramatic, and a stunning eyeful
of gorgeous Ariège countryside make the uphill walk worth the effort.
You'll feel the electricity as soon as you enter the town, its dramatic
three-towered chateau posing majestically on a tall hill.
Though the city itself has many charms, few will pause to nose around
until after they've trudged uphill to the castle that dominates the skyline.

"Hike More. Worry Less."
Bumper Sticker

I've long been a fiend for castles but there was another reason
for this eagerness to experience Chateau de Foix.
It all boils down to a long fascination with Cathar history.
In case you're not familiar with the Cathars, here's a snapshot summary.

Many villages and cities in France's southwest were strongholds
of the medieval Christian sect -- Foix, Albi and nearby Carcassonne included.
Long regarded as heretics by the Catholic Church, Cathars -- sometimes
known as Albigensians* -- thrived in the territory then known as the Languedoc.
Rome, with help from the nobility of northern France, launched a
vicious crusade against all true believers of the sect,
killing many thousands over a twenty year period.
The Church pursued a complete genocide, wiping out whole cities such as
Béziers and burning at the stake as many followers as they could capture.
*name taken from Albi, the seat of Cathar power -- see previous posts:
all-powerful-albi.html and a-cab-ride-to-remember.html and

Pope Innocent III was determined to wipe out all those who ran wayward
of the Catholic Church, backing relentless super-villains such as
Simon de Montfort -- so bad he may have upstaged The Joker, Darth Vader
and Hannibal Lector a few centuries later -- who brutally beat back the Cathars.
Though they were Christians, the Cathar community
was branded enemy #1 of the Catholic Church.

The Cathars were unorthodox in many of their beliefs.
But they sincerely trusted their own tenets to be pure in thought
and more in keeping with Christ's word than the prevailing Catholic clergy.
It was a liberal philosophy -- some would even say intellectual -- as many in the
sect viewed men and women as equals -- a scandalous conviction at the time.
Contraception was allowed; reincarnation was accepted thought and, most importantly, Cathars believed everyone had the right to read the Bible -- which,
against the laws of the land, they labored to translate into the local language.
Questioning the moral character of priests, they soon found themselves
tortured and maimed, relieved of all lands and possessions.

Still later, the Albigensian Crusade turned into the Inquisition which in the end, helped unite northern and southern France into one (somewhat) cohesive unit.
But what a hair raising period in the history of France!

"Every war results from the struggle for markets and spheres of influence,
and every war is sold to the public by professional liars and
totally sincere religious maniacs, as a Holy Crusade to
save God and Goodness from Satan and Evil."
Robert Anton Wilson, American author, agnostic mystic

Terracotta rooftops give way to the gorgeous base of the Pyrenees in the near distance.

Upon reaching the summit, we gobbled up the incredible views of our surroundings, peering down on the town created by the chateau's noble residents.
Due in large part to the rugged setting and the considerable efforts of the
chateau's conservationists and curators, we felt a connection to world history.

The castle's earliest foundation, first built in the 10th century,
became the site for the long-lasting chateau fortress which
withstood scores of attack under the careful watch of the Counts of Foix.
Much later, from the 16th century until 1864, the chateau served France
as a prison; Look for graffiti in some of the tower chambers.

The site recreates medieval life in the time when the Counts rules the land.
During the middle ages, France as we currently know it was not united.
The royalty that ruled the north had less influence than the local noblemen.

A long line of counts ruled Foix during both good times and bad.
The fortress withstood attack by Simon Montfort from 1211 to 1217
but was retaken by Catholics three centuries later when Henry of Navarre
become King Henry IV (commonly referred to as Good King Henry)
and united France as one with a strategic plan.
The Protestant leader converted to Roman Catholicism while
concurrently offering religious freedom to Protestants,
cleverly building bridges of religious tolerance on both ends of his country.

"Hell is empty All the devils are here."
William Shakespeare, writer, from "The Tempest"

Word of the Day - trebuchet - a catapult used to hurl massive stones at the enemy. Need one of these at home....

There are many more stairs to climb even after the long climb to the chateau.

Extraordinary graffiti etched in stone -- Wish I had a translator.... Kilroy was here??

There is much to admire in this chateau which it makes it doubly staggering to
realize what we see today is only about one quarter of the original complex.
Still, Chateau de Foix is 100% satisfying, first as you
embrace the view and the towers and again as you discover
some of the "living history" experiences offered on site.
Blacksmiths and stonecutters offer a look at life
in the French countryside during the Middle Ages.

Visitors can even walk the wheel -- a daredevil physical workout that
worked as a bona-fide apparatus in chateau projects and construction.
Talk about hard labor!

You'll discover lessons on how to make war -- from shooting a bow & arrow to
examining the nuts and bolts of war machines -- a highlight for many military fans.
Personally, I'd prefer to ponder what these clever people
grew in their medieval gardens....

What I never did figure out is -- what footwear conquered these cobblestones??

"Always in all circumstances, wear comfortable shoes.
You never know when you may have to run for your life."
Callie Khouri, film & tv writer - most famous for "Thelma & Louise" and "Nashville"

Double-dog-dare: Walk the wheel, the medieval way to build a castle.

Depression hurts -- It seems times were tough inside the castle.

Plan to climb a lot of steps.
We climbed hundreds of them -- up, up, up two of the towers
where we were treated to a rewarding look at life in medieval Foix.

Look for the graffiti etched into the stone walls -- no doubt from
the period when the chateau served as a prison.
There are reimagined rooms in both towers that display the basic functionality
of each chamber -- be it bedroom, war room or reading room and if you
have even the slightest bit of imagination, you'll be able to conjure up
a picture of life during the time of the Counts when troubadours and poets
made life a little more bearable.

The spiral staircase leading to each room is very narrow so be aware you may encounter someone coming from another direction -- which can get quite twitchy.

This rock solid door would keep Attila the Hun out in the rain.

The museum on site ties everything together.
Clever interactive displays keep the pace interesting and fun even for those
who aren't overly interested in family trees or miniature castle displays.

Carefully recreating life at Foix during the time of the Counts, the museum
offers an absorbing look at history and serves as a good reminder that life
in a castle isn't all about fairytales princesses and happily ever after.
There were many frogs to kiss over the centuries.....

Talk about a family tree! All the Rogers and Gastons you could ever imagine....

Museum exhibits help visitors imagine how ordinary citizens coped in medieval Foix.

A day in the life -- slaughtering animals and feeding the village.

A clever play on words -- a seller of foie (as in foie gras) in the town of Foix (same pronunciation)...

A peaceful slice of Foix on the way up to the chateau.

Every proper town in France has a proper church and Foix is no exception.
The Church of Saint-Volusien will not disappoint.

In the center of the old town, its ancient bones have been partially restored,
memorably featuring some imaginatively carved choir seats.
Biblical paintings, faded paint, and a restored organ
(dating from 1869) complete the picture.

A portion of the medieval abbey still exists; it was the original site
constructed for Charlemagne in the 10th century(!) though most
of what you see today was rebuilt in 1670.
The arched windows and quietly elegant vaulted ceiling
are particularly beautiful.

Incredible carvings line the monk's seating in the Church of Saint-Volusien.

I adore this part of France with its big sky and endless views,
a history as big as the wide blue yonder, in a countryside wild and unspoiled.
Big on tradition and outdoor activities, the Ariège -- and
Occitanie as a whole -- is priceless.

Nestled in the Midi-Pyrenees, this is an area that is too often neglected
by travelers which is a lovely crowd-free bonus for those of us in the know.

Feeling on top of the world is a sentiment that makes us feel alive.
My all time favorite poem from childhood sums up
that special impression of freedom and childhood magic:

"How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide
River and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside...
Till I look down on the garden green
Down on the roof so brown --
Up in the air I go flying again
Up in the air and down!"
"The Swing" by Robert Louis Stevenson

I'm pretty confident Edith Piaf wasn't speaking of Chateau de Foix or even
climbing a mountain, but her message serves as a good reminder:
"When you reach the top, you should remember
to send the elevator down for others."

I urge you, climb up those narrow winding streets to the castle on the hill
and when you return home, share your delightful experience with others.

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Wine-Tastic Montmartre

10/30/2019

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I love drinking wine in France.
No, I'm not talking about the chichi, big-ticket stuff -- just an every
day simple glass (or two) of rouge, blanc or rosé.
You see, in France, drinking wine is effortless.
There's no need to immerse yourself in a wine education or consult
a sommelier to get a glass of grape that makes you smile.

That's why, overjoyed to be in Paris during a significant week in October, my
wine joie-de-vivre took on new meaning in an emotionally charged setting.
Smack dab on the celebrated hills of Montmartre, where cobbled streets and
unmatched views are out-of-the-ordinary just about any time of the year,
the village with the vines struts its stuff like nobody's business.

For five days in October, this stretch of Paris makes merry -- and,
this being France, the results are delicious.
Montmartre's Harvest Festival -- la Fête de Vendanges -- is an
unforgettable celebration of history, wine culture & local pride
wrapped around France's fruity cultural icon.
Since 1934, Parisians and wine lovers around the globe have memorialized the
first harvest from a tiny plot of land in Montmartre with a no-holds-barred
street party that nurtures our shared love for wine.

"Wine is sunlight held together by water."
Galileo, the "father" of modern science

It's easy to miss Montmartre's tiny vineyard.
Look for it on the hilly rue de Saules, just down the street from La Maison Rose,
the iconic rose colored café that's too cute to pass up without a photo op.

No one has ever claimed the wine cultivated here is extraordinary.
The story is simple.
It's beloved because it's produced here, a testament to Paris past,
a throwback to long ago when the Romans planted the vines which
were later nursed by monks from a nearby Benedictine abbey.
The vineyard is protected from property developers, helping to keep a village-like
ambience in Montmartre -- charmingly unsophisticated and hopelessly romantic.
These days, the orchard is run by the city which donates
all proceeds (from about 1500 bottles a year) to charity.

The Fête de Vendanges is a combination wine, food, and arts festival
capped off by a parade that is in equal parts serious and zany.

"Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right."
F. Scott Fitzgerald, American author

The parade is huge, offering something for everyone.
Wine dignitaries share the streets with marching bands and 25-foot-tall giants.
Even the local gendarmes were caught smiling at the entertainment,
though I'm sure trying to police thousands of people
standing on a small hill is no small matter.

For someone who hates crowds (that means me),
I definitely found it a worthwhile place to "hang" with the locals.
When you get to interact with folks in costume -- the Bretons in particular were
entrancing -- you soon forget you're being jostled & tugged by too many people.

Community schools, restaurants and regional winemakers entertain,
the festivities going well beyond the parade.
In the 86th version of this annual festival, Montmartre delivered five days of
hoopla with an expected visitor count of around 500,000.

Celebrating the Harvest Festival -- the wine harvest -- with smiles and cheers.

I don't think anyone was looking at her headdress.

As they say, "The higher the hair, the closer to God...."

It's likely you already realize whatever the reason
you come to Montmartre, you're likely to have a big time.
But the harvest festival makes a visit something exceptional.
Even Montmartre's never-ending but iconic stairs
were made extra special for the event.
Local school children painted them keeping with a "chromatic climb" theme.

Event organizers offered a myriad of activities -- including a
fashion show with a catwalk for those who love
to strut their stuff in outrageous and daring dress,
followed by a fluorescent race at night.
Oh what a party that must be....

"I love a parade, the tramping of feet,
I love every beat I hear of a drum.
I love a parade, when I hear a band
I just want to stand and cheer as they come."
"I Love a Parade"
Harry Richman, composer

In France, wherever there is wine, there is food.
French tradition honors a serious sense of place so if the "terroir"
for wine is considered sacred, so too is the God given harvest that feeds us.

The art of food and wine at the Fête de Vendanges does not disappoint.
Growing up in the Midwest, I'm used to "Fair Food" -- fun and festive,
we were happy with a good corndog or pork chop sandwich and
a caramel apple or funnel cake on the side....
Nope, not here.

First of all, notice they serve champagne in REAL CHAMPAGNE GLASSES.
Not plastic, not paper, the real deal.
They had me at bonjour.
And the price was aces.
Instead of marking up the food, I swear, they offered
everything at bargain basement prices.
Did I already mention entry to the event is free??
Paris always makes me feel like I have won the lottery; in this case,
I feel like I won the Mega Millions.

It was Julia Child who reminded us
"In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport."
Of course, she also said,
"The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded
and whack the hell out of a chicken."
Perhaps America's favorite master of French cooking
knew her way around the Fête de Vendanges....

Fromage chaud -- aka HOT CHEESE! Pinch me, I must be dreaming.....

A reminder this is what the hoopla is all about - a tiny grapevine for sale by event organizers.

The Church of Sacre Coeur is appropriately the backdrop for a heavenly vintage from the Burgundy region.

My pre-parade culinary adventure began with a plate of raw oysters.
The farmer who harvested them grinned from ear to ear
as I slurped and appreciated every last one.
He rushed the briny treasures to the festival -- all the way from the
Ile d'Oléron, an island just off the west coast of France near La Rochelle.

Though mightily tempted by fromage chaud (hot cheese!),
I wisely chose a plate of steaming hot vegetables mixed with Corsican sausage. There are not enough adjectives and exclamation points
to describe how happy this made me.
It's a memory I'll forever cherish.

And of course, we paired everything with wine of the region.

"Wine makes every meal an occasion,
every table more elegant, every day more civilized."
Andre Simon, French born wine merchant, writer, connoisseur

Truffade - a classic from the Auverne - potatoes, cheese, garlic.... Aligot - a gooey potato & cheese mash from the Aveyron. OMG.

It's human nature to share a love of celebration -- to come together,
elbow our way around and embrace the community.

A festival offers an opportunity to get away
from the urban sprawl and let our hair down.
Just about any day of the week, Montmartre has the kind of magic that
makes us feel the sun shine down on our face even when it's raining.
Festival time is even more irresistible,
a chance to have our very own Ferris Bueller moment.

The Fête de Vendanges is not the place you come to show off your
new Christian Louboutin heels; it's where you wear your favorite old shirt so
you can get a grease spot on it from the yummy tartiflette you practically inhaled.

It's one part church revival, one part double rainbow.
This may be the exact moment you realize you're no longer dreaming Paris.
You are living it.

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Bathing in Matisse's Light

9/20/2019

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Crossing the vast river of Henri Matisse's lifework is
like randomly rummaging through the New York Times Cookbook
hoping to find the perfect recipe for tonight's dinner.
Too many choices....

A cookbook bible like the Times pretty much sums up the wide ranging
charms of Henri Matisse, the revolutionary French artist
who defined visual arts in the 20th century.
From first course to dessert, his sweeping imagination and
diverse techniques have filled many an art lover with a hunger for more.

A good place to begin is in his namesake museum in Nice -- the Cimiez* neighborhood to be exact -- which I was lucky to visit not long ago.
Musée Matisse Nice sits perches on an archaeological site,
just down the street from a handful of Roman ruins.
In keeping with the colorful landscapes of many of the artist's
most memorable works, you'll uncover a vast garden with
ancient olive trees and a small cemetery capping off the museum
masterpiece -- a quintessential Cote d'Azur destination.
*Cimiez is about a mile north of Vieux Nice

Though many of Matisse's most famous works are located elsewhere, you can
get a good idea of the breadth of his work inside the mansion's rosy-hued walls.
On a gorgeous French Riviera property, the influential artist's colorful spirit
is enshrined, his body buried in the cemetery just around the bend.
It's an artistic vision, a breathtaking expanse of Nice
and the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean.

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."
Henri Matisse

You can't consider Matisse's art without taking note of the era he lived in.
The artist lived from 1869 to 1954.
Has there ever been such a hotbed of historical transformation?
The world was advancing at warp speed, a sci-fi stew of epic proportions.

Consider this.
In 1869 American women's activists Susan B. Anthony
and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were setting the table for their
(revolutionary!) ideas for women's suffrage.
America was still dealing with the backwash of the Civil War,
just four short years following its long lasting nightmare.
Charges of treason against Confederate "president" Jefferson Davis were dropped. In the music world, symphonies by Franz Shubert and Richard Wagner were "in"
while in the same year, George Westinghouse invented the steam engine brake.

Contrast that with 1954, when the world moved on
to Elvis and Bill Haley and the Comets.
The Tournament of Roses Parade splashed living color on our tv's
and the nearly never ending war began in Viet Nam*.
Texas Instruments developed the transistor radio while the first successful kidney transplant and the first Burger King impacted our physical wellbeing,
both born in the same month.
Credit cards and passenger jets gained momentum
and the Mercedes 300SL was launched.

The years 1869 to 1954 paint a picture of transformation,
a sea-change as wild as the ocean in a hurricane.

As Matisse's world evolved, so did his work.
He was able to shift styles as quickly as a model changes lipstick.

"When you're finished changing, you're finished."
Benjamin Franklin, one of America's Founding Fathers

"When I realized that each morning I would see this light again,
I could not believe how lucky I was."
Henri Matisse

Leave plenty of room for your own imagination to fire.
This is one museum where you won't be able to help yourself, a world
of color and inspiration will light you up and leave you wanting more.

You know it's going to be a good day when you literally
bump into a piece of history on the way to the museum.

The Excelsior Regina Palace*, a formidable and iconic Nice treasure,
is across the street from the Arenes/Musée Matisse bus stop.
A lovely lady smiled as she asked if I was going to the Musée Matisse.
She had a personal story about the mythical giant, a sweet little
episode that brought the legendary artist to life.
*Built in the 1890's, the Excelsior Regina Palace is a Belle Époque gem, created
explicitly for Queen Victoria's annual pilgrimages to the French Riviera.

Her husband lived in the hotel when he was very young.
To his chagrin, his strict maman wouldn't let him play in the garden
for fear of bothering the great Matisse at work.
How he despised seeing the "old man" and his easel on the lawn.
Imagine that, Matisse in your own back yard....

And of course, her story made the museum experience just that much better.

"I would venture to warn against too great intimacy with artists
as it is very seductive and a little dangerous."
Henri Matisse

Musée Matisse is a medley of the artist's periods and moods.
From fauvism to Cubism to "drawing with scissors" -- better known as
paper cutouts -- Matisse never veered too far from the logical next step.
His go-to base was modern classicism tinged and stoked strongly
with color -- BIG color -- that supercharged his work with a bolt of lightening.
He could be totally traditionalist one day only to turn around
and recalibrate the next day, choosing to adopt a new style and strategy.
His artistic transformations remind me a bit of before and after home makeover photos -- though in his case, the befores are as memorable as the afters.

When poor health -- asthma and heart disease -- kept the artist bed-
ridden for weeks on end, he completed large murals from his bed in Cimiez.
He jerry-rigged a pole with a crayon or brush attached to
the end -- et voila -- a masterpiece was set in motion.

When he could no longer paint at all, he stunned the world
by creating art with a kindergarten-like magic.
His paper cutouts are among his most lasting legacy.

Advancing age and worsening health concerns didn't keep Matisse home-bound. From 1947 to 1951, he traveled to nearby Vence where he completed
the Chapelle du Rosaire, a gift to the nuns who nursed him back
from a near fatal intestinal illness in 1941.
The chapel has long been considered his crowning achievement
and would go hand in hand with your visit to the Musée Matisse in Nice.

"Yeah, we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars and the sun."
John Lennon, musician, poet, Beatle

Experimentation was key to Matisse's success story.
Each year was inventive in a different way.
Pure colors and the white of a bare canvas draw you in.
A woman's face painted with colors as vivid and unorthodox
as her hat is a hallmark of Matisse's craftsmanship.

As if that's not enough, the artist was also a good salesman.
He worked tirelessly to get his art to the right people.
Innovate, keep moving forward, be different -- all axioms in a
modern world -- were the method to his beautiful madness.

"Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games."
Babe Ruth, the "Sultan of Swat" - arguably America's most famous baseball player of all time

Musée Matisse even has a room dedicated to budding artists -- perhaps a new generation of Les Fauves.

Don't miss the Monastery of Our Lady of Cimiez, just behind the museum.
It's a lovely chapel and includes a Franciscan Friar Museum portraying
the daily life of a monk from the 11th century until today.

In the garden just behind the monastery, you'll find Matisse's grave
along with other local notables including
fellow artist (and one of my faves) Raoul Dufy.

From here, you'll see the city of Nice at its breathtaking best.

"My eyes were made to erase all that is ugly."
Raoul Dufy, French Fauvist painter

The city of Nice considers Henri Matisse to be their hometown hero
but art lovers across the world know that he gave us all he
had -- creativity, light, color and a sense of calm.

True, it's hard to abandon the outdoor markets and cafés of Nice
for a museum that sits high on a hill above the city.
But it's worth it to leave the rocky shoreline and beautiful
Promenade des Anglais in search of a different form of sunshine,
one guaranteed to make you feel like a million bucks.
The Musée Matisse includes illustrated books, sculptures,
personal objects and, of course, the celebrated paintings.
The sun is always shining here, thanks to the unique talent of Henri Matisse.

It's well worth a few hours of your precious Nice time -- which after all,
is dedicated to the very best that France has to offer.

"If you come home as happy as you leave, you have had a good vacation."
Author Unknown

1 Comment

The Unseen Paris - History Uncovered

8/18/2019

4 Comments

"Sometimes it takes a wrong turn to get to the right place."
Mandy Hale, American Author

Whether it's a novel experience or a fresh hairstyle, human nature
propels us to instinctively look high and low for something new.

While our psychology is not automatically addicted to change,
time after time our naturally inquisitive appetites drive us
to curiously probe the unknown.

A simple truth about what drives my Paris wanderings is
a faithful obsession to root out new neighborhoods.
It's a bell-weather day to unexpectedly spy something unfamiliar.
Whether it's an obscure residential street, a novel historical marker or an
unfamiliar wall of street art, no matter, this is chicken soup for the soul.

"What if it's the there and not the here that I long for?
The wander and not the wait, the magic in the lost feet stumbling down
the faraway street and the way the moon never hangs quite the same?"
Tyler Knott Gregson, American Poet

It was a day of good fortune when we stumbled on rue Fortuny,
a street in the 17th arrondissement, just steps away from Parc Monceau.
As many times as I've visited the park -- always pausing to admire the mansions
that surround it -- I had never before laid eyes on this street, a find unto itself.

Rue Fortuny is a goldmine of 19th century architecture,
a motherlode of opulent -- yet tasteful -- mansions.
It's a Who's Who of famous Parisians and impressive endeavors.
It was here that writer Edmond Rostand authored the much loved
"Cyrano de Bergerac".
Think of the imagination it took to pen the following bon mot
from the lips of literature's one-of-a-kind hero:
"This veridic nose arrives everywhere a quarter of an hour before its master.
Ten shoemakers, good round fat ones too, go and sit down
to work under it out of the rain."

La Belle Otero, erotic French courtesan, darling of the Folies Bergères,
and grand dame actress Sarah Bernhardt, both legendary in their own right,
held court on this quiet looking rue once upon a time.

"Life begets life. Energy creates energy.
It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich."
Sarah Bernhardt, legendary French actress

One of France's all-time most respected literary lions, Marcel Pagnol,
made this his address in the mid-century.
If you haven't already seen Daniel Auteuil's remake of Pagnol's
"The Well-Digger's Daughter", I urge you to look for it.
Perhaps you've already seen several other Marcel Pagnol-inspired
films -- "Manon des Sources"** and "Jean de Florette", both of which
make a clear case why he is often nicknamed "the Dickens of the South".
**You may know this movie as "Manon of the Spring"

"The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they
always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is,
and the future less resolved than it will be."
Marcel Pagnol, French novelist, playwright & filmmaker

Marcel Pagnol's books & movies captured our hearts with his clever stories about the common man.

From his home on rue Fortuny, Rostand penned those immortal words, "A great nose may be an index of a great soul."

Unique details abound on rue Fortuny where every house is architecturally distinctive.

Some of the best French real estate borders on the city's most renowned parks.
Our rue Fortuny basks near the beauty of Parc Monceau in the 17th arrondissement. For another view of Belle Epoque Paris, head to avenue Georges Mandel
and avenue Henri Martin, a couple of posh streets in the tony
16th arrondissement, very near to the Bois de Boulogne.

Renowned opera diva Maria Callas lived at #36 avenue Georges Mandel.
One has to wonder, did she sing in the shower?
Sigh -- all that talent, all that eyeliner, all that tragedy....
"First I lost my voice, then I lost my figure and then I lost Onassis."
Maria Callas, Internationally Known Opera Singer

It seems tragedy may be a part time resident of this street.
After all, it's named after Georges Mandel, a Jewish politician
who fought for France until his dying breath in July of 1944.
Winston Churchill once described him as the "first resister" in
the long struggle to push the Nazis back out of France in WWII.
Assassinated by the French Milice, Mandel would likely have been proud to
see his name emblazoned on such an iconic and magnificent Paris address.

"To be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building
(even if you're in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants
(even if you only nurse one drink), and if you borrow, borrow big."
Aristotle Onassis, Greek Tycoon, former lover of Maria Callas, husband of Jackie O

Patron to the arts and generous philanthropist Winnaretta Singer
(American-born heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune) made
avenue Georges Mandel a place to be seen and heard.
When you think of French culture chronicler Marcel Proust and his classic
novel "Remembrance of Things Past", consider how much influence
the Singer-Polignac salon had on his musings.

Singer and husband Prince Edmond-Melchior Polignac hosted often, embracing luminaries like Isadora Duncan, Collette, Jean Cocteau, Claude Monet, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel -- and of course, Proust -- to name a few.
Her legacy continues still today due to a foundation she set up in 1928,
benefitting science, literature and the arts.

"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily
the remembrance of things as they were."
Marcel Proust, one of the most influential French writers of the 20th century

In a beautiful residential section of Passy, avenue Henri Martin flows into avenue Georges Mandel

One of the best things about wandering the streets of Paris
is to chance upon something you're not expecting.

On boulevard Lannes, also near the Bois de Boulogne, I gasped out loud
at the historical marker identifying the mansion I was standing in front of.
Purely by luck, I stood in awe to "worship" at the site
of divine French chanteuse Edith Piaf's home.

Many fans of "the little sparrow" fans chase down her well documented working class digs* in Belleville from early in her career.
We follow her to Montmartre and Montparnasse where she performed rigorously, still leading a life of hardship and unbearable wear and tear.
*allegedly born in a doorway at 72 rue de Belleville

After she "made it" big, she moved to 67 boulevard Lannes,
a far cry from her down and out beginnings.
It was here she penned the immortal "Je ne Regrette Rien"
Here is part of her song (translated):

"No, I regret nothing,
no, absolutely nothing,
no, I regret nothing
Not the good that has been given to me
Not the bad, it's all the same to me
No, absolutely nothing
No, I regret nothing
It is payed, done, forgotten
I don't care about the past"

She goes on to say,
"Because my life, because my joys today, they start with you."

What joy she brought the world with all her angst, her troubled history
and never-ending desire to be loved.
And what I thrill I received the day I happened upon her last home.

This was a find! Edith Piaf lived here the last ten years of her life.

Quick as a minute, you can walk all the way down
another special Paris find, the Passage de l'Ancre.
This diminutive passageway, practically hidden in the
3rd arrondissement, is quietly enjoyed by those in the know.

Right away, you'll notice the unique signage of several retail shops.
Covered in ivy and brimming with sweet flowers, the tiny lane
boasts an especially fun find, Pep's Maison where you can order
a custom made parapluie (umbrella) or have one of your own repaired.

The itty-bitty street has its own sad history.
In 1942, all the occupants of the passage were deported in the Vel d'Hiver roundup.

Its sweet, colorful presence in today's Paris is nothing short of
a happy ending to a long day of discovery.

Note: You can access Passage de l'Ancre through doors located at 223 rue Saint-Martin or 30 rue Turbigo.

Sure, sometimes it's fun to be a tourist and enjoy a goofy Eiffel Tower moment.
But Paris is so much more.

Go ahead, bulldoze your way out of the box and engage your wandering eye.
Savor the stimulation of strangeness.
Map out your own fresh faced walk and paint the town in the riotous colors
of an unconventional day in the city everyone loves to love.
It will be extraordinary.

“That’s the place to get to—nowhere. One wants to wander away
from the world’s somewheres, into our own nowhere.”
D.H. Lawrence, English Writer & Poet