Archive for September, 2011

The Terres de Bretagne Music Festival
Part 2

Sunday, September 11th, 2011
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Château at the Top of the Hill

The Château at the Top of the Hill
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The Domaine de Villarceaux, where the day-long Terres de Bretagne music festival took place on Sunday, September 4, is a beautiful 175 acre park located in Val-d’Oise. The domain is an hour’s drive from Paris. Two châteaux stand there — one with a view of a labyrinth of neatly-trimmed, low-cut shrubbery next to a man-made pond, and the other, high on a hill with a majestic view of the valley.

In Part 1 of this article, I described how I walked beyond the château at the top of the hill to the gate at the far end of the domain. Turning around at the gate, I had a superb view of the manor.

View of Château from the Gate at the Top of the Hill

View of Château from the Gate at the Top of the Hill
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The cobblestone roadway that leads back to the château is bordered by thick woods on either side. There are warning signs advising strollers not to venture into the woods, probably because the trees have not been attended to for the last forty years. I did, however, stop to photograph an intriguing statue that stands there in a tunnel of overgrowth.

Tunnel through the Woods

Tunnel of Tangled Overgrowth
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Returning to the château, I entered a walkway leading to the basement where the restroom is located. The fleur-de-lys tiles of the floor of the vestibule give an unambiguous sign that aristocrats once occupied this place.

Fleur-de-lys Tile on the Floor of the Vestibule

Fleur-de-lys Tile on the Floor of the Vestibule
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Vestibule of Public Restroom

Vestibule of Public Restroom
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Later, I returned to the château and found it open to concert goers. I entered and took pictures of the sumptuous furnishings. Note the painting of the nude Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon in the dining room.

Dining Room in the Château

Dining Room
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Bedroom in the Château

Bedroom
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

In the entry hall stands a sculpture of an obviously ecstatic Leda embracing a swan.

Leda and the Swan

Leda and the Swan
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Later in the day, people sat on the lawn of the château to watch the concert given there.

Watching Concert from the Château du Haut

Watching Concert from the Château du Haut
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

To be continued…

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The Terres de Bretagne Music Festival
Part 2

The Controversial Manual Social Mixer

Friday, September 9th, 2011
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The Controversial Manual Social Mixer

The Controversial Manual Social Mixer
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The first social mixer of the rentrée is now history, and what a good time we had!

The mixer was organized by Joshua Smith, author of The Controversial Manual and held last Tuesday at Le China. Joshua arranged to have cocktails served at happy-hour prices.

Happy-hour Cocktails

Happy-hour Cocktails
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The high point of the evening was a winner-take-all drawing for five prizes: French language job interview training by CadrEnglish, a professional photoshoot for the perfect CV photo by Pascale Lourmand, dinner for two at Breakfast in America, a Fat Tire Bike Tour for two, and a designer fashion bag by Kasia Dietz. Lucky Michele Vannoni of Paris Rental Connections won the drawing!

Joshua Smith Announces the Winner

Joshua Smith Announces the Winner
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The Prize Winner - Michele Vannoni

The Prize Winner - Michele Vannoni
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

I was able to get the names of the following bloggers who attended the event:

Lindsey Tramuta Lost in Cheeseland
Forest Collins 52 Martinis
Jenny Geraghty Jennyphoria
Charles Schultz Standards And Freedom
Andra Hardt Andra Laine Hardt – Carbon Made
Melissa Ladd Prête-moi Paris!
Gail Boisclair Perfectly Paris
Alisa Morv Sweet Pea Paris and Very Swell
Emma Bentley Emma in Paris
Anne Ditmeyer Prêt à Voyager
Quinn Connors Quinntessential Style and My Rouge Girl
Courtney and Craig Candelier Executive Language Coaching
Florence Richburg Paris Focus
Sion Dayson Paris (Im)Perfect
Kasia Dietz Love in the City of Lights
Tom Reeves Discover Paris! and Paris Insights
Monique Y. Wells Entrée to Black Paris

Charles Schulz - unknown - Sion Dayson

Charles Schultz - Jenny Geraghty - Sion Dayson

Kasia Dietz Standing Next to the Bag that She Designed

Kasia Dietz Standing Next to the Bag that She Designed
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Florence Incognito (The True Parisian One) - Florence Richburg - Monique Y. Wells

Florence Incognito (The True Parisian One) - Florence Richburg - Monique Y. Wells
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Chiraz Leggat

Chiraz Leggat
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

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The Controversial Manual Social Mixer

The Terres de Bretagne Music Festival
Part 1

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
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Domaine de Villarceaux

The Château at the Top of the Hill
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

On Sunday, September 4, the organization called Festival d’Ile-de-France opened its end-of-summer concert series with an outdoor music festival at Domaine de Villarceaux. The domain is located in Val-d’Oise, an administrative départment in the Ile-de-France region.

Hundreds of people (as well as some eighty performers) braved uncertain weather to hear fifteen groups play traditional Breton folk music, as well as jazz, and, in the case of the group N’Diale, Breton-Malian fusion.

For me, the day started with a 45-minute metro ride to Porte de Saint-Cloud to get on a navette (shuttle bus) for the one-hour ride to the festival grounds. At the bus stop, two lovely young women verified my ticket and invited me to get aboard. I got a front-row seat, giving me an unhindered view of the road as the bus wended its way to the concert grounds.

The "Navette"

Shuttle Bus Service to Domaine-de-Villarceaux
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Young Women Checking Tickets

Young Women Checking Tickets
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

I was prepared for rain, but the only serious precipitation came during the last act around 5:30 p.m. The deluge stopped the Alan Stivell quartet in mid-performance and sent spectators scurrying for cover. It was too bad, because their fusion rock music was a pleasure to listen to!

Being one of the first off the bus, I hoped that I could quickly get to the Ty Lichous food stand to try one of their Breton specialties, but arriving there I saw that about fifty people were already in line (many concert goers had arrived by car). I settled for a falafel sandwich from La Rose d’Orient stand, whose line was very short. Does the popularity of the Breton food stand over the Lebanese one give any indication of the ethnic makeup of the majority of the concert attendees? I believe it does!

People Gathering In front of the Food Stands

People Gathering in front of the Food Stands
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

There would be another indication later, when dozens of people formed circles on a large outdoor dance floor and danced what I believe were traditional Breton dances to the folk music performed there.

I decided to explore the grounds first before watching the concerts. The area is a vast park and wood, and a château sits on top of a hill. I climbed all the way up, and walked beyond the château to a great gate that was locked tight and bristling with spikes.

The Gate at the End of the Road

The Gate at the End of the Road
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Gate Bristling with Spikes

A Gate You Do Not Mess With
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

To be continued…

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The Terres de Bretagne Music Festival
Part 1

Four Favorite Independent Cinemas in Paris
By Lela Lake, Guest Blogger

Friday, September 2nd, 2011
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Le Champo

Le Champo
Photo by World of Andrew Woodyatt

Paris boasts more independent cinemas per capita than any other capital, but there are a few lush theaters that have earned their reputation not only for their beautiful trappings but also for consistently putting the best of the best up on their screens.

Whether you want the thrill of seeing the first-run of an avant-garde indie [independent] flick with unknown budding talent or have the desire to enjoy one of your favorite classics on the silver screen where it belongs, these movie houses are just the ticket. Pick up a copy of the Pariscope movie guide available free at many Paris stores to see what’s showing at the indies this week.

Le Champo (51, rue des Ecoles) in the Latin Quarter has a long history of introducing future filmmakers to the movies that changed their life. Primarily featuring films in Spanish these days, this eclectic theater has become a favorite gathering place for the local Latino community. Visitors from countries such as Brazil and Argentina are delighted to find this cinema showing top-ranked modern films from their homeland as well as European classics in their native tongue. Scheduled to be transformed in 2000 into a bank, the protest that erupted among avid fans led to a change of heart, saving Le Champo for future filmmakers’ inspiration.

La Pagode (57bis, rue Babylone) is hands-down the most romantic theater in Paris, boasting an architectural style that outshines Grauman’s Theater in Los Angeles in both authenticity and glamour. Although La Pagode is off the beaten path, art aficionados have beaten a path to its doors since 1896 when this extraordinary tribute to oriental architecture debuted as a dance hall. Plan to come early to enjoy tea in the garden and stroll through the hall to admire the stained glass windows and fantastic chandeliers. Even though the atmosphere threatens to be more interesting than the movies, La Pagode has earned a reputation as a virtual temple of cutting-edge independent film and has premiered work by directors that have gone on to become barrier breakers.

Le Nouvel Odeon (6, rue de l’Ecole de Médicine) is a Left Bank icon that was recently remodeled by designer Matali Crasset, giving this quaint theater a whole new ambience with crisp colors and cozy numbered seats that make your experience seem more like attending a happening than a mere movie. When they are not running classics such as King Kong and Citizen Kane on their single silver screen, you’ll find some of the most eclectic films around being showcased. The spacious mezzanine features a tasting bar and often hosts get-togethers with the filmmakers after the show. Le Nouvel Odeon even holds special showings for young parents with babies under ten months so they won’t feel left out of the fun!

Studio 28 (10, rue Tholozé) is not as opulent as some of its competitors, but what it lacks in grandiose gestures it makes up with charm. Known as the venue that premiers some of the top surrealist films, Studio 28 has held its ground as a showplace for rare talent since 1928, thus the name. The beer garden out back is open even in the winter for before- or after-cinema libations. This movie house on the hill in Montmartre is where the movie character Amélie admitted her love of watching people watching a movie in the dark. Walking among the framed, signed pictures of movie stars and celebrities in the lobby can give you the feeling they might all be watching you watching them!

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About the author: Lela Lake is a life-long lover of Parisian culture and writes for HostelBrokers.com, the budget travel specialists. If you want to visit Paris yourself, check out HostelBrokers.com selection of Cheap Paris Hotels.

In This Month’s Paris Insights Newsletter:
A Palace in the City

Thursday, September 1st, 2011
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Plaza Athénée

Plaza Athénée
Photo by A. D. McKenzie

In this month’s Paris Insights journalist A. D. McKenzie reports on the new category of hotel in France, the “palace” hotel.

In a special report, we present the Royal Abbaye de Chaalis, located within an hour’s drive of the city. The abbey and its beautiful park were bequeathed to the Institut de France in 1912 with the stipulation that they be open to the public.

And for our Paris, Past and Present feature, A.D. McKenzie discusses the star rating system created by the French Ministry of Tourism.

Our newsletter is published monthly as a downloadable PDF file. It is available only to paid subscribers for an annual subscription fee of $30.

If you are not a paid subscriber and would like to download the newsletter, please click here. Enter promotional code 11473309154 to receive a $5 discount off the price of an annual subscription.

Bonne Lecture!

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