The folks at HostelBrokers.com recently invited me to contribute a guest blog for their September “Love Paris”campaign. I was happy to comply and wrote an article about one of my favorite subjects: coffee. Click here to read about Verlet, a store that sells fresh-roasted coffee beans and offers sit-down service where you can order an espresso made from any of the twenty-seven coffees of origin that the shop sells.
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We participate in Wanderfood Wednesdays. Head over there to explore food from around the world!
Alan Stivell Quartet From left to right: Gaëtan Grandjean, guitar Alan Stivell, Celtic harp Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
In parts 1, 2, and 3 I wrote about the spectacular setting for the Terres de Bretagne music festival, and in part 4 I wrote about the food served there. In today’s post, I discuss the music, which was my principal reason for attending the festival.
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.
There were so many groups that I didn’t get to hear them all. The performances took place from 12:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at six different locations on the expansive domain. It took a considerable effort to walk from one spot to another. Also, I spent a lot of time exploring the grounds—especially at the top of the hill where the château d’en haut (château on the hill) is located—so I missed many of the concerts.
The first group that I listened to was Penndù Skoulm, a quintet consisting of two men playing the violin; one playing the flute; one, the guitar; and one, the uillean pipe. I found their music lively, but somewhat monotonous. This did not seem to be the opinion of the other spectators, because many of them got up to dance!
Jacky Molard, violin - Pennoù Skoulm Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Dancing to the Music of Pennoù Skoulm Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Another group that I watched was Trio Zon, which performed a jazzy kind of Celtic music in front of the château near the top of the hill. I guess that I don’t care much for Breton music because I wandered away after a few minutes to look for something else.
Trio Zon From left to right: Grégoire Hennebelle, violin Faustine Audebert, vocals Youen Parathoen, accordion Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Happily, for my taste in music, the group N’Diale performed later in the afternoon. I blogged about them on June 18, after I had seen them at a pre-launch concert sponsored by Festival d’Ile de France. N’Diale was formed through the collaboration of a Breton group called the Jacky Morland Quartet (Jacky Morland appeared with Pennoù Skoulm earlier) and a Malian group called the Foune Diarra Trio. The music that they play is a marvelous fusion of music from Brittany and Mali.
N'Diale From left to right: Yannic Jory, saxophone Jacky Morland, violin, Foune Diarra, vocals Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Toward the end of the day I saw the Trio Brou-Hamon-Quimbert, whose energetic call-and-response, a capella singing delighted the crowd. Watch them perform in my video below. And finally, I saw the musician who is probably the best-know performer of Breton music, Alan Stivell. I liked his jazzy music, but unfortunately, the concert was cut short by a torrent of rain.
Festival d’Ile-de-France sponsors fantastic concerts! Click here to learn more about its program.
Tom Reeves, President of Discover Paris! Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
The hotel reservation service AnyTrip.com has just published an interview of me as part of its Love Paris promotional campaign. Click here to read the interview and here to learn about AnyTrip’s Cheesy Travel Photo contest. You might win a two-night stay in a Paris hotel!
Making Cheese-filled Crêpes at the Ty Lichous Food Stand Photo be www.DiscoverParis.net
In the last three posts about the Terres de Bretagne Music Festival I talked about the spectacular setting of the domain where the concerts were held. While walking around the expansive grounds, especially up and down the hill, the concert goers worked up hearty appetites. Fortunately, the event organizers had foreseen this and had set up a number of food and beverage stands at different locations.
I mentioned in the first blog that I arrived too late to get to the front of the line at the Ty Lichous stand to buy a Breton crêpe for lunch. Later, I returned and saw that the line was shorter. I decided then and there to purchase a butter-caramel crêpe and was delighted to watch it being prepared right before my eyes.
Making My Butter and Caramel Crêpe at the Ty Lichous Food Stand Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
While the crêpe was being prepared, I asked the proprietor, Gilles Le Nestour-Mérelle, what the difference was between a Breton crêpe and crêpes that one could find in Paris. He told me that Breton crêpes are thinner and that they are made with blé noir (buckwheat flour). I did see some crêpes being prepared with darker flour, but my crêpe was not. (A blé noir crêpe can be seen on the griddle in the topmost picture.)
My crêpe was served in a folded paper plate. It was up to me to figure out how to eat it without a knife and fork and a table at which to sit! I bit into it and found that it was thinner and more delicate than those that I have purchased in Paris. It was a challenge to eat while standing, because I risked dripping the hot butter-caramel sauce on my clothes and camera. Happily, however, I was able to enjoy the scrumptious treat without transferring the sticky sauce to my personal effects.
There were other food stands at the concert, including one at which a man was making caramelized nuts in a copper kettle over an open fire.
Making Caramelized Nuts over an Open Fire Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
One stand was selling barbe à papa (cotton candy).
Cotton Candy Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Later, as I was leaving the festival, I spotted a vendor selling freshly-harvested green apples and pears for only 3.50€ for two kilograms. I couldn’t resist the bargain and purchase two kilos of pears. They were slightly firm, like a crispy apple, but a few days later turned ripe and juicy.
Vendor Selling Apples and Pears in the Parking Lot Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
To be continued…
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We participate in Wanderfood Wednesdays. Head over there to explore food from around the world!
Guard House at the Northernmost Edge of the Domain Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
In Part 2 of this article, I described the château at the top of the hill and the thick woods around it.
Standing on the south side of the manor and turning my back to it, I had a beautiful view of the valley below. A stage had been set up mid-way down the slope, where two bands would play later that afternoon.
View of the Valley Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
I walked down the steep hill to explore the lowland. Later that day, I saw some kids taking the fast way down, sliding on the wet, slippery grass. What fun!
Kids Sliding down The Hill Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
The château in the valley is a fortified building sitting on the edge of a body of water.
View of Château du Bas Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
And behind the château lies a garden of sculpted, low-lying bushes (probably boxwood) that form an embroidery-like, box-hedge parterre. Surrounded on three sides by water, the garden looks as if it were floating on the pond.
In 2005, the garden was classified as a “jardin remarquable” (remarkable garden) by the Ministry of Culture. The domain itself was classified as a “Monument Historique” (Historic Monument) over sixty years ago.
Château with View of the "Floating," Sculpted Garden
View of the Château du Bas from across the Pond Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
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 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 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 Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
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 Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
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 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 Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
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.
Shuttle Bus Service to Domaine-de-Villarceaux Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
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 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 Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
A Gate You Do Not Mess With Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
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.
Tags: independent cinema Posted in film | Comments Off on Four Favorite Independent Cinemas in Paris By Lela Lake, Guest Blogger
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.
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