Spring in(to) France...

I've spent the last three weeks in France, mostly acting as coordinator for the photography workshops in Nice and Paris.   When we arrived in Nice, the Niçois were determinedly dining outdoors under the electric heaters, wrapped in their scarves and parkas.  (We thought the weather was fine,  but then, we’re northerners.)  Even sitting on the beach, there was something in the way they dressed that said it was still winter.

 

But in Paris the March heat wave caused spring to burst out early.  The chestnut leaves unfurled, the willows greened and by the time we left, the Luxembourg gardens were flowering, with tulips, cafés and crowds.   Vive le printemps!

 Our last week in France was spent in Montmartre, where we explored for the first time the advantages of the city bus system, rather than just relying on the old familiar metro.   It's slower, that's true, but it's a whole different point of view above ground.   Details to follow.

Les Soldes 2012

SOLDES !

The annual Paris winter sales are running full force now, and continue on until February 14. Similar sales run at approximately the same dates throughout France, so you can go bargain hunting in Nice or Lyons as well. And if you have a favorite French shop, many of the sales are also taking place now online.

Lots of websites -mostly in French- are devoted to bargain hunting strategies and styles. About.com has some good advice:

http://goparis.about.com/u/ua/shopping/Paris-Sales-Tips-Readers-Share-Their-Paris-Annual-Sales-Tips.htm

Bargains in winter also include Paris hotels, with many discounts until the end of March. And for travelers from North America, airfares are at their lowest this time of year.

Shoppers should keep in mind that the sales are twice-annual. Summer sales in 2012 will run from June 27-July 31 in Paris and most of France, July 4 - August 7 in most of Provence and the Riviera.

Bastille Day 2011

Happy Bastille Day

I used to think of Bastille Day as the French equivalent of the 4th of July. The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 represents the beginning of the French Revolution of course - Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.

I've only been in Paris twice on Bastille Day. I usually don't go to France in the summer, when it's crowded, but I was working, once with a huge group, and another time waiting for a group to arrive.

So I happened to have the 14th of July to myself, and I ambled down to the Champs-Elysées to see the parade. I managed to glimpse Sarkozy's head as he rode by, and realized why the smart people brought their own ladders.

Unlike the local parades I remember from my childhood - scouts and fire engines and baton twirlers and horses - the parade in Paris is a military parade, including a dramatic midair parade of fighter planes (three trailing blue, white and red smoke) and a long défilé of soldiers, tanks, guns and other vehicles. Most of which I couldn't see, since I didn't have a ladder with me.

So I wandered around on the side streets and discovered the real
show. Here were soldiers lining up with their vehicles waiting
to join the parade, while families wandered around looking,
chatting and handing the kids up for a ride on the tank. All that
vast show of military might was, for the moment, just another
monumental backdrop in Paris.


I expect this Bastille Day is much the
same, though things are more somber in Paris after the recent death of six young French soldiers in Afghanistan. No one ever
wants to think about what all those weapons and tanks are for.

At the end of the day, there will be fireworks over the Seine, always
a fabulous show. The best views are from the bridges or a boat on the river - failing that, the Place d'Iéna's not bad.

Monet in Paris

If you needed an excuse to go to Paris this winter - the biggest Monet exhibit in 30 years continues at the Grand Palais until January 24, 2011. The exhibit's website is here -

At the same time you can also take in a second Monet exhibit at the intimate Musée Marmottan, running until Februaery 20, 2011.

And if you want to see the huge waterlilies, you will also have to make a stop at the Orangerie.

With both hotel and air prices at their lowest in winter, it's a great time for art lovers.

No visits to Giverny until April, though!

If you plan to be in Provence at the end of September and you're fascinated by things medieval, you're in luck. At Les Baux de Provence, the perched fortress not far from Avignon, this year's medieval re-enactment includes 1000 actors who will re-create the sights and sounds of life in the middle ages, complete with falconry and catapult-launching. The highlight of the show is the full-scale assault on the castle.
Dates are September 24-26, 2010 and tickets are available online at www.culturespaces-minisite.com/baux/

Even if you can't make those dates, you can still visit and see the catapults catapulting every day until the end of September.




While you're in Les Baux, it's really worth a stop at the Cathédrale d'Images, a multi-image sound and light show in the old quarries at the foot of the village. Never mind that it sounds like one of those tourist things you wouldn't do - the brochures don't do it justice. The current show is a voyage to Australia, the next show, coming in winter 2011, showcases the art of Leonardo da Vinci.



Finally, for lovers of fine cuisine, there's Oustau de Baumanière, a Michelin-starred restaurant with wonderful food and an elegant setting. I was able to participate in a cooking class here not long ago - a mouth-watering behind the scenes experience. Not only did we get to see the skill and work that go into the preparation of the dishes, but we got a chance to see all the goings-on of a restaurant kitchen getting ready for serving a great meal. Cooking classes can be arranged for small groups at Oustau de Baumanière, depending on the time of year.

Oh the weather in France is frightful...

Normally I tell people that winter travel to France is a great idea; fewer crowds, no lines at museums, the restauranteurs have returned, and the weather's generally milder than the northern US. But at the moment Europe's suffering the aftermath of a big snow and freeze, with delayed and cancelled flights and lots of fun snafus. If you've already booked your flight, take a tip from the Parisiennes and carry a wardrobe of scarves along with you.

You can look for those scarves and a lot more at the annual winter sales (les soldes), which opened in Paris on January 6 and continue on until February 9 - that's 6 six weeks of deep discounting at major department stores and small boutiques throughout Paris, and in many other cities as well. Parisians rush to be first to these sales, which are limited by law to twice a year. If you're an avid shopper, fashionista, or frugalista, this is your moment. Plenty of hotel bargains in January and February, airfares are as low as they'll get, and the big cafés have glassed in the sidewalk tables. Combine your savings with the detaxe, the 12 percent rebate on the French VAT available to non-residents and it might make up for the dollar's still dismal exchange rate.

The detaxe has conditions. You must purchase at least 175 Euros worth of merchandise in the same store on the same day, keep your receipts and do some paperwork. However, some of the major department stores and some specialty stores will do this for you and offer on the spot processing.

And if you're not ready to leave just yet, the second round of annual sales takes place from June 30 till August 3, 2010.