2010 Statistics
LOVE THAT AMERICAN CULTURE! “Des Hommes et des Dieux” (“Of Gods and Men”) was one of the top five French films in France in 2010 and may be nominated for an Oscar. A few miscellaneous statistics to kick off the … Read More
What’s New Potpourri
French Outlook on 2011
THE FRENCH LOOK AT THE DARK SIDE It’s all in your attitude: A recent BVA-Gallup “Voice of the People” survey of some 64,000 people in 53 countries found that those living in poor or emerging countries like Vietnam, Nigeria, China, … Read More
Year in Review
Ricarda Merbeth as Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos. Photo: Julien Benhamou/Opéra National de Paris On the operatic front, after the production disasters of 2009, 2010 turned out to be a bumper year. From the perfectly acceptable Cunning Little Vixen (Janacek) … Read More
Online on the Rails
ONLINE ON THE RAILS France is famous for its excellent high-speed train service, but one high-tech feature has until now been conspicuously absent: the Internet. That will start to change now that a combined Wi-Fi/satellite service is being offered on … Read More
Sally Mann
PROUD FLESH “Time and the Bell” (2008), from Sally Mann’s series “Proud Flesh” series. Courtesy Galerie Karsten Greve. American photographer Sally Mann’s “Proud Flesh” series, currently on show at the Galerie Karsten Greve (through Dec. 31) in Paris, documents the … Read More
Art Notes
PARIS CONTEMPORARY FIAC: Jorge Pedro Nuñez’s “Etre Tordu” (2010). Emma Faucheux Paris becomes contemporary art central this week, with the major fair FIAC at the Carroussel du Louvre, the Grand Palais and the Tuileries Garden, and a number of fringe … Read More
Markets and More
Having spent a good part of August driving around France, I am happy to report that provincial markets are as lively and eccentric as ever. From the stacked rows … No dead ducks, just dead geese at the marché … Read More
Les Halles Renovation
LES HALLES REHAB GETS GREEN LIGHT Artist’s rendering of the Les Halles Canopée at night. Studiosezz with I. Tiursic and W. Mile The center of Paris will soon become a construction site again only 40 years after the 19th-century Les … Read More
Le Flop of Le Web Francais
LE FLOP OF LE WEB FRANÇAIS When we announced the inauguration of France’s new multilingual Web site, France.fr, two weeks ago, it had already crashed less than a day after going online. The promotional site for tourists is now being … Read More
French Flag Subjected to Rude Act
FRENCH FLAG SUBJECTED TO RUDE ACT The French like to tease Americans about their obsession with their national flag, but a new law now makes it a crime to desecrate the French flag, whether in public or private, and to … Read More