Paris Update What’s New in Paris
THE FACEBOOK ART OF CENSORSHIP
Do robots decide what to censor on Facebook? Probably. Earlier this month, the photo below, by Laure Albin Guillot, whose work is currently on show at the Jeu de Paume in Paris, was removed from the museum’s Facebook page because it violated “community standards,” and the page itself was shut down for 24 hours. The museum reposted the photo with the “naughty bits” blocked out, and said it would no longer post nude photos in spite of their artistic value.
WILL A RUSSIAN CHURCH SPOIL THE VIEW FROM THE EIFFEL TOWER?
The golden domes of a Russian Orthodox Church that is to be built near the Eiffel Tower (at the corner of Avenue Rapp and Quai Branly) have been causing an uproar. The plans were approved by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, but after complaints about its “pastiche architecture” from Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, the project will now be redesigned by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
I GO, YOU GO, THEY GO, OUIGO (CHEAPLY)
The SNCF, the French railway authority, has introduced a new low-cost train service, called Ouigo, running between Marne-la-Vallée (Euro-Disneyland-land) and the south of France. Only one class is available, and you have to pay extra for such luxuries as a suitcase (€5), electrical outlet (€2) or pet (€30). Prices start at €10 (€5 for a child under 12), but vary depending on demand, so reserve early. We just booked a hypothetical mid-week round trip in April to Avignon for one person for €50.