Lisa

The Mistral, great wind of France

"By midnight, the wind was straight out of the west, and he heard the moan leap to bellowing, a terrible wind out of the catalog of winds. A wind related to the Blue Northern, the frigid Blaast and the Landlash. A cousin to the Bull’s-eye squall that started in a small cloud with a ruddy center, mother-in-law to the Vinds-gnyr of the Norse Sagas, the three day Nor’easters of maritime New England. And uncle wind to the Alaskan Williwaw and Ireland’s wild Doinionn. Stepsister to the Koshava that assaults the Yugoslavian plains with Russian snow, the Steppenwind, and the violent Buran from the great open steps of central Asia, the Crivetz, the frigid Viugas and Purgas of Siberia, and from the north of Russia, the ferocious Myatel. A blood brother of the prairie Blizzard, the Canadian Arctic screamer known simply as Northwind, and the Pittarak smoking down off Greenland‘s ice fields. This nameless wind scraped the Rock [New Foundland] with an edge like steel." From The Shipping Ne…

Understanding the Municipal Elections in France

First: what is a Municipality? In France a municipality is referred to as a « commune ». The French word commune appeared in the 12th century, from Medieval Latin communia, meaning a large gathering of people sharing a common life; from Latin communis, things held in common. This new word replaced that of parish, which under the Ancien Régime designated simultaneously a religious entity (still relevant today), a territorial administrative district, and a fiscal one. Introduced by royal decree in December 1789, along with the word "mayor," this new designation was definitively established in November 1793. The gift from the Convention on Christmas Day, 1792was universal suffrage. However that concept was short lived when under the Directory, and for almost the entire 19th century. Then during the third Republic of 1884 mayors were designated by the municipal councilors. At the same time, universal male suffrage was introduced. A municipality thus consists of the …

Irish culture in Paris

Paris Gears Up for a Sporty and Spirited St. Patrick’s Day with Ireland Week 2026 Celebrate Irish culture in Paris around Saint Paddy's Day on March 17. Running shoes and dancing shoes will both be in vogue in Paris this March as Ireland Week 2026 kicks off. Taking place from March 10 to March 18, the week-long celebration will bring a range of Irish-inspired events to Paris and beyond, offering audiences in France the opportunity to discover different sides of Irish culture and share in moments of genuine cultural exchange. (https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/news/saint-patrick-s-day/articles/341776-saint-patrick-2026-a-lively-running-event-and-free-irish-dance-workshops-in-paris) 🍀 A First for Paris: The Irish “Culture Run” 📅 Saturday, March 14 — 10:30 AM 📍 Starting at Place du Panthéon One of the most original events on the programme of Irish culture in Paris is a partnership between Tourism Ireland and Culture Run. In January 2025, Culture Run launched a new style of …

Villepreux a microcosm of French history

During the confinement we had a lot of time to walk around our town, Villepreux, 11,000 people situated in the Yvelines department west of Paris. A usually quiet, non-descript town, we hadn’t thought too much about it before but there were a couple of spots that intrigued us while out walking within one kilometer of the house. One of them was the path that we walked called the Chemin entre Deux Murs or the path between two walls. What two walls? What was that all about? Then there’s the old village with a couple of houses that look pretty old including one with visible half timbers. There’s a chateau, in fact there are two, plus centuries-old farms and a neighborhood called the Prieuré or priory. The new center of town is a 1960s construction out of cement. Town houses and a shopping area that hasn’t worn very well over the years. The first impression is that Villepreux is a rather ordinary suburban bedroom community of Paris or closer Versailles. But once you start lookin…

Postcards in books and games

Postcards in books and games Time and time again we have found that taking a few minutes to hand write a postcard to someone makes a huge impact. Whether your send it from your home town or an exotic place you are visiting doesn’t matter. We recently came across three novels and a game where postcards are central to the intrigue. Several interesting literary techniques are used are used in Annie Proulx's novel Postcards. For example, postcards begin each chapter. The postcards appear in the novel as graphics, complete with franking, address and message. They introduce narrative sections, keep the reader oriented in the timeline of half a century, give background as well as foreshadow. She also uses lists and some chapters by the omniscient author entitled “What I See” add new perspective and fascinating lists offer deep descriptions. The postcards and lists are metaphors, descriptive vehicles and sources of irony. As for the story, shoo, Loyal, the central character h…

Christian Dior entrepreneur and innovator

Christian Dior, perhaps the most well-known French couturier, was born in Granville, Normandy in 1905. You can visit his childhood home still today. It overlooks the sea and has lovely gardens. His favorite colors of grey and very soft pink were inspired from the decor of this home. Dior’s timeless elegance in fashion draws its inspiration from Granville, the childhood home that shaped his creativity. Explore Villa Les Rhumbs, linger in its garden so as to take the first steps towards his creations and discover the very essence of his art. In 1910 the family moved to Paris, but kept the Granville home for summer escapades. During the roaring 20s, Christian Dior rubbed shoulders with the cultural milieu in Paris and making friends with the artists, painters, writers, musicians, and designers of the time. HIs first foray into business was to open an art gallery to show the works of his favorite painters which included Picasso, Braque, Matisse, and Dufy. The Golden Age ende…

Yellowstone Jack

Yellowstone Jack, The Life and Times of Legendary Pioneer Jack Baronett As our frequent readers know we are fans of Yellowstone National Park and go as often as we can. Recently we learned of a new biography of one of the most colorful characters in the Park. Yellowstone Jack lived at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. He, like so many of us, was an expatriate, adventurer, tour guide, world traveler and community and literal bridge builder, so we thought we’d share his story with our readers, who are kindred spirits. Jack Baronett (1829–1906), born in Scotland, was an important figure in the history of Yellowstone National Park. In his early life he traveled the world, prospecting and mining in Australia, Africa, China, and Alaska. He traveled to the Yellowstone region in 1864—eight years before the Park was established—to join other early prospectors searching for gold and exploring the geyser basins. His first claim to fame came in 1869 when he…

Spring 2026 exhibitions in Paris

Spring is always a full season of exhibitions in Paris. Here’s our choice of Spring 2026 exhibitions in Paris including selections for celebrating Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March) and spanning 5 continents. Isn't Paris is a fabulously diverse city?! MICKALENE THOMAS - ALL ABOUT LOVE Spring 2026 exhibitions in Paris include the Grand Palais's major monographic exhibition dedicated to American artist Mickalene Thomas entitled All About Love. Recognized worldwide for her bold, multidimensional practice, Mickalene Thomas explores the visibility and representation of Black women in art, history, and popular culture. Through a vibrant synthesis of painting, collage, rhinestones, photography and videos, she reimagines classical portraiture with a distinctly queer and Black feminist perspective. At the core of Mickalene Thomas’s work is love – as a force of liberation, self-affirmation, and joy. Until 5 April at Le Grand Palais, Gallery 7 En…

Emblems and Symbols of France

Symbols and emblems of France are part of the new Civics test for applying for French nationality or residency. Since they are back in the news here's an overview of the emblems of France. An emblem is "a heraldic device or symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family or a thing serving as a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept." as per the Oxford English Dictionary. The symbols and emblems of a country are defined by their constitution or simply by usage. Thus France has only one official symbol, the flag. There are of course also the national anthem, the language and the motto which are official and designated in the Constitution. France also has several other symbols that have come into use over the years such as Marianne, the fasces and the rooster. In this article we'll present the history and development of the official and non official symbols of France. Article II de la Constitution: La langue de la République…

Laughter in France

Laughter is the best medicine they say. According to scientists, we laugh an average of 18 times a day. Laughter is therefore an important part of our everyday lives and even the French know how to rire. Here's a few reflections on laughter in France, the land of La Vache qui rit! By the way, La Vache, a French institution, (She was 100 years old in 2021) has her own maison and museum in Lons-le-Saunier.

The city of Bordeaux seems to be the center of laughter in France

One might say Bordeaux likes to laugh more than elsewhere in France (is it because Bordeaux is also the rainiest city in France?). The city is host to the Festival Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux in March each year http://lesfousriresdebordeaux.fr/. The city also presented an exhibition called "Rire!" in 2019 at their science and nature Muséum. But Bordeaux doesn't own the market there are many other spots are also holding annual festivals and for some funny reason most are in…