Lisa

Rosa Bonheur, Broad with a Brush

Does the name Rosa Bonheur mean anything to you ? Hint: She was the most well-known female French painter in the 19th century, the first woman painter to receive the Legion of Honor (presented by the Empress Eugenia herself). Still no bells? She painted animals. Still no idea? Well don't feel bad it seems most French people don't know who she is either. In fact despite being French, born in Bordeaux, growing up in Paris and then living in a château with menagerie on the edge of the Fontainbleau forest, she was in fact more well known and her paintings were more appreciated by the English and Americans. She was so famous at the time that Queen Victoria, who had a love for animals as well, requested Rosa visit her. It is even hard to find her paintings in French museums. Many were sold into private collections and some are now seen in American museums. But she is very much worth knowing especially if you have a fondness for animals…

Furnishing your Paris apartment creatively and on a budget

Furniture

Ikea is practical, intelligent, not too expensive and usually looks good. It is not a bad way to furnish your Paris apartment. But you do have to first bring it home then spend hours putting it together (unless you call someone to do it for you – see the Services section). But perhaps you’d like something different in your Paris apartment, after all everyone shops at Ikea - it is far from unique. Here are a few ideas for some personalization that doesn’t cost too much.

FUSAC For Sale ads and other websites are a treasure trove of used items. If you find an ad for a moving sale just after it goes up you can possibly furnish a whole Parisian apartment at once! And more than just furniture you’ll find the practical items like small appliances and ironing boards for a song. If you find more than you can carry give a quick call to one of the man with a Van ads to schedule a pickup (again see the Services section).

Izidore: Is the online « garage sale …

Bill & Rosa’s Happy-Go-Lucky Book Club

Bill & Rosa's Happy-Go-Lucky Book Club 1 kilo of surprise books mailed to your door every other month. Find out more. We’ll send you one kilo of hand-picked books from Bill & Rosa’s Book Room every second month for 6 or 12 months. Each package of books is a unique surprise and hopefully serendipitous. You won’t have any idea what it’s going to be until it arrives. All books will be in English, second-hand in good shape. Each pack of 2 or 3 books, depending on their size, will include at least one fiction book and one or 2 books from one of these genres: thrillers, non-fiction, memoir, humor, language, Paris/France, travel, art, science, history, biography - all sorts of things you just might find interesting when they fall into your hands. You'll discover titles and authors you never even knew existed and bring the thrill of a great book right to your doorstep. Not more standing in the stacks hesitating. Leave the choice up to us! If you love books and feel lik…

Get Out of Town to Bayeux

The city of Bayeux is an easy weekend trip, just 3 hours west of Paris from the Gare du Nord, in Normandy. It is a city which holds lots of treasures. The cathedral is just magnificent. One of the prettiest I have ever seen. I also love another Normandy cathedral, the one in Coutances a bit farther afield. Both of these cathedrals are full of light and life. They are brought alive by their parishes and are true places of worship and spirituality. But also interesting places to visit as a tourist. I particularly like the light airy inside and the stained glass. The exterior dome of Notre Dame de Bayeux makes for a unique silhouette. The Bayeux cathedral was consecrated in 1077 by Bishop Odo of Conteville in the presence of his brother William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy and king of England. It is a gem of Normand architecture, considered one of France's finest and was miraculously untouched during the fighting of World War II. In fact the whole old city of Bayeux surviv…

Damon Dominique, Interview with an American Youtuber in Paris

If you are an expat in Paris (or not!) you may well have crossed the path of Youtuber Damon Dominique. He's a world traveler who has somewhat settled in Paris (although he was in NYC when he did this interview!). His videos give insight into travelling experiences in general and living in Paris where he covers the language, the quest for an apartment or bank account, meeting people... many subjects tackled with a wry and wild sense of humour. His style has many facettes and is not for everyone, but he is certainly not boring and has some interesting tips and observations that he has culled from his personal experience. He in fact just created a video series French class called "The French I Wish I had Learned in French Class". Again it is from his point of view, as a learner of French, rather than as a teacher of French. It's not dry or boring, plenty of pop culture references, and has a built-in exasperation (a natural part of learning French!). French Course: All The French…

French Acronyms

French Acronyms are an invasive species! But an integral part of the French language.

Can you decipher this text full of usual French Acronyms?

Marie-France, a French lady, citizen of the RF, lives in IdF. She commutes daily via the RER, STIF and the RATP to the center of Paris where she runs a PME SARL. She learned her business acumen at INSEAD. She deals daily with TVA, PVs, CFE, CVAE, the CNIL, the RGPD, but luckily she doesn’t miss deadlines and thus does not receive many LRAR.

When she goes on vacation to PACA, her favorite region, she takes the SNCF, a TGV or TER. She dreams of visiting the TAAF, as well as the DROM-COM to walk the famous GR on Ile de la Réunion. To get there she’ll fly from one of the ADP, probably CDG. She plays the FDJ lottery and the PMU once in a while hoping to win big to finance her trip. She also has a PEL and a PEA to save money. She shops at the FNAC or the BHV where she pays with her CB.

M…

Celebrate Mother’s Day in France

An outing for Mother's Day might be to the Mothers monument in Paris 13th. Some consider the Monument aux Mères Françaises in the eponym park at 21 boulevard Kellermann to be austere and soviet-styled, but we must take into consideration that it was inaugurated in 1938 and thus view it in context of the between the wars depression era. The sculptures laud Mothers after the tragic loss of so many men and boys in the first world war and encourage them to stay at home to care for the family.The monument was renovated in 2013 and the cleaned sculpture is much less sad looking. There are 5 sculpted groups by artists Pierre d'Euville, Henri Bouchard et Alexandre Descatoire. The three texts on the momument are by Albert Lebrun, Edmond Labbé and Victor Hugo. Plants and flowers brighten this little garden in the 13th arrondissement. It is perhaps not the prettiest sculpture from today's viewpoint, but do you know any other cities that honor their mothers with a monument? In that way Fr…

How to meet people in Paris ?

Now that I am in Paris how do I meet people? is a question that is frequently asked. There are many possibilities according to your particular interest. Here is a list of ideas so you can start meeting lovely people in Paris! Please do not hesitate to share some new tips with us!

Paris Greeters are volunteers who warmly receive visitors from around the world. They propose walks free of charge in Paris. It is the occasion to see Paris from the point of view of the locals, to discover neighbourhoods that visitors would not have imagined or dared to visit. Greeters associations are also active in many other cities all over France, not to mention around the world.

Participate or visit Le 3ème Café. This café run by an association proposes lunch and snacks at moderate prices and also activities such as a knitting circle, cooking classes, chef dinners, CV and writing workshops with a goal to create commu…

Paris Bicycle theft and BICYCODE

Bicycle (and Trottinette) theft and BICYCODE As we head into this new period where new bike lanes are popping up like dandelions many people will be buying bicycles and trottinettes, many will also be stolen and resold. Bikes are stolen way too often in France and it is likely to continue to increase in the next months. Be sure you lock them up tight with two quality locks. Cable-type locks don't withstand the test of an equipped thief. U-locks are the best rated and will hold up longer. Add a fixed frame lock to be even better protected. Be sure to lock your bike to something solid and fixed as well. Position the lock on your frame - not on the wheel - and try to place it as high up as possible (50cm from the ground) so a thief doesn't have easy leverage. Many bike racks are not well conceived and only allow you to lock the front wheel to the rack, these are best avoided as they are pretty much useless. Lock your bike inside a hallway, courtyard, garage or bike room as well. …

RBT Residency Based Taxation for Americans

Here are two developments in the fight for RBT.

The United States taxes on the basis of citizenship. This is sometimes referred to as citizenship-based taxation (CBT). CBT means that the United States taxes its citizens on their worldwide income regardless of where they live and earn their income. RBT Residence-based taxation taxes individuals based on where income is earned. By adopting residence-based taxation, US citizens living overseas who earn income outside of the United States or income unrelated to economic activity in the United States, would no longer be taxed on that income by the United States. Citizenship-based taxation is incompatible with the global economy of the 21st century where the tax policy of all other industrialized nations is based on residency and not nationality.

First a fund raising campaign to support research to lead towards RBT

ACA (American Citizens Abroad) believes that tax legislation is in the works and that the Congress will p…