Our latest articles about life in Paris - Page 6 sur 27

A French Icon, the Citroen 2CV

A French Icon, the Citroen 2CV is probably France's most famous car.

The Deux Chevaux, or the ‘Tin Snail’ as it became affectionately known, was conceptualized in 1936 during a moment of frustration or the right man in the right situation. The inspired man behind the project was Citroen’s new boss Pierre-Jules Boulanger. The story goes he was driving in the countryside, stuck behind a farmer’s horse and cart. Rather than fuming with impatience, but still a bit frustrated, he wondered how he could better the situation. He pondered the possibility of creating analternative that a farmer would find hard to resist. A car that would better the horse.

His vision was an affordable car that would be accessible to farmers, winemakers and rural families. He wanted it to be mechanically simple, with room for four people or produce (at least 50kg or a full cask of wine) or even small livestock. The car needed t…

ANNA KLUMPKE IN THE GARDEN

If you haven't yet visited the Chateau and Atelier of Rosa Bonheur you have another reason to go this summer.

ANNA KLUMPKE IN THE GARDEN JUNE 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 18TH EXHIBITION

Anna Klumpke (1856-1942) was an American portrait and genre painter born in San Francisco, California, United States. She and her family lived in Germany, Switzerland and France during her formative years. In childhood Anna had once owned a Rosa Bonheur doll. Her family was well-educated and accomplished. Read about two of her sisters who were pioneers in math and science here. https://fusac.fr/women-scientists-international-women-and-girls-in-science-day/. A thrid sister was a pianist and Anna studied art at the Académie Julian in Paris. She spent many an hour copying paintings in the Musée du Luxembourg, including Rosa Bonheur's Ploughing in the Nivernais. She presented her first work at the Paris Salon in 1884 and exhibited regularly in following years. While still a…

The Escadrille Lafayette Memorial

The Escadrille Lafayette Memorial, just outside Paris in Marnes-la-Coquette, is located within the gates of Domaine National de Saint-Cloud and is open to the public. The site commemorates the birth of American combat aviation, and serves as a symbol of the Franco-American comradeship during World War I. This site honors the American volunteer pilots who flew with French squadrons during World War I, and is the final resting place for some of America’s first combat aviators and their French Officers. An escadrille is the French word for squadron. Each year on American Memorial Day a commemorative ceremony is held at 10am. What was the Escadrille Lafayette ? Some Americans volunteered their service to France during World War I. They were ambulance drivers (remember Hemingway) and soldiers in the French Foreign Legion. By 1915, many volunteers began to lobby the French government to create a squadron composed of American pilots. The French finally agreed, and on April 20, …

THE OTHER CORONATION

HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON: THE OTHER CORONATION Photographic exhibit from MAY 5 to SEPTEMBER 3, 2023 On 6 May 2023, Charles III and his wife Camilla were crowned King and Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. On this occasion, the Fondation HCB revisits Henri Cartier-Bresson's iconic series of photographs of the coronation of Charles's grandfather King George VI in 1937. King George VI’s coronation in London, on May 12, 1937, was one of the most newsworthy events of the interwar period. Having already spent several months working for the newly founded communist newspaper Ce Soir, French street photographer Cartier-Bresson was on site to cover the event. While most reporters were attempting to photograph the coronation ceremony, the coach’s passage, or the royal family’s emergence on the balcony, that’s not what interested Cartier-Bresson. Rather than the new King, he preferred to photograph the people watching him pass by. Amo…

Interview with American writer Jake Lamar

American writer Jake Lamar will visit Bill & Rosa's Book Room on June 3 to discuss his latest novel, Viper’s Dream which has just been published in English. He is an American author who has lived in Paris for almost 30 years, he teaches creative writing at Sciences Po and is the author of a memoir, seven novels, numerous essays, reviews and short stories and a play. He is also the recipient of several prestigious prizes, among which the Lyndhurst Prize and France’s Grand Prize for best foreign thriller. He is fascinating to listen to, passionate about Harlem jazz and has a excellent speaking voice that will draw you in. This is the first part of our interview with him:

Q: You started out as a journalist for Time Magazine, so my question is, have you always wanted to be a writer and have you always known you wanted to write ficiton?

A: I’ve known since the age of 12 that I wanted to be a writer and that I wanted to write fiction. The jo…

American MEMORIAL DAY FRANCE 2023

American MEMORIAL DAY FRANCE 2023 Memorial Day, originally named Decoration Day, was first celebrated on May 30, 1868 to honor those soldiers who lost their lives to the Civil War. In 1971, the name was changed to honor all US soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom! Let's remember those who have sacrificed their lives, join in one of the many commemorations of this American holiday throughout France. May 28th In Paris: MAY 28, 2023 (SUNDAY) MEMORIAL DAY, see the details of this year commemorations on https://www.parispost1.com/ For more information or to join us, please email contact@parispost1.fr. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before ceremonies. Join American Legion Paris Post 1 for a full day of ceremonies and events in Paris: LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE MEMORIAL @ 10h00 "La Fayette Escadrille" Memorial Arch was built between 1926 and 1928, and was inaugurated on July 4, 1928, U.S. Independence Day, in the notable presence of Ferdinand Foch …

Bag of Books Fundraiser: Excuses for NOT coming

Excuses for NOT coming to the Bag of Books Fundraiser

There are all sorts of reasons why people aren’t coming to the Bag of Books and silent auction fund raiser this week. We thought we'd share a few that we've heard.

It’s too far. It’s a 20 minute metro ride to Porte de St Cloud or a lovely bike ride along the quai de la Seine from the center of Paris. Or take a bus: 22, 62, 72, 126, 175, 189, 289, 426. There is generally parking on the street available on our street (42 rue du Chemin Vert Boulogne-Billancourt) or one block over. Get Directions It's outside Paris. Boulogne starts - and Bill & Rosa's Book Room is located - just on the other side of the Péripherique. From the metro there's a foot bridge to cross the dreaded highway and after that it's a walk in the park - literally. The whole walk from the metro is 5 mintues. I am busy that day. The event lasts FOUR DAYS there must be one day which you can come. Th…

Traditions and firsts: Coronation in the United Kingdom

In 1937, the 11 year old Princess Elizabeth had watched her father*, King George VI, crowned in the elaborate ceremony. (Enjoy these photos by Henri-Cartier Bresson who photographed the crowds in the street.). 16 years later on 2 June 1953, her own official coronation was to take place. Over 8,000 guests from 129 nations attended Elizabeth's coronation, by contrast about 2000 will attend Charles's. Charles has invited representatives from his many charity affiliations and from across the voluntary sector as well as dignitaries and MPs. Coronations have been held at Westminster Abbey for 900 years, that's since 1066. They follow essentially the same ritual, but also have their own unique "firsts". The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 was ground-breaking – the first ever to be televised. It was watched by 27 million people in the UK alone and millions more around the world. King Charles III has several firsts. In 1953 Prince Charles was the first child (he wa…

Who was Edouard Vuillard?

6 May 16:00 Art historian and biographer Julia Frey will be at Bill & Rosa's Book Room to discuss her book Venus betrayed : the private world of Edouard Vuillard, a thought-provoking biography of a secretive turn-of-the-century French artist. Many have researched Édouard Vuillard, a prolific painter, for his contributions to the avant-garde. But what sets Venus Betrayed apart is its attention to the figure behind the paintings. Frey uses Vuillard’s body of work and unpublished journals to access the interior state of the artist. Frey subtly reveals this life through his relationships with contemporaries from Toulouse-Lautrec to Mallarmé; the ideas that obsessed him; his often-tortured artistic process. Frey has produced a deeply intimate picture of the artist in life and at work. The result is a refined perspective into both the artist’s masterpieces and unfinished projects, as well as a striking argument for the relationship between artistic atmosphere and production.…

Speak Easy: Flirting with French

This Speak Easy game is based on expressions found in the book Flirting with French: How a Language Charmed Me, Seduced Me and Nearly Broke My Heart by William Alexander. Mr Alexander is an IT guy with obessions. One of his obessions was to learn French.

He realizes learning a language as an adult is a frustratingly hard, dreary, lonesome experience. He is easily distracted from this studying by exploring how and when language is acquired. He’d rather ponder the seemingly illogical gender assignments of French nouns, or his digressions meander to try to understand how the General Commission for Terminology and Neologisms decides what words can and can’t be officialy part of the French language. He revels in idiom translation. He would have liked our Speak Easy puzzles. Read more about the book here. And try an idiomatic expression brain twisting flirting with French Speak Easy below.

You can purchase a book of Speak Easy Puzzles and lea…

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