In need of a good laugh? Enjoy this tongue-in-cheek article about 17 things French people do better than Americans. I personally believe they’re #1 and we’re #2 (or lower) in culture superiority. But no one asked me my opinion.
Source: 17 Things The French Do Better Than Americans – French Morning
Vive la France!
If you want to have lunch after a visit to Sacre-Coeur or simply want an oasis from crowds in the 18th arrondissement, La Maison Rose offers authentic French food in a beautiful setting.
La Maison Rose (“The Pink House”) has carved out its own space in the 18th arrondissement. Located at the corner of rue des Saules & rue de l’Abreuvoir, its pink exterior set against a block of white buildings is hard to miss. You can sit outside, on both sides of the street — just look for the pink tables — or inside: either way, you’ll enjoy an authentic French meal in relative quiet.
If you sit inside and enjoy the stucco walls with vintage artwork and lighting, don’t be surprised if you hear voices of the past whisper in your ear: the restaurant has been frequented by many artists over the years such as Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein, and Maurice Utrillo, who painted La Maison Rose before the second story was added.
La Maison Rose in Montmartre, painted by Maurice Utrillo before the second story was added.
There is something for everyone at La Maison Rose. Their offerings to savor include: Magret de canard (Duck breast), Escargot, Pork Tenderloin, Salmon, Roast Chicken with Rice, French Onion Soup, Spaghetti Bolognese, Nicoise Salad and Caesar Salad. Remember that Les Entrees are the American version of appetizers, so expect small portions. (Les Plats are Main Courses.) The restaurant also offers options suitable for children, such as a Cheeseburger with Frites (French Fries). Finish your meal with a sweet crepe, such as Creme Caramel, Mousse au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse), au Nutella (Nutella), or avec Fraises (with Strawberries). If you want only a glass of wine with your meal, ask for un verre de vin (a glass of wine). Otherwise, you might get a pichet (pitcher) of wine.
One oddity: La Maison Rose does not take credit cards of any kind, only cash. There is an ATM not too far away.
Paris is pricey, and La Maison Rose is a respite from the crowds in the middle of a very touristy area. You’re paying not only for authentic French food, but for the haven of quiet. After walking all day, La Maison Rose is just the place to recharge before going on your next adventure — perhaps taking in a cabaret show at the nearby Lapin Agile.
La Maison Rose
2 rue de l’Abreuvoir
75018 Paris
01 42 57 66 75
Closest metros: Lamarck-Caulaincourt or Abbesses
Bon Appetit!
Photograph of La Maison Rose by CanStockPhoto. Image of Maurice Utrillo’s La Maison Rose painting found on Pinterest, CCBY 2.0.
A Paris cafe where five people were killed during the terror attacks last month reopens its doors – the first of the targets to do so.
Source: Paris attacks: Cafe Bonne Biere becomes first target to reopen – BBC News
Cafe Bonne Biere reopened today.
In an effort to support Paris in getting back to normal, I am featuring Cafe Bonne Biere today. While some Parisians are understandably hesitant about going back, they also understand that if they don’t, the terrorists will have won. As the French fearlessly guard their culture and way of life, Americans and others should support Paris in its effort to heal, and supporting the businesses that were affected by the attacks is the best way to start. In another life, I might have thought it odd to discuss a bistro’s food and alcohol selections that had been the victim of a terrorist attack. But not today.
The interior of Cafe Bonne Biere is as welcoming as its service.
Cafe Bonne Biere (“Good Beer Cafe”) is a beautiful, if not elegant, bistro at the corner of rue du Faubourg du Temple & rue de la Fontaine du Roi in the 11th arrondissement. It is loved by locals and tourists alike for its welcoming service and great food. A chef might even come out and talk to you about how they serve local products made by traditional French methods. Or simply to say hello.
Along with beer, wine, and a cocktail menu, they offer a selection of French food as well as burgers. French selections include Nicoise Salad, Bream (a type of fish), Salmon Tataki with Wasabi Cream, Croque Monsieur/Madame (Ham & Cheese Sandwich/Madame with Egg on top), and Poached Egg with Sauteed Mushrooms. Try the Plat du Jour (“Today’s Special”). Or go for Sunday brunch which includes baked goods, homemade preserves, eggs, and freshly squeezed juices.
Cafe Bonne Biere is good for more than just a beer. It will feed your soul.
Cafe Bonne Biere
32 rue du Faubourg du Temple
75011 Paris
Open: 6:00 A.M. – 2:00 A.M., Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Phone: 01 43 57 84 96
Metro: Goncourt
Bon Appetite!
Image of exterior of Cafe Bonne Biere by Euro News, found by Google. Image of interior from Cafe Bonne Biere’s website.
There’s a lot to do in Paris during the holiday season. Start your planning with Paris Insiders Guide’s recommendations for best things to do in December 2015. Activities include museum exhibits, castles, a recommended restaurant, and of course, Christmas lights.
Source: The 45 Best Things To Do In Paris – December 2015 | Paris Insiders Guide
Paris on a rare snowy day.
You might think there is less to do in Paris in the winter time, but the only thing you’ll see less of are the long lines to get into museums and monuments. As a general rule, Paris doesn’t get very cold during winter — when I was there in December 2014, the temperature didn’t get much below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees Celsius). It did rain a lot, however — but that didn’t deter me from enjoying the city. There’s nothing like waking up in Paris to the sound of rain hitting the rooftop and windows.
Here are four activities that caught my eye in The 45 Best Things to do in Paris in December:
Picasso’s “Guernica” will be exhibited at the Grand Palais until February 29, 2016.
1. Pablo Picasso and the Modern Masters at the Grand Palais. Exhibit ends February 29, 2016. Metro: Champs-Elysees Clemenceau. The Modern Masters portion of the exhibit includes works by Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol. Click here for the Grand Palais website and to book tickets. Price ranges depending on day of the week.
Chateau d’Amboise was a fortress, so it was built 81 meters (about 88.5 feet) high.
2. Private Tour: Loire Valley Castles Day Trip From Paris. Choose between two sets of castles (chateaux, or singular, chateau) — Amboise, Checoneau and Chambord, or Villandry, Langeais and Azay le Rideau — and enjoy lunch at an 18th century inn or at the park of Chateau de Langeais. Price varies depending on season and number of people in your party. Click here to book or see availability.
Chef Jerome Banctel heads Le Gabriel restaurant.
3. Featured Restaurant: Le Gabriel at La Reserve Hotel. The restaurant is headed by Chef Jerome Banctel and features a Japanese-French Fusion menu. The restaurant is located within La Reserve Hotel. Click here for a review by Paris Insiders Guide. Click here to see the rave reviews given by TripAdvisor users. Metro: Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysees near the Arc de Triomphe in 2014.
4. The Christmas Lights along the Champs-Elysees are positively beautiful no matter how you view them. Walk arm-and-arm with someone you love and take in the lights. You’ll never be the same.
Please note: It is my information that the Christmas Markets are closed due to the terror attacks in Paris on November 13.
Au revoir.
Image of Snowy Christmas at Eiffel Tower by CanStockPhoto. Image of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” by Martine, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Chateau d’Amboise by Christina Hsu, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Chef Jerome Banctel by Rota das Estrelas, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysees by Elsa L. Fridl.
Chef Martial Enguehard was awarded the title of “Meilleur Ouvier de France” (“One of the Best Craftsmen of France”), so prepare your taste buds to be wowed.
Cruise ships at twilight on the Seine River.
What can’t you wait to do when you visit Paris? See the Eiffel Tower? Attend a show at Moulin Rouge? See the city from a two-tier bus? I couldn’t wait to go on a dinner cruise on the Seine River. I had already been to Paris twice when I last visited, so I had seen many of the typical tourist sites. I wanted to see more of Paris as a local experiences it — and whether it would be like a tourist or a local, I wanted to go on a dinner cruise. I have always loved the water, whether it be in the form of a waterfall, a stream, an ocean or a river — water has always spoken to my soul. What better way to experience the City of Light at night than on a dinner cruise?
I selected Le Capitaine Fracasse (“The Captain Smashes”) because other cruise lines were guaranteed to cost more; I did not know at the time of my booking that I would be dining in the dining room of a “Meilleur Ouvier de France” — One of the Best Craftsmen of France. If perfection has a taste, my meal tasted of it. My three-course meal included a tray of three appetizers, an entree of fish with potatoes in light sauce, a tray of three desserts (a pastry puff was particularly delicious), and wine and Espresso. My ship floated along the Seine as I ate, and I floated with it. The sites lit up at night were just as beautiful as I knew they would be.
Notre Dame is beautiful by day, elegant by night.
Two cautions: Get to the slip early to make sure you can find it (I only did with the help of a French couple who saw my distress, map in hand) and secure a good seat — the line will likely get incredibly long — and remember that there is always the possibility that a large group might book the same night of your romantic dinner cruise. If you don’t like your table and there are tables available, don’t hesitate to ask to be seated elsewhere. I did, and it was no problem.
When I disembarked and started to walk, I felt so alive! I happened to exclaim to no one in particular what a beautiful night it was. The response of a French couple who got off the same dinner cruise: “Of course, you’re in Paris!”
Le Capitaine Fracasse 2-hour Dinner Cruise on the Seine River
Board: Pont de Bir-Hakeim, 75015 Paris, France, near the Eiffel Tower. Boarding times vary by season. Check the website here (translated by Google) or call ahead. It is best to reserve online and get in line early. Your boarding time will be on your reservation printout.
Metro: Bir-Hakeim, or
RER: Champs de Mars-Tour Eiffel
Cost: 65 euros, “Smashes” Menu: Meal without drinks
75 euros, “Admiral” Menu: Meal with wine
85 euros, “Champagne” Menu: Meal with Champagne
The menu offers a selection of entrees in addition to the other two courses.
Telephone: 01 46 21 48 15
Website: www.croisiere-paris.com (I Googled Le Capitaine Fracasse and clicked on the Translation link in the Search Results to get the best translation, above.)
Le Capitaine Fracasse offers Smartphone apps to serve as your route map with detailed descriptions of the monuments as you pass by them. Click here to see the list of apps.
Au revoir!
Image of Notre Dame at Night by Marc Soller, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.
General Gourard leads the French Army at Marne during WWI.
Today is Armistice Day in France and Veterans Day in the U.S. It is the day World War I, also called The Great War, ended, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year in 1918. It was thought to be the war that would end all wars.
The war began over the assassinations of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungarian Empire, and his wife by a Serbian nationalist on June 28, 1914, while they were in Sarajevo, Bosnia. This act set off a diplomatic crisis when Austria-Hungary made an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia. International alliances that had formed over previous decades were invoked, and within weeks, the world’s major powers were at war: the Allies (based on the Triple Entente signed on August 31, 1907 between the Russian Empire, France, and the United Kingdom) against the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Conflict soon spread around the world, and Italy, Japan, Romania and the United States later joined the Allies, and the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe holds the remains of a soldier from World War I.
It was also one of the deadliest: although official numbers vary, it is believed that over 18 million people died in the war. France’s casualty rate was approximately 1,737,800, or 4.39% of their population at the time; the U.S. had approximately 117,465 casualties, or 0.13% of the population.
To commemorate the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their respective country’s freedom, November 11 is a holiday under different names in different countries: In France (as well as the U.K., New Zealand, Belgium, and Serbia) it is Armistice Day; although the U.S. initially marked this day as Armistice Day beginning in 1919, in 1954 it was changed to Veterans Day to include those who served in other wars. Being a special holiday in the nation of France, the French government, many businesses and even some restaurants are closed today. In the U.S., it is a government holiday, with government and banks closed. Both countries hold ceremonies to celebrate this important day.
WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Au revoir.
Image of General Gourard leading the French Army at Marne, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. Image of Tomb of Unknown Soldier by Elsa L. Fridl. Image of World War I Memorial by Victoria Belanger, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.
References:
“Armistice Day,” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. “Anglo-Russian Entente,” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. “Triple Entente,” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. “World War I” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0. “World War I Casualties,” Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0.
On this day in 1913, French novelist Albert Camus was born in Algeria. Illness twice prevented his career from taking the direction he planned; instead of becoming a professional athlete or a philosophy teacher, he became a Nobel prize-winning writer.
Source: French novelist Albert Camus is born – Nov 07, 1913 – HISTORY.com
Albert Camus was an athlete, a philosopher, and a Nobel Prize-winning author.
Who says athletes aren’t smart? Albert Camus played as a football (soccer, in the U.S.) goalkeeper for Racing Universitaire d’Algier’s junior team from 1928 – 1930 while a student at the University of Algiers. He was so good he aspired to play professionally but contracted tuberculosis at age 17, which was incurable at the time. After recovering, he decided to become a philosophy teacher: tuberculosis again stepped in and forced him to change his plans. He began writing and producing plays for a theater group while working as a journalist. He later moved to France, where he published essays and the novels he is known for, including The Plague and The Stranger.
He contributed to the philosophies of absurdism (the human attempt to find meaning in life, and the inability to do so) and existentialism (the philosophy that states an individual is responsible for their choices, and is against apathy). Intriguingly, he rejected the label of “existentialist” since The Stranger in many U.S. high schools is regarded as a study of existentialism. My senior English teacher certainly did, and I still remember being the only student in my English class who answered a quiz question correctly: “Why did Meursault shoot the Arab?” My answer, which I felt foolish for writing but did so as if by rote: “The sun was in his eyes.” In other words, in his apathy — or, because he was hot and uncomfortable with the sun in his eyes — he shot someone dead. He blamed the sun; an existentialist would say he made the choice to shoot.
The book, along with my father’s and grandfather’s work ethic, had a profound effect on me: I made it my mission in life to give every effort my best. Perhaps I have faltered sometimes. In part because of Albert Camus’s influence in my life, I continue to try. Camus’s influence lives on.
Albert Camus became the second-youngest person to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, at age 44, after Rudyard Kipling, who was 42. Camus died in 1960 at the age of 46 in a car accident. He is buried in Lourmarin Cemetery in Lourmarin, France. There is also a plaque dedicated to his memory in Villeblevin, France, where he died.
The gravestone of Albert Camus in Lourmarin Cemetery, Lourmarin, France.
Au revoir.
Image of Albert Camus by Antonio Marin Segovia, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Albert Camus gravestone by Walter Popp, Wikimedia Commons, CCBY 3.0.
Reference:
“Albert Camus” published by Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0.