Paris Muse

Le Carnival de Versailles

Extravagance and baroque splendor à la Marie Antoinette is the order of the day at Le Carnaval de Versailles, nuit blanch au chateau, this July 9. After a fireworks spectacle, take part in a Venetian-style masked ball and hobnob with incognito celebrities, princesses and courtiers from around the world. The Orangerie of the Palais de Versailles opens its doors for a festive and elegant night directed by Frédéric Flamand, with some of the best DJs at the turntables. To ensure freedom, all guests are required to bring masks.

Dress code
Be extravagant, and the more so, the better. Come as royalty, a musketeer, a Russian archduke, a Venetian Doge, a Persian princess, a lady in waiting… The rules state “Some commoners may mingle with guests at their own risk.” Be inventive, and, above all bring a mask (a must). Failing to do so will bar you from admission to the carnival.

The official website has a list of places you can hire your costume and mask from (click the link for “Hire your costume”)

Tickets
Casanova ticket
€250 + €3 order processing fee This ticket covers admission to the Fountains Night Show (on condition of being masked and costumed), the Carnival of the Orangerie, access to the VIP area, the buffets, and three drinks.
Reservations

Entrance ticket
€50 + €3 order processing fee This ticket covers admission to the Fountains Night Show (on condition of being masked and costumed) and the Carnival of the Orangerie.
Reservations

From 22:00
First arrivals in their costumes, masks and tickets can stroll around the Gardens during the Fountains Night Show.
23:00
Fireworks display on the Grand Canal announcing the start of the festivities
Midnight
Opening of the Carnival of the Orangerie

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Abelanet at l'Hôtel de Ville (photo: Déborah Lesage / Mairie de Paris)

François Abelanet is a French artist known for his anamorphic manipulations of landscapes. Anamorphic images — which are distorted images that take on recognizable shapes when looked at from a certain angle — have been popping up all over recently, and Abelanet’s particular brand of trompe l’oeil can be seen in its latest incarnation at the Hotel de Ville’s “jardin éphémère”. It is open to the public for free from June 24 to July 15.

Abelanet at l'Hôtel de Ville (photo: flickr @commentdire)

This large work of art, measuring 100 meters in length, is devoted to the theme of urban trees. Titled  “Qui croire?”, or, “Whom to believe?”, it shows the relationship between urban planning and nature. Its aim is to encourage us to appreciate the “fundamental place of nature” within the city of Paris.
Continue reading “François Abelanet’s anamorphic art at l’Hôtel de Ville” »

Balzac's grave (flickr @brighton)

Pere Lachaise was originally constructed in 1804 in the 20eme arrondissement of Paris. As it was on the outskirts of the city center, few people chose to be buried there until cemetery administrators decided to move in some famous remains starting in the 1820s. The rest… is history. After the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, it is one of the most popular places to visit in Paris.

Covering a massive 44 hectares and containing over 100,000 burial places, Pere Lachaise is considered Paris’ most beautiful burial ground. At the cemetery’s main entrance from Boulevard de Ménilmontant, one can get a map listing the hundreds of famous remains within its walls. Traversing the maze-like paths and some of the steep climbs can take up a good portion of your day. In the summer, the best times to visit are in the morning.

Download a map of Pere Lachaise prior to your visit.

Here is a list of some of the celebrities buried in Pere Lachaise. Below are more pictures of famous resting spots.

Continue reading “Famous residents of Pere Lachaise” »

Some of the activities at Bassin de la Villette et canal de l'Ourcq. (Photo: Comité Départemental du Tourisme de Seine Saint-Denis)

If you’re like us, no doubt you’ve already been enjoying the summertime activities in Paris. In the Bassin de la Villette and Canal de L’Ourcq there are activities going on all summer, and it’s a great place to stroll with friends and family. Bring a picnic to the Parc de la Villette before seeing the great science museum, Cite de Sciences, or the always interesting music museum, Cite de la Musique. This is a great part of Paris that you shouldn’t miss out on; the sunsets near the Villette are especially nice. We should also mention that it’s a good place for jogging, if your so inclined.

Here are some of the activities you can participate in this summer:

Continue reading “Activites along Canal de L’Ourcq” »

Le Maison de Nicolas Flamel, 51 rue de Montmorency

If you’ve read Harry Potter, chances are you’ll remember the name Nicolas Flamel, friend of Dumbledore and possessor of the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that he is not just the fantasy of Rowling’s mind; he indeed existed and he was considered one of the great alchemists of his time.

Part of the wealthy Parisian bourgeois from the mid-1300s to 1418, his official title was letter-writer and sworn-bookseller, but that didn’t explain the extent of his affluence. His marriage into wealth and real estate investments assured him a vast fortune; but rumors about its origins spread, and many suspected he used alchemy to create his riches. After his death he left behind several properties, and he gave considerable amounts of money to charities and churches. Because of the amounts he bequeathed, rumors about his dabbling in the metallurgical arts grew to legendary proportions.

One of his properties was a hostel at 51 rue de Montmorency, where he and his wife cared for the sick. Not only is this spot of interest because it belonged to one of Paris’ most mysterious denizens, it is also the oldest house in all of Paris, dating back to 1407. Nowadays there’s a pricey bistro on the premises, but one can still pass by to view this corner of Parisian history.