Header photo – Amsterdam harbor on the IJ looking east past the cruise port / Border photo – Interior view, Harpa concert hall, Reykjavik
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Category Archives: France
Finding Santons in Metz
If you’re a fan of Peter Mayle and his wonderful stories about Provence life and culture then you may be familiar with santons. The word means “little saints” and refers to handmade clay figures dressed in old style traditional dress … Continue reading
Some online resources on gardens in the south of France
In response to a reader request for recommendations on gardens in the south of France, my only home resource, Secret Gardens of France, listed mostly private properties, almost all of which were near Lyon or farther north, so I did some … Continue reading
Travel and art news from France – summer 2014
From France 24. The Paris Pantheon has been wallpapered with some 4000 selfies by street artist JR, thru early October. On the topic of selfies – Parisian authorities are trying to effect a sea change away from those bridge-destroying “love … Continue reading
Dancing at a Parisian firehouse on 14 Juillet
I came across a write-up on this Bastille Day tradition in and around Paris. I’ve frequently thought about visiting Paris again, perhaps even for Bastille Day; this is the best reason I can think of to put that city on … Continue reading
Tchin-tchin! – Paris Beer Week 2014 is coming
From the Paris info website – As we say in New England – “Getcha beeah heeah”! What is really great about the event billed Paris Beer Week is that it runs from 24 May thru 11 June. Plenty of time to … Continue reading
Miscellaneous art news around Europe 2014
From London Independent – Matisse at the Tate Modern thru early September 2014. More Matisse at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris and a Matisse trail in Collioure in French Languedoc (aka French Catalunya). This last one sounds intriguing – see info at … Continue reading
Posted in Amsterdam travel, Archaeology in Europe, BeNeLux, England, Europe's gardens, European art, European museums, France, General magpie travel
Tagged early Dutch telescope, looted Nazi art, Matisse, Matisse trail, medieval coins in Utrecht, Picasso museum, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh
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Solo travel in Paris – from the NY Times
From the NY Times. Solo in Paris – makes me want to see the city again; it’s been more than ten years and never for more than two days. Paris demands much more time than that! The article is a … Continue reading
Posted in France, General magpie travel, News from Europe, Paris travel
Tagged france travel, Paris travel
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Art awaits in Paris for spring 2014
From France 24 – a photo exhibit of images of everyday Paris is on through late May 2014 at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (aka MEP). Received in a Eurostar email – La Nuit Aux Invalides, a nighttime video spectacle … Continue reading
Perking up pictures with Photoshop
I’m spending more time on the blog and playing around a little bit with Photoshop. It’s one of those skills that requires a lot of repetition and it’s easier for me to learn how to use this software by concentrating … Continue reading
2014 Tour de France route includes WWI sites
From France 24. The route for the 2014 Tour de France bike race has been announced. Since next year marks one hundred years since the start of WWI, the choice of route makes sense. I tried to chase down the … Continue reading
Posted in European festivals, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe
Tagged Tour de France 2014
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The debate on extended retail openings in France
From France 24. Doing business on Sunday in France may be coming. Groups are lined up on both sides of the issue. Will the spreading trend of acquiring stuff displace this more than one hundred year old law? Maybe this … Continue reading
Watch out – fake Louvre tickets!
From France 24. (This news item is a week old; I was out of town and away from my blogging duties). A new twist on ticket scams – fake Louvre admission tickets made in China. Wow. I was planning to … Continue reading
American brunch in Paris at Allen’s Market
From France 24. A unique restau in Paris’s 10th with all the best American-style brunch fare.
Posted in Europe food & wine, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe, Paris travel
Tagged Allen's Market, Paris brunch
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Tours International’s new website look
From Tours International. This is the UK-based tour company that Dad and I used for our tour of Normandy in 2002. Dad said it was the best trip he’d ever taken. I thought it superb – the sobering WWII locations, … Continue reading
Paris plage for summer 2013
From the Adrian Leeds Paris real estate newsletter. The sandy seaside along the Seine is open again. And here’s a map so you can pick your spot. Grab your blanket, shades and SPF gloop or IPS in France (indice de … Continue reading
Firemen and more in Paris for 14 Juillet
From Adrian Leeds’ Paris real estate newsletter. Things to do in Paris on Bastille Day. Those cute firemen could be reason enough to visit the firehouses, sip some champagne and kiss the boys!!!
Messing about in boats in Paris and more summer fun
From France 24. Take a boat out onto the lake in the Bois de Vincennes. And here’s a list of all sorts of summer activities throughout France indoors and out.
Posted in European festivals, European museums, European music, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe, Paris travel
Tagged avignon festival, boating in paris, bois de vincennes, france jazz, france travel, opera in aix, opera in europe, paris plages, Paris travel, summer fun in paris, summer jazz in toulouse
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More euronews for spring 2013
From Deutsche Welle. Russia is trying to require passenger data for everyone entering Russia, a violation of EU law, if not others. The new Dutch king and queen are going walkabout. Seems they survived the warm, wild welcome we gave … Continue reading
Posted in Europe food & wine, European art, European museums, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe, Russia travel
Tagged air passenger rights in Europe, Dutch royal family, European air travel, French wine in a can, lake district whiskey, Lakes Distillery, Pushkin museum, Pushkin museum director
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A roundup of ‘Euronews’ for spring 2013
From the London Independent, DutchNews, France 24, et al. Ten gardens to visit when the weather cooperates. The Moscow Cat Circus returns. I’m hoping they get animal visas to travel outside Russia soon. Turn on your high-beams in the Netherlands; … Continue reading
Posted in England, France, General magpie travel, Netherlands travel, News from Britain, News from Europe, Scotland, UK news
Tagged Aboriginal art in Paris, Airbnb in Amsterdam, driving in the Netherlands, Dutch - Belgian high speed rail, Marseille museum, Moscow Cat Circus, UK spring gardens
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Pickpockets at the Louvre
From France 24. Staff walked off the job at the Louvre to protest rising number of cases of pickpocketing at the museum. The place was forced to close for the day. An increased police presence has been put in place. … Continue reading
Posted in European museums, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe
Tagged Louvre museum, Louvre pickpockets
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More April 2013 news from Europe
From France 24. The Gates of Hell have been dug up in Turkey (not a government building – it’s an archaeological site). From London Independent. This event was linked to in a previous blog post. Ruminations on the reopening of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum … Continue reading
More rights for airline passengers flying on European carriers; snow still making a mess
From Deutsche Welle. The EU is expanding air passenger rights when delayed and flying on European carriers. Interesting that this comes at time when snow is wreaking such havoc at Frankfurt airport. More communication, food and water, as well as … Continue reading
French town rescues Courbet painting
From France 24. The town of Ornans helped to raise 4 million euros to repatriate Courbet’s The Oak of Flagey back to France after a century overseas in private hands. The town’s Courbet museum will display the painting free of … Continue reading
Fifty best European ski breaks
From London Independent. Lots of ski destinations in France, Italy and Switzerland and a few in places that may not leap first to mind.
Multiple Mona Lisas
From France 24. Swiss analysis, including carbon dating, has confirmed that, although the Louvre’s Mona Lisa is an authentic work by Leonardo da Vinci, it’s a copy he made of an earlier version.
Posted in European art, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe, not really travel
Tagged Leonardo da Vinci, Louvre, Louvre Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa
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New bells for Notre Dame’s birthday; she’s 850!
From France 24. A set of new bells arrived this week at Notre Dame in Paris. The medieval church celebrates 850 years and the bells should be in place to ring out for the first time during Easter week. Happy … Continue reading
Trapping tourists at Mont St-Michel
From France 24. The mayor of Mont Saint-Michel is in hot water for rigging bus stop locations so tourists would have to pass his restaus and other shops. Fines and jail sentence (even if suspended) forthcoming. Tsk tsk tsk! Mind … Continue reading
Marseille working to clean up its image for its closeup as a 2013 European Capital of Culture
From France 24. Marseille is one of two European Capitals of Culture, so it’s trying to clean up its seedy reputation in hope of boosting its visitor numbers for 2013.
Posted in France, General magpie travel, News from Europe
Tagged france travel, Marseille, Marseille capital of culture
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Paris – a city of micro brews?
From the London Independent. Sacre bleu! Paris is falling in love with craft beers.
Posted in Europe food & wine, France, General magpie travel, News from Europe
Tagged beer in Paris, Paris travel
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