Elizabeth's Blog

I am motivated to write this week’s post for a couple of reasons. First, this week’s New York Times Magazine ran a short article on “Where to Get the World’s Best Service” which recapped the results of an informal survey on tipping practices related to quality of service. It turns out that veteran international travelers ranked service very highly in countries where tipping is not customary such as Japan and Thailand and also in countries where substantial tips are the norm such as in the U.S. and Canada.

Unsurprisingly, countries that fall in between on the tipping spectrum such as France, Italy and Spain, rated fairly low on service satisfaction. (For what it’s worth, Russia came in dead last on service.) I think confusion on French tipping customs likely contributes to this dissatisfaction in France, as do lingering stereotypes–and some real examples–of rude French waiters, but that’s another story.

In addition, it is prime travel season at the moment, and I have received a lot of good questions recently on how and when to tip in France. So, here are some suggestions for handling tips in a variety of situations on your next French trip:

Meals: In French cafés and restaurants, a 15% tip is already included by law. Menus will indicate this by saying “Service compris” somewhere on them. As such, you are not required to leave anything more. However, you can leave a little extra change as a gesture of good will for good service, particularly for a waiter who has gone out of his way to make your meal memorable.

So how much is a “little extra”? For a cup of coffee at a café for 3.5 euros, then you can leave 20 to 30 centimes on the table. For a 75 euro restaurant meal, I would leave 3 to 4 euros for the waiter. The rule of thumb is to leave between 5 and 10% in cash (there’s not usually a place on the credit card receipt for tips) if service has been good. For bad service, one doesn’t need to leave anything at all—period.

And then you might get a waiter to tries to get another 15 to 20% tip out of you. Not long ago, I took a group to a well-known Paris restaurant for lunch and as I paid the bill, the waiter tried to indicate that tips weren’t included  in the addition (bill). I challenged him on this—in French—and he backed down somewhat. Of course, we did not leave anything extra since his behavior was in such bad taste. When I later told this story to some French friends, they were appalled and agreed this was pas normal (not normal). So it definitely helps to know the tipping rules in France!

Taxis: No need to overtip on taxi rides in France. An extra 1 to 2 euros on your fare whether large or small is fine. If you are going to or from the airport, tipping 5% or so is a good gesture. If you have luggage, be sure to tip an additional euro per suitcase.

Hotel Porters: If your hotel has porters to carry your luggage to your room, 1 euro per bag is customary. If you have especially large or bulky luggage, then 2 euros per bulky bag would be well received. For bringing a lovely tray with your morning petit déjeuner (breakfast) to your room, then 1 to 2 euros is nice, especially if they remember to bring along your prefrred morning newspaper as well.

Hotel Housekeeping: You can leave 1 to 2 euros per day for your housekeeper. I tend to leave the amount appropriate for my length of stay with the front desk and let them distribute it to right personnel. You never know if you leave 20 euros on the last day of your stay whether the housekeeper that day has taken care of your room during your entire visit or not.

Hotel Concierge: For a couple of basic restaurant reservations, your hotel concierge should help you without expecting anything in return. However, if your concierge has obtained hard-to-get restaurant reservations, opera tickets, or the like, then a tip of 10 to 20 euros depending on the effort would be appropriate. I have a friend who stays in high end hotels in Paris and gives the concierge 100 euros on the first day of his stay. Accordingly, the concierge helps take care of whatever my friend needs during his week in Paris!

Coat Check: You can tip 1 euro per coat in upscale restaurants that have a person dedicated to checking coats. In more casual establishments where the waiter or owner hangs up your coat, no need to give out a separate tip.

Tour Guides: If you go on a public walking tour in Paris, you can tip your guide 1 to 2 euros for a job well done. For private guided tours, my recommendation is to tip up to 5% on top of the tour fee as I find that private tour prices are already pretty well padded before tips.

While tipping protocols are always subjective, the basic guidelines above should give you a good feel for how tips happen in France for both natives and visitors alike. And it helps to remember that you will come across all types on your French travels so be sure to evaluate each situation on its own. Bon voyage!

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French cafés are not just a place, they’re a way of life. You can drink, eat, converse, read, watch the world go by, even make it your home away from home. For the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, your café table and the accompanying cultural panorama belong to you for as long as you like. What a way to “own” some French real estate!

But like so many aspects of French culture, it really helps to know some insider tips and info to enjoy your French café time to the fullest. Here are my top 10 recommendations for cracking the French café code. Read on, and make plans to head straight for a café next time you are in France…

1) Which café? Wherever you are in France—in a small country village or in bustling Paris—be sure to choose a café with the most French people (i.e. avoid anybody wearing fanny packs, cameras, and tennis shoes). You want to feel like you’re in France, not in a Starbucks at home.

2) Where to sit? Hands down, if it’s a nice day, sit outside on the terrace. It’s great for people watching, and weather in France is generally lovely. There’s often some street entertainment going on such as the accordionist below. These days, even winter café going can be a pleasure as many cafés have electric heaters overhead to keep things warm and toasty. On the other hand, if you’re on a strict budget, sitting inside is always a good option since menu items cost more on the terrace than inside the café. On that note, if you’re going in for a drink, standing at the bar costs less than sitting at a table. Ditto in Italy.

3) Engaging with the waitstaff: To ensure good relations with the wait staff, always greet your (usually male) waiter with a nice “Bonjour, Monsieur!” And attempt your best French. He’ll be more attentive to you if you try. And whatever you do, don’t call him over with a loud “Garçon!” It’s very fifties…and also rude.

4) Ordering coffee: Coffee is a French café staple. You can order un express (an expresso), un crème (how the French order coffee with hot milk these days), un café américain (black coffee but not as strong as expresso—more like drip coffee) or perhaps un thé (tea). My morning beverage in France is un grand crème, or an extra large coffee with milk. Note that the French do not have milk in their coffee later in the day or at night—it’s strictly expresso for them following lunch or dinner.

5) What about other drinks? There are a variety of other beverages on offer at French cafés besides le café (coffee). Of the non-alcoholic variety, you can order un citron pressé (fresh-squeezed lemonade where you add sugar and water to taste), les jus de fruits (fruit juices), un Orangina (sparkling orange soda made in France), un coca / coca light (Coke and Diet Coke) and les eaux minérales such as Vittel or Evian (flat mineral waters) and Badoit or San Pellegrino (sparkling mineral waters). It is helpful to remember that Coke can cost more than the house wine in France. Also, hip French people these days forego all the wonderful French mineral waters in favor of San Pellegrino. Go figure?!

If it’s apéritif time, there are a variety of bières (beers) available. Draft is une pression or un demi (half pint). And then of course, there’s wine—un vin rouge, un vin blanc (a glass of red or white wine) or un rosé (glass of rosé wine). In summer in France, I drink almost nothing but chilled rosé as it is the perfect summer drink. If you are celebrating something, or even if you’re not, a nice coupe de champagne (glass of champagne) is never wrong in France. Finally, you can order hard liquor, brandy (France has amazing ones, bien sûr), or something like pastis, the licorice flavored liqueur typical of southern France.

6) What about café food? Food is almost always very good in France, even in cafés. The menu du jour (day’s set menu) allows you to have a nice meal—often a starter, main dish and dessert—for a reasonable price. Another option is to ask the waiter what he prefers on la carte (the paper menu). He’ll be flattered you asked his advice, and often times will go above and beyond to make sure the plate he brings to the table is excellent!

Or you can order quintessential French dishes such as quiche lorraine or un croque monsieur (open faced hot ham and cheese sandwich) or steak tartare served with a green salad. While most cafés won’t win gourmet food awards, you’ll get a good, honest meal and experience a slice of French daily life at the same time.

7) How to get the check? In French cafés and restaurants, you must always ask for your check, or l’addition. Make eye contact with your waiter and call him over with “Monsieur.” Then you can say, “L’addition, s’il vous plaît.”

8) What about tipping? Tipping in France is often confusing for Americans. French tipping is included in the price of food and drink; menus will say somewhere service compris to indicate this. So leaving another 15 to 20% can come off as an insult—the waiter might think you see him as a charity case. However, I have seen waitstaff in Europe who take advantage of the fact that foreigners are not aware tips are already included and relish or even encourage the additional tip windfall. In French cafés, the right protocol is to pay your check with cash or a credit card and then leave a euro or two extra in cash as a gesture of good will.

You can also leave a cute note to your waiter. I once took some college girls on a February trip to Paris, and they thought our young waiter at Les Deux Magots was handsome enough to merit a quick thank-you note in English with a nice “Happy Valentine’s Day” in French. We left the café before he came back by our table—I wished I could have seen the look on his face when he read it!

9) Toilettes: You can use the facilities in a café if you are a paying customer. Note that café restrooms are often in the basement so look for a small stairway going downstairs.

10) Good Paris cafés: Next time you are in Paris, drop by the Left Bank café icons Les Deux Magots and the Café de Flore. They’re pricier than some but the people-watching is divine. While there will be tourists, enough French people fill the tables to make these cafés endlessly interesting. A little more off the Left Bank beaten path is La Palette on the Rue de Seine. Very French and what most cafés used to feel like.

If you have a great café anecdote to share, let other French Affaires readers in on your experience by posting it here. We love to hear about any and all French cultural adventures!

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If you’re like me, spending time in France’s open-air markets is an endless pleasure. The sights, the sounds, the colors, the smells, and the people all come together to create a festive and unique experience for French and non-French alike. Markets in France are a culinary experience as well as a social one–people from all classes and walks of life rub elbows in the common pursuit of good cooking and good meals.

I often get asked about how to get the most out of various aspects French life, in particular the open-air markets. So today’s posting is a quick primer on the spoken and unspoken rules for participating in French market life.

1) When: Markets operate roughly from 8am to 1pm. Get up and go early for the top offerings. Depending on the town or city, markets run once or two to three times per week all year long. For example, the Boulevard Raspail market on Paris’s Left Bank happens every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, with Sunday featuring the completely organic, or biologique, market.

2) Seasons: Take advantage of the intensely seasonal offerings in France. Buy strawberries and melons  in summer, figs in late summer and early fall, apples and mushrooms in the fall and winter, lettuces in late winter and spring, you get the idea. And be sure to buy local so that the food products are super fresh. French vendors are great about noting where their food is from.

“Very flavorful” strawberries from Carpentras in southern France

3a) Choosing your food: Most vendors will choose food items and bag them for you. Always assume that this is the case and you won’t have any problems when shopping in French markets.

Note that vendors have spent a considerable amount of time on their beautiful displays so you don’t want to make a lovely mountain of artichokes come tumbling down…

3b) Part 2 of why vendors consider it their job to choose your food items: After all, this is their métier (career) and they have the expertise to pick perfect peaches or a camembert that will be ready for your lunch tomorrow, if that is what you want. In this interaction, the better the rapport you have with the vendor, the better service (and often better products) you will get. So how to you get a vendor to warm up to you? Compliment him on his products and his know-how—and he’ll give you the world, or almost!

3c) A few vendors will let you choose your own food items—keep your eyes open for a sign such as the one below so you’ll know it’s ok to serve yourself!

“Bags – please serve yourself. Merci.”

4) Bags and baskets: Vendors will put food items into disposable plastic bags for you to carry away, unless of course, you have your own market basket. Baskets distinguish locals from tourists…so pick up a basket from a basket vendor and blend in with the French. (Click here for a previous article on French market baskets.)

5) Prices: Market prices on food and the like are usually not negotiable. Sometimes vendors will throw something in for free, however, particularly as they wrap up for the day or occasionally you get a price break for buying multiples of something. Purchases are payable in cash so have some euros on you.

6) Tastings: The French love to offer tastes of their products. You can almost make a meal out of tastings at some markets. If you sample a product a vendor is offering, you are not obligated to buy. Say, “Merci beaucoup” and move on. But usually everything is so good that you’ll end up wanting to buy it anyway.

A tasting of tapenades and pistou rouge at a Provence market.

7) Ready-made foods: Some vendors sell prepared foods such as this paella vendor in Aix-en-Provence. If you want some paella for lunch, be sure and buy it early as he regularly sells out!

8) Don’t always buy from the first vendor you see: When visiting markets and vendors for the first time, I like to check out the entire market and then come back to the ones that have the best quality and/or price. If in doubt, note which vendors have the longest lines—the French always know good food and good bargains.

9) Lines:  Speaking of lines, it is necessary to faire la queue (stand in line) to be served. When it’s your turn, you can make sure the vendor knows by saying “C’est à moi” (sayt ah mwa), or “It’s my turn.” When it comes to food markets, the French are pretty good about lining up in an orderly fashion. However, it can be a free for all in other venues such as the French post office, so beware!

“Thank you for lining up in this direction…”

10) Crowds: Note that weekend markets are the most crowded. This means they are more festive but it can take longer to see what’s on offer and make your purchases.

11) Key phrases for use in the markets: It’s good to have a few French phrases handy to enable smooth market transactions and relations…and also to know how much to buy since the French use the metric system!

“Bonjour Madame / Monsieur!” (Always greet French vendors with a Bonjour and Ma’am or Sir. This goes a long way towards a good shopping experience.)

“Je voudrais un kilo de pommes, s’il vous plaît” (“I would like about 2 pounds of apples, please.” Since a kilo is about 2.2 pounds, you can ask for a pound of some by saying “un demi kilo,” a half kilo, or “400-500 grammes” which is about a pound.)

“Une tranche de pâté, s.v.p.” (A slice of your paté, please.)

“Encore un peu, s.v.p.” or “un peu moins, s.v.p.” (A little more, please, or a little less, please.)

“C’est combien?” (How much is it?)

“C’est parfait, merci.” (That’s great, thanks.)

“Merci beaucoup, Madame. Au revoir.” (Thank you, Madame. Good-bye. Be sure and close your shopping transaction with a nice thank-you and good-bye–it’s required French etiquette.) 

After you’ve finished shopping, take a rest at a nearby café with the locals. You’ll overhear the latest gossip and can enjoy people-watching as the market winds up for the day. Have a coffee or do as many French do and celebrate market day with a glass of wine or pastis—even in the morning!

French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter

To find great markets wherever you are in France, consult guidebooks for the towns or cities you’ll be visiting. Markets are always noted there. In addition, you can browse the French tourist office websites “Office du tourisme” which will post market days.

For a visual tour of Paris or Provence markets, check out these books (they are a few years old but as interesting as ever with great market resources at the back):

Paris in a Basket: Markets—The Food and the People by Nicole Meyer and Amanda Smith.

Markets of Provence: A Culinary Tour of Southern France by Dixon and Ruthann Long.

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The air is crisp and cool. The sky is clear. The tourists are long gone. Transatlantic airfares are super low. And Paris is dressed up in her holiday best.

Christmas-time is a feast for the senses everywhere in France but especially in Paris. The whole city sparkles with dazzling Christmas lights, fabulous window displays, marvelous gifts, endless champagne, to-die-for gourmet seasonal cuisine, and festive happenings. This year’s French Affaires Fall Trip celebrates the best of the Paris holiday season with all of this and more for a truly insider stay in the City of Light.

Our Paris journey begins just after Thanksgiving on Tuesday, November 29, and wraps up Monday, December 5, to get everyone back to their families and friends in plenty of time to enjoy the holidays at home. If you’ve never “done Paris” at this time of year, then treat yourself to a unique cultural experience and a fabulous vacation too!

“Paris at the Holidays” Itinerary

Join French specialist Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz and other French Affaires patrons for this exclusive holiday excursion to Paris! This festive & unforgettable journey to the French capital will include everything that sparkles in Paris—Christmas lights, holiday markets, gourmet Parisian dining, champagne, art, culture,  jewels, gift shopping, & more. We’ll also get a personal Parisian touch with private events such as our own holiday cooking class with Susan Herrmann of “On Rue Tatin” French Cooking School, Insider tours & events with Paris friends of French Affaires, a Champagne Tasting class, & our special holiday dinner at an exquisite museum in the Marais. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!  A once-in-a-lifetime immersion into the French holiday spirit. Trip cost covers everything except airfare & two meals. For a customized & superlative French travel experience, our trip is limited to 8 participants.

TUESDAY, NOV 29 – Depart U.S. for Paris!

WEDNESDAY, NOV 30 – PARIS HOLIDAY SHOP WINDOWS TOUR, CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION & WELCOME DINNER

We’ll arrive in Paris Wednesday morning where pre-arranged transport will take us to our hotel, the charming & gracious Hôtel Duc de St. Simon on the Left Bank. Then, we’ll lunch at the celebrated tea salon Ladurée on the Left Bank in its lovely chinoiserie-styled dining room. We’ll be sure to taste Ladurée’s famous almond macarons. That afternoon, we’ll take a walking tour of gorgeous French shop windows dressed up for the holidays & also browse the annual Christmas market along the Champs-Elysées. In the evening, we’ll celebrate our arrival with champagne in our hotel’s wine cellar followed by a delicious dinner at an authentic Parisian bistrot.

Holiday lights & shop windows along Paris’s Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré

THURSDAY, DEC 1 – SPARKLING PARIS—JEWELS, ART, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Today in Paris includes everything that sparkles. In the morning, we’ll be treated to private viewings of well-known Place Vendôme jewelers, including a private jewel workshop & jewelry museum. For lunch, we’ll stop at the casually elegant Le Soufflé & try the best savory & sweet soufflés in the universe. Then, we’ll take in a current art exhibition at a prominent Paris museum. That evening, we’ll be treated to a private dinner & guided tour at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in its stunning 17th century mansion in the Marais. Our magical day ends with a car tour of Christmas lights in Paris at night!

FRIDAY, DEC 2 – HOLIDAY COOKING CLASS WITH SUSAN HERRMANN LOOMIS OF ON RUE TATIN COOKING SCHOOL

Celebrated cookbook author & chef Susan Herrmann Loomis of “On Rue Tatin” Cooking School will take us on a special open-air, food market tour where we’ll buy seasonal ingredients for our multi-course holiday lunch. Then we’ll head to a private Paris Left Bank cooking studio where Susan will lead us through a hands-on cooking class of quintessential French dishes that are wonderful to make at Christmastime. Finally we’ll sit down & enjoy our culinary creations paired with French wine. Late afternoon free for shopping or sightseeing. Dinner & night out on your own.

SATURDAY, DEC 3 – GOURMET FOOD SHOPS TOUR & GOURMET HOLIDAY DINNER

This morning, we’ll tour some of the best chocolate, pastry & specialty food shops in Paris with the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts along the way. We’ll lunch at a casual Parisian café amongst the locals. That afternoon, there will be ample free time to shop for gifts–be sure to bring an extra bag for your shopping treasures! Or you can go ice skating in front of Paris’s town hall in the center of the city! In the evening, we’ll dress up for our gourmet holiday dinner at a celebrated two-Michelin starred gastronomic restaurant & enjoy breathtaking holiday dishes paired with French wines.

Shop windows & holiday lights at Paris’s grand department store Galeries Lafayette

Ice skating French-style in front of Paris’s town hall

SUNDAY, DEC 4 – NOTRE DAME CHRISTMAS TREE & PRIVATE CHAMPAGNE CLASS

This morning, you can sleep in & enjoy brunch/lunch on your own or sightsee as you wish. We’ll meet in the early afternoon to visit Notre Dame Cathedral with its spectacular 50-foot Christmas tree & French nativity scene. After a brief stroll of the islands, we’ll head to Paris’s best Champagne bar for a Champagne class & tasting since Champagne is THE French drink for the holidays. That evening we’ll have our final celebration dinner at a charming French restaurant & be treated to a wonderful discussion of French etiquette & holiday table traditions by Marie de Tilly, the renowned French manners expert. Walk back to our hotel along the Seine for beautiful views of Paris at night.

Annual Christmas tree in front of Notre Dame Cathedral

MONDAY, DEC 5 – Return to the U.S.

For those interested, we will pick up your custom order of Poilâne breads & holiday cookies to take home for wonderful holiday entertaining. Pre-arranged transport to Charles de Gaulle airport for travel back to the U.S.

Poilane’s famous Christmas cookies!

Trip Registration & Cost:   For the “Paris at the Holidays” full description & registration form, please email us at info.french@frenchaffaires.com . The trip cost is $4450 per person double occupancy & includes hotel, most meals, cultural excursions & events, tips, transport in Paris & trip guiding (airfare & one lunch / one dinner not included). Single supplement additional. Please call us with any questions at 214-232-5344 . There are a few spots remaining so make plans to enrich your travel experience AND your 2011 holiday season!

Happy Holidays!!

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Summer is here and with it a host of new books starring France. From style to fashion to novels to murder mystery to history to social commentary to gardens to things culinary, there are plenty of offerings to add to your summer reading pleasure. Check out these latest additions to the French book scene—and bonne lecture (happy reading)!

“You don’t need to be born in Paris to have Parisian style. Parisian style is an attitude, a state of mind…” Author, former face of Chanel, ex-runway model, designer, illustrator and business woman, Inès de la Fressange describes the secrets of the chic Parisian woman in Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange. She shares her best advice and tips on how to dress and develop one’s own beauty—French-style. She also includes her favorite resources in Paris for shopping, hotels, restaurants, excursions and more. This is our French Bookclub pick for June–we’ll have a great discussion of it over French wine, cheese & chocolates at the French-inspired Dallas boutique Paper & Chocolate. Click here for more details on this event. 

Olivier Magny, the genius behind the O Château  wine tasting company in Paris, has pulled together some of his best blog entries on Paris and Parisians and published them in his upcoming book Stuff Parisians Like: Discovering the Quoi in ‘Je ne sais quoi’. The French original came out last fall in France under the title of “Dessine-moi un Parisien” and was the runaway book hit of the French Christmas season. Magny has just opened the first “high end” wine bar in Paris where you can get top, top wines by the glass. This guy is just full of great ideas. His book will be available in July in the U.S.–I can’t wait to pick up this witty and entertaining take on the French in Paris! 

 The Paris Wife: A Novel  by Paula McLain is a fictional account of Ernest Hemingway’s marriage to his first wife Hadley and their life in Paris in the heady 1920’s. Written in Hadley’s voice, the story recounts the whirlwind courtship of the 28-year old Hadley and the 21-year old (as yet unpublished) Hemingway and their expat life in Paris surrounded by the likes of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, James Joyce, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Though their marriage slowly dissolves, this is a poignant portrayal of love at remarkable time in France.

Move over Agatha Christie! France had its own 1930’s murder mystery–a true tale to boot. The new book, Violette Nozière: A Story of Murder in 1930’s Paris, is a captivating account of a young French woman who poisoned and killed her parents in 1933. The crime and subsequent trial caused a huge sensation in France–particularly when Violette’s reason for killing her parents became known. She was condemned to death but then freed in 1945. Word has it that this is a well-written book and an enlightening portrayal of France between the Wars.

France has been shaken to the core by the recent scandal involving Frenchman and former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the allegations of sexual assault against him during a recent trip to New York City. So former NY Times journalist Elaine Sciolino’s new book La Seduction: How the French Play the Game of Life is especially timely. Extensively researched, her book explores the ways in which France runs off of sexual energy–whether in social settings, in intellectual debate, in the workplace or in politics. This is a fascinating read and a key to understanding the French mindset. And given the DSK affair, it will be mesmerizing to see if French society changes its ways and attitudes towards women in the next few years.

Historian David McCullough has come out with another fascinating book–this one on Americans in Paris in the 1800’s. The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris is fabulously researched and speaks to the influence of France on multiple aspects of American life in the 19th century. Of course, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson spent a great deal of time in France in the late 1700’s and their stories there are more widely known. But in this book, McCullough tracks the likes of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mark Twain, Samuel Morse, and Harriet Beecher Stowe who migrated to Paris and then brought back ideas  and experiences that helped shape American history. A must read!

 Not many Americans know that Paris was devastated by a massive flood in January of 1910. Paris Under Water: How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910 is an informative account of the catastrophic flooding of the Seine River and the coming together of Parisians from all walks of life survive the destruction. For those of you who love history, you won’t want to miss this true story of French courage and community in the face of natural disaster. (And next time you are walking around Paris, keep your eyes open for markers on buildings that note the height of the floodwaters–the cru de la Seine–in 1910. There was one in my Left Bank Paris neighborhood that I used to pass all the time–you can look for it on the rue de Bellechasse near the Musée d’Orsay…)

 Ina Caro’s The Road from the Past: Traveling Through History in France is one of my favorite travel / history / memoire books on France. And she has created a new gem with her book Paris to the Past: Traveling Through French History by Train. The author chronicles 700 years of French history through the lens of 25 day trips by train from Paris. Caro makes the various epochs of French history come alive–a delightful way to (re)discover Paris and the Paris region.

 Julia Child was an amazing  cook, culinary spirit and downright fun person. As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis Devoto shows the personal side of Julia in her letter exchanges with Avis Devoto, Julia’s unofficial literary agent who was instrumental in getting the culinary icon “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” published. A tribute to a deep friendship as well as a lively conversation about all things culinary, this book is a rich read and a must for those who love cooking and Julia Child.

 French Classics Made Easy: More Than 250 Great French Recipes Updated and Simplified for the American Kitchen by Richard Grausman has been updated and revised for the 21st century. First printed in 1988, this book instantly became a classic–and known for its sure-fire ways of making even complex French dishes come out right. Newly updated, this cookbook makes nice addition to the French department of your cooking wardrobe.

First printed under the title of Cooking School Provence: Shop, Cook and Eat Like a Local, this cookbook by Guy Gedda and Marie-Pierre Moine has now been reissued with the more user-friendly title of The Provençal Cookbook: Shop, Cook & Eat Like a Local. This volume is a marvelous journey through southern French cuisine and how to prepare it at home. If cookbooks could smell, we would be transported to small villages in Provence by just reading the recipes. For a rich Provence cooking immersion experience, French Affaires is partnering with Central Market Dallas Cooking School and SMU’s Continuing Studies to offer a combined Provence cooking and culture class in August. Click here for the course details. 

Elizabeth David is arguably the best food writer of the 20th century. British-born, David brought the lush flavors, colors and tastes of southern French cooking to drab post-war Britain. At Elizabeth David’s Table: Classic Recipes and Timeless Kitchen Wisdom is a compilation of the best of David’s recipes and prose (done by Jill Norman–David died in 1992). What makes this book worth buying is that it’s the first David volume to include photographs of her timeless dishes. Still, David’s original books without photos such as “French Provincial Cooking” or “An Omelette and a Glass of Wine” are essentials for any French foodie’s library. 

Worth mentioning:  Another cooking title is also a new reissue–The French Menu Cookbook by Richard Olney is a must-have for the French gourmet cook. The recipes as well as the menu recommendations are outstanding. And Escoffier: Le Guide Culinaire has been reprinted — this new volume is a translation of the 1903 original book’s 4th edition. It contains over 5000 recipes and is a classic of French cookery.

And finally, a garden with a view is our last recommendation for French book summer reading. Nicole de Vesian-Gardens; Modern Design in Provence by French garden guru Louisa Jones is the latest addition to the French garden scene. Nicole de Vésian, the retired fashion stylist at house of Hermès, has spent the last 10 years renovating her garden in the south of France. Owning this book is like having your own small piece of garden in Provence. All that’s missing is the scent of southern France!

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To celebrate the arrival of this year’s warm weather, the French newspaper Le Figaro just published the results of its “Test des Meilleures Tartes aux Fraises” (the best Strawberry Tart competition) in Paris. Why strawberry tarts one might ask? Well, the paper hailed the return of individual strawberry tarts in pastry shop windows as ‘one of spring’s greatest pleasures’ in France. And too, for many French, the tarts’ visual presence after their long winter absence marks two of the great things in life–beautiful summer weather as well as cherished outdoor meals with family.

Whether enjoying their own homemade strawberry tarts or ones created in a pastry shop, the French are picky about what makes a good tarte aux fraises (pronounced ‘tart oh frehz’ in English). But it’s difficult to know today what qualifies as “best” since no there’s no set formula for making a French strawberry tartelette.

For a long time, the typical individual strawberry tart available in French pastry shops was round in shape and about three inches in diameter. The base of shortbread pastry was covered with vanilla cream and topped with whole strawberries, arranged like a small mountain. To show the strawberries to their best advantage, they would be brushed with a light berry glaze. You can still find these traditional tarts at many pastry shops in France:

But in the spirit of creativity, many pastry artisans today have come up with their own strawberry tart model, whether round, triangular or square. The “filling” varies as well and strawberries no longer have to whole but are often cut into halves or even quarters for their tart’s particular artistic presentation.

So Le Figaro’s informal tasting team had a challenging task on its hands as it tried to determine this year’s best strawberry tart. But they managed to ‘test the tarts,’  judging them in a blind tasting on four categories: 1) Overall presentation, 2) quality of the strawberries, 3) balance amongst the pastry, cream and fruit, and 4) comparison of the quality to the price. As of last week, their results are in:

First place – Gérard Mulot in the 6th arrondissement
Second place – Jacques Génin in the 3rd arrondissement
Third place – Dalloyau in the 8th arrondissement
Fourth place – Ladurée in the 8th arrondissement

Sweets guru Gérard Mulot took the top prize for his square-shaped tart that the judges felt met all the criteria (see the Figaro newspaper photo above). As they affirmed, his tart was “very appetizing and well-endowed with flavorful strawberries.” For the complete article in French, please click here.

It must be noted that not all the well-known Paris pastry shops participated in the contest. Some of them, including the legendary Pierre Hermé, decided to offer individual strawberry tarts at the end of May when all strawberries are in ‘full bloom.’ Others, like Fauchon, decided to make May a strawberry marketing blowout with their “Create-Your-Own-Tart” event. Forget made-to-measure clothes–you can design your own strawberry tart! Make a beeline to Fauchon Place de la Madeleine on Fridays and Saturdays in May for your own customized red fruit extravaganza. Here’s how it works:

1) Choose your favorite strawberry – Only in France would you be offered your choice of nine strawberry varieties: Ciflorette, Naïade, Gariguette, Darselect, Mara des Bois, Manille, Anablanca, Capella pleine terre, Gariguette de Plougastel.

2) Select your preferred pastry base – shortbread crust, sweet pastry crust or butter crust.

3) Will it be vanilla pastry cream or chantilly (whipped cream) for your tart?

4) Watch as the pastry chef artistically arranges your strawberries on top of your personalized strawberry tart!

This sounds kind of fun–but also a little over the top in my opinion. Perhaps it’s better to pick up your high-season strawberry tart from Le Figaro’s award winner, Gérard Mulot. You can swing by one of the Mulot shops around town (my favorite is his headquarters on the Rue de Seine near the Luxembourg Gardens) and taste his award-winning tarte aux fraises. And let yourself be tempted by all the other beautiful–and delectable–offerings including his very special almond macarons… 

Gérard Mulot
Magasin Saint Germain
76, rue de seine
75006 Paris

Magasin Glacière
93, rue de la glacière
75013 Paris

Magasin du Marais
6, rue du Pas de la Mule
75003 Paris

French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter

In Julia Child’s The French Chef Cookbook which chronicles recipes from her highly acclaimed television cooking series*, Child offers a classic French Strawberry Tart recipe (pp.225-228) for American chefs. As she notes, “Big or little, round or rectangular, fresh strawberry tarts are a feast for the eye as well as the tongue.” While she doesn’t dwell on the seasonality and perfect state of strawberries like the French, she probably takes that as a given after her decades of living and cooking in France.

Try making your own strawberry tart—and write a comment here about your cooking experience. Better yet, send me a photo of your homemade tart, and I will post it. Or let us know which pastry shops near you in the U.S. make a great strawberry tart, and I will list them here. That way, French Affaires’ readers can go pick up a few and conduct their own informal “test des meilleures tartes aux fraises”!

*  The next French Cookbook Club event in June features The French Chef Cookbook. There are a few spots left for our June 23 evening where we’ll discuss and cook our way through this intriguing culinary volume. What makes this cookbook selection so interesting is that you can also pick up the DVD version and watch the episodes of Julia Child preparing both classic and more adventurous recipes. What a treat!

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Going to France at any time during the year is rich enough. However, planning your stay around certain annual special events can be terrifically rewarding. To help you decide on when to visiter la belle France, here is a compendium of events and activities in Paris and elsewhere in France that are particularly memorable:

January
La Fête des Rois – Close on the heels of Christmas comes the la fête des rois (Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day), commemorating the arrival of the three kings to see the baby Jesus. You know the Feast of the Epiphany is nigh in France when the galettes des rois (king’s cakes) take over many pâtisseries (pastry shops) in France for the month. So if you are in France in January, be sure to try this delicious dessert—and you might become queen or king for the day! (Click here for how this works.)

Les Soldes d’hiver  – Shop sales, or soldes, are closely regulated in France and happen twice a year – in winter and in summer. Discounts can be significant at everything from high-end luxury shops such as Louis Vuitton to department stores to small boutiques. The French mark their calendars for this event and line up with gusto to take advantage of the great prices. The French winter sales start around the third week in January and run through mid-February. Summer sales run from the end of June through mid-July.

February
La Saint Valentin – Valentines’ Day in France is not as commercial as in the U.S….but it’s getting there. If you in Paris for February 14, you will have a gorgeous array of chocolates, cakes, tarts and flowers to choose from when celebrating your loved one. Click here for a visual Valentine ‘tour de Paris’…

Carnaval de Nice – There are many Mardi Gras carnaval celebrations all over the world but the one in Nice is particularly noteworthy. The festivities last for two weeks and draw over a million visitors to this southern French city. Parades, cultural activities, sporting events, fairs and more mark this famous French winter event. www.nicecarnaval.com

April
Paris Marathon – For the sportive / sportif (athletic) among us, a great way to see Paris is by running the Paris marathon. It takes place in mid-April and draws more and more runners each year. You can start training now for the next one which takes place on April 15, 2012!  www.parismarathon.com

May
May Day – May 1 is a national holiday in France so most things are closed on this day. But it is also May Day and French people celebrate by giving each other un joli petit brin de muguet (a beautiful small bouquet of lily of the valley flowers). It is a charming moment to experience in France if you happen to be there. Just look for a street vendor selling the wonderful-smelling flowers to purchase some for yourself or a loved one.

Nuit des musées – “Museum Night” in France has become a big hit with all sorts of cultural institutions staying open into the evening and putting on interesting programs, lectures and concerts. This year’s Museum Night is tomorrow, May 14. During the evening, you can take in some of the current temporary exhibits going on – click here for the French Affaires’ recent museum posting on this – or try something not on the article’s list such as fashion mogul Ralph Lauren’s classic cars on view at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (in part of the Louvre building). You can browse tomorrow evening’s offerings at a variety of Paris museums by clicking here.

Cannes film festival – If you are into cinema, then you’ll want to check out the Cannes Film Festival that runs from mid to late May every year. Woody Allen just kicked off this year’s festival with his film ode to Paris, Midnight in Paris. He even managed to get a cameo appearance from France’s first lady, Carla Bruni Sarkozy. And as you dine at restaurants in and around the Cannes area while the Festival is going on, you will see movie stars and film directors from around the world so be sure and bring your autograph book! www.festival-cannes.com

Roland Garros – The French Open Tennis Tournament, known as Roland Garros for the sports complex where it’s hosted on the western side of Paris, runs from mid-May to early June each year. Tickets can be purchased online or through agents. If you go, don’t miss the tennis museum on the grounds which chronicles the history of the sport. Click here for more info on the tennis museum.  www.rolandgarros.com

June
Fête de la musique – Of all the annual special events in France, this is definitely one to work your France trip around. Of course, it’s during prime travel season which makes it easier—but it’s also one of the most fun and accessible to anyone, native French people and visitors alike. The Music Festival takes place each year on the evening of June 21 and marks the summer solstice, ie the longest light day of the year. Thousands of musical events and concerts are held all over France—and are free. From rock concerts in the Place de la Bastille in Paris, to chamber music quartets in courtyards, to Edith Piaf sound-alikes on streetcorners, there is something musical for everyone. The French Fête de la Musique has been such a success over the past 30 years that it now has spread all over the world. www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr/

July-August
Festival d’Aix en Provence – Another musical extravaganza worth noting is the Music Festival of Aix-en-Provence held each year from late June through July. Tickets are expensive and hard to come by since this event rivals the famous annual music festival in Salzburg, Austria. But attending is worth every penny and the effort to get there for these world-class performances of opera, symphony, chamber music and more.  www.festival-aix.com

Bastille day – July 14 marks la Fête Nationale in France, or the French equivalent of July 4th in the U.S. Also known as le quatorze juillet, this national holiday in Paris is marked by parades along the Champs-Elysées including fly-overs by French fighter jets and by fireworks displays above the Eiffel Tower.

Jazz à Juan-les-pins – One of the most famous jazz festivals in the world takes place every July at Juan-les-pins near Cannes on the French Riviera. What could be better than listening to B.B. King at this wonderful French beachside town? Click here for this year’s Jazz à Juan program.

Tour de France Bike Race – This legendary bike race zooms all over France and ends in Paris on the Champs-Elysées every year. Take in a view of the bikers on one the étapes around France or wait for the grand finish in Paris. It is a French event not to be missed. www.letour.fr/

Paris plages – The “Paris Beaches” celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Designed to bring a vacation motif to Parisians who don’t have the time or means to go the beach, the city brings in truckloads of sand and palm trees to create a beach setting along the Seine in the heart of Paris. The Paris Plages event lasts for a month from the end of July to the end of August. Bring your beach towel and suntan lotion for a true Paris tan!  www.paris-plages.fr/

September
Les Journées du Patrimoine – This is one of my favorite annual events in France. For two days in mid-September, “French Heritage Days” offers visitors the opportunity to take tours of all sorts of fabulous palaces, buildings and châteaux that are not normally open to the public. The Luxembourg palace in the Luxembourg gardens in Paris is just one example. This year’s Journées du Patrimoine fall on Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18, so mark your calendars now for this extra-special and ultra-French event. www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr

November
Armistice day – November 11 marks Armistice Day from World War I and a national holiday in France. If you’ve never seen a military parade on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, then be sure and see this one sometime in your France travels.

December
Noël en France – Ah, Christmastime in France…Late November and the beginning of December mark the start of the magical French Christmas season. Holiday lights glow all over Paris on the grand boulevards and in side streets, the French department stores are dressed to the nines with their holiday lights and window displays, and the Christmas markets along the Champs-Elysées and by area churches sell holiday gifts and mulled wine to shoppers. And seeing the 50-foot Christmas tree in front of Notre Dame cathedral is a travel must.

If you want to get to Paris to see the festive sights and do some Christmas shopping this year, consider joining the French Affaires’ “Paris at the Holidays 2011” trip. It’s scheduled for just after Thanksgiving and will showcase Paris at its sparkling, holiday best. Of course, French food and wine at the holidays are amazing so will be a big feature of our holiday time in Paris. The trip is starting to fill up so click here for the Paris holiday trip itinerary and make plans to put Paris in your Christmas holiday season!  “Joyeux Noël” (Merry Christmas) and “Joyeuses fêtes” (Happy Holidays)!!

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Provence is a stunning region of France and its cuisine is in a class all its own. Using the wonderful cookbook The Provençal Cookbook as our guide, we’ll tour Provence through its signature flavors and foods. In our first class session on the SMU campus, we’ll immerse ourselves in the best of Provençal culinary traditions, outdoor markets, food shops, cooking schools, and memorable restaurants through illustrated lecture and food tastings.

Our second session features a private cooking class at Central Market Cooking School Dallas where we’ll see how classic Provençal dishes and recipes from our cookbook are made. Then, we’ll then taste the results over a fabulous Provençal meal with wine. Join us for this unique culinary workshop on the cuisine of Provence and learn how to bring it to life chez vous!

The cost is $119 per person (early registration) and includes the culinary immersion class; food tastings; guide to Provence restaurants, markets & cooking schools; and full cooking class with dinner & wine at Central Market Dallas Cooking School. You can purchase The Provençal Cookbook by French chef Guy Gedda at the Paper & Chocolate boutique in Dallas.

Date:	Two Mondays, August 1 & 8
Time:	6:30 to 9pm
Cost:	$119 per person early registration. Click here to register with SMU.
Location:	SMU main campus on August 1; Central Market Dallas Cooking School on August 8 (Lovers Lane / Greenville at I75/Central Expressway)

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In the spirit of the summer travel season, I thought I’d do another posting on getting the best out of Paris. Many of you wrote in that last week’s article on current art exhibitions in Paris was very helpful–and timely.

This week’s article is about Pariscope–the insider’s guide to everything going on in Paris every week. I originally published this piece as “The Best Bargain in Paris” in June of 2008. Since then, I still think the subject is the best deal in the city, but I also now call it  the best guidebook to Paris as well. With so much to see and do in this most visited world capital, it’s possible one could miss out on something really special during one’s Paris visit. Picking up a copy of Pariscope can help ensure that you are up to speed on everything interesting going on in Paris while you are there.

Pariscope for the week of May 4-10, 2011

So enjoy this updated piece on the Paris insider’s guide and take it to heart when you are next in the most beautiful city in the world:

The Best Guide to Paris / The Best Bargain in Paris

It is a given these days that a stay in any world metropolis is going to cost you, especially in Europe. With the euro near record highs, une tasse de café (a cup of coffee) at a major café in Paris such as Les Deux Magots or the Café de Flore on the Left Bank will set you back the equivalent of a good six or seven dollars.* Ouch. Or as the French say, “Aïe!”

With that sobering benchmark in mind, a bargain in Paris sounds like an oxymoron at best. But you don’t have to look far to find a great deal in the City of Light–you can buy it at any newsstand or kiosque. It’s called Pariscope.

A small, newsprint magazine of more than 200 pages, Pariscope comes out each Wednesday of the year and costs less than a euro. To be exact, it is only .40€. That’s about 60¢ in U.S. money. “Pariscope” is a play on the French word ‘périscope’ or ‘periscope’ in English–from the device aboard a submarine allowing you to see everything outside the ship.

So what’s inside that allows you to ’see everything in Paris’? Pariscope is THE guide to what’s happening each week in la Capitale. Current art exhibitions, museums, galleries, new films (movies open on Wednesdays in France compared to Friday openings in the U.S.), theatre, music, opera, dance, festivals, antique fairs, walking tours, sports. You name the activity, it’s in there.

While the low price and rich content are the good news (and it’s super lightweight, making it very easy to carry around during your Paris wanderings), the “not-so-good” news for non-French speakers is that it’s all in French. However, with a few contextual clues and the glossary below or perhaps the help of your hotel concierge, you can pull together the ideal Paris itinerary from this insider’s guide. The most interesting offerings can be found in the following sections of Pariscope:

Ma ville
This short entry spotlights a particular area of the city or weekly topic. For example, one Pariscope I picked up last year focused on “Paris for antique lovers.” Another, “Paris, homeland of artists,” described small museums that used to be homes of famous writers and artists such as Victor Hugo and Eugène Delacroix. In February of this year, the Ma Ville section of four to five pages was a “Passport to China” and captured events in Paris related to the Chinese New Year. At a glance, you discover a major happening or theme in Paris for the week.

Musique
If you are a lover of music in any form, this section is for you. Classical music, opera, ballet, jazz, and rock events are listed here. Concerts are organized by type of music and day of the week. Saturdays and Sundays are particularly interesting in the classical section as there are often free concerts in area churches over the weekend (you’ll know a concert is free if it includes entrée libre in the description). At the other end of the spectrum, i.e. paying concerts, you have some of the greatest musical talent in the world performing in Paris. I will never forget a chamber music concert I attended at the jewelbox Théâtre du Châtelet in the heart of Paris some years ago.* Violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy and cellist Lyn Harrell were playing the works of Brahms among others. The evening was pure magic. Musicians, instruments, audience and venue came together in an extra-extra-ordinary way, and you could have heard a pin drop throughout the performance. As proof of the divine musical gift that night, there were five standing ovations at the end. Bravo!

Arts
Museums are top of my Paris to-do list. The Arts section includes information on all the museums and art galleries in Paris. The Arts rubric also spells out the current exhibitions on view at museums and galleries across the city. It’s nearly an embarras du choix (an embarassment of riches–ie, too great a choice). You can check what is on view at Le Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Rodin and other well-known museums. Many lesser-known museums are included such as the Musée de la Poupée (Doll Museum), Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (Nature & Hunting Museum) and the Musée de la Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honor Museum). Also listed are the days and hours each museum is open as well as entry fees. Pariscope will also tell you if any museum is temporarily closed for renovations which happens quite often in France (you’ll see the expression fermé pour travaux if a museum is undergoing renovation).

Since the  Pariscope editors have condensed much throughout the guide in the interest of saving space, you’ll need be able to decipher relevant details entries you are interested in. For example, under the Louvre description, you’ll see:

Ouvert tlj sf mar.

What in the world does this mean? In unabbreviated French, it would read:

Ouvert tous les jours sauf mardi (Open every day except Tuesdays). So no Louvre on Tuesdays when you are in Paris!

To assist in picking out the most helpful info for museums you want to visit, here are a few of the common French abbreviations for museums in Pariscope and their English equivalent:

Days of the week:
lundi (lun) – Monday
mardi (mar) – Tuesday
mercredi (mer) – Wednesday
jeudi (jeu) – Thursday
vendredi (ven) – Friday
samedi (sam) – Saturday
dimanche (dim) – Sunday

tlj = Tous les jours (daily), sf = Sauf (except), Ent = Entrée (entry price), TR = Tarif réduit (reduced price, often for students and children or for evening hours as several Paris museums are now open at night), Caisses = Ticket office, M° = Métro (the closest metro stops so you can reach the museum easily). Note also that opening and closing times are done on a 24 hour or military clock.

Promenades et Loisirs
For monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe, walking tours, fairs, conventions, boat tours and other activities, the Promenades et Loisirs section is full of choices. My favorite part is the Visites Conferences where various guided walks are listed by day of the week. What makes the guided tours special is that they often take you into private or little known corners of Paris. The latest Pariscope I bought included descriptions of an enchanting tour of the Ile St. Louis, several mansions and secret courtyards of the Marais, and the Palais Royal neighborhood. Even if the tour guides speak only French and you don’t, just seeing the riches not accessible to the regular tourist make the walks worth every euro.

As you might have guessed, Pariscope is a staple for my time in Paris. After I get off the plane and take my first breath of Parisian air, I head straight for the nearest newsstand. The best bargain and the best guide to the city awaits.

* Les Deux Magots is located on the Left Bank at 170 Boulevard St. Germain in the sixth arrondissement. The Café de Flore is almost next door at 172 Boulevard St. Germain. The closest Métro stop is St-Germain-des-Prés.

* The Théâtre du Châtelet, or Châtelet Theatre, is located on the Right Bank at the Place du Châtelet in the first arrondissement.

Originally published June 18, 2008

French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter

Also in the spirit of making the most of time spent in Paris, there is a special Paris event in Dallas in mid June. To celebrate the 55th anniversary of SMU’s Continuing Studies program where I teach several courses a year, I will be giving a talk entitled “The Best of Paris:  55 Ways to Experience the City of Light.” The program description is below–come join us for a special evening and visual immersion into the best Paris has to offer…

The Best of Paris: 55 Ways to Experience the City of Light
Paris continues to be the most visited city in the world – and with good reason! It is home to some of the greatest art, architecture, churches, gardens and culture in the world. And of course, its cuisine is the best anywhere. Join us for this special class showcasing the best things to see, do, explore, taste and experience in Paris. Through illustrated lecture and discussion, we’ll cover the top 55 reasons to visit the City of Light, both on and off the beaten path. You’ll walk away from our ‘evening in Paris’ with a deeper sense of how to see and experience the world’s most beautiful city and with a travel guide for your next Paris trip. 

Date:  Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Time:  6:30 to 9pm
Location:  SMU main campus, Dallas
Registration:  Click here to register with SMU

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It’s travel season and one of the biggest draws when visiting Paris is, of course, art. I have put together a short list of some of the big exhibitions going on in the City of Light now through mid-summer.

When planning your travel to France, keep in mind that the main cultural calendars for art, music and dance around the country begin in September and run through June or early July. This means that many of the most prominent art exhibitions wrap up before the French go on summer vacation in August. A few shows do continue into August and September since people like art all year round.

But there’s plenty to see now culture-wise so if you’ve got a Paris visit planned, check out what artistic goodies are on view through the summer with the selected art guide below:

Around the time of the Impressionists

Manet, the Man who Invented Modernity  / Manet, Inventeur du Moderne at the Musée d’Orsay
Even though the Musée d’Orsay is undergoing partial renovation, notably of its Impressionist galleries, this temple of 19th century art of still open for visitors. it is hosting the first exhibit in nearly 20 years dedicated to Edouard Manet. It focuses on the historical influences of the time and illuminates the artist who has had a profound impact modern art.
Through July 3, 2011
Musée d’Orsay, 1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris 7th
Métro: Solférino
Admission: €10
www.musee-orsay.fr 

The Caillebotte Brothers’ Private World, Painter and Photographer / Dans l’Intimité des Frères Caillebotte, Peintre et Photographe at the Musée Jacquemart-André
This jewelbox of a decorative arts museum hosts small, well-curated exhibitions. Now through July 11, the Jacquemart-André museum is the first in the world to showcase an encounter between Gustave Caillebotte’s Impressionist paintings of Paris and his brother Martial Caillebotte’s photographs of the same images. The exhibition is a mesmerizing tribute to the two artists and their ability to capture Paris at a time of intense change.
Through July 11, 2011
Location: Musée Jacquemart-André, 158 blvd Haussmann, Paris 8th
Métro: Saint Augustin, Miromesnil or Saint Philippe du Roule
Admission: €10
www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com

Paris at the Time of the Impressionists / Paris aux Temps des Impressionnistes at the Hotel de Ville
One of the best kept art secrets in Paris is the free exhibitions at the Paris Town Hall. You have to enter on the back (east) side of the building and sometimes endure long lines but their art exhibitions are worth it. Currently, you can take in views of Paris as it changed dramatically between 1850 and 1914. Works by Impressionist artists including Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Caillebotte, Pissarro, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Signac, Bonnard and Vuillard are included—these paintings are all on loan from the nearby Musée d’Orsay which is partially closed for renovation.
Through July 30, 2011
Location: Hôtel de Ville, 5 rue Lobau, Paris 4th
Métro: Hôtel de Ville
Admission: Free

Odilon Redon, Prince du Rêve 1840–1916 at the Grand Palais
Redon was a contemporary of the Impressionists but painted in a dreamlike and surrealist manner. This show of about 270 works traces the evolution of his painting from dark tones and subjects to color and light.
Through June 20, 2011
Location: Grand Palais, Paris 8th
Métro: Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau
Admission: €11
www.rmn.fr

Earlier Art

Nature and the Ideal / Landscape Painting in 17th Century Rome / Nature et Idéal: Le Paysage à Rome, 1600–1650 at the Grand Palais
If you are into landscape painting, then you won’t want to miss this intriguing exhibition which catalogues the rise of landscape painting in early 17th-century Rome. It was during this time that nature became a subject in its own right. Light and atmosphere figure heavily in these lovely works by Carracci, Lorrain, Poussin, Rubens and others.
Through June 6, 2011
Location: Grand Palais, Paris 8th
Métro: Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau
Admission: €11
www.rmn.fr

Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus / Rembrandt et la figure du Christ at the Louvre Museum
The artistic genius of Rembrandt is evident in this exhibition devoted to portrayals of Christ.  Discarding formulaic images of the Son of God, Rembrandt explores Christ the man rising above the theological quarrels and dissensions of his day.
Through July 18, 2011
Location: Louvre Museum, Paris 8th
Admission: €11
http://www.louvre.fr/

Cranach and His Time / Cranach et Son Temps at the Musée du Luxembourg
The Musée du Luxembourg in the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris features 16th century and modern art on an alternating basis. Currently, the paintings, drawings and engravings by Lucas Cranach, one of the greatest artists of the German Renaissance, are featured. Cranach is one of the most original and talented artists of the 16th century and this exhibition of his refined and elegant art is a must-see.
Through May 23, 2011
Location: Musée du Luxembourg, 19 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 6th
Métro: Odéon
Admission: €11
www.museeduluxembourg.fr

The Sword: Uses, Myths and Symbolism / L’Epée: Usages, Mythes et Symboles at the Cluny Museum
This exhibition celebrates the sword as a weapon, fashion accessory and confirmation of power. It includes arms belonging to Joan of Arc and other powerful French historical figures.
Through September 26, 2011
Location: Musée de Cluny, 6 pl Paul Painlevé, Paris 5th
Métro: Cluny
Admission: €8.50
www.musee-moyenage.fr

“Fashion” and Fashion

Women in the East as Seen by Christian Lacroix/ L’Orient des femmes vu par Christian Lacroix at the Musée du quai Branly
Famous couture designer Christian Lacroix is no stranger to the museum scene. After wonderful exhibitions of his fashion collections at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Musée Réattu in Arles, Provence, in the last few years, Lacroix has selected an amazing collection of traditional costumes and accessories from the Near East for display at the Musée du quai Branly in Paris.
Through May 15, 2011
Musée du quai Branly, 37, quai Branly , Paris 7th
Admission: 8, 5 €
www.quaibranly.fr/en/

Madame Grès, la Couture à l’Oeuvre at the Musée Bourdelle
For those really interested in true fashion, the Musée Galliera, the city’s fashion museum that is currently closed for renovation, has organized an exhibit of haute couture by Germaine Krebs (1903–1993), known as Madame Grès. The first retrospective ever dedicated to Madame Grès, it highlights her motto and raison d’être: « Je voulais être sculpteur. Pour moi, c’est la même chose de travailler le tissu ou la pierre » (“I wanted to be a sculpteur. For me, it’s the same to find my expression in fabric or in stone”).
Through July 24, 2011
Location: Musée Bourdelle, 16 rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris 15th
Métro: Falguière
Admission: €7
www.bourdelle.paris.fr

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