Magnificent, special, superb and commanding. That is just from the outside. Enter it and it is grand, glorious and extraordinarily elegant. The French know how to do city hall, and they don’t fight it. The most impressive building in almost any city, town or village in France is the city hall. In Paris, in front of this majestic, ornate, and turreted building is a huge square where they build an ice rink in winter and an amusement park in summer. Great fountains and exquisite lighting finish the presentation. Children play, lovers love, and the wiser just quietly stroll. In historic times the motif was not quite as serene and pleasant, but perhaps that is why they don’t fight city hall.

Original appearance May 4, 2005, © 2005 / HÔTEL DE VILLE, (CITY HALL) / 4 PL DE L'HÔTEL DE VILLE, 75004 / 01 42 76 50 49 / CIP 126, OO 12, RD WAS 19 NOW 28, YP 30/5-28

Bastille Day (July 14th) and New Years Eve are the two big ones but there are other times. When the fireworks go off is when I like to turn off my office light and look out over the rooftops of Paris. Most buildings in Paris are 6, 7 or 8 stories high. My office, where I sit right this instant, is on the top 8th floor. During any day it is fun to watch the city below but on Bastille Day, right at dusk, the sight is phenomenal. From every fire station and many parks in the city a brilliant display of pyrotechnics. And I am right across the street from one of the main firehouses in Paris. To see a starburst from so up close and personal is exciting.

Original appearance May 04, 2005, © 2005 / CIP 045, OO 12, RD 28, YP 30/5-28

Carry one everywhere. Always. Even to the bathroom. Now you are never lost and when you are, you are happy. The first time I went for a walk in Paris I managed by always turning right until I got back to where I started. The next time I turned left once and I was lost. True story. It took me two hours to get back to where I started. Now I carry a little map book with me always and when I am lost I am happy. When I wish to be found I simply pick a direction, any direction, and walk until I come to a large street – it is usually called an Avenue or a Boulevard. I am found. There are almost no square blocks in all of Paris but the triangles all lead to an avenue. Determine the direction and head home. It’s not far and it’s fun.

Original appearance May 04, 2005, © 2005 / CIP 042, OO 12, RD 28, YP 30/5-28

The avenues and the boulevards of this town are jewels. They are living, breathing, vital arteries each with its own character. Of course the Champs-Elysées is the most storied but there are others, each with their own vigor and viability. The Boulevard St-Germain has an intellectual air and the Avenue Montaigne the unmistakable allure of haute couture. For a walk on the wilder side try Boulevard de Clichy, home to the Moulin Rouge. Hungry? The Boulevard du Montparnasse has three of the most famous Parisian eateries almost cheek to jowl. Each avenue has its own story and they are all worth hearing, touching, seeing, feeling. Start on the Champs-Elysées but explore more.

Original appearance May 04, 2005, © 2005 / CIP 055, OO 12, RD 28, YP 30/5-28

Here we have to tread carefully to actually truly reflect my view because in the grand scale of things the French are just like every other people and with the same proportions – mostly good a few great and some not. The difficulty is more a matter of manners than substance. Parisians in particular are cold, aloof, arrogant and rude, and even more so if they think you are American. Part of it is simply the city – the same difference between upstate and downstate New York. Another part is the media – biased beyond belief, but that is another story.
(Painting by Florence de Fremond)

Original appearance May 04, 2005, © 2005 / CIP 004, OO 12, RD 28, YP 30/5-28

Richelieu originally had this garden built in the early 1600’s but it was quite a bit larger back then. Most of the earlier ground was replaced by the housing that now surrounds the square reminiscent of the Place des Vosges. Still as Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais have lived here and Le Grand Véfour (restaurant) is housed here perhaps it was progress. Anyway, it is still quite impressive with its 8 acres and shade from the double rows of lime trees. On both sides of the central pool and fountain is a large expanse of grass. Perhaps the most unusual feature was added in 1986 by the conceptual artist Daniel Buren and called “280 Prison-Striped Columns, Oddly Placed.” At least a few of them are the appropriate height to sit on and contemplate what and why they are. I sort of liked the steel-ball sculptures by the Belgian artist Pol Bury. As I had never heard of the man I looked him up. Oddly enough he was alive when I saw them but died a couple of weeks ago on September 29, 2005, at the age of 83.

Original appearance Jan 26, 2006, © 2006 / PALAIS ROYAL / JARDIN DU PALAIS ROYAL, (GARDEN) / PL DU PALAIS ROYAL, 75001 / NONE OR NL / KEYS : LITTERATURE,COCTEAU,REVOLUTION,CANNON,PILLARS, 8 ACRES, POOL,STATUE / CIP 188, OO 13, RD 26, YP 30/5-26

Michel SERRAULT / THE GAY Streets of Paris / 76L / A 241*

A prolific actor with over 100 films of varying quality – the only one that made a big splash over here was La Cage aux Folles (1978) in which he played a drag queen. Michel Serrault worked almost exclusively in French films limiting his international exposure. Still he won the ‘Best Actor’ César (French Oscar) three times (1978, 1981, 1995), has aged well and has improved with time.

Original appearance Oct 26, 2005 / Robert DOISNEAU / The Gay STREETS OF PARIS / 76B / A 241*

I love his work. He did for people, and the epoch, and the streets of Paris what Ansel Adams did for landscapes and Yosemite. This man was a genius with a camera. Robert Doisneau captured and epitomized the charming but ordinary mid 20th century Parisian streets. Painted pictures in black and white – common people doing normal things with a touch of class. Though he worked for them for a short while in the early fifties, Vogue was not his style.

For more relevant information see A 241 or a Two for One

Original appearance Oct 26, 2005, © 2005 / Michel SERRAULT / 1928- / actor, comic, film, theater / ugly*good* / F/C / 76L / 376A / 13 / Robert DOISNEAU / 1912-1994 / photographer, artist / better,good / B+/C / 76B / CIP 376, OO 13, RD 26, YP 30/5-36

Francis CABREL / BOB DYLAN’S Fate / 65L / A 241*

This gifted singer with a southern French accent was strongly influenced by Bob Dylan in his early days. He has a love of country life, avoids the media spotlight and probably would fit in well in Nashville. His album Sarbacane (Peashooter) sold 2 million in 1989 and he has had numerous other hits including Hors Saison (Out of Season), a diamond disc in 1999. A touch of John Denver here, and a humanitarian to boot. A good man.

André MALRAUX / Bob Dylan’s FATE / 65B / A 241*

You name it, he did it. Author, adventurer, statesman, aesthete, novelist, resistance leader, minister and on and on – a multifaceted man. Shades of T.E. Lawrence here. André Malraux is perhaps best known for his classic La Condition Humaine (Man’s Fate, 1933) which won him the Goncourt Prize, France’s top literary award. One of his quotes worth remembering: “Be careful – with quotations, you can damn anything.”

For more relevant information see A 241 or a Two for One

Original appearance Oct 26, 2005, © 2005 / Francis CABREL / 1953- / musician, singer, song writer / ugly*better* / F+/B / 65L / 365A / 13 / André MALRAUX / 1901-1976 / writer, novelist, politician / better / B/B / 65B / CIP 365, OO 13, RD 26, YP 30/5-26

Patrick POIVRE D’ARVOR / TO PRESENT a Politician / 63L / A 241*

He has his very own satirical latex puppet on the TV show ‘Les Guignols’ (roughly, ‘Spitting Image’) and, of course, it is called PPD. Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, usually known as PPDA, is the well known news anchor of TF1. The caricatures are not always complimentary. I limit my comments to the above because my comments regarding the objectivity of the French news media is likewise not always complimentary.

Valéry GISCARD D’ESTAING / To Present A POLITICIAN / 63B / A 241*

This former French President (1974-1981) was until recently proudly known as the author of the EU Constitution (when it tanked in the recent referendum the ‘proud’ became a little more iffy). His election in 2003 to the Académie française was a tad controversial and he was born in Koblenz Germany. I gather French Presidents don’t have to be natural born.

For more relevant information see A 241 or a Two for One

Original appearance Oct 26, 2005, © 2005 / Patrick POIVRE D’ARVOR / 1947- / host, journalist, writer / ugly*best* / F/A* / 63L / 363A / 13 / Valéry GISCARD D’ESTAING / 1926- / politician, President, EU / C/A* / 63B / CIP 363, OO 13, RD 26, YP 30/5-26

Gilbert BECAUD / The MUSICAL Marshal / 86L / A 241*

He was known as ‘Monsieur 100,000 Volts’ due to his energetic concerts at the legendary Olympia Music Hall which he played a record 33 times. What you need to know is that he wrote the original ‘Let It Be Me’ (1956), and ‘What Now My Love’ (1961) in French. The Everly Brothers, Frank Sinatra and a galaxy of other American stars owe Gilbert Becaud a debt of thanks because they made gold on him.

Ferdinand FOCH / The Musical MARSHAL / 86B / A 241*

Georges Clemenceau insisted on him as the overall Supreme Commander during WW I and he came into conflict with Pershing on numerous occasions. He was, perhaps unjustly, accused of having too strong an offensive orientation and sometimes blamed for the consequent horrendous toll in the Somme Offensive. However his principle of superiority in numbers still holds sway today. For sure Ferdinand Foch proved war is hell.

For more relevant information see A 241 or a Two for One

Original appearance Oct 26, 2005, © 2005 / Gilbert BECAUD / 1927- / musician, singer / ugly* / F-/F / 86L / 386A / 13 / Ferdinand FOCH / 1851-1929 / military, Marshal, WWI / better / B/F / 86B / CIP 386, OO13, RD 26, YP 30/5-26