Category: Non classé

Marcel Proust, Gustave Flaubert, Arthur Rimbaud, Stendhal, George Sand – you must recognize these names of major French writers. No, this article is not a book review, but an introduction to a unique cultural concept in France: Les Hôtels Littéraires.

Marcel Proust, Gustave Flaubert, Arthur Rimbaud, Stendhal, George Sand – you must recognize these names of major French writers. No, this article is not a book review, but an introduction to a unique cultural concept in France: Les Hôtels Littéraires. An avid book-reader and bibliophile, Monsieur Jacques Letertre, decided to share his passion for French…

A great reason to visit Deauville before the summer crowds arrive: Discover the exhibition “Vu(e) du dos” [“Seen from Behind”] at Les Franciscaines. It was upon discovering this small painting by André Hambourg that Annie Madet-Vache, director of the Les Franciscaines museum in Deauville, had the idea to organize this exhibition. André Hambourg (1909–1999) was…

This past year was very important for the Vatican as it was celebrating a Golden Jubilee Year. The tradition of the Jubilee celebration is mentioned in the Old Testament in Leviticus 25. Every fiftieth year, every Israelite was instructed to celebrate. The word “Jubilee” comes from the Hebrew word jobel, which is a ram’s horn…

Today we are adding another article about Marie Antoinette and the Toile de Jouy. As the last Queen of France, she was actively involved in the cultural and stylistic life of Versailles. According to some commentators, what is often called the “Louis XVI Style” could almost be better called the “Marie Antoinette Style”.

« A Man and a Woman » (Un Homme et une Femme) – some of you may remember this wonderful movie from 1966 directed by Claude Lelouch and the famous scene when Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimée, the actors, embrace each other on a beautiful long sandy beach. Well, the scene was filmed in Deauville. Deauville is…

This fall, the Parisian art scene offers two very special exhibits. Let’s explore. John Singer Sargent The MET in New York held its major exhibit entitled “Sargent in Paris” from April 27 to August 3, 2025. As always, the museography was excellent. Of course, there were the very well-known paintings: Madame X (i.e., Virginie Gautreau),…

During the last few months, the northern part of France, i.e. “au Nord de la Loire » (north of the Loire River, which is considered a weather frontier), has hardly seen the sunshine, — so let’s concentrate on a city that claims 300 days of sunshine a year: Aix-en-Provence. This beautiful and very cultural city is…

« The day my sister Mara brought me to Château La Coste for the first time, I was shocked. I was moved by the beauty, and I knew it was a special place. I hope you get that great feeling as well. » This is a quote by Patrick McKillen, an Irish entrepreneur and patron…

Eugène Boudin Le père de L’impressionnisme Eugène Boudin was another special exhibit in Paris not to be missed, on display from April 9 to August 31, 2025, at the Musée Marmottan-Monet. Born in Honfleur, Normandy in 1824 and died in Deauville in 1898, Boudin was a humble man who led a full and fascinating life doing…