Not a lot of surprises on Lonely Planet’s list of most iconic human-made structures. But there’s a eyebrow-raiser in the text of the entry: How many electricians does it take to change a light bulb on the Eiffel Tower? A whole team is required to maintain the 10,000-odd light bulbs that illuminate the 324m (1060ft) tower. [...]
The project “Les 3 Murs” in the 10th arrondissement is somewhat strangely named (it involves four walls!) but is nevertheless an interesting initiative. Up until September 2012, a total of 18 works will be displayed, with the creations changed on average every three months. Each time a work is added, a local school or association [...]
A day spent at the gardens and home of Monet at Giverny is a beautiful one, regardless of with whom you spend it, whether a fellow art lover or travel companion. And of course a sunny day spent among flowers in the green countryside of France lends itself easily to romance. But I decided to forge [...]
The high season blockbusters have just opened in Paris museums. From a private home frozen in time at the Nissim de Camondo museum to the must-see Louvre, there are exhibitions to sate any sort of interest. Can music make a museum show? The title of a current show at the Musee D’Orsay suggests oui. On the [...]
Bieber fever might have swept through Paris like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of heartbroken girls in its wake but there is more to the city than its celebrity ensemble of regular visitors. Justin Bieber was in the City of Light for his gig at Bercy Concert Hall recently and the kind of reception he [...]
Saturday April 9th is Obscura Day worldwide, and in Paris that means a couple of events that I have had a hand in. I’m pleased to say that the visit to the Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale in the morning has proved popular, with tickets selling out in less than a week. It’s a location that I find [...]
A friend invited me to visit the Rosenblum collection. I had no idea what it was all about, but since I trust his judgement, I said, OK. And there I was in front of this big black door in the middle of the 13th arrondissement waiting for it to open. What I saw there was [...]
I am a lover of Les Halles, the area in the center of Paris that from the 12th Century until the 1970s was devoted to the selling of food–the central market–that was a cornucopia of fresh goods that arrived in Paris from the fields and villages of France every morning. For five years, I lived [...]
Navigating the maze of Paris museum ticket options can be a nightmare. The goal? Avoid lines, save money, feel like the savvy traveler your friends think you are. The problem? The amount of time you spend trying to avoid standing in line is instead spent in front of your computer comparing the different ticketing options. [...]
A recent New York Times article documents a thrifty weekend in Paris on $74 total, excluding lodging (the author stayed with a friend). As the Readership knows, Experienced Travelers are always on the lookout for cost savings. How else would we accumulate “Found Money” for frivolous spending later on? But we feel obliged to comment [...]
