It was on the southern edge of the arrondissement, in the wretched Faubourg St-Antoine that rumbling discontent was first channeled into working-class consciousness and into organized action against exploitation. When word was spread on April 28, 1789 that Monsieur Réveillon, a painted-paper manufacturer on rue de Montreuil, was planning to reduce his workers’ wages, the Faubourg St-Antoine rose up in a violent insurrection. Monsieur Réveillon had not anticipated such a reaction, for the lowering of wages he had intended was proportionate to the drop in the price of bread fixed by the authorities to ease social tension. His 400 workers had a different idea of fairness and Réveillon, terrified, ran for his life and sought shelter in the neighboring Bastille, the ominous fortress looming west of the faubourg. It took the intervention of troops and a death toll of 30 to put down the revolt, but any wise ruler should have sensed that further trouble was brewing … Continue reading “Bastille day…The story behind the celebration”
Best Paris Baguette 2026
Fresh bread from the local boulangerie is one of the things we love about Paris… especially the baguette. French baguettes received UNESCO’s world heritage status in 2022. According to the National Federation of French Bakers more than 6 billion baguettes are baked each year in France. Continue reading “Best Paris Baguette 2026”
Gerard Richter Paris Retrospective
The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris hosts a major retrospective of the German artist Gerhard Richter (until March 2, 2026). The exhibition brings together many of Richterś iconic figurative images —based on photographs— along with his complex abstractions. The exhibition documents approximately six decades of the artist’s career. Richter’s eclectic work is rich in varied media ranging from his famous reproductions of banal and historic photography to glass panes to huge abstract paintings to stained glass church windows. Continue reading “Gerard Richter Paris Retrospective”
Plat du Jour
Susan Herrmann Loomis’ cookbook “ Plat du Jour: French Dinners Made Easy” is a virtual journey to culinary France via recipes, photos, anecdotes and tips. From French “plat du jour” means dish of the day. Loomis is talking about “those dishes you find on handwritten menus outside French bistros or cafés, the ones that beckon everyone inside to sample a restaurant’s mouthwatering menu.” She says “Most plats du jour are classics lifted from the heart of French regional cuisine, dishes that evoke the essence of France, the spirit of terroir and grandmere… from Boeuf Bourguignon and Blanquette de Veau to Bouillabaisse and Croque Monsieur.” Continue reading “Plat du Jour”
American Art, French Thinking
“Echo Delay Reverb, Art Américain, Pensées Francophones,” at Paris’ Palais de Tokyo” contemporary art museum, revisits various ways in which successive generations of artists in the United States have been influenced by social, political and theoretic concepts shaped in France (to February 15, 2026). Continue reading “American Art, French Thinking”
Singer Sargent… Dazzling Paris
“John Singer Sargent. Eblouir Paris” explores the early career of American painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925). Over the course of one extraordinary decade, Sargent achieved recognition by creating boldly ambitious portraits and figure paintings pushing the boundaries of conventionality (to January 11, 2026). Sargent (Florence, 1856 – London, 1925)—along with James McNeill Whistler— was one of the most famous American artists of his generation. Continue reading “Singer Sargent… Dazzling Paris”
Jazzy Dance Rendez Vous
Chanson, tap dance, joie de vivre with a Frenchy jazzy cabaret in Paris’ timeless Montmartre? Sounds good to us! Check out the “Parisian Time Step” show–December 6, 2025– from tap dancer Ruby Boukabou and singer/ dancer Wendy Lee Taylor (Lido de Paris) with piano by Philippe Petit . The show is a fun celebration of Paris, music and tap dance where the audience time travels back to the Belle Epoque with its cheeky polkas; 1930s music halls and smokey 1940s-50s Saint Germain jazz bars. Continue reading “Jazzy Dance Rendez Vous”
The Latin Quarter Revisited
Discovering the 5 & 6th district
Romantic myths of Left Bank intelligentsia which date back seven centuries are brutally shattered on today’s busy bd St-Michel, the main artery of the Latin Quarter, where the 5th and 6th arrondissements meet.
The venerable Sorbonne, the quarter’s historic seat of intellectual life, is still there, but these days the forlorn chime of its chapel bell, which has punctuated the studies of generations of scholars, is drowned out by the din of passing traffic. Indeed most people who stream past the place de la Sorbonne seldom notice its beautiful 17th century chapel with its graceful dome. Continue reading “The Latin Quarter Revisited”
Paris Valentine with the Midas Touch
Okay, fellas, it’s time to think about making an impression on Valentine’s Day. You can do like every other guy in town and take the love of your life flowers. Or, you can score lots of points by offering her a gift of the gods that’s 18 karat gold. In Paris, prices range from a couple of hundred Euros for a modest bauble from Tati’s “fine jewelry” boutique, to two or three times that at Galeries Lafayette, or maybe 50 times that for the Cartier dream. Continue reading “Paris Valentine with the Midas Touch”
French Holiday Wines with Sparkle…
Twelve Bubbly Days of Christmas
Holidays are times to uncork a bottle of bubbly and make a toast. Although France’s champagne is the world’s most famous celebratory drink there are others that merit tasting. Since there are twelve days of Christmas here are a dozen bubblies to get you in the spirit this season. Continue reading “French Holiday Wines with Sparkle…”
Christmas Markets, Paris 2025
Paris’ Christmas markets are among the things that make the holidays special in France. The markets are found all over the city from the Tuilleries Garden to Saint Germain des Pres to the Parvis de la Mairie du 15e. But the biggest (10,000 meters) and most diversified market (200 stalls) is found at Paris’ La Défense. The earliest Christmas markets date back to the late middle ages and have their origin in Germany. The Dresden “Striezelmarkt” is said to be the oldest Christmas market and was first held in the 15th century. The Bautzen Christmas market and the Vienna “December Market” are supposed to be even older dating back to the 13th century. It was in 1570 when the Christmas market tradition found its way into Alsace, France’s easternmost region bordering Germany.