The Paris Chapter: 17 - 23 July
Art apéros, outdoor cinema, Casa Eminente brocante, board games, Afro-Cuban jazz, language exchange, philosophy club, and so many different ways to dance.
Avec plaisir. The standard response to thank you, literally translated as “with pleasure”, speaks reams to the French approach to life.
Hemingway famously said “Paris is a moveable feast”, something I’ve always interpreted - and felt - to mean a feast for the senses. The city has its striking architecture, sure, and the symphony of the Gallic tongue, but it’s the delicate layering that renders it so exquisite; rivulets of light along the Seine, the scent of a fresh baguette, leaves rustling in the thick Palais-Royal canopies, gravel crunching, that first hit of a crisp Chablis.
Pleasure, here, is the experience of being more present, more attuned to the micro moments that, in every sense (pun intended), make a day.
Mindfulness - often mislabelled as austerity - is the key. Your body may be here, but where’s your mind at? Place your attention on the stimuli at hand: the air upon your skin, the soft flutter of your eyelids, the way your feet meet the ground. Any interval can be sensuous, if you so desire.
Like a true Parisian, The Paris Chapter will be en vacances for the next few weeks. To help keep you entertained, I’ve rounded up the Escapes and Art Salves featured to date, the latter neatly organised by when each expo ends (don’t miss the Norman Foster retrospective at Centre Pompidou, closing Aug 7).
Art salve
Musée départemental Albert-Kahn, Boulogne-Billancourt
“The mind has to travel”, a phrase indelibly etched on my being. Albert Kahn’s Archives of the Planet brings it to life, a treasure trove of 70,000+ images taken across 50 countries between 1908 to 1931. The unique, positively kaleidoscope presentation provides an immersive exploration of culture and community, an imaginative passport of sorts.
Kahn’s audacious ambition - to create an “inventory of the surface of the globe inhabited and developed by man as it presents itself at the start of the 20th Century” - was more than one man alone could achieve, and indeed came to bear through far-flung teams of photographers, hunter-gatherers of the human condition.
An absolute must - and well-worth a visit in its own right - is the museum’s four hectares of greenery. The outside world slips away as you wander, a web of meandering paths that practically force you to shift down a gear. It’s a petit tour de monde in itself, featuring an English cottage, French rose garden, and faithfully recreated Japanese village - carp fish, curved red bridge n’ all.
Snacking on the grounds is not allowed; pack a book, pad your stomach, and put several hours up your sleeve.
8€ full-price admission, https://albert-kahn.hauts-de-seine.fr/
French resource
Ahh, the minefield of French idiomatic phrases.* The New Yorker has published an illustrated overview to some of the most popular and perplexing - hands up if you know what se prendre un râteau means?
* To be fair, English apparently has over 25,000, and the swag of Australian ones are a beast unto themselves.
What’s on
Mon 17
Atelier Écriture, Maison de la Conversation (18e), 6.30 - 8.30pm
A French writing workshop on the theme of self-portraiture, providing an opportunity to question the fundamental things we wish to share about ourselves.
[FR] Free. Reservation required
Tues 18
Mardi poésie, Le Consulat (11e), 7 - 9pm
An evening of poetry readings accompanied by performances and video, with the focus on bringing words to life via the body.
[FR] 5€ at the door. Full details
ArtApéro, Reid Hall (6e), from 6pm
The Manet/Degas exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay (closing Sunday!) brings to light the painters’ contrasts and complicity. The museum’s curator, Isolde Pludermarcher, will be diving into their political sensibilities as they relate to the American Civil War.
[EN] Free. Register here
Wed 19
Atelier performatif, L’Académie du Climat, (4e), 6.30 - 8pm
Learn how to keep mosquitos at bay using the medicinal properties of certain plants, in this interactive workshop exploring how traditional knowledge can be validated through scientific research.
[FR] Free. Registration required
Soirées d’été, Musée de Montmartre (18e), 7 - 10pm
Get a late night viewing of the museum’s Surréalisme au féminin exhibition, followed by a languid summer evening in the Jardin Renoir. Drinks and dinner available to purchase.
15€ admission (includes exhibition). Buy your ticket
Roller disco, Césure (5e), 7pm - 12am
Rollerskating and hot dogs, my friends… whether you’re new to the sport or ready to jump straight into the disco, there’s a workshop here. The following Bal Glisse is for all levels, accompanied by a DJ set.
[FR] Free. Reservation required
Thur 20
Betty Blue, Luminor (4e), from 7pm
Lost in Frenchlation presents this sizzlingly cult French film (here with English subtitles), followed by an actor Q&A. Arrive early to mingle with other cinephiles.
[FR/EN] 7-11€. Buy your ticket
Polyglot club, Les Cariatides (2e), from 8pm
An informal language exchange from an organisation soon to hit one million members worldwide - one would assume they’ve got their format down pat.
2€ paid at the door. Full details
Nu Genea Live Band, Pyramide du Louvre (1e), 10pm
Unofficial ambassadors of the Neapolitan music scene, Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina are performing the closing concert of the Étés du Louvre, under the famous pyramid. Expect a vibrant mix of French and Italian, and of European, Oriental and African musical styles.
38€ full-price admission. Reserve your spot
Parasite, La Villette (19e), 10.30pm
An outdoor screening of the haunting South Korean film, winner of the Palme d’or 2019 and Academy Award for Best Picture 2020.
[FR] Free. Full details
Fri 21
Oh my frip, Bastille Design Centre (11e), through Sun
Over 8,000 pieces of vintage and second-hand clothing (items from the 70s to the present day), all sold by the kilo.
Free. Reserve your spot
Playground, Ground to Grow (3e), 6 - 10pm
Board game enthusiasts, this is your jam. The lovely Ground to Grow yoga studio and cafe is being transformed into a “jeux de société” soirée, with 30 different board games and a vegan buffet.
[FR] 28€ (drinks included). Reserve your spot
Ábàjade, Studio de l'Ermitage (20e), 8.30 - 11.30pm
Afro-Cuban jazz meets soul in this modern experiment in celebration and ritual, highlighting movement, collective joy and the fervour of trance.
15€. Buy your ticket
Sat 22
Casa Eminente Brocante (4e), 11am - 7pm
Cuban pop-up Casa Eminente is selling all the decoration, furniture, plants, tableware and works of art that brought it to life. The setting was stunning, so grab a ticket quick - all money raised will benefit a charity project in Cuba.
Démonstration de lithographie, Le Bon Marché (7e), 2 - 4pm
A practical demonstration of the printing art, through a Japanese lens. Dive into the ancestral technique that combines Indian ink, press and paint with limestone.
[FR/EN] Free. Full details
Cafe Philo, Nouvelle Acropole Paris (11e), 4pm
A club dedicated to in-depth dialogue on a philosophical question, allowing you to exercise your thinking and the art of listening. This week’s topic: Is common sense self-evident?
[FR] 5€ (drinks included). Buy your ticket
Sun 23
Atelier Salsa Hip Hop, Centrequatre Paris (19e), 12 - 1pm
Explore the rhythms of salsa and its fusion with hip-hop, in this all-level class embodying Cuban and New York style. No dance partner required.
[FR] 10-15€ (for an annual 104 pass). Reserve your spot
Cosmic Dance, Le Consulat (11e), 5pm
A free-flowing, joyous exploration of movement, following the guidelines of ecstatic dance: no shoes, no alcohol, no worries. Best to wear workout clothes; expect to sweat.
15€ pre-sale, 20€ on site. Buy your ticket
Some Like it Hot, La Villette (19e), 10.30pm
The Marilyn Monroe classic goes open air, with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as jazz musicians who turn to cross-dressing to escape the mob.
[FR/EN] Free. Full details
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Thanks for being here - have a lovely summer!
Jenni