The Paris Chapter: 29 May - 4 June
Artist studio visits, AI, architecture, life drawing, Monet's gardens, free museum entry, pop-up sculptures across Paris, and more.
What’s your Future French Self like? Mine elegantly partakes in long, philosophical conversations, displays a witty repartee at dinner parties, has an off-the-cuff zinger for every occasion - le tout en français. She also - it’s not all lofty ambitions - has the perfect response when the zillionth person tries to cut in line, and can argue the finer points of plumbing repair.
You’ll notice more French events in this edition, partly due to the increasing number of Frenchies amongst us (salut!), but mostly because the purpose of The Paris Chapter is to help you make the most of the city: attend interesting events, meet new people, and - if you’re a fellow expat - jump up a language level or two.
The fastest path to fluency is to throw ourselves amongst it; like anything, the more we can dance at the edges of our comfort zone, the quicker we progress. We also, as the saying goes, can get further together: if you have a French tip or Paris favourite to share, or a specific question you think I could address, please drop me a line.
Art salve
Musée Nissim de Camondo, (8e)
I’ve long loved this museum dedicated to the decorative arts, with its full three storeys of rooms seemingly frozen in time.
The house was built in 1911, but decorated in the style of a mid-18th century mansion - the architect was instructed to emulate Versailles’s Petit Trianon. Overlooking Parc Monceau, it’s the perfect place for a quiet respite; an opportunity to step away from the modern world for a moment.
This beautiful feature story explores the tragic history of the Camondo family, should you wish to read up before you visit.
“The house, after all, is a temple of gilded abundance, a labyrinth of rooms showcasing the finest craftsmanship of France's ‘ancien régime’… But in equal measure it has become a somber meditation on the overwhelming absence of a family”
12€ full price admission, www.madparis.fr
Escape to…
Giverny, birthplace of Monet’s famed waterlilies, and also of the moment you realise you’ve become your parents, overly excited about gardens (to the point of finding “ooh, which species is that?” escaping your lips on more than one occasion).
The grounds are in full bloom*, where the main attraction is obviously the water garden. Don’t skip passing through his home, for the peek at how he lived (waking up to that gorgeous view across the tulips) and his inspirations (the extensive collection of Japanese prints, in particular).
11€ full price admission, fondation-monet.com. Tickets are available to purchase on location, even if they’re sold out online.
*As are the tourists, who seem to multiply by the hour. Get in early!
If you came by car…
Drive another 10 minutes down the road to the cute little town of Vernon, and picnic in front of the lovely Château des Tourelles on the banks of the Seine.
Stop by La Roche Guyon, and marvel at the rare example of a manor built into a rock face. Wander their extensive vegetable gardens (manicured as only as the French can manage), and grab a bite at the charming Chez Léon.
French resource
Simple yet effective: start each weekday morning with Le Sept de L'Express, the news magazine’s round-up of the top seven things to know for the day. The easily digestible format allows three short paragraphs for each, inclusive of the context and pourquoi ça compte. You can view a sample edition here; to subscribe you’ll need to create a free account.
It took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that iPhones have multi-language dictionaries, and that after turning them on (Settings > General > Dictionary), you can then quickly look up an unfamiliar French word by long-pressing on it and toggling to, you guessed it, ‘translate’.
What’s on
Mon 29
Planche Tennis Club x Room Service, The Hoxton (9e), until 11 June
If you’re seeking a fun place to watch the French Open, head to the Hoxton’s Planche wine bar, for tennis served with a special menu from Room Service (food events extraordinaire).
From 12pm daily
Tues 30
Anselm Kiefer: The Monument and the Ruin, Reid Hall (6e), 5pm
German sculptor/painter Anselm Kiefer and Columbia professor Barry Bergdoll will be diving into the role of architecture and space in the artist’s work, in particular in his permanent installations in the Panthéon.
[EN]. Free. Registration required
Vinyasa Yoga by donation, Centre de danse du Marais (4e), 7.30pm
For those wishing to try out Vinyasa yoga (while learning how to say “toes” in more than one tongue), this donation-based class will be led in French and Spanish (the instructor also speaks English, if required). Open to all levels.
[FR / ES] By donation. Registration required
Wed 31
Apéro Talk, Le Wagon Gaudelet (11e), 7pm
Olivier Reynaud, CEO & Co-founder of Aive (a video creative AI platform) will discuss Generative AI and his predictions for creativity and innovative technologies. Drinks to follow.
[FR] Free. Registration required
Thur 1
Portes Ouvertes, Belleville (19e), from 2pm
Four days of open access to 106 artist’s studios, dotted all throughout Belleville, with disciplines ranging from painting, photography and sculpture to collage, screen printing and contemporary embroidery.
Free. Full details
Duos et débats, Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine (16e), 7pm
This round of the quarterly face-off between two teams of architects - one practising in France, one elsewhere in the EU - pits Carles Enrich (Barcelona) versus Amélia Tavella, (Aix-en-Provence). The evening starts with a short film summarising each team’s approach (both shaped by the Mediterranean), followed by the debate on different aspects of architectural culture.
[FR] Free. Reservation required
Fri 2
We Love Green, Bois de Vincennes (12e), until Sun
Tickets are still available for this three day eco-focused music festival featuring headliners such as Phoenix, Pusha-T, Bon Iver and Jack Johnson, think tanks, and food from local, organic sources.
From 49€ for a one-day pass. Buy tickets
Sat 3
Life Drawing, Librairie Eyrolles (5e), 11am
Michel Lauricella, artist and author of the acclaimed Morpho: Anatomy for Artists series, is holding a two hour live drawing workshop to coincide with the temporary exhibition of his work. BYO paper and pencil.
[FR] Free. Registration required
Nuit Blanche, various locations, from 6pm
For one night, the city itself becomes a contemporary art gallery. Expect to see a range of art installations alongside (or on) the Seine, with a wide array of performances to accompany the pop-up sculptures, from acrobatics to cowboy-themed ping-pong tournaments, and Sufi dancing to toy piano concerts. Many museums offer free entrance for the evening, with special activities to boot.
Free. Full program
Sun 4
Free museum entry, multiple locations
The first Sunday of each month means free entry at a number of museums, from the Musée D’Orsay and Musee de l’Orangerie through to the Centre Pompidou, Picasso museum and Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (a good chance to check out this expo, if you haven’t already).
Coming up
On June 22, Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish, H.E.R, and Jon Batiste will be fronting Power the Planet: Live in Paris, underneath the Eiffel Tower. The Global Citizen initiative aims to influence world leaders attending the New Financing Pact Summit (occurring the same day).
Tickets are free but you have to make a little effort to be in the running - igniting people to take positive action for the planet is the whole point, ouais. The first draw (of three) ends on June 1.
Learn how you can help shape The Paris Chapter. If you found this edition useful, I’d love if you could spread the word!
Thanks for being here,
Jenni