An alchemist’s love potion: Nicolas Flamel. In a narrow street in the third arrondissement of Paris, near the Pompidou Centre, at 51 rue de Montmorency, is the house of alchemist Nicolas Flamel and his wife Pernelle. It is the oldest stone house, still standing, in Paris, and Flamel built it himself in 1407. Nicolas FlamelContinue reading “An alchemist’s love potion: Nicolas Flamel”
Author Archives: MaNi
L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, Paris, September 2021 – love and romance!
L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, Paris, September 2021 – love and romance! A love affair and a love of Paris: the creative union of Christo and Jeanne-Claude brought a dream to reality. Bulgarian-born artist Christo (1935-2020) died on 31 May last year, but his partner Moroccan-born Jeanne-Claude (1935-) and her installation team continued their plans toContinue reading “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, Paris, September 2021 – love and romance!”
Montesquieu’s Persian Letters – observations of French society
Montesquieu’s Persian Letters – observations of French society. Montesquieu wrote Persian Letters in 1721. It is set in France from 1712 to 1720. French-born Montesquieu’s real name is Charles-Louis de Secondat (1689-1755) who set about writing this diarist-novel, which is series of letters comprising vignettes and observations of French society. Two fictional Persian male travellers – UsbekContinue reading “Montesquieu’s Persian Letters – observations of French society”
Wine tasting in the Loire Valley, France 
Wine tasting in the Loire Valley, France. My previous post was on French champagne empire. In this post, I’m talking about wine from the Loire Valley in France, because I have just returned from a wine tasting tour. A little tour, but nevertheless a tour out of Paris, for the first time in 18 months. Continue reading “Wine tasting in the Loire Valley, France ”
The Clicquot Champagne Empire in France – Le vin, c’est moi !
The Clicquot Champagne Empire in France – Le vin, c’est moi ! The French champagne empire developed in times of war, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the French Revolution. The Champagne Region of France was (and still is) limited to 323 villages with a close-knit but competitive community. But how did it all begin? Author and historian Tilar J.Continue reading “The Clicquot Champagne Empire in France – Le vin, c’est moi !”
Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. In the Victor Hugo museum is an exhibition, from 10 June to 21 November 2021, called Dans L’Intimité du Genie – In the Intimacy of Genius – with Hugo’s paintings, drawings, engravings, and artwork. Hence, it’s time to re-read Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) is set inContinue reading “Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”
Victor Hugo: House, Museum, and Art Exhibition
Victor Hugo: House, Museum, and Art Exhibition. French author Victor Hugo, noted for his novels The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831) and Les Miserables (1862), lived in Paris from 1832-1851, before his exile to Guernsey. His home is now a museum. The living quarters are on the second floor and the museum of his paintings and worksContinue reading “Victor Hugo: House, Museum, and Art Exhibition”
What is an Éclair?
What is an Éclair? Enter any patisserie or boulangerie in Paris, and you will find éclairs. An éclair is a sweet French pastry – an elongated choux (puff) pastry topped with glacé icing, such as chocolate, coffee, or caramel, sliced in the middle and filled with whipped vanilla cream. Before 1850, the éclair used to be called pain à laContinue reading “What is an Éclair?”
Napoléon Bonaparte’s love story
Napoléon Bonaparte’s love story. To commemorate 200 years since the death of Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor Napoléon I of France, this year, I read his love story again. In 1795, at 26 years of age, before he become Emperor, Napoléon Bonaparte wrote a short story, a novella, called Clisson and Eugenie: A Love Story. The 2007 edition includes anContinue reading “Napoléon Bonaparte’s love story”
2021 Napoléon Season: bicentenary of his death
2021 Napoléon Season: bicentenary of his death. To commemorate the bicentenary–200 years–since the death of Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor Napoléon I of France, there are a number of exhibitions and events under the banner of the “2021 Napoléon Season.” These include a large exhibition at La Villette in Paris on Napoleon from 14 April to 19 SeptemberContinue reading “2021 Napoléon Season: bicentenary of his death”