L' Arc de Triomphe - Wrapped
We had a bon weekend in Paris. No shock there. If you're in Paris, you're probably going to be in a good mood. Let's face it.
We went to Paris to visit the Arc de Triumph, wrapped up by the team of the late great artists Jeanne-Claude and Christo. I've been desperate to see a wrapping since I missed the Saffron Gates in NYC years ago. I've learned more about JC & C with the Thirdlanders every year as part of one of our IB units. Serendipity brought us to France the very year of the wrapping of AdT. Covid delayed us, but we made it.
I laughed coming up out of the metro upon first seeing a section of AdT-Wrapped above me through the trees. We stood with others along a barrier to view it from afar. Volunteers were walking about handing out samples of the polypropylene fabric that wraps the monument. I couldn't even spend a second to think of the French way to ask politely for a piece. I just walked up and said, "I want one too!" The volunteers were happy to oblige.
We visited the AdT-W on Friday afternoon in broad daylight. To get close, we showed the passe sanitaire that allowed us to enter the inner circle. We walked around and through, near and far, touched the ropes and the fabric, watched the wrapped monument sway and shimmer in the wind. We stood near the eternal flame, which burns for the unnamed people who died in the world wars. It was surrounded by flowers.
On Saturday, we continued with our AdT-W plan. In the afternoon, we went to the Seine near Point Neuf to see a photo exhibit of Jeanne-Claude/Christo works over the years. Then we visited the Pompidou Center to get our Georgia O'Keefe on. Later, we headed back to the AdT-W before dinner time. Come to find out, there was a ceremony happening. Soldiers, Veterans, Flags, Brass Band, Dignitaries. We joined the crowd to see what we could and listened to the band play La Marseillaise. Not sure what the ceremony was all about but from the solemnity, I could tell it had something to do with war being bad news bears. The music of the ceremony was a little bonus moment. Unfortunately, we didn't see President Macron.
Next we landed at our restaurant, which was very near the AdT-W, but our view was blocked by its awning. We could only see the lower quarter of the monument as we ate, but that was better than nothing. The Lebanese Restaurant had many security and video people for AdT-Wrapped eating outside with us. I wanted to somehow steal one of their identity lanyards, but it would have been tricky. After dinner, we walked back to the AdT-W to admire it in its nighttime glory.
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Since you have let it be known that you like Matisse, one of our favorite museums of all time is the Musée Matise à Nice https://www.musee-matisse-nice.org/en/ In the winter there are no crowds, and we can sometimes be in a room alone with all the Matisse paintings. What a joy!!
Of course, there is also the Matisse Chapel -- Chapelle du Rosaire à Vence http://chapellematisse.com It is incredible and a must see.
As long as you are in the area you must see la Fondation Maeght à Saint-Paul de Vence https://www.fondation-maeght.com It is just outside the walls of a beautiful but often overrun by tourists old walled hilltop city. It is fantastic especially the sculpture garden which has a different feel with every weather change.
There are also many other museums like the Chagall Museum in Nice, the Picasso Museum in Antibes, etc.
If you are into aquariums, the Oceanographic Institute in Monaco https://musee.oceano.org/en/aquariums/ is fantastic.
Besides museums, the views are incredible and the food sublime.
We will be in Villefranche for October and back again for January and February. If you decide to visit, we can provide more ideas for you. If you come while we are there, it would be fun to meet up.
I'm waking up in the future, so I predict that all of you will have wonderful Tuesdays.
And UL.... we will definitely be doing some research about a trip to Villefranche-sur-mer!
It sounds like a dream come true!!!