Partager French Countryside...sighhh...

Have you missed me?  the week off in the French countryside, or France Profond, was one of the best May Madness yet.  For the past 3 (or is it 4?) years, mon marie et moi, take a celebration trip...sometimes it is weaved into a bit of work...but this year, it was all on its own!
The French really believe in time off here, and our measly one week was scoffed at, but...we headed to the south for our week in the sun.  They were right...minimum of 2 weeks next year!


After spending weeks of internet surfing..looking for the perfect place...I did find a nice one.
Here is the view from our terrace.  If anyone wants some information on this find, please let me know....and 
I will be happy to Partager  this jewel of a mas (large communal farmhouse - complete with its own bread oven shared by all in days of old....)   located in a field of thyme and wild honeysuckle...every step of the way, I was surrounded by wonderful smells and vistas...


Certainly a "Corner of Paradise"  

Partager May Day

The First of May, La Fête du Muguet, is the first of many Jours Fériés n the month of May.  So many holidays  (2 more to come, the 13 and 24) that the month of May is called the month of Swiss cheese....needless to say, not much gets accomplished, but everyone has a good time!

Lily -of- the- Valley, la Muguet, is sold on all the street corners...and everywhere you turn...as you come up from the metro, as you exit the grocery store..on your way down rue Cler, small little stands scattered all about, all over the city and all over  France.    It is tradition to give the ones you love a small bouquet of these lilies for good luck and to celebrate the arrival of spring. This is also considered Labor Day in France, a holiday the French got from America, (although America celebrates it in September). 

So, if you are visiting Paris this month, be prepared for a few closed stores and museums, and arrange your time on these holidays visiting the beautiful parks of Paris...or take in a classical movie at the Grand Rex Theater. 

Alors! Partager Paris wishes you la Bon Chance and ....

take some time to smell the Muguets of Spring!

Partager Fete Des Vendanges de Montmartre

My first time ...and a great one! Why did I wait so long to partager in this wonderful event? The event that I am still so excited about "La Fete des Vendanges de Montmartre." What a celebration! It is a GRAND parade, défilé, in honor of Bacchus ( one of my favorite gods!) and the Harvest Queen. I went with our photoclub, Paris PhotoMeetup, (check it out for some great shots of this event) to spend the day and most of the night celebrating the grapes of Montmartre. It began at the Marie du 18th arrondisement, and ended at Sacré Coeur, where the "Pyramide des Castellers", were building a human pyramid, consisting of men, women and children. I started to participate, but I am afraid of heights! The grand finale of the this special fete was celebrated with fireworks in front of Sacré Coeur. Along the way we enjoyed some of the fetes' products, produits du terroir, but more important, the Vigne du Clos Montmartre, the wine!

I will make it a point, to partager, this fete again next year. The vendange is celebrated every year...the first weekend of October. How about you? Get ready to climb the hill of Sacré Coeur and join in the fun!

Partager Music

I hadn't seen him in quite a long time. He seems to slip in and out in the middle of the night. Never do I see a suitcase in his hand. He isn't actually my neighbor; he is my neighbor's "petit ami". She is 92 and I am not sure of his age. Oh, the beauty of love ...at any age. I am always so happy to see him, because then I know she is not alone. But, how do I know when this mysterious man has dropped by for a visit? I don't see him, but I hear him. He plays the trombone, not just plays, but really plays well; plays all around France with some big names. So, when he is here, I receive a concert, gratuit. Today I actually saw him; met him in the stairwell. He told me Mme. is not doing so well...going down, he said. "And so am I. I don't play the horn anymore, but the keyboard". "Oh", I said slowly...I guess I must have added bit of sadness to those words, realizing that the much enjoyed concerts were now sold out... because, now, as I am typing this a few hours after our meeting in the stairwell, l'escalier, his music is wafting out his window and into mine. I like to think he is playing just for me...well, probably for Mme, too!

Partager Music...what a beautiful thing to share!

Partager Nuit Blanche 2009

Yes, Paris is known as the City of Lights,...which invites you to stay up all night. It is the city to partager at night. So the first Saturday in October, Paris celebrates with an all night Slumberless Party...La Nuit Blanche, which translates to "white night", or a night awake. A great excuse to give in to that "itch" to be outside..., to roam the city all night. So, I did! Not only was the weather great, but the moon was FULL, one of the fullest moons of the year. This year, the city concentrated most of the celebrating to three quartiers of the city, Chatelet/Marais, Buttes Chaumont, and the Latin Quarter; even Notre-Dame and the Grand Mosque were included in the events. To make the evening easier to enjoy, (there were more than 60 projects being shown!!) Soundwalk provided gratuit an application for the iphone which offered promenades of each of the quartiers of Nuit Blanche..just like a movie! What a great idea! and so, I was able to make it to just about all that was happening. Paris knows how to give a Slumber Party! Make your plans to be here for the the next Nuit Blanche 2010, so I can Partager it with you!

Dans Mon Coin - PARTAGER ART and CULTURE

Just happened to be looking out my window to witness the "love of art" in mon coin. It is not surprising to see this type of support between artisits, even on the street corners as seen here. It is so much of the life here; and there is never a shortage of art to appreciate, admire, be inspired by..or just plain wonder "what were they thinking?" Art, to me, is one of the best ways to connect with life and self....somehow. This week (26th Sept. thru 4 Oct.) there is the 8th Edition of the Week of Cultures Étrangères - an exchange and convergence, a partagering, between men (and women of course!) of all different embassies that are found dans mon coin, the 7th arrondisement. You will find Canadiaens, Italiens, Romanians, Chinese to name a few...take a look www.mairie7.paris.fr. I don't know which embassy to visit first! but I hope you will be able to partager this event with someone, too.