Thanksgiving was great fun in Paris with lovely faithful American friends visiting and they took me to see the new Skarstedt gallery on 2 avenue Matignon where Eric Fischl, their neighbor in North Haven, is having a show. The large space decorated by Jacques Grange is stupendous with a view of the Elysées gardens and the Eiffel Tower and just … Read More
Tree houses for rent what fun!
I had wanted to go for many years to Raray, the spectacular property owned by the La Bédoyère family near Senlis and stay in one of their tree huts. But I only went last week, and have to admit I did not spend the night because it was fully booked. Emmanuel de La Bédoyère, who started this adventure six years … Read More
Giuseppe Penone brings trees to Bibliothèque Nationale
Walking into the main room of the exhibition, “Giuseppe Penone, Sève et Pensée” (Lymph and thought) at BnF is a moment of pure happiness and ecstasy. The show, curated by Marie Minssieux-Chamonard and Cécile Pocheau-Lesteven, focuses on links between man and nature and starts with early drawings and photographs from the 1970’s, continues with sculptures and ends with finger prints … Read More
At Château de Chantilly and at Abbaye de Chaalis, Primatice reigns
It has become a huge effort to visit Château de Chantilly and its wonderful collections. This Saturday, the electric gates to enter the parking lot were not working properly and everyone was enraged. I could not find anyone to help my friend Garance, who walks poorly, and reaching the drawing galleries through the main court is an ordeal. The usual … Read More
Morvan, Aveyron, Berry, a precious trip through la France profonde
There is nothing I love most than getting into my small car and driving away from Paris. This time, I got really lucky and managed to see areas totally unknown to me like the Morvan (South of Vézelay) in Burgundy, and the north of Aveyron, along the Lot valley. I had a chance to compare Charolaises and Aubrac cows, the … Read More
Tuscany wins on every count!
How perfect can a week in Tuscany be? Far from the book “A Summer’s lease” by John Mortimer where everything goes wrong for the poor British tenants of a villa, my week in Fiesole and San Giovanni d’Asso near Pienza, were perfect from beginning to end, with a variety of activities from chamber music at “Incontri in Terra di Siena” … Read More
My “spy” Georgia de Chamberet went to Buckingham Palace gardens
In celebration of the easing of lockdown, the Royal Collection Trust has been reopening its royal residences to the public. Although thousands of people visit the Buckingham Palace State Rooms and gardens every non-pandemic year, lingering and picnicking are a no-no. This year it’s different. There may be no royal garden parties, but the garden at Buckingham Palace is open to … Read More
Vaux le Vicomte, Versailles, Paris, music at candlelight is everywhere.
One of the advantages of the summer is that you can wander around castles near Paris and have dinner outside in grand decors. At Vaux le Vicomte, lights illuminate the park and there are fireworks organized every Saturday night until October 2. You can have dinner in the restaurant facing the castle and visit the grand salons painted by Charles … Read More