It’s Easter and chocolate eggs are in fashion!

I love the Easter tradition when you give each other chocolate eggs or hens. When I was little I remember my grandfather giving me an animated chick who walked around carrying a basket full of very small fishes in chocolate and eggs in sugar. We call it friture in French, like fried fish… 

“Oceans, diving in full light” at the Natural History Museum

I am not particularly interested in underwater life but I have to admit that the exhibition “Océan” at Museum d’histoire naturelle, is beautiful and exciting, thanks to numerous films and interactive games for adults and children alike. It describes the first underwater explorations from Alexander the Great (325 BC) to the 19 th century, with an interview of  New Zealander … Read More

Christo will wrap the Arc de Triomphe for Easter 2020

On April 6 th to 19 th 2020, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris will be wrapped by Christo with silver blue recyclable polypropylène fabric and red rope. This was decided by the French President Emmanuel Macron with Philippe Bélaval, head of the Centre des Monuments nationaux (which includes Arc de Triomphe) and Serge Lasvignes, President of Centre Pompidou, who … Read More

Happy New Year 2019!

As we are celebrating the fourth anniversary of Parisdiarybylaure, I would like to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm. The City of Light is still very much alive and so many cultural events are planned for 2019 that you should all join us in the celebrations! The only dark cloud  is the no deal Brexit which I very much … Read More

Fondation pour la Vocation, a generous boosting prize

Fondation Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet has been awarding the Prix de la Vocation for 59 years to young adults who are finishing their studies or just starting a career. Philippe Petit, “The Man on wire”, conductor Laurence Equilbey, photographer Olivier Grunewald, novelist Joël Dicker were all laureates at the start of their brilliant career. And the emotion was shared by the 800 … Read More

Tapestry, needle work, petit point, a last minute present

I remember spending long holiday evenings when I was a teen ager, creating cushions in tapestry. It was a nice way of listening to the grown ups’ conversations and keeping my hands busy. This easy art is still a passion for many and there is a unique and refined little shop, Tapisserie de France, between Opera and the Louvre, where … Read More

Jean-Jacques Lequeu, a doomed XVIII th century architect

Petit Palais has accustomed us to big surprises but this new show of drawings by Jean-Jacques Lequeu is so astonishing that it almost eclipses the main show of Khnopff on the first floor. 150 drawings chosen among the 800 that he bequeathed to the Bibliothèque Royale just before his death in 1826, are exhibited here with a variety of themes. … Read More