All posts tagged: France

Eiffel Tower, Roland Garros 2015, Paris

Paris welcomes Roland Garros 2015

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Paris has opened it’s arms to the Roland Garros, and those visiting the area around the Eiffel Tower will be welcomed by a giant descending ball and live coverage of the tennis on the Champs de Mars. For those who know me, will know how much my family and I love tennis, both playing and watching; and I am so excited for this year’s French Open! Not only to be able to while away the time watching the tennis by the Eiffel Tower like I did this weekend, but also because I will be attending the French Open this year!! My family will be coming over tomorrow, and we will spend the whole day there on Thursday – so keep checking out my instagram, as I can imagine I will be uploading quite a few photos! Who do you think is going to win this year? Could Nadal become the first man in tennis history to win the same Grand Slam title 10 times?! (I hope so!)

The Promenade Plantee, Paris

The Promenade Plantée – A hidden gem of Paris

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Located in the 12th arrondissement is one of Paris’ hidden gems. The Promenade Plantée, also known as the Coulée Verte René-Dumont (tree-lined walkway en Anglais), is an exquisite promenade that stretches just under 3 miles (around 4.7 kilometers) spanning from the Bois de Vincennes to Place de la Bastille, via the old Vincennes rail line. Having walked across New York’s High Line last October, I was convinced that it was unique to the American city. However, Paris’ Promenade Plantée was in fact the very first green space constructed to form a public park/promenade, as it was inaugurated in 1993. Similar to New York’s High Line, the Promenade Plantée was erected from a disused railway line The entire promenade is aligned with a variety of beautiful flowers, plants and trees. It was almost like walking through a perfumery – the sheer amount of different plants was not only aesthetically magnificent, but also nice on the nose! The Promenade Plantée offers a variety of wonderful sights and experiences. Part of the promenade follows the route across a wooden …

Laura Marling, Le Trabendo, Paris - 10 May 2015

Laura Marling, Le Trabendo, Paris – 10 May 2015

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Last night one of my dreams came true. I finally got the chance to see one of my idols – Laura Marling. I have been a keen follower of Marling for many years, using her first three albums as the necessity aides to get me through those difficult years – adolescence. Unfortunately for me, there were two separate occasions to which I could have stood in the midst of this talented singer (once back in Sixth Form, I was on holiday; and the second I only found out the day after! Laura was playing in the York Minister, which was a once in a lifetime opportunity). So one can only imagine how I felt – it was like Christmas. I’m not going to write a concert review, because to be honest I would have no idea where to even start and I am sure I would not do it any justice. But what I can attempt to say is that Laura Marling offered a beautiful and yet haunting performance of her work – mostly taken from her …

The Eiffel Tower and Blossom, Spring in Paris

Mon retour à Paris – Back to Paris

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These past recent weeks seem to be flying by, and much too quickly for my liking. The last two weeks have been the holidays for me, which included travelling down to the South of France and then heading back over to England to spend time with my family. Not only have the weeks gone incredibly quickly, but I cannot believe that it’s May already! Where did April go? For me, this means that the clock has begun ticking towards my departure from Paris, and it makes me really sad just thinking of leaving my French family and life here. However, I shall not be down the last two months I have here, but will make the most of the time I have left here in this beautiful city. That includes visiting places I have never been before, as well as trying my hardest to blog all about them.

Notre-Dame Cathedral and Cherry blossom, Paris in Spring

The blossom of Notre-Dame

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Just when you thought Paris couldn’t get any more beautiful,  it can. Surrounding Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Square Jean XXIII is in full bloom. So after school one day I could not resist paying a little visit to attempt to capture the charm of the scene. I have never really been a massive fan of the colour pink, but I think spending my Spring in Paris has totally made me change my mind. Don’t forget, you can view all the photos that I took here on my Flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/roisingrace/sets/72157651966672755/ 

Balloon Dog, 1994-2000, Jeff Koons

Exhibition Review: Jeff Koons Retrospective, Centre Pompidou

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Following the box-office success at the Whitney Museum in New York, the Jeff Koons Retrospective made its way to the Centre Pompidou this November. However, with the success in the box office, came a myriad of reviews – not all positive. The aim of the retrospective is to offer viewers a clear chronology and documentation of the evolution of the controversial artist. Chronologically arranged, visitors first encounter Koons’ ready-made works, beginning with his collection of vacuum cleaners from around the 1970s. Having previously visited the Centre Pompidou’s previous retrospective exposition of Marcel Duchamp, and which at one point was still open along side the Jeff Koons show, it is clear to see Koons’ influences in the Duchamp. However, the collection of vacuums I felt were arbitury. For Duchamp, such ready-mades were revolutionary, something never encountered before in the History of Art. But for Koons, it feels contrived and merely an attempt to aggrandise himself to the same artistic and originality as Duchamp. This part of the exposition felt almost like entering a museum for household …