27.6.13

New space for walking along the Seine


In September last year I made a post about a walk along the right bank of the Seine. I referred to the fact that a large part of the Seine banks around 1967 had been transformed to expressways, but that great efforts recently have been made to give them back to pedestrians. This is now also, since a couple of days, the case with a large part of the left bank  – of course under protest from some car owners (which I am not).

This is the part of the left bank, which is concerned, westwards from the Orsay Museum to the Pont’d’Alma. (Most of the left bank east of the Orsay Museum was never opened to car traffic.)

I visited the new installations the day of the “Fête de la Musique” in the afternoon and especially in the evening when the weather was – reasonably - good. This may give you a quite positive feeling, but to really see how successful all this is, I guess you must wait until the autumn and days when no special events take place; the “looks” are not quite like the more traditional Seine-River-Bank ones … But let’s be positive and optimistic!

First some general views.




Some green space has been created...


  … some areas of rest…


… a number of places for eating and drinking…


… a number of installations for sports and other activities…








You will always have the pleasure to watch the traffic on the Seine…



… and have a look under the bridges…



As I said, the day I went was when the “Fête de la musique” took place. In the afternoon you could listen to some book reading (some of you may recognize Jean-Michel Ribes), some music…. and in the evening more music. 


    

24.6.13

Like a few centuries ago (2)...


After the musical tour (see previous post), you can finish the evening at Versailles by a visit to its gardens and awaiting the Musical Fountains Show, which starts at 9 pm, just walk around.


The evening when I was there the gardens were filled with people who later would attend a masquerade ball and this added of course a lot to the atmosphere.





So, at 9 pm, the water show starts.


The fountains are spouting water to the rhythm of music played by well hidden loudspeakers. Some fountains are of course more spectacular than others, like the Apollo one. (The “funny” trees you can see here and elsewhere in the park are by the  Italian artist Guiseppe Penone and are part of a temporary exhibition.)


Look at the different marble colours here.


This is supposed to represent one of the Greek Gigantes, Enceladus. Looking at his hair from the backside, I see the head of a lion.


Here are some of the other fountains.





Slowly the dark arrived…



… and at 11 pm the show finishes with fireworks. 


20.6.13

Like a few centuries ago...


When you arrive at the Versailles castle, you are of course received by Louis XIV… and a lot of gold.




A different way to visit the castle is to attend what is offered during the summer months (this year until September 14) under the name “The Royal Serenade”, which takes place in the evenings. This allows you to walk around in a smaller group and to listen to 17th century music, watch dancing and get a feeling that you are a privileged guest to something which happened a few centuries ago.


During the tour I made a couple of days ago, I was impressed by the quality of the performances … and of course by the beauty of royal apartments. (You don’t have to dress up.)