It’s a moment of reckoning again. Or not. The current furore surrounding the French political ‘earthquake’ – brought about by significant far-right party gains in recently held European elections – seems to be the cusp of one of many moments of ‘reckoning’ that have shaped French political life and Parisian history. Indeed, the theme of…
Tag: france
Imagining Central Paris of the Middle Ages: A comment on bells and the medieval soundscape
If only one could time travel – the sensory experience of Paris of the middle ages would be interesting to have, but as a 21st century being. This little advertisement for a DVD tour through Paris of the middle ages had to serve as the next best thing to a time machine, it offers a…
The Basilica of Sacré Coeur as dialectic
The Basilica of the Sacré Coeur On Montmartre is a Parisian landmark that has long inspired debate and divided opinion – both on superficial grounds (is it hideous or comely?) to more profound discussions about its meaning. The site of the Basilica draws linkages to pre-Christian religious practice, later Christian martyrs and modern France trying to…
Music and (renaissance) History – La Salle de Bal, Château de Fontainebleau
The palace of Fontainebleau is not quite in Paris, but it is a great place to take a quick and dirty lesson in French history. It bears the footprints of epochs from the middle ages to the mid 19th century. A few of the pre-visit readings also seemed to say that the history covers at least…
A History of Paris through Plants
Who needs museums to read history? Just take a walk through a forest. Well, this is a dramatic and silly proposition that does not deserve response and that would lead to a slow spiritual death for this blogger if it were affirmative. Yet, there is something to be said for observing the oldest inhabitants of…
Basilique St. Denis, a ‘visual’ to the past
<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/95643462″>Basilique Saint Denis, Paris</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user4635806″>George</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p> The Basilica of St. Denis fell outside of Paris of its day but was absolutely central to its political and cultural life. Today it is right on the city’s margins. A visit to St. Denis today may entail snaking through a labyrinthine market, stumbling…
The Cafe at the métro stop
Paris – le cafe, metro St. Mich image from easyart.fr It is an institution of social life for many people in Paris – the corner café, right at the entrance of the metro station. For this blogger, there are a few unique things that make the corner cafe an enriching component of Parisian sociality: 1….
Bois de Vincennes: Sanctuary, Invigoration, Enchantment
At this time of year, just before autumn, a walk through the Bois de Vincennes is a revelatory experience. There are a few dimensions of a walk in the woods to be appreciated by an otherwise computer bound student: 1. I am grateful that Vincennes is a dramatic break from the urbanised surrounding region. It…
Three happiness boosting places to eat/drink in Paris (emotive geographies 13)
This past week has come with interesting places to eat, drink, and be merry. Food and drink are probably two of the most reliable means of shifting emotions and our perceptions about the places in which we live and work, almost instantly. Alcohol in moderation, preferably consumed in wine form, seems to have a particularly…
Attached to the river features: affective ties to the Seine and Marne ( emotive geographies 11)
The topography of Paris is fundamentally shaped by the Seine and Marne rivers. One could simply relate to them as physical aspects of the geography of the city… Yet, the rivers are also associated to the varying meanings that we attach to them and the associated feelings that come with those meanings. While jogging this…
Anon's Paris 