Author: plieuse

  • A museum in a garden

    Today, everything you need (or don’t need) to know about the Orangerie!

    Wikimedia Commons CC0

    Where is the Museum of the Orangery?

    It’s in the garden of the Tuileries, by the Seine, next to the Louvre. There used to be a castle in the garden, but it burnt. The name “Tuileries” refers to tile factories that were nearby.

    What’s an orangery?

    It’s a building designed for storing fragile bushes and trees during winter, when the temperatures get low. It protects them from the cold. Orange trees (and others) need protection from the cold because they come from a warmer climate than the climate of Paris.

    “Jeunes filles au piano” / “Girls playing the piano” (Renoir)

    © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée de l’Orangerie)

    What’s in it?

    It’s my favourite museum in Paris. It was built in 1852 and turned into a museum in 1927. It has a whole room dedicated to a painting, the “Nymphéas” by Claude Monet on the ground floor, and an exhibition and permanent collections underground. It has the most beautiful collection of 19th-century and early 20th-century paintings you’ll ever see: Renoir, Monet, Cézanne, Gauguin…

    What’s this twin building?

    There are actually two museums in the garden of Tuileries: the Orangery and the Jeu de Paume. The latter is a picture museum, it was built in 1861 and looks a lot like the Orangery.

  • The banks of the Seine

    Hello! Today, a post about the banks of the Seine!

    Paris is split in half by the Seine. The north bank is called “rive droite” (right bank) and the south bank is called “rive gauche” (left bank). There are two islands that are on neither bank.

    The “left bank” is famous for being the place of artists and intellectuals. There’s Montparnasse and the Latin Quarter, the Eiffel Tower.

    The “right bank” has a reputation of being more right-wing, but it’s not true anymore. There’s Montmartre and department stores, the Louvre, the Town Hall, the Concorde… Nowadays the difference is generally considered to be between eastern arrondissements (comparatively poor) and western arrondissements (comparatively wealthy).

    Arrondissements de Paris par couleur politique en 2020

    In France, blue is the color of right-wing political groups, and red is the color of left-wing political groups. You can see on this map that Paris is split in half from North to South. The poorer arrondissements vote left-wing, the wealthier vote right-wing.

  • The first lady of song

    Wikimedia Commons CC0

    Who is this pretty lady?

    What’s her best song?

    Why is she so famous?

  • Jack the Great

    Jacques Brel (1963)

    Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    Jacques Brel was Belgian, but he sang mostly in French. His most famous song is “Amsterdam”, a song about life he only sang in front of an audience.

    He was an extremely talented songwriter and singer. He became very popular in the 60s. But then he quit singing in 1967 and worked as a movie actor. He also quit that in 1973 and left Europe to settle in the Marquesas Islands.

    He smoked a lot, and died of lung cancer in 1979.

    My personal favorite song is “La valse à mille temps”, because it’s a rhythmic, tuneful waltz.

  • Aïd moubarak

    Today is Aïd-el-Kebir. It’s a big celebration for Muslims. It’s a celebration of the sacrifice of his son by Abraham. God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son but at the last minute sent an angel to exchange a sheep for the son. The son is Ismaël for Muslims (Isaac in the Old Testament, Abraham had several sons). If you have Muslim friends, tell them “Aïd moubarak” today, just as you tell your Christian friends “Merry Christmas” on Christmas.

    How many people are there in France?

    How many Muslims are there in France?

    The Great Mosque of Paris

    LPLT / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    What is this beautiful building?

    How many mosques are there in Paris?

    What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

  • The luckiest days

    Hello! Today, a post about Friday, the 13th!

    There’s a widely believed superstition about Friday, the 13th in France. It is supposed to be a lucky or unlucky day, but at any rate, a special day.

    The logo of the european PowerBall

    What’s the EuroMillions? (hint: the answer is in its name)

    Where does this superstition come from? (hint: it’s historical)

    There’s a (vague) connection with the “Game of thrones” by George R. R. Martin. Do you know why?

  • Tennis time!

    Hello! Like every year this time of year, it’s the French Open!

    The main tennis court of Roland-Garros, the stadium of the French Open

    Ji-Elle / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

    Where am I?

    What’s the point?

    Then who is this?

    Yannick Noah

    NoahSegara.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Click here for the answer

    And who is this?

    Rafael Nadal, a tennis player

    Carine06 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Click here for the answer

    Fun fact: what’s French for “tennis player”? (hint: it’s a trick question)

  • The most famous woman in Paris

    Hello! It’s me!

    Do you know who I am? (hint: I’m not French)

    Where am I? (hint: it’s an easy question)

    But… I am Italian… What am I doing here?

    What am I made of? (hint: it’s a trick question)

    Why am I so famous? (hint: it’s a good question)

    Was I ever stolen? (hint: the answer is in the question)

  • The snail

    The French are famous for eating snails when they’re hungry, but I believe that you’ll eat anything when you’re hungry enough. What do you think this is? (hint: look at the numbers)

    The official map of Paris

    Hmaglione10 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Click here for the answer

    Then what is this map?

    An official map of Paris before 1860

    Starus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Click here for the answer

    What happened?

    What’s the unluckiest number? (hint: since the middle ages)

    What did it mean to say “they’re married in the 13th” before 1860?

  • I want a drink!

    A Wallace fountain

    Justinc / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    What do you think this thing is? (hint: it’s useful when you’re thirsty)

    What is it called? (hint: it’s named after its maker)

    How many of these are there in Paris? (hint: Paris is about 100km² wide, and there’s one every kilometer)

    Why is it here?