Paris est la ville de l'amour, de la lumière, et de la splendeur. Elle est une ville pleine de contradictions, de quartiers contrastés, riche de sa diversité. Elle est, surtout, une ville d'inspiration, une qui fascine ses visiteurs pendant toute l'année. Explorons le capital de la France par sa culture, sa nourriture, sa langue, ses monuments, ses backstreets, et ses personnes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

假如你有幸 年轻时在巴黎生活过
那么你此后一生中 不论去到哪里
她都与你同在
因为
巴黎 是一席流动的飨宴

——【美】海明威


Sunday, November 22, 2009

King of His Castles: The art of collecting and renovating châteaux 当你拥有自己的城堡...

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By LENNOX MORRISON (WSJ)
French impressionist Yves Lecoq talks about renovating châteaux

Essonne, France
[king of his castles] 
Roland Beaufre
Yves Lecoq's Château de Maisonseule in the Ardèche

Behind massive wrought iron gates extends a golden autumnal avenue, positioned to deny the passer-by a view of Château de Villiers. The gates swing open electronically and, deeper into the grounds, I finally come upon an imposing Louis XIII edifice. Inside, in the oak-panelled and tapestry-hung winter drawing room, within a mantel of veined ox blood marble, logs crackle behind an embroidered screen. On a circular wooden table, beneath a chandelier, a bottle of Krug champagne nestles next to a box of Lenôtre chocolates from which someone has already plucked his favorites.
The scene has been set by owner Yves Lecoq who, despite employing a maître d'hôtel, makes me midmorning coffee. When I comment on the flavor he switches from French to English and, in George Clooney's voice, says, "It's Nespresso -- what else?"
Jean Cazals
At Château de Villiers Yves Lecoq enjoys the peace of the countryside.


The uncannily good impersonation is no surprise. As France's leading impressionist, Mr. Lecoq has a repertoire of 200 voices, from Woody Allen to Zidane Zinedine. Not to mention his controversial takeoff of the nation's first jogging president, Nicolas Sarkozy.
What's less well known about our host is that thanks to more than 30 years of show business success and a French fiscal regime that deals kindly with owners of officially classified historic properties, he has become a collector of châteaux. Since 1975, when he was 29 years old, he has purchased five, all in states of disrepair.
"There's a sort of love affair between myself and these buildings. When I first discover them it's like love at first sight," says Mr. Lecoq, whose lavishly illustrated book, "Fou de châteaux" ("Crazy about Châteaux"), is published this month by Editions du Chêne.
His main home at Villiers-le-Bâcle is in a pretty countryside 30 minutes drive south-west of central Paris. Set within wooded 40-hectare grounds where deer and wild boar roam, the 40 rooms are furnished in a finely judged mix of period style and modern comfort (central heating, flat-screen TVs concealed behind framed Louis XIV tapestries.)

the manor house at Chambes near river Charente in western France
Roland Beaufre
The manor house at Chambes near river Charente in western France

Having rescued the property from Sleeping Beauty dilapidation, Mr. Lecoq plays tour guide with great courtesy. Were he in a more reclusive mood, however, he could retreat to Château de Maisonseule, his fortified medieval manor secluded deep within the rugged mountain ranges of the Ardèche in south-central France.
"There's silence there and a great sense of well-being," says Mr. Lecoq. "It's a place where, when I encounter disappointments, I can go and recharge my batteries and get back on track."
Should he hanker for a rustic riverside idyll, he could head to Chambes, his 16th-century manor in Charente Limousine, western France.
"Villiers is about my everyday existence," he says. "At Chambes, I get away from it all. I feel very much at peace there."
Corbis
The interior of Château de Maisonseule.

Far from being born into grandeur, Mr. Lecoq is the son of a navy officer turned sales rep for agricultural equipment and was raised the youngest of five children in a cramped attic apartment within the grounds of a 17th-century mansion in Paris. As a boy he peered down longingly at the magnificent residence below and followed the comings and goings of the marquess who lived there.
From his maternal grandmother, an antique dealer, Mr. Lecoq inherited a love of art and of architectural beauty. Through her marriage to a baron he is entitled to the surname Lecoquierre-Duboys de La Vigerie. When I ask him why he doesn't use it every day, he says simply, "It's unpronounceable." Nevertheless, at 63, with his height, well-cut features and clear blue gaze, Mr. Lecoq has a naturally aristocratic appearance, coupled with great warmth.
Ironically, Mr. Lecoq can indulge his château habit because of money earned imitating -- and often making fun of -- the rich and famous. At six, he entertained his family by singing like French songsters Gilbert Bécaud and Juliette Greco. By 18, his repertoire included Cliff Richard and Sacha Distel. School friends nicknamed him "Juke Box."
[Hunting trophies from bygone days at Chⴥau de Villiers]  
Jean Cazals
Hunting trophies from bygone days at Château de Villiers.

After gaining a degree in art history and archaeology at the Sorbonne, he took over his grandmother's shop and worked as an antique dealer and interior decorator. However, at 28 -- with acclaimed debuts on television, radio and stage -- his show-business career took off.
Today, the TV show he is best known for introduces a cold blast of irreverence into the often unhealthily cosy relationship between French politicians and the media. Inspired by British television's "Spitting Image" series of the Thatcher years, "Les Guignols de l'info" presents spoof newscasts featuring latex puppets of anyone who's anyone in French politics and also foreign leaders such as Barack Obama.
Running for more than 20 years, the primetime series on Canal+ attracts three million-plus viewers each weeknight. Lately, the sketches sending up a pint-sized Nicolas Sarkozy and the meteoric ascent of his student son (both voices courtesy of Mr. Lecoq) are said to have stirred presidential displeasure.
The first house Mr. Lecoq bought, at 27, was a restoration project on a modest scale -- a suburban villa with garden, but without heating or bathroom. It was when he began thinking of a half-timbered farmhouse in the country that his agent handed him the French property bible, "Indicateur Bertrand," saying, "For the same budget, why not buy a château?"

in the 18-meter-long gallery at Chⴥau de Villiers, a hand forged door handle is one of the details in which Mr. Lecoq takes delight
Jean Cazals
In the 18-meter-long gallery at Château de Villiers, a hand forged door handle is one of the details in which Mr. Lecoq takes delight.

Which is how, before turning 30, Mr. Lecoq acquired Château d'Hédauville in northern France, an 18th-century construction with classic stone and red brick façades but also a leaking roof and gardens turned to cattle pasture. He reinstated its original glory and furnished it with antiques gleaned when touring the country with his own stage show.
When burglars struck he lost many treasures but the insurance payout and then sale of Hédauville helped fund the purchase of an even more spectacular property nearby -- Château de Suzanne, a turreted Louis XIII edifice, renovated during the reign of Napoleon III with a grand marble staircase and painted ceilings reminiscent of Versailles. On this palatial scale, builders and decorators were busy for 18 years.
Not in the ranks of the super-wealthy, Mr. Lecoq borrows money to realize his dreams. Villiers, he says, he expects to "earn its keep," mostly by rentals to film crews. When the likes of Michelle Pfeiffer take over the master bedroom -- as she did for the filming of Stephen Frears's "Chéri" last year -- Mr. Lecoq decamps to the presbytery on the grounds.
Financial considerations forced him to sell Suzanne. By then, however, he'd acquired Maisonseule and Villiers and last year he fell for Chambes, a two-tower country house with water mill, close to where one of his ancestors served as administrator in the days of Louis XIV. (He also has a traditional style white-walled villa in Tunisia with direct access to the beach at Hammamet and an unimpeded view of the Ottoman fortress.) No wonder estate agents continue to call Mr. Lecoq with fresh propositions.

two veteran horses roam the grounds at Chⴥau de Villiers
Jean Cazals
Two veteran horses roam the grounds at Château de Villiers.

As with all previous restoration projects, Mr. Lecoq is often on site at Chambes and acts as his own interior designer, taking equal delight in picking up a hand-forged period door handle in a flea market as in more ambitious schemes. At Maisonseule, he had a walled stone enclosure built overlooking the valley. From below, it looks like an ancient annex but it actually conceals an outdoor swimming pool with a breathtaking mountain panorama.
Mr. Lecoq considers the time and money invested in his properties as his contribution to the national heritage. I ask whether his homes make him feel like a true lord of the manor.
"It's a term I don't like to hear because everyone knows that I'm the curator and the project manager," he replies. "There are fleeting moments, like today when I'm sitting at the fireside, or I'm in the middle of a dinner, when I have a sense of playing lord of the manor. After nearly 40 years of restoration projects I think I'm entitled to feel like that from time to time. But it's not the real life of a lord of the manor. That belongs to another age."

—Lennox Morrison is a writer based in Paris.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Les meilleures stations thermales en France 6家法国最著名、风景最优美的温泉疗养站


Les stations thermales en France
Personne ne sait très bien qui, des Chinois, des Egyptiens ou des Romains, peut revendiquer la paternité des premières cures thermales. Améliorée au fil du temps, cette médecine plusieurs fois millénaire est restée fidèle à son principe fondateur : traiter par les eaux minérales.
Il existe en France plus de 1 200 sources d’eaux bienfaisantes. Leur composition chimique particulière leur confère des vertus thérapeutiques reconnues par l’Académie de Médecine.
Ce statut leur donne des obligations, puisqu’elles doivent être délivrées pures, dans l’état où elles se trouvent à l’émergence. Les eaux minérales sont classées en cinq grandes catégories – bicarbonatées, sulfatées, sulfurées, chlorurées et oligo-métalliques faiblement minéralisées – et sont utilisées dans douze orientations thérapeutiques. 

 

自古以来,人们就懂得利用温泉水疗伤。在法国,这一养生方法可追溯到高卢罗马人时期。法国是欧洲的第三大温泉国,位居德国和意大利之后,115个温泉站每年都会接待大约57万名疗养者,其中80%的人受到风湿或呼吸系统疾病的困扰。

法国的所有温泉站都拥有国家部委颁发的许可,可治疗一项或多项疾患。因此,温泉疗养可享受社会健康保险。 
  让氤氲的温泉浴给您带来健康的体魄和愉快的心情。

6家法国最著名和风景最优美的温泉疗养站
  
  格雷坞温泉疗养站(Gréoux-les-bains 
  格雷坞温泉疗养站位于法国阿尔卑斯山区风光如画的凡尔登峡谷。这里四季阳光明媚、空气清新,且保留着普罗旺斯地区最传统的风俗。因此它不仅适合强身健体,还为了解普罗旺斯的风土人情提供了一扇窗口。 
  格雷坞温泉站的疗养池修建在一座由花园和喷泉环绕的高卢罗马风格的建筑中,水温在42摄氏度左右。它富含微量元素和镁,而且水中的硫化物和钙对治疗呼吸系统疾病和风湿病有很好的效果,因此几千年来有不少人慕名而来,古罗马人还曾在这里修建过温泉池。
  温泉站提供为期6天、每天4次的个性化疗养套餐,在医生的指导下,游客们得以很快恢复强健的体魄和充沛的精力。 
  格雷坞温泉站所在的村庄见证了中世纪以来的风云变幻,周边保留有不少历史名胜,如Templiers城堡及其弯曲的巷道和宽阔的广场等等。这些遗产建筑大多已被改造为画廊、展览馆或演出场所。地处凡尔登自然公园中心位置的格雷坞更是凭借它的美景成了健行者们的天堂,无论步行、骑马还是骑自行车,都有一大批拥埠者。 
  地点:靠近马诺斯克市,在德拉吉尼昂和迪涅之间。距离埃克斯-昂-普罗旺斯57公里,马赛85公里。离马诺斯克火车站15公里。
  更多信息请查询www.greoux-les-bains.com网站。 
  高特莱温泉疗养站(Cauterets 
  高特莱温泉疗养站位于比利牛斯山区,如同一个小小的天堂,闻名遐尔。雨果、夏多布里昂、莎拉·伯恩哈特等名人都曾造访过这里。将传统的温泉疗养与最新养生科技相结合是这个疗养站的最显著特点。 
  高特莱温泉疗养站是让人彻底忘却压力、恢复活力的理想之地。恺撒温泉池于1999年重修后,人们得以领略温泉带来一切好处。如今高特莱温泉站已被正式列为法国著名疗养健身地。这里的水出自两个天然温泉孔,富含硫、钠,而且清澈无比。水温在4560摄氏度之间,丰富的矿物质中含有大量微量元素和二氧化硅。 
  高特莱的每个季节都有无穷的魅力,可以进行各种室外活动。冬天最受青睐的当数滑雪,但球类运动、登山和溜冰也不错。好天气到来之后,人们纷纷选择钓鱼、游泳或打网球、骑自行车越野……周围地区的文化活动和展览也很多,在比利牛斯国家公园远足更是令人心驰的享受。 
  地点:靠近卢尔德市和塔布市,距离巴黎899公里,波尔多319公里,图卢兹217公里。离卢尔德火车站30公里。 
  更多信息请查询www.cauterets.com网站。 
  康波温泉疗养站(Cambo-les-bains 
  康波温泉疗养站位于法国南部的巴斯克地区腹地,距离西班牙国境线只有15公里,所在的村庄有5000名居民。疗养站地处比利牛斯山脚下,位于山海之间,可谓将健身疗养与风光旅游完美地结合在了一起。 
  康波的温泉区位于村庄东部的尼芙河边,被一个漂亮的公园环抱着,内中的泉水富含硫、铁和镁,治疗呼吸系统和关节疾病最为有效,而且大人、孩子均能享用,因而盛名远扬。温泉的水温在22摄氏度左右,来此的游客多为治疗风湿病或耳鼻喉科疾患。 
  巴斯克地区的高山和尼芙河河谷给康波温泉疗养中心带来了得天独厚的地理环境,这里的温泉水和宜人的地区小气候早在12世纪就远近闻名了。下康波(Bas Campo)是个温馨的小村庄,具有典型的巴斯克特色,绝对值得游览,其中最不应当错过的是康波教堂。尼芙河的对岸,中世纪的古老建筑则展示着另一种风情。 
  地点:靠近巴荣讷市,距离比阿里茨25公里。乘火车在康波温泉疗养站或巴荣讷下车。 
  更多信息请查询www.cambo-les-bains.net网站。 
  维泰尔温泉疗养站(Vittel 
  地处孚日平原的维泰尔温泉站宁静而纯洁,优美的风光吸引了一批又一批的游客。在每年4月至12月的疗养站开放期间,人们来到这里健身、调养,获得由内而外的健康。维泰尔的天然矿泉水富含硫、碳酸氢盐和镁等,可用来帮助病后康复、补充精力、塑身、美容和产后恢复。疗养站为顾客提供了多种健身方案,如5日套餐、周末套餐、温泉项目自由组合和当日推荐项目等等。某些身体机能障碍也能在这里治愈。
  维泰尔温泉展周围环绕着700公顷的公园和森林,为喜欢散步的人营造了一个绿色天堂,它将健康、生活艺术和浪漫氛围完美结合在了一起。运动中心提供高尔夫球、网球和游泳等运动项目,甚至还有赛马、园艺和骑马课。总之,在维泰尔温泉站令人放松和全部露天的环境里,人们将会各得其乐。 
  地点:靠近厄比纳尔,在南锡和贝藏松之间。距巴黎车程约3小时15分钟,距里昂约3小时。火车站为维泰尔。 
  更多信息请查询www.thermes-vittel.com网站。 
  维希温泉疗养站(Vichy 
  自17世纪以来,维希温泉便开始服务于科学研究和大众健康。这里的泉水有使人身心放松和补充精力的功效,是一种生活的艺术和高质量生活的保证。温泉站沐浴在柔和舒适的自然光线和令人愉悦的色彩里,水中富含微量元素、矿物质和稀有气体,给人们带来最健康和快乐的体验。 
  为了达到完美的健身与修体效果,维希温泉站还提供营养搭配合理的食疗,使人们建立正确的饮食习惯,避免健康隐患。 
  维希城内保留有大量历史文化遗产,在城区漫步、到水边享用晚餐,或去1900年“新艺术”时期修建的歌剧院欣赏歌剧……都浪漫无比。此外,离维希市中心不远的地方有个专门的体育场,提供各种专业设施,适合不同水平的体育爱好者。 
  地点:位于阿利埃省,靠近克莱蒙费朗。从巴黎至维希有A71高速公路,里昂至维希有A72高速公路,蒙柏利埃至维希有A75高速公路。
  更多信息请查询www.vichy-thermes.tm.fr网站。 
  莫利池温泉疗养站(Molitg-les-bains 
  莫利池是比利牛斯山区的一个小村庄,名字来源于矗立村口的那架大风车。它位于半山腰,全村只有200名居民。这里的气候偏干燥,常年阳光普照,因此是呼吸疾病患者的理想疗养地。 
  莫利池温泉站的水水质滑腻,其中富含温泉浮游生物,是皮肤病的良药。它还能有效缓解风湿病和呼吸系统疾病。该疗养站隶属于太阳温泉连锁集团,非常适合举家光临,每个家庭成员都可得到量身定做的服务。 
   莫利池温泉站是比利牛斯山区和地中海沿岸的一片绿洲,这个依山傍水的村庄提供的是最简单、健康的生活方式。人们可以骑车、步行甚至骑驴到周边漫游,而且 一年四季都可以在导游的带领下登山。莫利池保留有不少修道院,还有非常值得参观的几处现代艺术场馆。它传统的一面主要体现在节日期间和每年举办的滚球比赛 上。烤蜗牛配蒜泥蛋黄酱和新出炉的面包绝对值得品尝。 
  地点:靠近佩皮尼昂。火车站为佩皮尼昂或普拉德。距离佩皮尼昂-利夫萨尔特机场约45公里。 
  更多信息请查询www.molitg.com网站

Sunday, November 8, 2009

La Tour Eiffel fait la fête tous les soirs 艾菲尔铁塔120年庆生

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Tour Eiffel offrira chaque soir quatre spectacles lumineux : après les 5 minutes de scintillement habituelles, une séquence d’éclairage dynamique évoque l’extraordinaire chantier de la construction de la Tour il ya plus de 120 ans. Suivent une pluies de lumière, découpages par strates, par facettes, effets stroboscopiques, respirations, mélanges de couleurs, soit 12 minutes de magie.

Pour la première fois, grâce à un dispositif de projecteurs à leds dernière génération, la façade côté Trocadéro va s’animer de couleurs, mouvements, modulations pour offrir un spectacle totalement surprenant et magique. Le spectacle est présenté quatre fois chaque soir jusqu'au 31 décembre: 20h, 21h, 22h et 23h.

Après les 5 minutes de scintillement habituelles, le spectacle d’une durée de 12 minutes, commence par une séquence d’éclairage dynamique évoquant l’extraordinaire chantier de la construction de la Tour.
Puis, pluies de lumière, découpages par strates, par facettes, effets stroboscopiques, respirations, mélanges de couleurs…. rendront hommage à la Tour et à la magie architecturale et festive qu’elle incarne. Durant tout le spectacle l’éclairage des autres faces du monument varie accompagnant le scénario. Des projections d’images animent le parvis.

Cette animation est possible grâce à l’équipement de toute la face Trocadéro de la Tour de plus de 400 projecteurs à diodes électroluminescentes (leds) en trichromie. Outre les effets de lumière multiples et innovants qu’apporte cette technologie, cette dernière offre des performances énergétiques particulièrement intéressantes qui permettent de réduire la consommation d’électricité par rapport à l’illumination traditionnelle de la Tour.

Le spectacle est conçu par Bernard Schmitt et Jacques Rouveyrollis, et réalisé par Citelum avec Magnum. Citroën, partenaire historique des illuminations de la tour Eiffel (1925-1934), contribue cette fois encore à l’habillage lumineux de la Tour. La fondation d’entreprise Eiffage est mécène des 120 ans de la tour Eiffel