Heidi Ellison
Le Silence de Lorna
Hard Choices
With Le Silence de Lorna (Lorna’s Silence), brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have made another of their morally complex films about marginalized people coping with the situations they find themselves in. These are no hapless victims of a cruel society, … Read More
La Rentrée Littéraire Sept. 2008
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll The usually bloated list of new books coming out during France’s fall publishing season, known as la rentrée littéraire, has slimmed down somewhat this year, with “only” 676 novels being published, 466 of … Read More
Sagan
Making Up the Past
Following on the enormous success of La Môme (La Vie en Rose in English), which detailed the rise and fall of French singer Edith Piaf, we now have Sagan, directed by Diane Kurys, which details the rise and fall of … Read More
Hôtel Arès Eiffel
Design Details The “white room” in the hotel’s lobby. It’s all in the details at the Hôtel Arès Eiffel, which has just been transformed into a design hotel where – unlike many others that claim the moniker – the design … Read More
Ferrandaise
Well-Bred Critic’s Choice February 15, 2006; updated May 23, 2008 French restaurant critics have a new chouchou. La Ferrandaise, which opened last September, has already been named restaurant of the year 2006 by Claude Lebey’s “Le Petit Lebey 2006 des … Read More
Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Eclectic Estate The “Eloge du Compost” garden includes a “dry toilet” (in the structure in the background). Photo: Eric Sander pour le Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire Big changes are afoot at the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, a Loire Valley château/estate best known … Read More
Chaumont-sur-Loire
Eclectic Estate Big changes are afoot at the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, a Loire Valley château/estate best known for its annual garden festival. Formerly the property of the French national government, the entire estate was recently devolved to the Centre … Read More
Murder in the Rue de Paradis
A Walk on the Seedy Side of Paris
Like most mystery writers, Cara Black is a sort of recidivist who continually relapses into describing criminal behavior. Her latest book, Murder in the Rue de Paradis, is another detective story set in Paris and starring Aimée Leduc, a sexy … Read More
Café des Musées
A Best in Bistros The basic decor belies the quality of the food. February 22, 2006; updated March 19, 2008 Who would expect such a fine meal from such an unassuming little bistro? The Café des Musées, situated on a … Read More
Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis
A new cult film has been born. Already, 12 million* spectators have seen Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (Welcome to the Sticks), which was released on February 27. Like the three Bronzés films or La Vie Est un Long Fleuve Tranquille, … Read More