Heidi Ellison
Paris Street Furniture Breakdown
Update on Ugly Paris
A couple of years ago, Paris Update published a rant I wrote called “The Uglification of Paris” and sent it to the mayor’s office. There was no direct response, but surprisingly – and probably coincidentally – a few things did … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
A wealth of online art It’s not the same as seeing them in person, but it’s all we’ve got right now. The Louvre has put every one of its 480,000 artworks online, including those in the reserves. (CNN) French family … Read More
Le Paris de Dufy
La Vie en Rose in Paris
Some French museums are still optimistically putting up exhibitions in hopes that they will be allowed to open their doors before the show’s announced end date arrives. One of them is the delightful Musée de Montmartre, up on the hilltop … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
Top architecture prize goes to French firm In a victory for sustainability, this year’s prestigious Pritzker Prize for architecture has been awarded to Lacaton & Vassal, whose motto is “Never demolish, never remove or replace, always add, transform, and reuse!” … Read More
Ferdinand Brunot
Is That a South Parisian Drawl I Hear?
Listening to early recordings of voices or sounds from the past is always intriguing, as it gives us an auditory glimpse into moments of history. However, sometimes the sounds captured on the earliest recording devices can feel strangely alienating or … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
Césars 2021 winners The French version of the Oscars had a tumultuous awards ceremony this year, complete with nudity, fake blood and plenty of political commentaries. Variety offers a rundown of the winners here and an analysis of the state … Read More
Oscar Niemeyer in France
The Shock of the Old
A half-century after Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012) designed the headquarters of the French Communist Party in Paris, it is still a shock to spot what looks like a flying saucer, as white as the back of a swan, gradually … Read More
Parc de Sceaux
Escape from Paris
With Covid-fatigued Parisians desperate for a ray of sunshine, every square inch of space in Paris’s parks and on the banks of its waterways is occupied when the weather is good, mostly by people who have taken off their masks … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
Van Gogh on the block It’s a rare thing when a painting by Vincent Van Gogh comes on the market. “Street Scene in Montmartre” (above) will go on sale at Sotheby’s Paris on March 25, but before then will be … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
Covid in France Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is asking the national government to avoid weekend lockdowns in the capital, saying it would be “inhumane.” She also called for a faster rollout of the vaccine (France has received 8 million doses but … Read More