Tag Archives: France

Top 2-Hour Walking Tours: ‘Montmartre, Paris’ (Video)

Video October 18, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

This walk through the charming village of Montmartre was filmed on July 18th, 2020.

Timeline: 0:00 Intro and Map 0:48 Moulin Rouge 3:10 Rue Lepic 1 4:30 Café des Deux Moulins 5:27 Rue Lepic 2 8:39 Rue des Abbesses 12:52 Rue Ravignan 14:02 Place Émile-Goudeau 15:56 Rue d’Orchampt 17:21 Le Moulin de la Galette 19:00 Avenue Junot 21:02 Villa Léandre 25:08 Square Suzanne Buisson 28:23 Rue de l’Abreuvoir 32:08 La Maison Rose 33:17 Vignes du Clos Montmartre 37:53 Rue Saint-Rustique 41:15 Place du Tertre 48:50 Place du Calvaire 51:04 Rue Poulbot 52:10 Rue Norvins 57:08 Butte de Montmartre 59:44 Sacré-Cœur 1:09:58 View from the dome of Sacré-Cœur 1:15:00 Exiting the Sacré-Cœur 1:19:09 Square Marcel Bleustein Blanchet 1:21:31 Exit Square Marcel Bleustein Blanchet 1:22:23 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre 1:26:06 Passage Cottin 1:28:52 Rue Paul Albert 1:30:59 Square Louise-Michel 1:36:42 Place Saint-Pierre 1:40:07 Rue Yvonne le Tac 1:43:04 Place des Abbesses 1:43:47 Wall of Love 1:46:16 Rue des Abbesses 1:49:18 Rue des Martyrs 1:15:15 Yellow Vest Protest March

News, Podcasts, Politics

Sunday Morning Podcast: News From Zurich, Hong Kong And London

Audio October 18, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

Monocle on Sunday: Monocle’s editor in chief Tyler Brûle and panelists cover the weekend’s biggest news.

Art, Arts & Literature, Culture, History, Videos

Arts & Culture: ‘Paris Vs London – A Tale Of Two Capitals’ (Sotheby’s Video)

Video October 16, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

Pick your favourite between Paris and London as we pit Europe’s premier art capitals against each other in a tongue-in-cheek battle. Compare and contrast the allure of each location as we build-up to our marquee evening auctions on Modernités/Contemporary (21 October | Paris/London).

Discover some of defining moments of the 20th and 21st centuries by the greatest artists working in Europe and beyond. From the birth of the avant-garde and modernism, to seminal contemporary works, the artists represented all forged a distinct path.

Art, Arts & Literature, History, Profiles, Videos

Art History Video: ‘French Surrealist Painter Francis Picabia’ – “Minos” (1929)

Video October 16, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

Master Surrealist Francis Picabia created complex-dream like paintings for his series, “Transparencies”. In this episode of Anatomy of an Artwork, discover the hidden inspirations for his painting, Minos, and learn about the meaning behind each transparent layer.

Francis Picabia (1879 – 1953) was a French avant-garde painter, poet and typographist. After experimenting with Impressionism and Pointillism, Picabia became associated with Cubism. His highly abstract planar compositions were colourful and rich in contrasts.

History, Homes

Top French Estate Tours: ‘Rochefoucauld Castle’ In Charente River Valley

October 11, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

The castle, part of the Rochefoucauld family fiefdom for a thousand years is concealed from the visitor’s eye. Passed the automatic entrance gates, a long tree-lined bridle path with park and woods on one side and outbuildings on the other, turns towards the end to reveal the impressive façade. The estate stretches the length of the village or perhaps the reverse.

“He who lives without madness is not as wise as he thinks”, one of François-de-la-Rochefoucauld’s maxims.

Ground floor: The entrance archway with its mosaic floor tiles leads, on one side, to a small lounge that opens into a through dining room featuring a beautiful coffered ceiling and kitchen that was moved up to this floor in 19th century. Behind the dining room is one of the four staircases and a small bedroom and ensuite bathroom.

First floor: Two more intimate lounges are to be found on the ground floor for a cosier family atmosphere. Four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, two of which have their private toilet and a fifth one with a shower room. Two of the bedrooms are very formal, full of history and decorative features: they have seen visitors such as Charles Quint in 16th century and Queen Mum in 20th century.

The library: Originally, a renaissance gallery linked the castle to the library and chapel. The library had always been part of an ensemble. It is located in the centre, built on the site of a former watchtower and features a vaulted ceiling.

The main courtyard: An ornamental pond is fed by water from the river thanks to a clever system bringing water up to a tank on the library roof and from where it is then poured. Under part of the main courtyard, there are large vaults, built together in 15th century with the consent of King Charles VII, with an additional defensive wall, after helping the La Rochefoucauld to reconquer their castle.

Nature, Travel, Uncategorized, Videos, Wildlife

Travel & Nature Videos: Kerguelen Islands, France

Video October 5, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

Located 13,000 kilometres from the French mainland, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Kerguelen archipelago is home to a maritime nature reserve that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019. On land, thousands of elephant seals spend their days basking in the sun. The seabed, which has remained untouched, is teeming with rare fish. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of organisms, have yet to be logged. FRANCE 24 takes you to discover this unique ecosystem.

The Kerguelen Islands, also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the Antarctic constituting one of the two exposed parts of the Kerguelen Plateau, a large igneous province mostly submerged by the southern Indian Ocean.

Leisure, Travel, Videos

WORLD’S BEST SMALL HOTELS: ‘Hôtel Crillon le Brave’ In Provence, France (Video)

Video September 28, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

Wind your way through narrow alleyways, the scent of wisteria in the air. Walk across the hidden cobbled courtyards. Stop to take in mesmerising views of the surrounding hills. Hôtel Crillon le Brave makes quite a first impression. A quintessentially French hideaway that fuses the charms of a 17th-century hamlet with contemporary luxury.

The hotel’s nine stone houses will whisk you back in time. But the rooms and suites give Provençal traditions a distinctly modern twist. Think terracotta tiles, colourful throws and handpicked antique furniture. Once you’ve settled in, make your way to the outdoor pool for a relaxing swim. Or wander to the spa for a restorative massage. And while the sun sets over the slopes of Mont Ventoux in the distance, dine on Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.

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Travel, Videos

New Books: ‘Versailles – From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons’ (Assouline 2020)

September 28, 2020 Intellicurious Leave a comment

Welcome to the most storied palace in the world, the glittering Château de Versailles. Recounting the most important historical, social, and cultural milestones of Versailles, beginning with the original proposal for a modest hunting lodge requested by Louis XIII in 1623, this volume encompasses the expansive property, from the palace and gardens to the Grand Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet.

From the first great constructions under Louis XIV, to its reimagining by Louis-Philippe in 1837 as a museum dedicated to all the glories of France, Versailles has truly seen many momentous occasions, including diplomatic summits, scientific advancements, and renowned visitors over the centuries, from Mozart, Benjamin Franklin and Queen Victoria to Fred Astaire and the Kennedys, not to mention exhibitions of today’s great artists, beginning with Jeff Koons in 2008.

Lavishly illustrated with archival images and beautiful photography, Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons features insightful texts by Catherine Pégard, president of the Château de Versailles, with the collaboration of Mathieu da Vinha, scientific director of the Château de Versailles Research Center, revealing all the stories that have unfolded within this glorious monument.

Complimentary white gloves are included with each purchase from Assouline’s Ultimate Collection. A limited edition vibrant blue tote bag is included with Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons.