Journées du Européennes du Patrimoine

This weekend throughout France it was the Journées du Européennes du Patrimoine, one weekend each year when the public are able to visit galleries and buildings, many not normally open to the public.  Each building has its own program - maybe guided tours, maybe activities for public participation, maybe employees on hand just to answer any questions as you wander around.  There are often long queues - all day! - especially for the buildings having an "overture exceptionnelle".

We visited the Hôtel du Ministre des Affaires Étrangères.  I was interested to see an exhibition of covers for an imaginary magazine The Parisianer, designed by young Parisien artists around the concept of climate change and their vision of utopian Paris in the year 2050.

The building is beautiful - construction commenced in 1844 under the reign of Louis-Philippe and was completed under the reign of Napoléon III in 1855.  The rooms are set out with furniture, art, tapestries from French artists and artisans and have descriptive names like Salle de bains du Roi, Vestibule d'Honneur, Galerie de la Paix.  The employees and ministers get to come to work here every day - could there be a more inviting workspace?

In each room there was also a display on the different projects in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs is involved.

The Parisianer exhibition was beautifully laid out - the designs hung on an indoor display of trees made of recycled material, and the artists in attendance.  Also set up were easels with blank paper so that visitors could imagine their own Paris of the future - which invited a lot of un-related drawings too!

For those with different interests, Saturday was the annual Techno Parade and our journey home was in the midst of teenagers with pastel lines painted on their faces and streets full of pastel coloured giant confetti.

Saturday night we had a wonderful dinner with friends Rita and Gérard, the owners of the apartment we are staying in - and have stayed in on four previous Paris visits.  Lots of champagne, laughter and, once again, home made confit de canard with pommes de terre Salardaise and champignons gathered by Gérard with a friend near Lyon.  Rita knows that this is Brent's favorite meal - bless her!

Sunday...quiet day with a little shopping - it is the weekend after all!