Le Transilien

Yesterday the bridge, today the view from the bridge! Train arriving at Rive Droite station from Paris, this is the end of the line!

Hier le pont, aujourd'hui la vue depuis le pont ! Le Transilien arrive à Rive Droite !

Le pont blanc

You have seen this bridge over Rive Droite (Right Bank) railway tracks on VDP before, albeit not so nicely white, it was here and seen from the other side of Parc de Clagny street...

Vous aviez déjà vu le pont de la rue du Parc de Clagny, qui enjambe la voie ferrée de Rive Droite, c'était ici mais de l'autre côté et le pont a été repeint depuis !

En août aux jardins familiaux de Jussieu

Mid-August scenes of the Jussieu neighbourhood allotments which you had seen here in winter!

Vous les aviez vus en hiver ici.

Lundi, dans la soirée

While we've had a hot summer since the beginning of June, this week started out stormy, windy, rainy and... well this was early evening on Avenue de Paris... As for yesterday, it was a November like monsoon day!

C'était lundi, avenue de Paris... un peu la tempête... Ne parlons même pas de la mousson de novembre d'hier !

"Kirsten-Antoinette"

The main movie of the open air cinema evening was Sofia Coppola's "Marie-Antoinette" which (blush) VDP had never seen. It had been years since VDP has watched a dubbed film, that was strange! VDP adored it, which is surprising considering that she usually dislikes movies that have little historical substance. Part of VDP agrees with Jean-Luc Douin who in Le Monde described 'Marie-Antoinette' as a ‘kitsch and roc(k)oco’ film which ‘deliberately displays its anachronisms’, and additionally as a ‘sensory film’ that was ‘dreamt by a Miss California’ and ‘orchestrated around the Du Barry or Madame de Polignac playground gossip’. Part of VDP scrambled to search for the history of macarons, which did NOT exist in the ‘Ladurée’ form seen here until the XIXth century, though of course the delightful little things certainly owe this movie a great deal, having since rocketed to stardom and must-have status all over the world. Part of VDP is happy that the great masses should now know (with certainty because Kirsten Dunst herself said it!) that the queen most probably never actually uttered the words ‘let them eat cake’ (so please, at least when commenting on this blog, stop saying that she did, you will earn VDP's eternal gratitude!). While VDP believes that the film gives a tiny insight into the hornet’s nest that was the French royal court, the ‘sweet tooth depravity’ shown here is miles from who Marie-Antoinette probably was in reality, a woman who was likely far less stupid and frivolous than usually portrayed. Marie-Antoinette is a very touchy subject in this country, where she is still widely hated (despite the fact that it is mainly the support of the American war of Independence that ruined France, not her follies that merely constituted contributing factors. What's more, such follies weren't unusual -probably even standard- in a world of monarchies which we judge with post-revolutionary, XXIst century eyes)…

And yet VDP loved it! The explosion of colours, the lavish costumes (full of anachronisms too but hell…), the ‘Converse All Stars’ feet scene, the soundtrack (ahhhh Adam and the Ants during the love scene with count de Fersen – oops pity she probably never did actually have sex with Fersen back then)… She loved seeing Versailles and the no less beautiful château of Vaux Le Vicomte –the castle without which there might not have been Versailles- where some scenes were shot. VDP thoroughly enjoyed herself but wishes that people who visit Versailles and dream of Kirsten Dunst wouldn’t believe that this is an accurate portrayal of Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, archduchess of Austria and queen of France (and trust VDP, a lot do, the conversations you sometimes overhear when at the palace are too funny). Okay, before you ask, no VDP isn’t a monarchist and sorry for the long post…

Le film projeté à la séance inaugurale des Yvelines font leur cinéma cette année, c'était Marie-Antoinette de Sofia Coppola que VDP n'avait encore jamais vu. VDP a beaucoup aimé le côté décalé du film (la scène des Converse All Star l'a éclatée) ce qui est étonnant puisqu'elle aime bien, en général, les films qui collent plus à la réalité historique et trouve dommage que tant de touristes qui se pressent à Versailles pensent désormais que Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, archiduchesse d'Autriche et reine de France était Kirsten Dunst... Ah là là, les conversations que l'on surprend parfois en traînant au château !

Sido

Before the movie at the open-air cinema evening, we got to see a delightful short film directed by Béatrice Masson and Rose Tée and entirely set in Versailles. Below is Béatrice introducing her funny, whimsical, sweet film called 'Sido'.  The Facebook page is this way! Do yourselves a favour and watch the one minute long trailer by clicking here (it has English subtitles!)

Projection de Sido, un court-métrage absolument délicieux "made in Versailles" par Béatrice Masson et Rose Tée avant le film de la soirée ciné de plein air, après une courte introduction par Béatrice. La page Facebook de Sido, c'est par là et une minute de votre temps pour regarder un extrait, c'est par ici !

Ciné de plein air

Last Thursday evening, this year's edition of open air movies in various cities of the whole Yvelines department was launched in the garden of Trianon Palace hotel in Versailles (the 'county town' of the Yvelines). It had poured with rain all morning but the weather forecast wasn't too bad for the evening and there was a huge turnout! Thankfully, VDP's friend had been able to arrive earlier than her to reserve seats in the front row! It actually rained a bit during the movie but not enough to make anyone leave!

Jeudi dernier était lancée l'édition 2015 des "Yvelines font leur cinéma" dans le jardin du Trianon Palace. Le matin, c'était la mousson mais les prévisions météo n'étaient pas trop mauvaises pour la soirée et du coup il n'y avait pas assez de transats pour accommoder la foule s'étant déplacée ! Heureusement, une amie de VDP avait pu arriver suffisamment tôt pour réserver des places au premier rang ! Pendant la séance, il y eut un peu de crachin, mais pas assez pour faire fuir les spectateurs!

Monday Mural : derrière la grande écurie du roi

These fairly recent murals (which VDP actually photographed on the eve of Bastille Day, doesn't time fly?!) are located behind the king's big stables (see all posts by clicking here. If you would like to see the king's small stables, head this way!) This is fitting for former royal stables, all the more so that they now house the Equestrian Academy! To see the Mural Art School of Versailles in action in this location, check out this article! All Monday Murals are this way!

Ce trompe-l’œil relativement récent (que VDP a photographié juste avant le feu d'artifice du 14 juillet, que le temps file !) se trouve derrière la grande écurie du roi. Pour voir toutes les photos de la grande écurie, cliquez ici. Si vous souhaitez voir celles de la petite écurie, c'est par là !) Cette jolie fresque est forcément parfaitement adaptée à une écurie, d'autant que celle-ci abrite l'Académie du Spectacle Equestre ! Pour voir l'Ecole d'Art Mural de Versailles en action ici-même, consultez cet article. Toutes les fresques du lundi sont par ici !

Samedi paresseux

Give VDP's Dad the NYT and he's happy just sitting in the shade after lunch at La Véranda... Meanwhile, VDP was taking a walk in the garden of Trianon Palace hotel...

Donnez le NYT au père de VDP et il est heureux, assis à l'ombre après déjeuner à La Véranda... Pendant ce temps, VDP se promenait dans le jardin du Trianon Palace...

Tomates, artichauts, courgettes et roses

There's a cool little garden at Trianon Palace hotel! Tomatoes, artichokes, zucchini and roses!

Au Trianon Palace.

Coucou !

After lunch at La Véranda... Greetings from the palace grounds! No, you can't get into the garden at Trianon Palace hotel. Non, non... Apologies for not having visited your blogs yesterday, catch up today!

Après déjeuner à la Véranda... Bien le bonjour du parc du château !

If you were to stay at Trianon Palace hotel, this would be your view...

La Véranda côté château

Trianon Palace hotel seen from the palace grounds side. You can see why the restaurant is called La Véranda... A long, long time ago, in August 2009 to be precise, you had seen this side of the hotel from the palace grounds. Click here to see it. To see the front of the hotel in the summer, click here and in a snowstorm click here (that would be a special for you, William Kendall!)

L'hôtel Trianon Palace vu côté parc du château. Vous aviez vu l'hôtel il y a très longtemps depuis le parc sur ce blog, c'était en août 2009 pour être précise. Cliquez ici pour voir la photo. Pour voir l'autre côté de l'hôtel en été, cliquez ici et pour le voir dans une tempête de neige, cliquez là !

Entrée, plat, dessert

First course, main course and dessert at La Véranda restaurant that you saw yesterday. Oh wait, sorry, let's start with afters! All this was scrumptious and washed down with a pretty good bottle of Margaux. Cheers and bon appétit !

Déjeuner à la Véranda que VDP vous montrait hier. C'était absolument délicieux, accompagné d'une belle bouteille de Margaux... A la vôtre et bon appétit !

A la Véranda

Last Saturday, VDP took her parents to La Véranda restaurant at Trianon Palace hotel right next to the palace grounds for a bit of sheer luxury at lunchtime... The chef at the hotel is celeb' Gordon Ramsay and this place is the offspring of the main restaurant.

Samedi dernier, VDP a emmené ses parents à la Véranda de Gordon Ramsay au Trianon Palace, en bordure du parc du château, pour un peu de luxe à l'heure du déjeuner...

Dans la cour du cheval blanc

Inside the 'white horse courtyard' in Saint-Louis neighbourhood...

Le carré à la fontaine, tout beau tout neuf !

Fountain square in Saint-Louis neighbourhood has been restored! There are now chairs to sit down on! In 1737, on the site originally proposed by his great-grandfather, Louis XV gave permission do a couple of merchants, J. Bully and C. Bruneteau, to construct some sheds to accomodate the stalls of a new market. The sheds were arranged in quadrangles but the market failed to attract customers and after 1755, the sheds were gradually converted into dwellings. This is fountain square, which gets its name from the former reservoir that can be seen there (the building in the second photo). This structure, which was put up in 1766 by engineer Pluyette, was dug during the reign of Louis XIV, received water from the far end of Avenue de Sceaux and supplied the neighbourhood's fountains. It is currently occupied by the municipal department responsible for protecting ancient habitat. (Text slightly adapted from Versailles' tourist info on St-Louis neighbourhood that anyone visiting Versailles should download!)

Maintenant il y a des chaises pour s'y installer ! A Saint-Louis, le carré à la fontaine tient son nom de l’ancien réservoir qu’on y voit (ici sur la seconde photo) : cette construction de 1766 due à l’ingénieur Pluyette recevait son eau de réservoirs creusés sous Louis XIV au bout de l’avenue de Sceaux et la distribuait aux fontaines du quartier. Le service municipal chargé de l’habitat ancien y est à présent installé (texte du guide "parcours historique Saint-Louis" qui peut être consulté en intégralité en cliquant sur le lien).

Le ciel et les volets bleus

Just because of the sky and the blue shutters...

Roses trémières

The hollyhocks were still in bloom on Monday in front of Sainte-Bernadette church!

Les roses trémières étaient encore en pleine floraison lundi devant l'église Sainte-Bernadette !