A Little Picnic

And a little rain.

Plus a Métro Attraction

Paris:- Saturday, 5. March 2000:- One of the most agreeable ideas to be put forward to mark this year 2000 is the 'Incroyable Pique-nique' - the 'Incredible Picnic' - which is planned for Bastille Day, Friday 14. July.

While some good people in Gien are busily making a 700 kilometre-long tablecloth, other people are trying to find flat spaces in the Gorges de l'Aude. In total four million are invited to this outdoor lunch.

During the picnic, ambiance will supplied by 'l'incroyable radio,' which will only be broadcasting for this event. More 'incroyables' are expected to be rolling towards each other; on foot, on horseback, on bicycles, rollers - of course! - and overhead in balloons and ULMs, little planes and air force jets.

Now, this 'incroyable' picnic will be taking place in France from Dunkirk, through 337 towns and villages, through Paris, all the way to Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste in the eastern Pyrenées - but I thought it was to continue all the way to Barcelona.

In Paris, picnic grounds are certain to be in the Luxembourg Gardens, in the garden of the Observatory and in the Montsouris park - but there will be other places too, such as on the banks of the Seine and Montmartre.

This event will outstrip my resources to 'cover' it, so I intend to participate in it instead. How about you? Everybody is invited as far as I know.

The other big show coming up in March is the Salon du Livre and this will call for another birthday - just a small one - because I first covered this event with online reports in 1995.

Navigation Note:-For some rare issues of Metropole, there will be two 'Scene' pages. This regular one will be for current events in Paris, and the occasional other one will be for special 'Paris 2000' events; which will include '2000 In France' items.

If you pop back and forth within a week's two 'Scene' pages, your browser's 'back' or 'return' button may not return you to the issue's 'contents' page. Use 'This Issue' in Metropole's navigation line at the top and bottom of these pages.

• New This Week
• Coming Events, Exhibitions, Salons
• Major Events, Exhibitions, Salons
• Other Events, Exhibitions, Salons
• Art Works
• Photo Works
• Dance, Music, Opera, Theatre
• Culture, History, Science
• Cinéma and Multimedia
• Sports, Bikes, Rollers
• Unclassifieds

The items below are not necessarily 'new;' but they are new to this column. Maybe.

20th Salon du Livre - is the show where French publishers worldwide put their stuff on display for six days, which isn't really enough time to see it all. Portugal is the guest of honor this year. This starts on Friday, 17. March and continues until Wednesday, 22. March. Salon du Livre, at Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles. Info. Tel.: 08 36 68 00 51.

8th Semi-Marathon de Paris - is shorter than the full marathon in April, but seems to have just as many rules. Maximum number of runners: 14,000. Lonely you will not be. A medical certificate is required. Starting place: Stade Charléty, 17. Avenue Pierre-de-Coubertin, Paris 13. Métro: RER 'B' - Cité Universitaire. Starting time: 10:00. To be run on Sunday, 12. March. Info. Tel.: 01 41 33 15 68, Fax.: 01 41 33 15 69. Check the Web site for additional details. More details for the full-sized Paris Marathon are below, in the 'Sports' section.

Métro Tuileries - reopened last December, and the whole underground station has been decorated to celebrate the 100th birthday of the métro itself. Although the smallest métro station in Paris, both quays have 150 metre-long tableau, depicting the last century; with musical accompaniment. Starting in April, nine other stations will be slated for redecoration at the rate of one per month. No Info.; all you need is one little green ticket.

Nôtre Dame de Paris - is sold out for its run until 30. April at the Palais de Congrés, but it will come back on Tuesday, 4. July and continue its performances until 26. August. For Info., see fnac tickets at the end of this column.

Oliver Twist - is a musical comedy in French by Charles Dickens about an orphan who... but you know the story. Maybe your kids don't. On Wednesday, 15. March at 14:30 and Sunday, 19. March at 16:00; at the Théâtre Victor-Hugo, 14. Avenue Victor-Hugo, in Bagneux. Take bus 188 or 197. Theatre Info. Tel.: 01 46 63 10 54.

SKA-P Eurosis - is having an 'en concierto' on Monday, 13. March, at 20:00; at the Elysée-Montmartre, 72. Boulevard Rochechouart, Paris 18. Métro: Pigalle. I'm not entirely sure about this, because Sawt el Atlas is supposed to go on at 19:30 in the same place on the same date.

Un Mois à la Campagne - is by Ivan Tourgueniev - you know who I mean - under the direction of Yves Beaunesne and is a history of 'gens de trop.' From Tuesday, 7. March until Saturday, 8. April; mostly at 20:00. In the Grand Salle at the Athénée Théâtre Louis-Jouvet, in the Square de l'Opéra Louis-Jouvet, 7. Rue Boudreau, Paris 9.Info. Tel.: 01 53 05 19 19.

Sally Nyolo - goes into the Café de la Danse for a three day gig, from Thursday, 9. March until Saturday, 11. March; at 20:30. As usual, in the Passage Louis Philippe at number 5. In Paris 11. Métro: Bastille. Tickets at the usual agencies.

Casse Pipe - is what exactly? I thought it was theatre, but it seems to be some sort of group. Never mind. Casse Pipe plays from Tuesday, 21. March until Saturday, 25. March, at 20:00. If you like them, you can follow them around France until the end of April. At La Maroquinerie, 23. Rue Boyer, Paris 20. Métro: Gambetta. Info. Tel.: 01 40 33 30 60.

Morts Sans Sépulture - is by Jean-Paul Sartre and directed by Axelle Hair. I think this may be a krimi, but who knows? At the sinister-sounding Théâtre des Cinq Diamants, 10. Rue des Cinq Diamants, Paris 13. Métro: Corvisart or Place de l'Italie. Oh-oh, this finishes today. The poster runs anyway!

Yiddish Atmosphère - features Tolilo and Ben Zimet, performing in 20 exceptional concerts. Traditional chansons and stories, outlining yiddishkeit. Until Friday, 31. March, at 20:30; and at 17:30 on the Sundays, 12. and 26. March. At the Auditorium Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 4. Rue Félibien, Paris 6. Métro: Odéon or Mabillon. Info. Tel.: 01 44 07 37 43.

The Musée de la Poupée - the Paris' doll museum has two temporary exhibitions of dolls coming soon. One will show communion and marriage costumes. This starts on Tuesday, 7. March and continues until Monday, 12. June. 'Gene' is another doll, younger and bigger than Barbie, based on Gene Tierney or Greta Garbo. 'Gene à Paris' will feature 50 dolls in an exhibition, which begins on 7. March and ends on Sunday, 4. June.

Musée de la Poupée, Impasse Berthaud, Paris 3. Métro: Rambuteau. Except Monday, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Boutique next door. Info. Tel.: 01 42 72 73 11.

Carnaval do Brasil - started already without telling me, but there's more to come. On Saturday, 11. March, Carnaval de Bahia; from 23:00 until dawn. At the Divan du Monde, 75. Rue des Martyrs, Paris 18. Métro: Pigalle. Info. Tel.: 01 43 38 70 76.

This item closes the opening 'new' events for this week. You will find some other new items below. Again, lack of time has not permitted me to form a text to go with each of the images - but they do represent current events in Paris.

The Month of British Theatre - 'Londres sur Seine' is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, 7. March, and will run in three Paris theatres: Théâtre Silvia Montfort, Info. Tel.: 01 43 13 50 60; at the Cité Internationale, Info. Tel.: 01 45 33 66 70; and Paris Villette, Info. Tel.: 01 42 02 02 68. Programmed for Silvia Montfort: 'East' by Steven Berkof; 'The Importance of Being Ernest' by Oscar Wilde; 'Sell Out' by Michael Wynne and 'Some Explicit Polaroids' by Mark Ravenhill. 'Operation Made In Britain' - in French - is scheduled for the Cité Universitaire, and 'La Terrible Voix de Satan' by Gregory Motton will play at Paris-Villette. See poster in this issue.

Adolphe Sax - I have seen the name around and it is described as an exhibition-concert; and there is a Adolphe Sax Quartet. From Friday, 3. March - at 19:00 - until Saturday, 19. March. At the Centre Artistique Jacques Catinat, 3. place Maurice Berteaux, in Chatou. Take RER line 'A' to Chatou. Info. Tel.: 01 30 53 32 05.

Natalie Lamotte - is a strong painter who seems to mix organic shapes with external objects, with colors like hammers. See her exhibit from Tuesday, 28. March until Thursday, 20. April, Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 19:00 at the Espace Paul Ricard, 9. Rue Royale, Paris 8. This is located in a mall de luxe; go straight in until you see the Paul Ricard sign. Info. Tel.: 01 53 30 99 00.

The Tour Eiffel In 352 Snapshots - Last year, starting on 1. January, Jean-Paul Lubliner posed himself beneath the Tour Eiffel and snapped its photo. These go on display, starting on Saturday, 18. March, until Friday, 31. March. Except Tuesday, open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. The problem here is the location given doesn't match the given métro station, and neither seem a likely location for this exhibition. Details to come.

15th Festival du Film de Paris - begins on Monday, 27. March and continues until Monday, 3. April: all at the Cinéma Gaumont-Marignan, 27. Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris 8. The subtitle for this is 'Paris-Hollywood sur Seine.' Details, I hope, to follow.

This coming spring, 30 centuries of Mexican art will take over from Brazil Baroque, also in the Petit Palais, Avenue du Winston Churchill, Paris 8. Métro: Champs-Elysées Clemenceau. Except Monday, open from 10:00 to 17:40; to 20:00 on Thursdays. Info. Tel.: 01 42 65 12 73.

Rallye des Princesses - The first rallye for lady drivers rolled out of Paris in 1929 and followed a route through Vichy and Hyères, to finish up at Saint-Raphaël. Count Edme de Rohan-Chabot, who started it all, died in 1972 and the last rallye was run in 1974. Patrick Zaniroli, an ex-Paris-Dakar competitor have revived this rallye for ladies and it will take place from Tuesday, 25. to Sunday, 30. April.

Until Sunday, 20. April, the entry fee for the Rallye des Princesses is 19,500 francs for the driver and co-pilot. This fee includes assistance, mechanical aid; plus accommodations and meals. There will be a 'gala' at the finish and this is included too. Men can participate, but only as assistants. The fee for this is 4500 francs, and includes accommodations and meals.

This year's Rallye des Princesses starts in Paris, and goes through La Châtre, Vichy, Vals-les-Bains, Aix-en-Provence, to finish up at Saint-Raphaël - with a 'gala!' The ladies will spray Champagne on each other.

Oser Le Savoir - which translates as 'Dare to Know,' features '10 keys to the future' which will be presented with exhibitions and debates, from February until the end of the year. This takes place, in cooperation with the CNRS, at the Cité des Sciences & de l'Industrie at La Villette. 30. Avenue Corentin-Cariou, Paris 19. Info. Tel.: 0140 05 80 00.

Etienne-Jules Marey - was an all-round scientist during the last part of the 19th century and the Espace Electra has teamed up with the Cinémathèque Français to put on an exhibition, tracing Marey's history. At the Espace Electra, 6. Rue Récamier, Paris 7. Open daily except Monday, from 12:00 to 19:00. Métro: Sèvres-Babylone. Info. Tel.: 01 53 63 23 45.

Trésors des Arts Asiatiques - is from the collection of Mr and Mrs John D. Rockerfeller III, which is now managed by the Asia Society. This show features 81 major pieces from the entire collection, and comes to Paris after being shown in Melbourne, Sydney and Shanghai. This show continues until Sunday, 14. May. It can be seen daily except Mondays, from 10:00 to 17:40, at the Musée Cernuschi, 7. Avenue Vélasquez, Paris 8. Métro: Monceau or Villiers. Info. Tel.: 01 45 63 50 75.

L'Epopée des Heike - is something not to miss. History in the form of 250 sculptures of exquisite paper, carefully folded by hand. Until Saturday, 13. May; Tuesday to Saturday, from 12:00 to 19:00 and on Thursdays until 20:00. On display now at the Maison de la Culture du Japon, 101. Quai Branly, Paris 15. Métro: Bir-Hakeim. Info. Tel.: 01 44 37 95 00.

Carpeaux Painter - Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux was a famous sculptor who died in 1875 without telling anybody he was a painter too. Discovered 19 years after his death, his secret was revealed and 90 of his works are on display now. Except Monday, daily from 11:00 to 18:00, and on Thursday until 20:00. At the Musée du Luxembourg, 19. Rue de Vaugiraud, Paris 6. Métro: Odéon or RER 'B' Luxembourg. Web Info.

Portrait of Mexico - as part of the '2000 in Paris' salute to the new world of the Americas, a film history of Mexico is a current attraction at the Forum des Images-Vidéothèque. This is in the Forum des Halles, by the Porte Saint-Eustache entry, Paris 1. Info. Tel.: 01 44 76 62 00.

Droit de Cité Pour la Presse - is subtitled 'Liberté à la Une' - Freedom for the Front Page. This is an exhibition entirely devoted to the idea of the right to access information and freedom of expressing it. Historically it passes from Théophraste Renaudot's 'La Gazette' to the Internet of our times. Until Monday, 15. May, at the Palais-Brongniart, which is also known as the Bourse de Paris. Daily from 10:00 to 19:00. Métro: Bourse.

Les Ponts de Paris - Parisians can't get enough of the Seine's bridges even though there are plenty of them; so here is another exhibition - about which I'm short of details. On weekdays, from Friday, 10. March until Tuesday, 11. April; from 12:00 to 18:00. At the Mairie of the XIII, 1. Place d'Italie, Paris 13. Métro: Place d'Italie. Produced by Paris' Action Artistique.

Zingg - died in 1942 and for the first time this painter's sketches and designs are being shown to the public. See the feature in Metropole. Until Friday, 21. April; from Tuesday to Friday, from 12:30 to 18:30, and by rendez-vous. At L'Atelier An. Girard, 7. Rue Campagne Première, Paris 14. Info. Tel.: 01 43 22 01 16.

Lumières en Eclat - the Centre International du Vitrail has done me a favor by sending me a beautifully illustrated catalogue for a temporary exhibition by nine artists working in glass - as in, glass as an art object. Fantastic. This exhibition lasts until 24. September; at the Centre International du Vitrail, 5. Rue du Cardinal Pie, in Chartres. Hours are 9:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 until 18:00; daily. It's worth the trip for the catalogue. Info. Tel.: 02 37 21 65 72.

Le Crépuscule des Dinosaures - is some to scare adults with, but kids will love it. This is a big show, with possibly big lineups, so make your plans carefully. Until Sunday, 14. May. At the Palais de la Découverte, Avenue Franklin-Roosevelt, Paris 8. Métro: same name. Info. Tel.: 01 56 43 20 21.

Venise de Zoran Music - is an exhibition of 100 paintings and aquarelles done by Zoran Music between 1946 and 1998, at Paris' museum for the 18th century. At the Musée Cognacq-Jay, 8. Rue Elzéir, Paris 3. Opening hours are 10;00 to 17:40 daily except Mondays and holidays, until Sunday, 16. April. Info. Tel.: 01 40 27 07 21.

Lasar Segall - the retrospective has been put together by the Laser Segall Museum of Sao Paulo, the Jewish Museum of New York and the Smart Museum of Chicago. Little-known in France despite a four-year period in Paris and a retrospective in 1959, Segall spent most of his life in Brazil. Until Sunday, 14. May, at the Musée d'Art et Histoire du Judaïsme, Hôtel de Saint-Aignan, 71. Rue du Temple, Paris 3. Info. Tel.: 01 53 01 86 53.

Marcel Proust - and his 3000-page 'A la Recherche du Temps Perdu' is supposed to be as exhaustive as Eugène Atget's collection of photos. They might not have been exactly in the same circles, but they were at the same time. This exhibition, with material from the Musée d'Orsay, is at the Grande Bibliothèque, in the Grande Gaerie - Hall Est - which is still at the Quai François-Mauriac, Paris 14. Métro: end of the line 14. Info. Tel.: 01 53 97 59 59.