'Fous' In Fayetteville Help Replant Versailles

The Rue de Rivoli on a grey day in central Paris.

More Coming Events Than Usual

Paris:- Saturday, 11. March 2000:- For some reason, I am pretty cool towards Versailles. The town part is a bit shabby in places, so it is possible to get some interesting photos there. There are also lively areas, besides the marché. But mainly, Versailles was just a place I used to drive through to get somewhere else.

The Château, Louis XIV's old place, does not pluck any sentimental strings for me. I do not mind if millions want to see it and I don't mind if residents gain employment from working in it; keeping it running as an 'attraction.'

The Château's park left me even cooler. Even on a sunny day, as soon as I got to the terrace facing the park, a dull throb would settle on my head. 'Oh,' I would say to myself, 'The park looks as boring as it always does.'

My impression is not shared by some folks in Fayetteville, who have organized a subscription in order to donate 5000 trees towards Versailles' park, which lost about 10,000. Even if I don't care much for Versailles and its park, this gesture cannot go unremarked.

Nine of the trees - some of which are rare - were handed over last week; before the big replant which is scheduled to begin on 20. March.

The only problem with saluting these folks, is Le Parisien's placement of Fayetteville in 'South' Georgia. There certainly is a Fayetteville in Georgia, and others in North Carolina, West Virginia, Arkansas, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. There are no towns or cities named Fayette or Fayetteville in France.

You folks are big heros as far as Versailles is concerned, no matter which Fayetteville you live in. If any of you are reading this, drop me a line so I can get a focus on this. Le Parisien says you are 'amoureux fous' of Versailles.

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 this column's leads.

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.

Festival Itinerant - is a well-organized commercial music festival, held in various city locations such as the Olympia and La Cigale. It continues until Friday, 24. March. If you are halfway interested, you can not only get more info where tickets are sold, you can also get tickets. At the usual agencies.

La Scène Bretonne - at Ménilmontant features Jacques Pellen and the Celtic Procession, and 60 other performers. They have already started and wind up on Saint-Patrick's Day, Friday, 17. March. Attention; this includes a 'Fest Noz.' At the Maroquinerie, 23. Rue Boyer, Paris 20. Métro; Gambetta. Info. Tel.: 01 10 33 30 60.

Free Entries - are offered to all on Sunday mornings, from 10:00 to 13:00, at all of Paris' own museums. This involves up to 15 different places, so I'm not going to list them all here. When I write 'places' it is because the list includes the archeological crypt under the parvis in front of Notre Dame - of which I know nothing - and the Maison de Balzac, which is currently closed with storm damage.

One exception to free entry is the Catacombs, at Denfert-Rochereau, possibly because they are right next door to me - but most likely because they don't open until the afternoon. Except for bigger shows in the Musée du Petit Palais, most of Paris' own museums have modest entry charges anyway. As far as I know, the two museums below belong to Paris, but free on Sunday mornings they are not.

Imaï, la Guerre et la Paix - is an exhibition by the Japanese artist Imaï, who mixes Japan with the west, in Europe and in America. Several of his works are in the permanent collection at the Pompidou Centre. On show, his latest works, from 1992 to today. At the Couvent des Cordeliers, 15. Rue de l'Ecole de Médecine; Paris 6. Métro: Cluny or Odéon. Open from 11:00 to 19:00 - except Mondays. Until Wednesday, 5. April. Info. Tel.: 01 40 46 05 47.

Haiti - Anges et Démons - plus voodoo graffiti, Holy Sun, metal Ogou, and contemporary 'magic' - in 300 pieces done between 1945 and today. 'Magic painting,' according to André Malraux. Until Friday, 30. June; from 10:00 to 19:00, daily. At the Halle Saint-Jean, 2. Rue Ronsard, Paris 18. Métro Anvers. Info. Tel.: 01 42 58 72 89.

The Month of British Theatre - 'Londres sur Seine' has begun 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.

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 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 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.

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.

Arpad Szenes - 25 years after his retrospective at Paris' modern art museum, Arpad Szenes returns for another retrospective, this time in the Salle Saint-Jean, in the Hôtel de Ville. Another European artist who washed up in Paris in the '20's, mixed into Montparnasse with success, but went to Brazil during the war. He returned to Paris in 1947, bringing some sunlight back. From Thursday, 16. March until Sunday, 17. June; except Mondays, from 11:00 to 19:00. Salle Saint-Jean, 5. Rue Lobau, Paris 4. Métro: Hôtel de Ville. No entry charge. Info. Tel.: 01 42 76 51 53.

Software and Hardware - the digital world moves into Paris Expo with seven different trade shows, all starting on Tuesday, 28. March and all ending on Wednesday, 3. April. Telecoms, DTP, CAD, Online, and software make up a part of the palette. All the expos have two organizers, either Infopromotions or BIRP. Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles.

Salon de la Maquette - has now got a spiffier name which is also longer - 'Mondial de la Maquettte et Modèle Réduit,' with 'Salon des Jeux.' In other words, Paris' annual model and games show. This starts on Saturday, 1. April and continues until Sunday, 9. April. This salon also has a Web site. Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles.

Les Grands Boulevards - are getting a constant drumroll these days and now an exhibition too. See it when it comes on Friday, 17. March, from Monday to Friday; from 12:00 to 18:00. Until Friday, 28. April, at the Mairie of the 9th arrondissement, 6. Rue Drouot, Paris 9. Métro: Richelieu-Drouot.

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.

Musée Bouchard - here I am mentioning a sculptor whose work I've never seen and who died in 1960. 'Bouchard et la Bourgogne' begins on Saturday, 15. April. Open from Wednesday to Saturday, from 14:00 to 19:00. At the Musée Bouchard, 25. Rue de l'Yvette, Paris 16. Métro: Jasmin. Info. Tel.: 01 46 47 63 46.

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. No entry charge. Conferences and hands-on demos. Featured in Metropole in this issue.

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.

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, 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 Galerie - 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.

De Bébé Cadum à Mamie Nova - this poster show features animals, people, and other objects used to personify products for their promotion. The posters in question are old ones, some featuring products past their heyday, some featuring ones that are still around. There are three interests satisfied here: graphics, French products and how they were promoted. Until Friday, 31. March. At the Bibliothèque Forney, 1. Rue de Figuier, Paris 4. Métro: Pont Marie. Info. Te.: 01 42 78 14 60.