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The Antibes Yacht Show 2012
April 9th, 2012 | 
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Competing for attention in Antibes with the Antiques Fair is the annual Antibes Yacht Show, which takes place in Port Vauban from April 12th to 15th. It’s the only brokerage, charter and refit show in Spring in the Mediterranean. Last year over 13,000 enthusiasts from 65 countries came to see the 150 yachts, measuring from 15 meters to a whopping 70 metres bobbing up and down in the clear blue sea of the Mediterranean. You have to have deep pockets for this show, or just be an enthusiast who likes looking at these beautiful boats.
With the antiques show just around the corner, you could combine the two, buy a new yacht and kit it out with 18th-century artefacts to feel like Russell Crowe in Master and Commander, or perhaps Horatio Hornblower?
Practical Information
Locations in: Port Vauban, Antibes
Bastion Saint Jaume
Vieux Port – Quai Rambaud (Ramparts) (Main entrance)
Quai Camille Rayon / International Yacht Club Quay
Open
Thursday April 1210am-7pm
Friday April 13 and Saturday April 1410am to 7pm
Sunday April 15 10am to 6pm
Entrance 15 euros, free for children under 15
Antibes Tourist Office
11, place de Gaulle
Tel.: 00 33 (0)4 97 23 11 11
Website
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The Antibes Yacht Show 2012 originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Sunday, April 8th, 2012 at 10:01:54.
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Antibes Antiques Fair
The delightful port of Antibes positively hums in April. Currently filling the Port Vauban down by the sea is the prestigious annual Antiques and Art Fair , on until April 23rd. The fair that’s known throughout Europe was founded by antiques dealer Jean Gismondi and is now in its 40th year. You can expect everything from old master paintings to precious jewellery from the 100 or so exhibitors. If you’re serious about collecting or are looking out for something special, you can have a professional take you around. Just get a special ticket at the entrance.
And once you’ve done the fair, there’s plenty more to see and do in Antibes, one of the most delightful ports along the sparkling Mediterranean coast.
Practical Details
Port Vauban
Website
Daily10:30am-7:30pm
Entrance 9 euros, 5 euros for those under 18 years old.
Antibes Tourist Office
11, place de Gaulle
Tel.: 00 33 (0)4 97 23 11 11
Website
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Antibes Antiques Fair originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Thursday, April 5th, 2012 at 09:56:40.
Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in Nantes
Nantes, on the west coast of France, was one of the country’s biggest slave trading ports and the city grew rich on the trade. Over a period of four hundred years, from the 16th to the 19th century, the deadly trade went from Africa to Europe, then on to different destinations — the West Indies, Brazil and North America, Reunion and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Slavery was abolished in Nantes in 1848.
On March 25th, the city opened a new, free and highly impressive Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery. Walk down the steps into the underground space to be greeted by texts from all the countries affected. The words, songs, literary texts, laws, poems, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the word ‘Freedom’ in 50 languages are inscribed on a huge glass panel. It’s a thought-provoking, effective visit, adding to the many attractions of this great sea port.
More on the Memorial.
Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in Nantes originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at 06:53:08.
Easter Antiques Fair in Provence
The Easter antiques market in the pretty little Provencale town of L’Isle sur la Sorgue in the Vaucluse is one of Europe’s big antiques events. This year it runs from Friday April 6th to Monday 9th and takes over a town which already has a formidable reputation as an antique hunters’ magnet.
Over 500 exhibitors and shops offer just about every kind of antique, brocante item, jumble and well, let’s face it, items you really cannot imagine owning. It covers the whole spectrum of collectibles and to the enthusiastic antique collector, it’s a don’t miss, along with the famous Lille Braderie fair in September.
Image: Antiques at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Fair © A Hocquel
Easter Antiques Fair in Provence originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Thursday, March 29th, 2012 at 15:19:14.
Le Touquet Celebrates a Century
The chic resort of Le Touquet Paris-Plage is celebrating its centenary on March 28th, 2012. Already a growing and chic resort on the north coast of France, attracting wealthy Parisians and Brits, the commune officially came of age (and received its proper name) one hundred years ago this Wednesday.
The town is planning various events, starting with the post office issuing a special stamp. Go along there, buy a stamp or special card and send it off. Then you can watch the planting of a centenary oak tree, see the exhibition on the town and in the evening join in the official dance.
More information on the Le Touquet Website.
Don’t worry if you miss the day, there’s plenty going on throughout the year celebrating this chic resort.
Le Touquet is a delightful place to visit. Started as a sporting resort, it still offers sports which you can take part in, from sailing to wind-surfing, horse-riding to tennis. Or watch the various tournaments, or a fast and furious game of polo. And in the evening, celebrate at the casino.
Image: Le Touquet Paris-Plage celebrates its hundredth birthday
Le Touquet Celebrates a Century originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Monday, March 26th, 2012 at 10:21:46.
Bollywood comes to St. Tropez
It may seem odd but St. Tropez is holding a three month long extravaganza celebrating India. But why not? St. Trop is glamorous enough for the most demanding maharaja. From June to October the glitzy resort will be full of art exhibitions by Indian artists, concerts, stunning dance shows, food of course, and fashion shows. You can watch polo matches between French and Indian teams as well as golf competitions. And just before the May Cannes Film Festival, they’re planning an Indian Film Festival. Bollywood in the south of France? It should be interesting.
More on St. Tropez and the area
Image: The old port © J-L CHAIX, Ville de Saint-Tropez
Bollywood comes to St. Tropez originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 at 12:53:05.
Carriages from Versailles roll into Arras
From March 17th to November 10th, 2013, the Chateau de Versailles fills the impressive vaulted cloisters of the Saint-Vaast Abbey at Arras with the Roulez Carosses! Exhibition. It’s the first exhibition in France devoted to carriages, and what carriages these are.
One coach was used for the funeral of the unfortunate Louis XVIII in 1824 who spent 24 years in exile, then reigned for ten with very little power; another for the coronation of his successor Charles X in 1824 when the man who had spent most of his life as Comte d’Artois became King for six years; another took Napoleon Bonaparte to his marriage to Josephine. Beside the gilded carriages, there are paintings, sculptures, sleighs, sedanchairs and horsetack.
This is the first time that the royal and imperial Berlin coaches and carriages that usually are displayed at Versailles have ventured outside their usual home. The exhibition is well worth seeing, and Arras makes a great short break from Paris.
Practical Information
Musee des Beaux-Arts
Saint-Vaast Abbey
22 rue Paul-Doumer
Information on the Exhibition
Entrance 7 euros
Concession 4 euros
Free for under 18s
Image: Charles X’s Coronation Coach © RMN (Château de Versailles), Gérard Blot
Carriages from Versailles roll into Arras originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Sunday, March 18th, 2012 at 15:04:23.
Louis Vuitton-Marc Jacobs Paris Exhibition
What could be more iconic for the luxury traveler than that oh-so-famous Louis Vuitton trunk? The creator, originally a humble trunk-packer to Napoleon’s Empress Eugenie, founded the label in Paris in 1854 and then promoted himself as the packer who “specialised in fashions”.
The Exhibition is at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, next to the Louvre and is fascinating. It takes you through the lives and inspirations of both Louis Vuitton, the original founder of the house, and Marc Jacobs, the inspired designer whose recent 15-year stint at Louis Vuitton has propelled the fashion house into its top position.
The exhibition is on two floors. The Vuitton part shows how he started creating fashions that became the dernier mot in French society. It also illustrates the fashion industry and how it has functioned over the last 160 years, from the early rapid industrialization to the highly complex, global business it is today.
On display is fashion, but also footage from old films and news photographs where Vuitton creations and clothes were as important as the stars. You see clips from films such as Some Like It Hot and Annie, as well as photographs of Mick and Bianca Jagger on their wedding day.
It’s a great exhibition, and the whole wall of Marc Jacobs’ handbags is a knock-out.
The exhibition runs from March 9th to September 16th, 2012
Practical Information
Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Les Arts Décoratifs – Mode et textile
107 rue de Rivoli
Tel. : 00 33 (0)1 44 55 57 50
Website
Guide to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs
More information on Paris
Image: Nurses from the Spring/Summer 2008 show with 12 bags from the Toile Monogram Jokes © LOUIS VUITTON / CHRIS MOORE
Louis Vuitton-Marc Jacobs Paris Exhibition originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 12:36:57.
Toulouse has a new Carnival
On Wednesday March 21st, the streets of Toulouse will be thronged as the revived Carnival takes over. Last celebrated in 1985, Toulouse has managed to put on many small, more local carnivals and this year the season will end with the very lively Carnival of Brazil.
The new March Carnival will be pretty impressive. It starts with a Children’s Ball at 2pm in the place du Capitole, then continues with a long, wonderfully inventive procession of floats through the streets from Jean Jaures to Pont Neuf. Led by the King, his princess and child, the floats are themed from a British taxi float to one from the Balkans, from a float with 100 drummers belting out Samba rhythms to a Roman float complete with gladiators, their bodies glistening with oil.
The evening culminates with a masked ball for adults, with live music and DJs to keep you hopping along into the small hours. And to sustain you? Plenty of pop up restaurants, but also a bowl of soup. The chefs ot the city will have been busy, cooking huge amounts of vegetables to produce 1,200 litres of soup. It all sounds great fun and as it is a revived Carnival, the city is pulling out all the stops. They’re even decorating the streets, parks, statues and trees in honour of the Carnival.
Practical Information
Masked ball Information
Tickets 2 Euros
Box Office
2 rue du Taur
Tel : 00 33 (0)5 34 31 10 00
More information on
Toulouse has a new Carnival originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Sunday, March 11th, 2012 at 12:31:24.
Classical Music in Val d’Isere
The French Alpine resorts are making sure that all tastes are catered for, and while you might not expect a classical music festival among the snow and ice of a skiing holiday, Val d’Isere is getting a well deserved reputation for its Classicaval Festival which this year holds its conclusion in a series of concerts from March 13th to 15th.
This year the March festival is under the direction of Elena Rozanova, one of the world’s greatest pianists as well as being chamber music professor at the Frankfurt Hochschule. On the program is music from Jean Sebastien Bach and Franz Liszt. And don’t miss the special performance of De Charlie Chaplin a Nino Rota.
What better experience than to sit in the small baroque church of St Bernard de Menthon, built in 1664, listen to glorious music, then make your way back to your hotel through the snowy, sparkling streets.
Practical Information
Image: Classical Music in Val d’Isere © Agence Nuts – Val d’Isere Tourist Office
Classical Music in Val d’Isere originally appeared on About.com France Travel on Thursday, March 8th, 2012 at 07:00:03.