Au Pere tranquille Paris (new French language course)

La Pere tranquille
Originally uploaded by LetThemTalk

This is Au Pere Tranquille, 16, Rue Pierre Lescot
75001 Paris. The location chosen for the new French course. "cafe conversation", which will start next Sunday 29th March. More details here.

Paris cafe conversation French language group

I thought this was a good location for the French course. It was from the end of the 19th century a nightclub and cabaret venue it became a bistrot and cafe after the war. It's a large elegant place with a terrace and a first floor which, hopefully, will be a suitbale venue to study French.

Video here

Au pere tranquille Paris, video

Promenade Plantée Paris

This is the Promenade plantée an elevated park built on a disused railway track in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. At ground level the spaces between the arches that held the railway line have been converted into shops and workshops and is known as the Viaduct des Arts.

A railway line carried passengers along this route from 1859 until the 1970s until it was replaced by new suburban routes. For some time afterwards there was a debate as to whether to tear down the viaduct or to put it to some use. Fortunately, the walkway proposal won the debate and the promenade plantée was opened in 1994.
It’s and enjoyable walk along a 4.5 kilometre route stretching from Bastille, just behind the opera to the Bois de Vincences.

Its makes for an interesting stroll both in the park on top of the arches or on the street below. At street level you can explore the arches which hold a number of workshops, and shops related to arts, crafts and textiles as well as some cafes and restaurants. To join the promenade plantée clim the stairways next to the archways at various points along the route along Avenue Daumesnil which runs parallel. From up above you can either enjoy the tree lined route or peer down at life on the streets below.

French Conversation Course Paris

A new French conversation class is starting this month in Paris from Sunday 29th March onwards. It's entitled "Cafe Conversation" and, as the name suggests will take place in a Paris cafe. It will be a weekly affair every sunday between 3pm and 5pm. It will be informal and will be lead by a native French group leader rather than a teacher. So it's not a formal French course.

The plan is to change the cafe from week to week so that not only can the participants improve their French but they also get to know some interesting Paris cafes.
All levels of French are welcome and you're welcome to come if you live in Paris or you just here for the weekend. However, places are limited so if you're interested it's advisable to book early.

For more information please click here Cafe Conversation French Paris

The Worst of Paris

This is a photo of Charlles de Gualle airport AKA Roissy AKA Dante's 10th circle of hell.

Your experience of it can vary depending on which terminal you're in but if you're unlucky you'll be faced with navigating through a huge ugly concrete mess of a structure with endless passegways and a maze of escalators seemingly leading nowhere.

If you're arriving in Paris for the first time it can be a shock. Not only do you have to put up with the worst major airport in the world but no doubt you'll end up on the train that leads you to Gare du Nord through some of the worst neighbourhoods of Paris. It's not quite the city of light that you imagine.

This weekend I had to fly out of Paris from Charles de Gualle airport. I got past the passport and security checks and had half an hour before I had to board my flight. Unfortunately, in my haste, I had forgotten to pack some essential toileteries. I wandered into the shops in the airport shopping mall and found, much to my annoyance, that you are able to buy indispensable items such as Beluga Caviar and metre long bars of Toblerone but you cannot buy a toothbrush!