Hospices de Beaune Charitable Wine Auction

Today and since 1859, on the third sunday of November the wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune takes place. It is a tradition to auction wines from the prized vineyards of Burgundy to raise funds for  Beaune hospital and other charitable organizations.

Hospices de Beaune

The auction event takes place at the Hotel-Dieu, a former hospital built in 1443 by Nicholas Rolin ( the wealthy chancellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy)   and his wife Guigone de Salins to treat the poor, the disabled, the elderly, the orphans and anyone in needs.  The building in the center of Beaune is considered a gem of medieval Burgundian Flemish architecture, remarkable for its colorful patterned glazed tiled roof as well as its ornate carved gables and pinnacles.

Salle des Pauvres

The Hospices served as a hospital till 1971 and is now a museum.    Inside, the Grande Salle des Pauvres (Paupers' ward) is impressive for its size (more than 160 feet long) and its barrel wooden ceiling more than 50 feet high. The length of the room is  lined on each side by a row of re-created crimson curtained hospital beds.  In the Apothecary room, where the hospital nuns used to prepare potions and  special unguents using plants grown in the hospital garden you can view  copper alembics, bronze mortars and  a collection of 1782 ceramic medicinal jars.  



But the main attraction at the Hospices de Beaune is the masterpiece of Rogier van Der Weyden -the polyptych of Last Judgment dating from the 15th century and commissioned by Nicholas Rolin to be displayed in the chapel for patients' edification

Rogier Van Der Weyden- Last Judgment
Artbible.info

Nicholas Rolin also donated vineyards to the Hospices ; subsequent benefactors enriched the estate and today it totals 57 hectares of grand cru and premier cru wines.  The profits from the wine auction is to benefit the modern hospital, maintain the historic buildings, museum and vineyards.  

The wine auction this sunday raised 5.7 million euros ( a record from last year 5.3 million euros).  Among the wines being auctioned were cuvees from Corton, Pommard, Batard-Montrachet, Echezeaux, Meursault) .  The charity piece, 456 liter Meusault Genevieres 1er cru fetched 131,000 euros. 


www.enchanted-france.com

Tags: Beaune, Burgundy wine, Beaune wine auction, Hospices de Beaune.

Paris as seen by Brassai

A new exhibit of the works by iconic photographer, Brassai , just opened at the Paris City Hall.  This Hungarian born photographer (ne Gyula Halasz) came to Paris in the early 1920's, fell in love with the city and set out to photograph it , particularly at night and at the wee hours of day break.

He documented streetwalkers, brothels,  bistro life, scenes from the central market Les Halles and the Parisian High Society's night partyings.  Brassai was part of   the intellectual elite of the Montparnasse of the 20's and 30's and counted among his friends and admirers  Picasso, Henry Miller, Surrealist Andre Breton, Salvador Dali and  poet Jacques Prevert.  For lovers of Paris of yesteryear this is a treat not to be missed.  

Brassai, Pour l'Amour de Paris on view at Paris Hotel de Ville from November 8-March 8, 2014. 

Brassai- Les Escaliers de Montmartre

Brassai- Notre Dame Gargoyles

www.enchanted-france.com


tags: Paris, Brassai photo exhibit

Art in Provence

 When you think of Provence what comes to mind?  olive groves, pretty villages, medieval towns,  lavander, olive groves, markets etc...  Yes it is all of that and more .   Provence is also a destination for art lovers. On my most recent trip, I enjoyed visiting familiar places while making new discoveries.  Here are some highlights:


Avignon Musee du Petit Palais

Madonna and Child
Botticelli

 Tucked away at the northern edge of the square where the Popes
 Palace stands is the Musee du Petit Palais.  This was the private residence of the Popes in the 13th/14th century.  This handsome building of warm colored stone has the most exquisite collection of early Italian Renaissance art as well as paintings and sculptures from the 15th century Avignon school.   Some 300 work of arts adorned its uncrowded galleries and exhibit walls including works from the major Italian schools of Siena, Florence, Venice.  Its most treasured piece is an exquisite Madonna and Child by Botticielli.   To view this masterpiece, I highly recommend a visit of this gem-like of museum when visiting Avignon.

www.petit-palais.org  (closed on Tuesday)



Menerbes Musee du Tirebouchon (Corkskrew museum) 

Menerbes

Peter Mayle no doubt put the village of Menerbes in the Luberon on the map when he wrote his best seller "A Year in Provence".  In season, the village is invaded by hordes of tourists and for good reason as it is classified as one of the most beautiful villages of France.  The village sits high on a ridge overlooking vineyards of the AOC Cote du Luberon. Before entering the village, you can stop at the Domaine de la Citadelle, a winemaker producing highly respectable white, red and rose wines.  Visitors are welcome to  visit the cellar, taste the wines and tour a most unusual museum dedicated to the corkskrew.  Some 1200 pieces from the 17th century to the present are displayed. They come from around the world and their shapes range from purely functional to imaginative and artistic.

Musée du tire-bouchon
Domaine de la Citadelle
F-84560 Ménerbes
Tel. : +33 (0)4 90 72 41 58




Chateau la Coste- Wine, Art and Architecture

Chai at Chateau La Coste
Designed by Jean Nouvel

In Puy Saint Reparade, just north of  Aix en Provence is a wine estate of 125 hectares surrounded by oak trees, almond orchards and olive groves.  The Chateau la Coste vineyards managed by winemaker Mathieu Cosse
 produce red, white and rose using the grape varieties:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Vermantino and Grenache.  However, this estate is not your typical winery.  Paddy McKillen, the  owner , is a wealthy Irish
real estate investor whose vision is to produce fine wines in the midst of  a unique artistic and architectural setting.  For that he has called on world class architects to design the estate buildings-- the chai  (designed by Jean Nouvel) an arts center and chapel ( by Tadao Ando) and a music pavilion (by Gehry Partners).  To complement  the permanent architectural structures, is an  assortment of contemporary art installations by Calder, Bourgeois, Scully.  Chateau la Coste  makes for a most enjoyable visit where visitors taste wines, visit cellars and enjoy the natural setting while contemplating works of art.

Louise Bourgeois

Alexander Calder

http://www.chateau-la-coste.co

Look for the upcoming Cezanne to Picasso- In the Footsteps of the Painters of Light  Tour .

For you next vacation to Provence, visit me at www.enchanted-france.com

Tags: France, Provence, art in Provence, museum, wine , travel France

Parisian Fall Exhibitions

If you are going to Paris this fall, here is a selection of exhibitions not to be missed. They range from  the dawn of the Renaissance to the Victorian era celebration of female beauty; and from  a 20th century cubist master to a tempestuous Mexican couple and a Pop Art American artist.

Louvre Museum- Springtime of the Renaissance
This exhibition  illustrates the early years of the Renaissance movement in Florence (1400-1460). In the first 60 years of the 15th century  a renewal in  art, architecture, painting, sculpture, literature took place in the Republic of Florence with the "re-discovery" of the art of the ancient world.  Through 157 works of art issued from museums and private collections in Europe and the USA the genesis and early evolution of the Renaissance movement is revisited -- Bronze panels of Florence cathedral by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti ; sculptures by Donatello such  St. Louis of Toulouse and the bas- relief of  St George and the Dragon  considered to be an early work in linear perspective can be admired along with works by other early Renaissance masters such as  Nicolo Pisano, Arnolfo di Cambio, Masaccio, Paolo Ucello, Andrea Dels Castagno and Filippo Lippi
(Louvre Museum - From September 26- January 6, 2014)

Musee Jacquemart-Andre --Desires and Sensuality in the Victorian Era

Roses of Heliogabalus (1888)
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

From the collection of the Spanish born Mexican based  collector Juan Antion Perez Simon, this exhibition centers around the Feminine beauty as depicted during the prudish era of Victorian England from 1860's until the eve of the WWI.  Works by British artists like Lawrence Alma Tadema, Edward Burne Jones, Frederic Leighton, Arthur Huges, Talbot Hughes depict women sensuality  around various themes -- antiquity and medieval scenes,  as Shakesparean heroines or  femme fatales, muses and models. By combining classicism with idealized visions of female body and beauty, British artists were able to bypass the austere societal and esthetic norms of the late 19th century.  (Musee Jacquemart-Andre till January 20, 2014).


Grand Palais - Georges Braque (1882-1963) 

L'Oiseau Noir et Blanc (1960)
Georges Braque

 The co-founder of cubism is being honored by a retrospective of his oeuvres at the Grand Palais.  Born in Argenteuil in 1882 and raised in le Havre, Georges Braque was a prolific artist and innovator who left a legacy as a painter, sculptor and engraver.  This exhibition retraces his career from his early years as a Fauvist landscape painter, then as founder of Cubism with his friend Pablo Picasso, as a painter of deconstructed still lifes and as an adept at the technique of papier colle or collage consisting glued paper or oil cloth on canvas to create texture and three dimensional renderings. 
Galleries Nationales du Grand Palais- (September 18-January 6, 2014) 






Pompidou Museum - Roy Lichtenstein

Wham (1963)
Roy Lichtenstein

There is still time to visit  the first ever staged retrospective in France of american Pop Art artist, Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997).  His comic strip Pop prints of the 1960's are immensely recognizable but they don't solely define him as a innovative artist who also explored many different approaches to artistic mediums.   A selection of  130 works by the artist including paintings, collages, drawings and sculptures are on view till November 4 at the Pompidou Center..  

Musee de l'Orangerie-- Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera - L'Art en Fusion

The tempestuous Mexican couple Diego Rivera (1886-1957) and Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) are being celebrated at the Orangerie Museum.  Love and Revolution is the theme of this exhibition as their works so different yet complementary are being displayed.  Their works share many themes relating to their love and attachment to their country- Mexico :  religion and revolution, cycle of life and death, mysticism and realism, workers and peasants. (Musee de l'Orangerie from October 9- January 13)








tags Paris, exhibitions, art, museums 

At Least Six Reasons to Visit Bordeaux

Renowned for its wines, Bordeaux, the capital of the Aquitaine region in southwest France is fun to discover many times over.  Here are at least six reasons to make Bordeaux your destination of choice.

Architectural Beauty 

Bordeaux boasts a magnificent 18th century architectural ensemble that has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site .  The Port de la Lune  stretches some 1 kilometer  along the quay of the Garonne river.  Bordeaux' exceptionally rich cultural patrimony can be explored on foot - other notable 'must see" sites include:  Saint Michel church and its pointed bell tower so distinctly visible in the  city's skyline; the gothic  Cathedral St. Andre built under English rule between the 13th and 15th century; the medieval St. Pierre district and its handsome Cailhau Gate and the Gros Horloge - bell of the medieval townhall bellbry.


Attractive River Bank

Since its ancient quays have been renovated, it is such a pleasure to stroll along the River Garonne. Decrepit warehouses have been replaced by colorful plantings and a "mirroir d'eau" was installed for everyone's delight.






Grand Theatre de Bordeaux
Designed by Victor Louis in 1773, Bordeaux opera house sits prominently in the center of Bordeaux . Its facade resembles a Greek temple adorned by a row of Corinthian columns on top of which statues of goddesses and muses oversee the Place de la Comedie.  Its jewel-like auditorium and sumptuous marble staircase are delightful to visit -- the latter was copied by Charles Garnier for Paris Opera house . When visiting, treat yourself to  a concert, opera or ballet performance.






Wine Tasting
At the center of the prolific wine region, Bordeaux offers many opportunities to sample the fruit of the vine.  Sit at a cafe terrace or visit a bistro a vin to sample the many AOC's of the region.  You can also use Bordeaux as a base to visit the vineyards that surround the city  -- such as the Medoc, St Emilion, Graves, Entre deux Mers and others.  Did you know they are 57 AOC among which are the prestigious Margaux, St. Estephe, St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Emilion, Pomerol, Sauternes to name the very best?.  At the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux on you can sample well known and less known vintages. (3, cours du XXX juillet)

Food

 

Bordeaux has many great restaurants serving local specialities like the lamb of Pauillac, oysters and  other shellfish from  Arcachon Bay and the Atlantic coast and the foie Gras from nearby farms of the southwest.  For desert try the speciality of Bordeaux - canele - a small pastry in a shape of a mold with a golden caramelized crust and filled with a vanilla and rum flavored custard.






Shopping 

For luxury shopping head for the Golden Triangle, an area bordered by the Cours de l'Intendance, Allees des Tourny and Cours Clemenceau where you will find many fine boutiques and luxury band names.  For more affordable shopping, you can stroll along the lively pedestrianised rue Saint Catherine. The department store,   Galleries Lafayette and smaller boutiques selling, clothing, shoes and other fashion items line the street.

visit www.enchanted-france.com to arrange your trip to Bordeaux.

Tags: Bordeaux, France

France Gastronomy Fair- September 20-22

Gastromony is strongly associated with the French art of good living and this weekend the third edition of the France's Gastronomy Fair is being celebrated in every corner of the French hexagon and its overseas territories. 

The French culinary tradition is very strong and it is telling that ninety five percent of French people considers gastronomy to be part of the French National identity.   Making each meal a special moment is still quite important in the French psyche and this means using local grown produce, preparing the meal with care, pairing the food with wine and especially sharing it with family, friends and co workers.  

The three day culinary event will feature banquets, picnics and chef demonstrations of culinary know-how in cities and villages of every French regions.  Eight hundred people are expected to share a meal in front of the Pope’s Palace in Avignon. This no doubt will be a memorable event for the lucky participants. Wish I was there!!.

Shana Tova!! Happy Jewish New Year!!

Did you know the oldest synagogue in France dates from 1367 and is located in Carpentras in south of France.  It still functions as a religious site where weddings, bar mitzvahs and daily ritual services are held.  It was renovated in the 18^th century in a baroque style and holds in the cellar level a  mikve (Ritual bath) and even two ancient bakeries – one  used to bake daily bread and the other used to bake the unleavened bread for Passover.  

culture.gouv.fr

Carpentras is located in the former Comtat Venaissin , a small enclave around the city of Avignon that extended  to the Mont Ventoux that was once under Papal control.  This land owned by the Count of Toulouse was bequeathed to the Holy See in 1229.  It became a refuge for French Jews who had been chased out of the French Kingdom at different times in the Middle Ages.  Though not living in ideal conditions, they received better treatment under papal rule than in the rest of France.  They were called “Pope’s Jews”.  We see remnants of Jewish presence in Avignon, Cavaillon, Isle sur La Sorgue  and in the town of Carpentras where the oldest synagogue still exists today.  The Papal’s control of the comtat Venaissin was ceded to France during the French Revolution in 1791.

 The synagogue of Carpentras is open for visits (except Saturday and Jewish Holidays) and a  Jewish Music Festival takes place there in early August.  Contact 

 www.enchanted-france.com for tours of Provence and other French regions.