An interesting news item has surfaced in France during the last week. The famous French rock and roll icon, Johnny Hallyday (not his real name- several French rock & roll singers took on English sounding names when they started, another example is Eddie Mitchell) has decided to give up his French citizenship to avoid paying high taxes in France. Since he has such a high profile and is still France’s most popular singer (he’s also an actor in numerous films), all the major politicians have made comments, including President Jacques Chirac. Chirac said essentially that he admires Hallyday as a performer but not as a responsible citizen, or words to that effect.
Hallyday would have to reside in Switzerland for 6 months each year in order to take advantage of lower taxes there and not pay them in France. Segolene Royal, the candidate of the PS for President, also called on Hallyday to continue paying French taxes. Many other wealthy French people are doing the same thing, but none are in the public eye like Hallyday. He said in effect that he didn’t care what the politicians thought, and he was tired of paying so much in taxes when he didn’t have to. Nicolas Sarkozy, who will probably be the other major presidential candidate and who will challenge Royal, said that this shows that France has a problem with its tax system.
Another famous French person, Yannick Noah, had done this in the past, but he has since moved back to France and is paying taxes there.
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Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
New Tramway in Paris
Paris is inaugurating a new tramway this weekend. It is the first tramway in the city in about 70 years, and it will replace a bus line. The tram runs through 3 arrondissements, the 13th, 14th and 15th. It is about 5 miles in length and is expected to service about 100,000 passengers per day, roughly twice the number of people who took the bus each day.
In addition, there will be an exhibition of 9 pieces of contemporary art to be seen along the length of the tramway. These pieces were done by well know international contemporary artists.
Tramways have been gaining popularity in recent years in French cities. In Strasbourg, for example, a new tramway system was completed several years ago. It’s a bit confusing at first for tourists, but once you understand which tram to take and how to buy tickets, etc., it is a very good means of getting from one spot to another in the city.
I'd like to point out as well that Linda Ballenberger of Beaux Voyages, who is also an accomplished artist, has launched a new web site which makes her hand painted silk scarves available. You can visit the site here: Hand Painted Silk Scarf
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In addition, there will be an exhibition of 9 pieces of contemporary art to be seen along the length of the tramway. These pieces were done by well know international contemporary artists.
Tramways have been gaining popularity in recent years in French cities. In Strasbourg, for example, a new tramway system was completed several years ago. It’s a bit confusing at first for tourists, but once you understand which tram to take and how to buy tickets, etc., it is a very good means of getting from one spot to another in the city.
I'd like to point out as well that Linda Ballenberger of Beaux Voyages, who is also an accomplished artist, has launched a new web site which makes her hand painted silk scarves available. You can visit the site here: Hand Painted Silk Scarf
Back to Beaux Voyages Home
Friday, December 08, 2006
Two Art Exhibitions in Paris
There are currently two rather exceptional art exhibitions on display in Paris.
1. An exhibition of Egyptian antiquities which were recovered from the sea by French underwater archeologists is on display at the Grand Palais in Paris. The show is called “Sunken Egyptian Treasures”, and it includes 489 pieces covering 1,500 years of Egyptian history. It includes statues and other artwork, pieces of money, and objects of every day life. The show is open every day from 10am to 8pm, and stays open to 10pm on Wednesdays. The show runs until 16 March. The address is:Nef du Grand Palais (Nave of the Grand Palais), avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
2. An exhibition entitled “Afghanistan Treasures Found”. Collections of the national museum of Kabul” is on display at the Guimet Mueum in Paris. This impressive collection includes golden jewels, Greco-roman glass goblets, and ivory Indian goddesses, among many other items. All in all there are 220 items on display ranging from 2,000 B.C. to the 3rd century AD. The story of their preservation is just as impressive as the works themselves.
The Communists hid the collection in 1989 and locked it in a secret location. There were 7 keys to the main lock, and they were all held by separate people, which is an old Afgan tradition. The Taliban tried in vain to locate the collection but did not succeed. The exhibition is open every day excepts Tuesdays from 10am- 8pm. The cost is 7 euros.
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1. An exhibition of Egyptian antiquities which were recovered from the sea by French underwater archeologists is on display at the Grand Palais in Paris. The show is called “Sunken Egyptian Treasures”, and it includes 489 pieces covering 1,500 years of Egyptian history. It includes statues and other artwork, pieces of money, and objects of every day life. The show is open every day from 10am to 8pm, and stays open to 10pm on Wednesdays. The show runs until 16 March. The address is:Nef du Grand Palais (Nave of the Grand Palais), avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
2. An exhibition entitled “Afghanistan Treasures Found”. Collections of the national museum of Kabul” is on display at the Guimet Mueum in Paris. This impressive collection includes golden jewels, Greco-roman glass goblets, and ivory Indian goddesses, among many other items. All in all there are 220 items on display ranging from 2,000 B.C. to the 3rd century AD. The story of their preservation is just as impressive as the works themselves.
The Communists hid the collection in 1989 and locked it in a secret location. There were 7 keys to the main lock, and they were all held by separate people, which is an old Afgan tradition. The Taliban tried in vain to locate the collection but did not succeed. The exhibition is open every day excepts Tuesdays from 10am- 8pm. The cost is 7 euros.
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Sarkozy to Announce as Candidate
Nicolas Sarkozy will officially announce that he is a candidate for the UMP party nomination for President of France this coming Thursday. The UMP party will hold a congress on January 14, and the 300,000 card carrying members will elect their candidate at that time. Mr. Sarkozy is currently the President of the party, as well as the Interior Minister. It is no surprise that Mr. Sarkozy will be a candidate, as he is currently the favorite to oppose Segolene Royal in the general election which will be held next April.
The UMP party is right of center politically, and it is also the party of the current President, Jacques Chirac, who might also try to go for a third term. It is roughly equivalent to the Republicans in the U.S. All other party members who wish to declare themselves candidates must officially do so before the end of the year.
It will be an interesting election in France with clear choices. Sarkozy is considered tough and sometimes outspoken, leaning toward free market solutions to economic problems. Segolene Royal of the Socialist party is charming, does not have a lot of experience in high level government positions, but she is very popular. Polls show a tight race if the two of them are in the second round.
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The UMP party is right of center politically, and it is also the party of the current President, Jacques Chirac, who might also try to go for a third term. It is roughly equivalent to the Republicans in the U.S. All other party members who wish to declare themselves candidates must officially do so before the end of the year.
It will be an interesting election in France with clear choices. Sarkozy is considered tough and sometimes outspoken, leaning toward free market solutions to economic problems. Segolene Royal of the Socialist party is charming, does not have a lot of experience in high level government positions, but she is very popular. Polls show a tight race if the two of them are in the second round.
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Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Two New Art Exhibits in Paris
There are a couple of interesting new art exhibits going on in Paris:
1. At the Musee d’Orsay there is a special exhibition of about 300 objects of Art Nouveau, which was a popular style in the early 1900’s, about 100 years ago. This collection was recently given to the museum by the wife and daughter of the deceased Antonin Rispal, who died in 2003. Rispal started collecting these objects over the years, even when they were not very popular. This collection is worth a lot of money, equal to about 10 years worth of acquisition funds available to the museum, and it will increase the number of objects owned by about 15%. After this special showing the pieces will be displayed in different areas throughout the museum. Included in the collection are pieces of furniture, vases, sculptures, ceramics, silver and gold works, crystal, etc.
The exhibit runs from 21 November until 28 January.
2. From 22 November until 18 May at the Rodin Museum in Paris there will be an exhibition of erotic drawings by Rodin. The exhibition is entitled “Rodin. The figures of Eros. Drawings and watercolors 1890-1917”.
Rodin, of course, is well known as the father of modern sculpture, but not many are aware of his drawings. He made several thousand drawings of women, mostly nudes, in his later years. From the couple of photos of drawings I saw, some of this is pretty racy stuff.
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1. At the Musee d’Orsay there is a special exhibition of about 300 objects of Art Nouveau, which was a popular style in the early 1900’s, about 100 years ago. This collection was recently given to the museum by the wife and daughter of the deceased Antonin Rispal, who died in 2003. Rispal started collecting these objects over the years, even when they were not very popular. This collection is worth a lot of money, equal to about 10 years worth of acquisition funds available to the museum, and it will increase the number of objects owned by about 15%. After this special showing the pieces will be displayed in different areas throughout the museum. Included in the collection are pieces of furniture, vases, sculptures, ceramics, silver and gold works, crystal, etc.
The exhibit runs from 21 November until 28 January.
2. From 22 November until 18 May at the Rodin Museum in Paris there will be an exhibition of erotic drawings by Rodin. The exhibition is entitled “Rodin. The figures of Eros. Drawings and watercolors 1890-1917”.
Rodin, of course, is well known as the father of modern sculpture, but not many are aware of his drawings. He made several thousand drawings of women, mostly nudes, in his later years. From the couple of photos of drawings I saw, some of this is pretty racy stuff.
Back to France Tours Home
Friday, November 17, 2006
Segolene Royal Chosen as Presidential Candidate
Yesterday the PS (Parti Socialist) in France chose their candidate for the presidential elections which will be held next spring (April for the first round and May for the second).
The winner was Segolene Royal who will now be the first woman to have a serious chance at becoming the President of France. The PS is the major party on the left of the political spectrum, and its nominee almost always has a serious chance to win. The PS is loosely similar to the Democrats in the U.S. or the Labor Party in the U.K.
The major party on the right of the spectrum is the UMP, which has not yet decided its candidate or even how he or she will be chosen. The presumption is that the controversial Nicolas Sarkozy will be the candidate, but other leading party figures have expressed interest. Jacques Chirac, the current President, is even leaving the door open for another term. His job satisfaction ratings have been low for some time (in the 30% range), and it would seem unlikely that he could win again, as the French people seem ready for a change at the top.
Current polls show Royal and Sarkozy in a dead heat for a second term race, but polls in France can be misleading, especially with this much time to the actual election.
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The winner was Segolene Royal who will now be the first woman to have a serious chance at becoming the President of France. The PS is the major party on the left of the political spectrum, and its nominee almost always has a serious chance to win. The PS is loosely similar to the Democrats in the U.S. or the Labor Party in the U.K.
The major party on the right of the spectrum is the UMP, which has not yet decided its candidate or even how he or she will be chosen. The presumption is that the controversial Nicolas Sarkozy will be the candidate, but other leading party figures have expressed interest. Jacques Chirac, the current President, is even leaving the door open for another term. His job satisfaction ratings have been low for some time (in the 30% range), and it would seem unlikely that he could win again, as the French people seem ready for a change at the top.
Current polls show Royal and Sarkozy in a dead heat for a second term race, but polls in France can be misleading, especially with this much time to the actual election.
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Thursday, November 16, 2006
Smoking Ban in France
It was announced today that a law has just been passed in France to ban smoking in public places. Unfortunately, in restaurants and cafes this will not go into effect until January 2008. In other public places, including work places, the law will go into effect in February 2007. The violations include a fine of 68 euros (about $87 US) for individuals who break the law and 135 euros (about $173 US) for proprietors who allow someone to smoke at their place of business. A publicity campaign is also kicking off to inform people in more detail about the harmful effects of second hand smoke. The emphasis will be on trying to convince people not to smoke in public places and helping them quit rather than relying on fines and other enforcement measures.
For those of us who spend a fair amount of time in French restaurants, it is a shame we’ll have to wait until 2008 for the smoking ban to take effect there, but at least we know it is finally coming. To be honest, I never thought it would. It will also be interesting to see if people actually follow the rules that are in place or simply just go ahead and smoke.
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For those of us who spend a fair amount of time in French restaurants, it is a shame we’ll have to wait until 2008 for the smoking ban to take effect there, but at least we know it is finally coming. To be honest, I never thought it would. It will also be interesting to see if people actually follow the rules that are in place or simply just go ahead and smoke.
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Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Today, Nov. 7, 2006, is election day in the U.S., and for at least the last week or more there have been segments on the French national news about our congressional elections. In fact it is not unusual to have several references to what is happening in the U.S on the French evening news. They watch us pretty closely.
An important election will also be held in France soon, the presidential election taking place next April and May. There are usually two rounds of voting in France. A candidate can win outright in the first round by having 50% or more of the vote. This is almost impossible, since there are usually 5 or 6 candidates on the ballot and the votes get split. The top two will be on the second ballot, and obviously one of them will get more than 50% of those votes and become the winner.
The two major parties in France are the PS, or Parti Socialist (Socialist Party), and the UMP, which is right of center politically. The PS is loosely analogous to the Democrats in the U.S., but they are somewhat to the left of the Democrats, I think it’s fair to say. They are not crazy left-wingers, however, like people in the tiny Socialist Party in the U.S. Those people certainly exist in France and are in other left wing parties. In any case the PS will decide on its candidate soon, as the first round of party voting takes place on Nov. 16. If a second round is needed, that will occur a week later on Nov. 23rd.
Article continues at this link: French Presidential Elections
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An important election will also be held in France soon, the presidential election taking place next April and May. There are usually two rounds of voting in France. A candidate can win outright in the first round by having 50% or more of the vote. This is almost impossible, since there are usually 5 or 6 candidates on the ballot and the votes get split. The top two will be on the second ballot, and obviously one of them will get more than 50% of those votes and become the winner.
The two major parties in France are the PS, or Parti Socialist (Socialist Party), and the UMP, which is right of center politically. The PS is loosely analogous to the Democrats in the U.S., but they are somewhat to the left of the Democrats, I think it’s fair to say. They are not crazy left-wingers, however, like people in the tiny Socialist Party in the U.S. Those people certainly exist in France and are in other left wing parties. In any case the PS will decide on its candidate soon, as the first round of party voting takes place on Nov. 16. If a second round is needed, that will occur a week later on Nov. 23rd.
Article continues at this link: French Presidential Elections
Return to Beaux Voyages home page.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
International Fair of Contemporary Art
The FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain- International Fair of Contemporary Art) is being staged in Paris starting today and continuing until Oct. 30th. This is the 33rd edition of the event, and it is being held at the Grand Palais and at the Louvre courtyard. Anyone in Paris over the weekend will want to stop by and have a look. Some of the most prestigious galleries and artists in the world will be represented.
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Friday, October 06, 2006
Wonder of Wonders- Public Smoking to be Banned in France
I never thought I’d see the day, but it appears the French government is about to ban smoking in all public places starting in September, 2007. It is finally being acknowledged that second-hand smoke is causing an estimated 5000-6000 deaths in France each year. Associations of restaurants, buralists (people who run tabac shops- people who sell tobacco products), and bar owners fear a loss in business of 20-30%. They also say that deaths from second-hand smoke are caused in the home. In order to allow smoking in an establishment, that bar or restaurant will be required to provide an area that is “hermetically closed”.
Personally I applaud this move. I can recall eating in a quaint and typical restaurant in Lyon, called a “Bouchon”, and feeling strangled by the smoke by the end of the evening. Nothing can ruin a dinner in a nice French restaurant quicker than having to swallow the smoke of someone sitting near you. It tastes awful and for some people with sinus problems like me, it can literally make you sick. And even though many French restaurants have non-smoking areas these days they are often not separated from the smoking areas by much.
I’ve always thought it humorous that many French people will wail against OGM’s (genetically modified foods), and then immediately light up a cigarette. 66,000 people per year die from tobacco products in France according to statistics, but OGM’s haven’t been linked to a single death in all the years they have been used and tested, to my knowledge. Apparently opinion polls show that 70-80% of French people support a public smoking ban, however, so there has definitely been a big change of mindset in recent years. And that makes the political risk for making the move not too great or insurmountable. There will no doubt be people who will be marching in the streets in protest, but they will be a minority. Going on strike and marching in the streets is common in France- even students go on strike and march in the streets at times. That’s how the political system works there.
It remains to be seen if the new law will be respected. A similar law passed in Spain is largely being ignored in restaurants and bars, according to a recent article. I wouldn’t be surprised to see people smoking in restaurants even after the ban, but hopefully the numbers will be fewer than is typical today.
For more information about France, click here: France Travel
Also, I mentioned sinus problems above. We have a sister site dedicated to helping people with sinus problems. Please feel free to visit that site: Post Nasal Drip
Personally I applaud this move. I can recall eating in a quaint and typical restaurant in Lyon, called a “Bouchon”, and feeling strangled by the smoke by the end of the evening. Nothing can ruin a dinner in a nice French restaurant quicker than having to swallow the smoke of someone sitting near you. It tastes awful and for some people with sinus problems like me, it can literally make you sick. And even though many French restaurants have non-smoking areas these days they are often not separated from the smoking areas by much.
I’ve always thought it humorous that many French people will wail against OGM’s (genetically modified foods), and then immediately light up a cigarette. 66,000 people per year die from tobacco products in France according to statistics, but OGM’s haven’t been linked to a single death in all the years they have been used and tested, to my knowledge. Apparently opinion polls show that 70-80% of French people support a public smoking ban, however, so there has definitely been a big change of mindset in recent years. And that makes the political risk for making the move not too great or insurmountable. There will no doubt be people who will be marching in the streets in protest, but they will be a minority. Going on strike and marching in the streets is common in France- even students go on strike and march in the streets at times. That’s how the political system works there.
It remains to be seen if the new law will be respected. A similar law passed in Spain is largely being ignored in restaurants and bars, according to a recent article. I wouldn’t be surprised to see people smoking in restaurants even after the ban, but hopefully the numbers will be fewer than is typical today.
For more information about France, click here: France Travel
Also, I mentioned sinus problems above. We have a sister site dedicated to helping people with sinus problems. Please feel free to visit that site: Post Nasal Drip
Monday, October 02, 2006
French Presidential Race on the Horizon
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As is the case in the U.S. with important congressional elections coming up soon, the people of France are also preparing for a major election. France will elect a new President next April. The process of choosing candidates is in full swing right now in the major political parties in France. The Socialist Party (called the PS or Parti Socialist- roughly equivalent to the Democrats in the U.S. and the largest party on the left of the political spectrum) is finalizing its list of candidates seeking the nomination. This choice will be decided in November, and before then there will be three televised debates among those seeking to represent the PS. The leader in the polls right now by a large margin is a woman named Segolene Royal. She will be opposed by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, and probably Jack Lang, a long-time top-ranking member of the PS. Lang is expected to make his candidacy official on Tuesday, Oct 3.
The leading candidate on the right of the political spectrum for now is the current Interior Minister and leader of the UMP party, Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy is often outspoken and has made the issue of illegal immigration a major one in this election. Sarkozy is often demonized for his candid remarks, but as a French gentleman told me this summer, he often says what many people are thinking. Sarkozy will have a difficult time winning, however, because the leaders of the current government, also from the UMP party, have low approval ratings and it will be difficult for anyone from the UMP to win. I personally think that if Sarkozy does win, relations between the U.S. and France will improve. His political philosophy is closer to the American free enterprise model, and he says flatly in his recent book that free enterprise simply produces more and better goods and services than does a state run system like communism. There are a number of things about the American system he dislikes, but in general it looks doubtful he would have as hostile an attitude towards the U.S. as does the current regime, in my opinion.
While the U.S. has two major political parties, in France there are many more, ranging from the extreme far left to the far right. There will probably be about a half dozen or so candidates running from different parties. In order to win on the first vote, a person must obtain over 50% of the votes. Otherwise there will be a second round of voting between the top two finishers which occurs two weeks after the first ballot. A second election is often needed since the votes get split up among a number of parties.
It appears possible that both the U.S. and France could have a female President after the next elections.
As is the case in the U.S. with important congressional elections coming up soon, the people of France are also preparing for a major election. France will elect a new President next April. The process of choosing candidates is in full swing right now in the major political parties in France. The Socialist Party (called the PS or Parti Socialist- roughly equivalent to the Democrats in the U.S. and the largest party on the left of the political spectrum) is finalizing its list of candidates seeking the nomination. This choice will be decided in November, and before then there will be three televised debates among those seeking to represent the PS. The leader in the polls right now by a large margin is a woman named Segolene Royal. She will be opposed by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, and probably Jack Lang, a long-time top-ranking member of the PS. Lang is expected to make his candidacy official on Tuesday, Oct 3.
The leading candidate on the right of the political spectrum for now is the current Interior Minister and leader of the UMP party, Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy is often outspoken and has made the issue of illegal immigration a major one in this election. Sarkozy is often demonized for his candid remarks, but as a French gentleman told me this summer, he often says what many people are thinking. Sarkozy will have a difficult time winning, however, because the leaders of the current government, also from the UMP party, have low approval ratings and it will be difficult for anyone from the UMP to win. I personally think that if Sarkozy does win, relations between the U.S. and France will improve. His political philosophy is closer to the American free enterprise model, and he says flatly in his recent book that free enterprise simply produces more and better goods and services than does a state run system like communism. There are a number of things about the American system he dislikes, but in general it looks doubtful he would have as hostile an attitude towards the U.S. as does the current regime, in my opinion.
While the U.S. has two major political parties, in France there are many more, ranging from the extreme far left to the far right. There will probably be about a half dozen or so candidates running from different parties. In order to win on the first vote, a person must obtain over 50% of the votes. Otherwise there will be a second round of voting between the top two finishers which occurs two weeks after the first ballot. A second election is often needed since the votes get split up among a number of parties.
It appears possible that both the U.S. and France could have a female President after the next elections.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Return from France
We returned from France after about a month there leading two groups to see the Tour de France. We started in the Alsace region in Strabourg and Obernai, and we ended up in the alps at Les Deux Alps. The Tour was exciting, although it is disappointing for everyone to watch the aftermath and doping allegations regarding Floyd Landis.
On both tours we met with former Tour rider Frankie Andreu (9 times completed the Tour de France). We had dinner with Frankie in the Alsace, and we met with him at a cafe in St. Jean de Maurienne at the start of the day that Landis made the great comback ride and got back into contention. Frankie had spoken to Floyd after his horrible day the day before when he lost about 10 minutes. He said that Floyd's comment was that he simply had a bad day. We speculated about whether or not Floyd had bonked, and Frankie explained this was not something a professional would easily admit, as he should know his body and how to react if he is reaching his limits. In general the opportunity to speak with Frankie during the Tour de France was a great addition to our program, and I'm sure everyone enjoyed it a lot. Of course he was there as a commentator for OLN every day, so I'm sure many of you saw him on the Tour telecasts.
Our guests had the opportunity in the alps to ride some of the famous climbs, such as the Alpe d'Huez and the Col du Galibier, which is nothing short of awesome. Of course we also did the climb up to our hotel at Les Deux Alpes, which also hosted the finish of a stage in 2002. There are 10 marked switchbacks on that road, compared to 21 on Alpe d'Huez, but the climb is nothing to sneeze at. It took me about an hour, and Jay did it in 45 min. We had some very strong riders in the alps, including a couple from Calgary, Canada, Barb and Rich. Rich used to race bikes, and he took off on his own one day and also did the Col de Glandon and the Col de la Croix de Fer, which are really the same mountain. He must have ridden close to 100 miles that day, which would be difficult for most mere mortals, but he handled it without problem. Barb was also a very strong rider- I couldn't keep up with her. She did the Alpe d'Huez the day after the race there in 1hr 17 minutes, as I recall. She hung in there with Jimmy Musto, who is from New Jersey, until the very end. Both are strong riders.
We take off again in a few weeks to lead our tours in the Loire. We're looking forward to that and will report on how it went!
On both tours we met with former Tour rider Frankie Andreu (9 times completed the Tour de France). We had dinner with Frankie in the Alsace, and we met with him at a cafe in St. Jean de Maurienne at the start of the day that Landis made the great comback ride and got back into contention. Frankie had spoken to Floyd after his horrible day the day before when he lost about 10 minutes. He said that Floyd's comment was that he simply had a bad day. We speculated about whether or not Floyd had bonked, and Frankie explained this was not something a professional would easily admit, as he should know his body and how to react if he is reaching his limits. In general the opportunity to speak with Frankie during the Tour de France was a great addition to our program, and I'm sure everyone enjoyed it a lot. Of course he was there as a commentator for OLN every day, so I'm sure many of you saw him on the Tour telecasts.
Our guests had the opportunity in the alps to ride some of the famous climbs, such as the Alpe d'Huez and the Col du Galibier, which is nothing short of awesome. Of course we also did the climb up to our hotel at Les Deux Alpes, which also hosted the finish of a stage in 2002. There are 10 marked switchbacks on that road, compared to 21 on Alpe d'Huez, but the climb is nothing to sneeze at. It took me about an hour, and Jay did it in 45 min. We had some very strong riders in the alps, including a couple from Calgary, Canada, Barb and Rich. Rich used to race bikes, and he took off on his own one day and also did the Col de Glandon and the Col de la Croix de Fer, which are really the same mountain. He must have ridden close to 100 miles that day, which would be difficult for most mere mortals, but he handled it without problem. Barb was also a very strong rider- I couldn't keep up with her. She did the Alpe d'Huez the day after the race there in 1hr 17 minutes, as I recall. She hung in there with Jimmy Musto, who is from New Jersey, until the very end. Both are strong riders.
We take off again in a few weeks to lead our tours in the Loire. We're looking forward to that and will report on how it went!
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Immigration in France and U.S.
It’s interesting that there is a large national debate and major legislation being worked on in both the U.S and France on the same issue: immigration. There are several similarities and differences with regard to the debate on this issue in the two countries. There will be more posts on this blog to discuss these in more detail, but here are some of the similarities:
- Both are in part addressing the large social costs of supporting both legal and illegal immigrants.
- The new immigration laws in both countries are likely to be much more strict
- Both countries are likely to require immigrants to be proficient in the national language of the country, i.e., English and French
- High unemployment and lack of job opportunities in countries to the south are often the impetus for the influx of people in the first place.
As for differences:
- One U.S. proposal would build a huge barrier wall along the border with Mexico
- Religion is much more of a factor in France than it is in the U.S.
The key issue for many in the U.S. revolves around giving “amnesty” to people who entered the country illegally. In France the key words seem to be: immigration “choisi” (chosen) rather than immigration “subi” (submissive). In other words, the new law wants to allow the country to choose who can enter rather than taking anyone who manages to arrive there.
There is great debate and great differences of opinion exist in both countries about the severity of the problem and of course the proper solutions. Feel free to express your opinions. Again, there will be more postings about the above topics in upcoming weeks regarding this issue and how it plays out in both France and the U.S.
- Both are in part addressing the large social costs of supporting both legal and illegal immigrants.
- The new immigration laws in both countries are likely to be much more strict
- Both countries are likely to require immigrants to be proficient in the national language of the country, i.e., English and French
- High unemployment and lack of job opportunities in countries to the south are often the impetus for the influx of people in the first place.
As for differences:
- One U.S. proposal would build a huge barrier wall along the border with Mexico
- Religion is much more of a factor in France than it is in the U.S.
The key issue for many in the U.S. revolves around giving “amnesty” to people who entered the country illegally. In France the key words seem to be: immigration “choisi” (chosen) rather than immigration “subi” (submissive). In other words, the new law wants to allow the country to choose who can enter rather than taking anyone who manages to arrive there.
There is great debate and great differences of opinion exist in both countries about the severity of the problem and of course the proper solutions. Feel free to express your opinions. Again, there will be more postings about the above topics in upcoming weeks regarding this issue and how it plays out in both France and the U.S.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Welcome to the Beaux Voyages Blog
Welcome to the Beaux Voyages blog!
The idea is for people to share their experiences about France and travel there. If you have been to a great location and have seen an interesting venue that others might like, please let everyone know about it.
You can ask questions as well, and these can be answered either by us at Beaux Voyages or by others who frequent this forum.
Since I normally watch the French news every evening on TV5, I’ll occasionally offer some comments about things in the French news. Our readers in France are encouraged to ask questions about American or English news items they are curious about. The only hard and fast rule is that all entries must be respectful to others. In other words no gratuitous anti-French or anti-American comments. Respectful disagreements are fine, but comments will be removed if they do not fall within these guidelines.
I know some of you have been to France recently, so let us know about your trip!
Return to Beaux Voyages home page
The idea is for people to share their experiences about France and travel there. If you have been to a great location and have seen an interesting venue that others might like, please let everyone know about it.
You can ask questions as well, and these can be answered either by us at Beaux Voyages or by others who frequent this forum.
Since I normally watch the French news every evening on TV5, I’ll occasionally offer some comments about things in the French news. Our readers in France are encouraged to ask questions about American or English news items they are curious about. The only hard and fast rule is that all entries must be respectful to others. In other words no gratuitous anti-French or anti-American comments. Respectful disagreements are fine, but comments will be removed if they do not fall within these guidelines.
I know some of you have been to France recently, so let us know about your trip!
Return to Beaux Voyages home page
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