Photos de voyage
Prince Albert II of Monaco inaugurates the new Grace Kelly suite at the InterContinental Carlton Cannes
Cannes, May 2010: Grace Kelly, glamorous star of the 50’s, Alfred Hitchcock’s muse, famous Princess of Monaco, gives her name to one of the most prestigious suites of the InterContinental Carlton, inaugurated by His Serene Highness, the Prince Albert II of Monaco.
In 1954, Alfred Hitchcock filmed many scenes of his cult movie « To Catch a Thief, » in the InterContinental Carlton Cannes. The movie’s stars, Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, spent many days in the Palace.To honor Grace Kelly’s beauty and talent, her son Prince Albert II of Monaco agreed to christen the suite in this legendary Palace, where his mother left a perpetual mark.
The Grace Kelly suite will now be one of the 10 suites on the seventh floor named after famous artists of the cinema world, along with Sean Connery, Sean Penn, Cary Grant, Sharon Stone, and Sophia Loren, allowing us to delve deep into the heart of the giant Hollywood scene.
Luxury, discrete elegance, refinement—such are the essential characteristics of this new exceptional place. Timeless alliance between tradition and modernity, the decoration,designed by architect Nicolas Papamiltiades, has been inspired by the Hitchcock movie « To Catch a Thief. » Adorned with sumptuous photographs of Grace Kelly from the Princely Palace of Monaco’s private collection, this sublime suite, with a 280 sq. m surface area, seduces with a spacious and refined design.
INTERCONTINENTAL CARLTON CANNES
58 La Croisette, 06400 Cannes
For more information visit www.intercontinental.com/cannes.
50th International Jazz Festival à Juan
France, Juan les Pins
In France, more precisely, on Côte d’Azur, from July 14th to 25th 2010, the prestigious international jazz festival « Jazz à Juan, » the oldest in Europe, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Antibes Juan-les-Pins, the capital of jazz, has chosen to pay tribute to the great musicians who have performed ever since 1960 in the legendary setting of the Gould pine grove. On the strength of the festival’s international recognition, the town is also preparing the future generation of young artists with the « Jazz à Juan Révélations »—a series of concerts promoting young jazz musicians on stage.
As early as the 1920s, Antibes Juan-les-Pins was the meeting place for the intellectual and modernist elite, in the manner of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hemingway. They brought with them jazz and a new art of living. The city of joie de vivre, dear to the heart of Picasso, was also the adopted homeland of the great saxophone player Sidney Bechet. Created in 1960 as a tribute to Bechet, « Jazz à Juan » sparked many other festivals which spread across the whole of Europe.
The concept was revolutionary. For the first time, the general public could discover, up close, the jazz greats in a beautiful setting—under the centenarian pine trees of the Pinède Gould, facing the Mediterranean Sea. It was certainly a risky gamble, but came off brilliantly, leading to a permanent festival celebrating jazz in all its forms: New Orleans, Gospel, Blues, Swing, Be-Bop, Latin Jazz, Cool Jazz, Hard-Bop, Free Jazz, Jazz-Rock, Modern Jazz and Electro-Jazz.
The Jazz à Juan Festival has become one of the most effective conveyors of communication for Antibes Juan-les-Pins in Europe and throughout the world. The favorite festival of Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Miles Davis—and more recently, Keith Jarrett, Sonny Rollins and Jamie Cullum—is now preparing to welcome once again, upon the occasion of a half-century of existence, an exceptional variety of artists including bassist Marcus Miller, pianist Keith Jarrett, bossa-nova great Carlinhos Brown, sax-player David Sanborn, and drummer Manu Katché.
In order to make this a very special 50th birthday celebration and to help prepare future jazz talents, the Antibes Juan-les-Pins Tourist Office is presenting:
• The « Jazz à Juan » spring & summer series 2010
Fifty years of « Jazz à Juan » jazz heritage will be exhibited through movie projection, conferences and art exhibitions throughout the spring and early summer period in Antibes Juan-les-Pins.
Traveling with children
- Children traveling in France
We all have memories of children « who do not travel well », as they say politely. The bad memories I have in this category are fortunately not concernning my children who have always been good travelers.
Often, however, we must say that adults can also be as disruptive either talking loudly on their phone on the bus or an airplane or those people having a real great time on the terraces - of an hotel room, just room over it. I remember having to endure a hard worker, a workaholic real at 6 am, aboard a train during a trip between Montreal and Québec. am sure you have been wakened by some people having so much fun in a pool late at night.
But, admittedly, some parents do not seem too concerned about their child shouting or crying in an airplane, or restaurant or or during the explanations of a guide.
Our secret recipe is quite simple: build a program that will interest them and keep the activities that interest them most for the end of the day, with an hotel room.
To ensure that restaurant meals are not too chaotic, we started, At an early age, presents to our children to simple dinners and short first and by gradually increasing the sophistication of the food and encouraged them to stay at the table. An interesting game, compact and quiet is always a valuable tool for parents or coaches.
We realized quickly, by pure self-preservation, that it was not a good idea to gorge on sweets and food energy before a long flight or a long bus ride, since they store energy that has to be burned. I assure you, nuts and fruit are irresistible when a child is hungry.
Another tip for the trip: To maintain the children interest and keep them awake, tell them the destination, try the foreign language and have stories that they can understand. Let them talk about their projects and let them ask any question that pass through their heads.
Always plan a surprise that will look like a terrific adventure for them, do not forget they are just children. It is easy!
Certainly those things that worked well for us does not necessarily give the same results with all children. Some never become good travelers. If this is your case, be patient or do other things during your vacation.
Especially, it is useless to think that other vacationers can find greater pleasure than yours to travel with your unruly children! …
Children on board, Bangkok, Asia
Europe Best Sea Kayaking Destinations
Ocean kayaking
Europe is the ultimate name on account of its diverse coastlines,when it comes to sea kayaking. Many coasts of mainland Europe are unique as kayaking destinations. To begin with, Shetland with its amazingly mild climate, is characterized by sea cliffs interspersed with small beaches and caves. These sea caves are fascinating for their large and complex configuration, lighted by occasional sun beams. Anglesey and Brittany are known for their abundance of yummy seafoods. Brittany can be reached even by personal cars and therefore it is really a cool place to relax and enjoy a family vacation.
The Isle of Man in the northern Irish Sea with an area of 221 square miles lies closest to the British Isles. It is a topmost kayaking location within an archipelago. The Isles of Scilly is yet another warm archipelago, whose favorable weather makes it navigable in all types of weather conditions.
Close to Palau and La Maddalena, Sardinia is yet another lovely archipelago with sea-worn granite topography. For days-long expeditions for crossing the straits of Bonifaccio to Corsical is a very suitable idea in the months of April or May.
Scotland does not lag behind as a kayaking spot because it is gifted with isles like Jura and Islay. This apart, the romantic remote beaches with white sands makes Scotland a paradise for those who look ahead for lunch stops.
Moving away from the nearest vicinity of the British Isles, Norway is unique for its Lofoten Islands. Its mountainous topography and fjords make it doubly interesting in the sense that adventurers can both climb and kayak.
The steep and rugged shores of Croatia and its thinly populated islands offer a perfect fun time to those who look ahead spending some quality time in solitude. The appeal lies in its limestone cliffs, pine forests and the magnificent view of the ancient city of Dubrovnik.
Greece has a mountainous terrain protruding into the sea at southern Balkans. A range of over 2000 islands including Crete, Euboea, Lesbos and Chios coupled by the Ionian Sea islands make it a very much sought after kayaking spot.
www.simplyscilly.co.uk/
Nice Carnival: « King of the Blue Planet »
Nice, Provence, France
From February 12-28, 2010, the « King of the Blue Planet » will reign on the 126th edition of the Nice Carnival, the biggest winter event of the Côte d’Azur. For 15 days, his Majesty will open the doors of his blue planet for 15 days.
Dive into his history, his nature and its astonishing biodiversity, to the abysses and wanderings of humans, before concluding with this intimate conviction: protection and preservation of nature is definitely the most important goal of this century.
Though truly ecological (complete with recycling workshops), this popular carnival remains faithful to its original spirit: humor, scorn and poetry will be in order.
Around the Place Masséna, 20 allegorical and burlesque floats will parade with bands and comedians from the five continents. This parade will look like an initiatory around-the-world journey in 80 minutes! New 360° open floats will parade all along the Promenade des Anglais, decorated with roses, carnations, or mimosas, representing the floral patrimony of the region. Elaborate costumes, dances, and flower battles complete the festive scene.
The Nice Carnival offers a wonderful opportunity to discover Nice during the winter, with its mild climate, constant sunshine, and easy-going joie de vivre.
For more information, visit www.nicecarnaval.com or www.nicetourisme.com.
Nice, France
Nice, France
Nice, France
Galeries Lafayette Opens World’s Largest Shoe Department
The famous domed grand magasin on Boulevard Haussman, where I used to go very, very often when I was living in Paris on Boulevard Malesherbes, has just inaugurated its new 34,500 square feet shoe department, giving shoe addicts yet another reason to come to Paris. The new footwear department—the world’s largest, according to Galeries Lafayette—opened in July, and carries 150 brands of shoes, 75 of which are exclusive to the department store.
The stunning showroom, accessed via a gold and white Patrick Jouin-designed staircase, displays shoes as works of art in a sleek, lounge-like setting. Wide aisles, wengé wood, white varnished furniture, and chocolate brown leather sofas invite lingering—a good thing, considering it takes awhile to admire all 12,000 pairs.
French women are rumored to have the largest shoe appetite in Europe, and Galeries Lafayette aims to please: sandals and boots are available year-round for shoppers travelling to different climates, as well as sizes ranging from 32 to 43 (American sizes 3 to 12), plus half sizes in between. A variety of services are offered on site, from an artisan cobbler to a foot salon specializing in pedicures, as well as a foot care center offering everything you need to take care of your shoes and feet: special brushes, shoe creams in all colors, foot-care lotions and so on.
The shoe prices, ranging from 99 Euros to 1,300 Euros, aren’t exactly cheap, but where else can you try on your Louboutins in a plush private fitting room? Or take a lesson on how to walk in them afterward?
It is always possible to get a tax refund at the airport as a tourist! Don’t forget to go to the the tourist service counter to have a receit and ask also for a day pass saving of about 10% on your purchases.
GALERIES LAFAYETTE
40 bd Haussmann, Paris (9th)
+33 (0)1 42 82 34 56
www.galerieslafayette.com