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Wednesday, 14 March 2007 |
The maire of Paris Bertrand Delanoë is storming ahead
with his green campaign, slowing down traffic,
reducing parking places…
As part of his effort to change people’s transport habits and
become more ecologically aware, the mayor has offered
JC Decaux a contract to supply the city with self-service bikes,
24 hours a day, seven days a week. A similar system, known as
Vélo’v successfully operates in Lyon.
From July, 14,100 robust and comfortable bikes will be
available in the capital, increasing to 20,600 by the end of the
year. The method is simple. All Parisians and tourists will have
to do is register in advance, borrow a bike at one location
point, and replace it at another, unlike the RATP’s, ‘Roue
Libre’ scheme, which rents bikes by the day, week or month.
Cycling is a cheap, quick and pleasant method of getting
around the congested city.
The Conseil de Paris debated the issue on February 12 and the
daily ‘Le Parisien’ reported that all the political parties
approve of the idea, but not the operating method. For
example, the Communists and the UDF are concerned about
the consequences of a sudden mass of cyclists, many
beginners, on the streets of Paris. Controversy exists over the
handling of the contract. Rival company Clear Channel is
legally contesting the dossier presented by JC Decaux. At the
meeting, the Right regretted that the project had been approved
before judgement on the case has been pronounced.
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Wednesday, 14 March 2007 |
Disneyland is celebrating
15 years in Paris with a
yearlong party
beginning April 1.
EuroDisney Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer,
Karl L Holz, said in a
statement, “For 15 years,
Disneyland Resort Paris has
been making dreams come
true for guests of many
cultures, countries and ages.
The celebrations has
something new for everyone –
and festivities every single day
for 12 magical months.”
The park at Marne-la-
Vallée, 32km east of Paris,
opened in April 1992. With its
40 attractions and shows, it
has become the number-one
tourist site in Europe,
attracting 160 million visitors
since it opened.
Yet it hasn’t all been a
smooth ride. First, there was
controversy over the site.
Critics felt it should have been
built further south in Europe,
where the weather is more
reliable. Not long ago, a
dispute over staff conditions
attracted negative attention.
Recently, there was the
embarrassing episode of the
‘porno’ video broadcast over
the net, featuring costumed
staff. It allegedly showed
Mickey simulating sex with a
snowman and Minnie
struggling against Goofy’s
clumsy clutches.
For Mickey’s birthday, the
12,000 cast members are
preparing a host of
unforgettable events, including
a new spectacular parade.
“Most of the floats have two
themes, one on the front and
one on the back. Our guests
will see more of their favourite
dreams coming to life, such as
‘Alice in Wonderland’ and
‘Pinocchio’ representing
‘Dreams of Laughter and
Fun’,” explained Françoise
Leroux, vice-president of
entertainment. “And for the
first time ever, to excite every
sense, we’ve added fragrances
that will fill the air, matching
the theme of each float.”
That’s not all. More
Disney characters than ever
before will be on hand for
children to meet. Sleeping
Beauty’s Castle will come to
life after dark, with 15
twinkling candles on the
turrets.
Two new family
rides are opening in June:
‘Crush’s Coaster’, plunging
visitors into the world of
Nemo, and ‘Cars Race Rally’
taking guests on a hair-raising
spin along Route 66.
Scheduled for early 2008,
the ‘Twilight Zone Tower
of Terror’ will dare thrillseekers
to “board a decrepit
hotel freight elevator that
hurtles them through the
fourth dimension in a pitchblack
shaft, plummeting from
the 13th floor.” Bet you can’t
wait.
In the meantime, don’t
miss any of the magic. Go
along and help Mickey blow
out his candles.
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Tuesday, 13 March 2007 |
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The scent of an empowered woman lingered on catwalks around the world during the unveiling of the Autumn/Winter collections. Carly Jane Lock watched as politics even pervaded the privileged Paris haute-couture scene.
Awarrior look heading straight for the wardrobes of the likes of the world’s most powerful women, accentuated by structured tailoring and precision panelling wrapped in a cape of sleek sobriety featured at the Milan and New York shows.
In Paris, couture influences ranged from well-bred rebel with strong cuff, epaulette and lapel details by Chloé, Chanel and Balenciaga to the influential monarch and religious icon in full regalia as seen at the Galliano for Dior and Jean-Paul Gaultier shows.
Lebanese designer and favourite with Oscar hopefuls, Elie Saab remained faithful to his leading-lady clientele with a graceful dawn goddess collection. Flashbulb-friendly finishing included Grecian draped décolletés, and predictable yet gorgeous Swarovski crystal beading to complete the precious plumage.
As Ségolène Royal knows only too well dressing to impress is an underrated means of showing one’s political colours. Her penchant for white undeniably reveals a desire to wipe the slate clean, distancing herself from her red-tied peers. While France’s first lady in waiting may not have proven to be so hot on foreign policy, her impact in the fashion world has been cut in cloth. In Rome last month, designer Guillermo Mariotto (representing Italian fashion label Gattinoni) turned attention away from the ongoing body-mass-index debate by putting French politics on centre stage as he sent a pro-Ségolène power gown down the runway.
Along with other designs depicting leading female figures on the world stage: Queen Elizabeth II, Hilary Clinton and Condoleeza Rice, the floor-length empire line bustier dress bearing a Warholesque monochrome portrait of France’s first lady-inwaiting exhibiting perfectly tweezed brow and serious poise stole the show. A smattering of royal blue and gold fleurde- lys sequins reinforced the message of fit for a queen of the polls. Despite losing points in her numerous bids to win over the nation’s support, there is no doubt that Ségo has the edge over her rivals in the style stakes, ever-faithful to her classy tailleur jacket and simple polo neck sweaters, and now with a power dress designed in her honour. Wouldn’t the prospect of a style icon at the Élysée make French couturiers Gabrielle Chanel and Christian Dior turn in their graves? And just how long will the Socialist candidate maintain her fashion cred among the international couture scene and France’s dedicated followers of fashion – equal parts gauche caviar and neo-conservative?
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Friday, 09 March 2007 |
by George Walden
Gibbon Square 2006: 234 p.paperback.
Village Voice €13, Your French News Price €13
The author, a former MP and an education minister under Margaret Thatcher, indulges here in one of the pleasures of being a retired public figure – speaking your mind. Into its third print run since it was published last autumn, ‘Time to Emigrate’ presents itself as a lengthy letter to a fictional son and daughter-in-law who have just announced their decision to go and live abroad.
Conducting what he terms “a brief survey of the country’s future from a buyer’s perspective, rather than that of a
seller,” Walden reviews the problems that will continue to bedevil the lives of those who stay in Britain: massive immigration, insecurity, overcrowding, the exorbitant cost of housing, the widening gap between the rich and the poor, the abysmal NHS and education systems, the rise of racial and religious intolerance, the demise of common civility, and so forth. It all adds up to a pretty grim picture. The only ray of hope, if it can be called that, is the author’s somewhat pious thought that when things get bad enough, the Brits might pull their head from the sand and become lions again. (It was Arthur Koestler who wondered at the British capacity to keep their arses in the air and their heads underground and suddenly become capable of letting out a Metro Goldwyn roar.) Walden’s experience of politics makes him allergic to cant and hypocrisy and gives him an irrepressible nostalgia for the kind of straight talk you are sometimes subjected to by London taxi drivers. Here and there he himself comes close to ranting,
especially on the loaded topic of immigration and what he regards as the liberal drivel of the apostles of “multiculturalism.” But fortunately Walden is a literate and witty writer in the best ‘Spectator’ vein and his book is filled with nuggets like ‘Being a politician is no longer a serious vocation but a celebrity choice,” and “We no longer live in a country, we live in an economy.” Not surprisingly he swipes at Tony Blair, but is most scathing about David Cameron, referring to him as a “transexualized Diana.” In the end he advises his young ones to “try and live abroad for a while,” and “and if ever you hear the sound of an ostrich wrenching its head from the sand, and of a lion roaring, you could always come back.” Not exactly a resounding cheer for the home team.
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