Paris of course celebrates gay pride with the Marche des Fiertes on the 25th of June; a massive congregation of over 500,000 participants and spectators, along with a series of parties and a diverse range of events. Amongst these, some amazing parties throughout the city. The march starts at 2pm, at the Place du 18 du Juin 1940, and weaves its way through the city, via Boulevard de Montparnasse, Boulevard St-Michel, Boulevard St-Germain, crossing the Seine for the Pont de Sully, ending up at the Bastille Square around 5.30pm.

In general, on this date various clubs, restaurants and bars offer promotions and special discounts – particularly in the Marais district, which is a kind of head quarters for the gay community in Paris. The Marais is one of the oldest, and prettiest neighbourhoods in Paris, with its narrow streets, and renaissance and medieval era buildings. As well as the gay-friendly vibe, Marais also has lots of galleries, and fashion and sex boutiques. There are just as many Jews, and ‘arty’ types as gay people here, it is, as you will discover very eclectic.

In Paris, normal life is surpassed. Its streets are like little coves of magic and history which transport you to a better time, when the artistic avant-garde of the last century were in the middle of their glory days; when the word revolution was still a credible one, and who knows, maybe even possible. The LGBT community in France is divided into multiple pro-right associations and its worth a bit of research on the internet. To be an activist, your gender doesn’t matter – only your desire to follow the fight against discrimination, and for equality.

This year is the 10th edition of the Marche des Fiertes. Like all LGBT movements and marches carried out in Europe and the rest of the world, it seeks equality and better rights for todays LGBT community. As well as the colourful march, you’ll be able to find out more information about the different associations and groups working in Paris and the rest of France. The march is not just about a celebration, but a meeting point for the citizens of Paris, homosexuals and heterosexuals alike, to get together for the cause of better understanding and teaching of sexual diversity. For further information, visit the website http://marche.inter-lgbt.org/

SISTER RAY

You can’t miss this march, so rent apartments in Paris one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and still a top travel destination, in spite of its rising prices. Go down to the march, there might be some surprises awaiting.

Contact Me 

Translated by: Poppy
Contact Me

Before the incident, the Cafe la Perle (Rue de la Perle, Paris) was already one of the most select, exclusive places in the city; the perfect setting for anybody devoted to all the latest trends from the world of fashion design, a true embodiment of the term fashionista. A place where the true decor was the clientele itself, which were often young people, impeccably dressed, in outfits of invention and creativity.

The mirrors are an essential element for all the people watching that goes on in the bar – as well being perfect for all the stylish types who visit it to check their outfits and hairstyles. The customers, mirrors and camera phones which have arrived with the latest generation given the place a cult status of almost religious proportions; a place of idolatry. The idea of sacrifice and martyr came especially into play with the recent fall from grace at the bar of British designer John Galliano, one of the biggest talents to work in the fashion industry in the last couple of decades.

As a creator, John Galliano has left an unforgettable legacy, which is marked by his taste for the baroque, and for excess. His was a theatrical kind of talent which often reached a level of hyperbole – and that evening as he got drunk in the Cafe la Perle, he responded to a group of people at a neighbouring table with a tirade of unjustifiable, and anti-semitic comments – which he has since apologised for.

The video which captures the moment, filmed by fellow customers with a camera phone without the designer’s knowledge, quickly spread round the world. It shows a clearly inebriated Galliano, as he is performing; acting out a role, adopting a mask which, though ugly, and unacceptable, is obviously not his own. We have all had moments like this at some point in our lives – we’ve all said risky things, particularly when under the influence of alcohol, which we have later regretted. We all have an inner-fascist; this is the real enemy. If we were caught on camera during one of these outbursts, and the video had gone public, we too would fall from grace. The question is, to what extent should words said in private, which are totally unrelated to our jobs, effectively ruin a career? The question is where could such a strict, policing society be leading to?

Paul Oilzum

Galliano has been dismissed not only from Dior – where he was in charge of the women’s range, but also from his own label, John Galliano. A paradox, considering that the Cafe la Perle happens to be in the Jewish neighbourhood, Le Marais – one of the best places for apartments in Paris

Contact Me 

Translated by: Poppy
Contact Me

Until the 21st of August, the Pinacothèque in Paris is hosting a retrospective of Hugo Pratt, with over 150 of the artist’s watercolours. It will be the first time that the work of the comic book maestro has been shown together in Paris – work which includes the stories of the A Ballad of the Salt Sea, created in 1967 during a visit to the Caribbean, in which the famous Corto Maltese appeared for the first time.

Hugo Eugenio Pratt was born in 1927, at the Lido Beach, a fishing town near Rimini. After a few years, the family moved to Venice, and in 1937, after the occupation of Ethiopia of Mussolini’s army, the family moved there to live. Around the end of the Second World War, Pratt enrolled in the Città di Castello military school, and thanks to his advanced level English, he was able to be an interpreter for allied forces. The following year, he was invited to join the Venice Group, which also included writers Alberto Ongaro, Dino Battaglia and Mario Faustinelli, and with whom he founded magazine Asso di Picche..

In 1949, he moved to South America, settling in Argentina, and working as an editor for April Editorial and collaborating with magazine Misterix, where he met the person who was going to have a huge impact on his life; the maestro and creator of comic strips Héctor Germán Oesterheld; with whom Pratt worked at Editorial Frontera, making strips of Ray Kilt, Sargento Kirk, Ticonderoga and Ernie Pike. Having been held in Buenos Aires, Oesterheld disappeared during the military dictatorship in Argentina, in 1977.

Towards the end of the 50s, Pratt moved to England to study painting and worked for Fleetway Publications. After returning again to Argentina, where he lived until 1962, he soon moved back to his native Italy.

In 1967, everything changed, with the invention of the Corto Maltese, and his adventures. The strip related the surreal adventures of a gentile, romantic and heroic pirate who is the son of a Sevillian gypsy, and an English seaman. The creative richness and originality of the cartoon, where real historical figures mix with comical fictitious ones, saw it become a firm favourite amongst readers of all ages, whilst also making a crossover from comics to art.

Pratt, like the Corto, had a life which was like something out of an adventure novel. He has three sons, none of whom were interested in following in their father’s footsteps. Pratt’s fame was such, that Alberto Ongaro depicted him as a character in one of his novels, and various filmmakers have made documentaries about his life.

For more information http://www.pinacotheque.com/index.php?id=582

Nancy Guzman

If you are a fan of Corto Maltés or comics in general, the work of Hugo Pratt is not to missed if you are renting apartments in Paris Then after, escape into the streets of the city of love.

Contact Me 

Translated by: Poppy
Contact Me

The impressive building made from glass and metal at 261, Boulevard Raspail, the handiwork of architect Jean Nouvel, has since 1994 been the home of the Cartier Foundation of contemporary art (http://fondation.cartier.com/). It was the first private French foundation dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art, in all its manifestations – be it painting, installation, photography, video, design or fashion. On top of its amazing exhibitions, which are often accompanied by brilliant catalogs, the Cartier Foundation is also famous for its Soirées Nomades; unique weekly gatherings which are devoted to all things related to the world of art today.

It’s hard to imagine a starker contrast for this current exhibition than the diaphanous crystal building designed by Jean Nouvel. The exterior walls in the ground floor are mobile, creating a floor which is open air, giving an impression of the levity and virtuality characteristic of the architect. Nevertheless, until the 25th of September, visitors will find hanging on the Cartier Foundation’s sophisticated walls, which have been subsequently re-designed and modified by Italian designer Enzo Mari, a selection of over 100 pieces of voodoo art belonging to the collection of Anne and Jacques Kerchache.

Jacques Kerchache, who died in 2001 – which is partly why the Cartier Foundation begun to prepare this important exhibition – was one of the biggest, and most passionate specialists and patrons of primitive art, whose involvement in the collections of various different French museums was down to his own personal strength and determination. “For the primitive arts, and especially voodoo, we have Jacques Kerchache – and only him,” affirmed Malraux. Upon his initiative was the creation of the Pavillon de Sesssions at the Louvre Museum, and the Quai Branly Museum. Now, ten years after his death, the Cartier Foundation is honoring his memory with this new exhibition of voodoo objects, whose powerful originality Kerkache was one of the first Western advocates of, defending the aesthetic value of primitive art in the 1960s.

The collection includes ritual statuettes, and goitres of ethnic groups Fon and Nagó – which take on a voice of their own, and seem to speak for themselves in the obscure, dark suroundings created by Enzo Mari, which succeeds in hypnotizing the viewer with a unique magical power – a power which was originally used to ward off enemies. However, in spite of the evident ritual significance, it is not the magical, or anthropological quality of the pieces which the show seeks to highlight, but their value as objects of art – their indisputable aesthetic quality – as seen in pieces such as the staggering Carriage of Death, which is quite possibly the highlight of the entire show.

Paul Oilzum

These fascinating statues, and the culture they represent are a timeless expression of the questions and fears of the human race. The great mystery. See for yourself when you rent apartments in Paris

Contact Me 

Translated by: Poppy
Contact Me

Ok, so you can’t wear a burka anymore in Paris – great news, right? Behind the whole “liberation for the woman” thing is a new law which is basically totally stupid, racist and pointless…but I’m not here to talk about that – but rather about the fact that Paris is still one of the best places for gay partying in all of Europe. Spring’s over, and Summer’s coming – so take a look at some of these options.

To start, you have to go down to the famous Tango room at the La Boîte à Frissons. This dance hall has retained the retro spirit of the yesteryear of dance; wooden floors, tables and chairs laid out round the dancefloor, 1950s style decoration, low-lighting, and a perfect volume for chatting without having to shout. The party starts around 10.30, with partner dances such as waltz, tango, polka, rock n’roll, cha cha, etc. After midnight, the club starts, and everything goes a bit crazy – and very “Parisian” – until 5 in the morning.

Paris Plaisir is another place you can’t miss out on; if your thing is house music and total luxury, you’ll feel like your in the middle of the world here. Obviously, make sure your ego is intact, and turn up with plenty of attitude. People really lose it at this place, it’s like something from some excessive comic book. The nights are endless here, and if you are true nonconformist, it’s your kind of vibe. The most renowned DJs in Paris come to the club, which is pretty much the coolest one in today’s Parisian club scene.

Another option is Les Bains Douches, a bar and restaurant which has been around since 1978. Here, the dancing is bit more sweaty, and “body to body” – it’s also where all the latest trends from the gay scene come out in full regalia. If you are looking for something a bit different, and very extroverted, you’ll definitely find it here. With its different themed parties (see the website) and highest quality DJs, you’ll reach clubbing euphoria without having to take any drugs. Don’t miss Sunday nights, when the gay community are out in full force.

I do wonder what would happen if homosexuality were accepted within the Muslim community – or if the Muslim gay community (which exists, believe me) were to start wearing burkas a form of protest. Anyway, the bottom line is that it’s unbelievable that in a country with such a rich culture of vanguard art and politics is still creating methods of social exclusion.

SISTER RAY

The best idea would be to get one of the apartments in Paris and live it yourself. Much has been done for gay rights in Paris – as you know, the fight continues…

Contact Me 

Translated by: Poppy
Contact Me

Delicious and disturbing, “The Story of O” is a powerful erotic fantasy, a masterful example of what literature and sex can achieve when they are united. Let’s have a closer look:

It was published in 1954 by Dominique Aury under the pseudonym Pauline Réage, a French intellectual who unwittingly spawned the modern erotic novel. She had never intended to publish her books; the only thing she wanted was to keep her lover erotically satisfied while he was bedridden, recovering from an illness. That is possibly what enabled Aury to write so freely, without thinking once in censure or society’s morals. She wrote an intimate story, from a place of intimacy and with an intimate goal; and that is how she built this literary bomb.

“The Story of O” had a powerful affect on the morals of the time. It tells a story using powerful images of eroticism, submission, pain and lesbianism which create a strange atmosphere which the reader cannot easily forget. The novel was, and still is, very effective in arousing sexual desire. However, it’s not a difficult read, despite the story it tells, as Aury uses a prose which makes reading a pleasure. It is also, at all times, obvious that what we are reading is pure fantasy.

And this is the key to enjoying “The Story of O” and not recoiling from it: the book is pure erotic fantasy, never trying to convince the reader of the truth behind the world it depicts, or of the idea that a woman could become as submissive as O does, reaching a state of indifference to pain. None of this matters to Aury, her only objective was to excite her lover (and then her readers), and this she does very effectively.

O submits herself first to Renée, who takes her to Roissy and introduces her to the world of flagellation and rape. Here, the servants can freely “use” her, taking her body for their own satisfaction. Then she is given to Sir Stephen, who becomes her true master and orders her to give herself to other men and seduce women. O happily complies with these orders and also allows her vagina to be pierced with a double ring and her buttocks to be branded with melted iron to show that she is the property of Sir Stephen.

Aury exploits the masculine desire for supremacy and man’s need to uphold the sexual hierarchy over his companion in the creation of her work. “The History of O” is considered a cult book for everyone who practices BDSM (Bondage, Discipline/Domination, Submission/Sadism, Masochism), something I will be investigating further in the next article.

Miruton

I hope I have piqued your interest in reading “The Story of O” or renting apartments in Paris the city so beloved by Dominique Aury. Take your lover with you and enjoy an erotic holiday in Paris.

Contact Me 

Translated by: Ben Palmer
Contact Me

The Fête de la musique, or “the festival of music,” is one of the most remarkable music festivals in the world. This musical treat features professional as well as amateur musicians presenting a wide range of musical genres. From Classical to Rock, and Yiddish to Jazz, this event brings people together from all walks of life.  The Fête de la musique has remained an annual event, and it encourages locals and visitors to enjoy musical performances throughout France.

The Fête de la musique: Where and When

The entire country of France hosts this unique musical event. Nice, Bordeaux, and Paris are excellent places to visit. These upbeat hot spots are perfect venues for The Fête de la musique. The Fête de la musique is held annually on the 21^st of June. This date is the day of the summer solstice. The actual festival usually begins at sundown.

An Experience You Should Not Miss

Music lovers from all over the globe will flock to enjoy an unforgettable experience in June. The Fête de la musique is an exciting treat for any spectator and music lover, and it is most definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity. This festival is even more enjoyable when you take the time to explore as many sights as possible. The Fête de la musique is a popular attraction for millions of people every year. Not only will this amazing event allow you to enjoy different types of music, but it also presents the audiences with a plethora of other intriguing options. Make the most of your apartments in Paris by taking full advantage of The Fête de la musique in June.

dkathleend

Do not hesitate to fly to Paris, rent apartments in Paris and enjoy this festival that it is full of nice surprise in this lovely city of Paris

Contact Me