Hôtel de Ville Exhibits and Exploring the Marais

Friday November 25 was cloudy and a bit cooler (high of 10C), but still excellent walking weather.  We were so tired from our Thursday adventures as well as still being a bit jet-lagged that we slept in until 10:00 a.m.  I worked on yesterday's blog post and Alain went out to do food shopping on Rue Mouffetard.

I wanted to post some pictures of the apartment where we are now staying.  It has lots of light and plenty of room.  Lots of kitchen items and even a little desk that I can use for my blogging.  The bathroom has two sections- one with a toilet and the other with a bathtub and shower.

Kitchen and dining table area

Separate bedroom area with 1/2 bathroom with shower

Living room area and kitchen

View of living room and desk at far end (bedroom is around the corner from the desk)

We started our walk to the right bank but first stopped for a coffee at Strada Café.   Our first destination was Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), to see a number of exhibits.  The first was a small exhibit celebrating artists, fashion and other designers from Paris.  It was called Le Paris des Talents.  There was also a section in another part of City Hall featuring short videos about 30 other talented Parisiens from a number of vocations.  It was called 30 Ans Quels Talents.  It would be nice if Toronto City Hall would promote young artistic talent in such a fashion.

Poster for one of the exhibits

Beside the videos of some of the artists/designers, there were two large rooms with displays of work, including some prize winners.

5.5 Designers- one of the prize winners

Tzuri Gueta- another prize winner

Atelier Lilikpo

Ambrym - Gabrielle Gérard

There is always a wonderful carousel outside of City Hall in the square.

Carousel in City Hall square

There were also a series of posters/panels on the railings in front of Hôtel de Ville which recounted the history of the 1871 Paris Commune.  It is 145 years since the Commune.  I studied the Paris Commune in University- its program was very progressive including separation between church and state, abolishing night work in Paris bakeries, among other reforms.  While it only lasted 72 days and its supporters were brutally suppressed, its ideals live on.  As one of the posters says- Paris 1871, city isolated, but city strong, city free....

1936 photo with communists, socialists and veterans of the Commune

The memory lives on in Paris

The major exhibit  at Hôtel de Ville was about Coluche (1944-1986), a famous French comedian who died 30 years ago (1986) in a car crash.

Poster for exhibit

Coluche was born in Paris in 1944.  His real name was Michel Gerard Joseph Colucci-- but when he started working as a comedian at 26, he took the name Caluche.  He had an irreverent sense of humour and was one of the first comedians to use profanities as a source of humour.  He was totally irreverent to politicians and the establishment in his routines.

Caluche's clothes and prompts

List of topics he would deal with in his shows

In 1980, Coluche decided he would run for President of France in the 1981 elections.  A poll in December 1980 showed that he would get the support of 16% of the votes.  Charlie Hebdo journal supported his campaign.  He stated that "he was the only candidate who has no reason to lie."

He was quoted as saying "the politicians are all idiots. I say vote for an imbecile instead of an idiot." Under pressure he eventually withdrew his candidacy.

What we found ironic was that in 1980 a clown was running for President of France and today we have a scary clown as President-elect in the United States.

Paper with poll results

Running for president

Coluche's manifesto

Coluche went on to win a César for his acting.  Unfortunately, he was killed in a motorcycle crash in the Alps in 1986.

Coluche quitte la scène- Arnaud Baumann

The exhibit was full of Parisiennes who had clearly been fond of Coluche.  We found the exhibit very timely.  The Paris City Hall always has very interesting exhibits often featuring iconic Parisiennes.


The Department Store BHV, across from City Hall, already had its Christmas lights and display.

Le BHV with ski scene for the holidays

We stopped for a very late baguette at one of the bakeries we know in the Marais.

Then time for a bit of retail therapy.  We stopped at Lilith, where Alain discovered they were having a private sale for clients.  Since we were in the system (technology is scary), as I have shopped in their New York store, I was entitled to 30% off most items.

The clothes at Lilith

This time I bought a dress

We continued our wandering, though a number of stores were already closed.  We passed some massive doors all lit up on Rue Vieille du Temple.  We don't get tired of wandering in Paris- one never knows what architectural gems will turn up.

Incredible doors in the Marais

A wonderful gargoyle

We were going to have a late apéro, but the wine bar we wanted to go to was full.  So we headed back to the apartment for a lovely fish dinner and some Beaujolais Nouveau.