VOL. 13 NO. 4
| November
2009
VOL. 13 NO. 4 |
|
| The Independent Traveler's Newsletter | |
| The French Easel | ||||
| IN
THIS ISSUE:
The French
Easel
Paris Enigmas Ici et Là Gustave
Eiffel
The Black
Diamond of the
Parisian
Religious Buildings
A Paris
Restaurant Discovery
FEATURING:
Cruising the Beautiful
Notes from
Narbonne
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all of whom have a special place in their hearts for France. We hope you enjoy the talent of Linda Hampton Smith.
After having taught elementary school art for many years, Linda is now at work illustrating her own children's books. She enjoys inventing characters and placing them in all sorts of vignettes. These little characters very much mirror her passionate love of France.   Linda sells prints of her paintings at French heritage festivals and through her online store which can be found at http://www.thefrencheasel.com. Linda may also have a booth at The France Show in London January 8 through 10. If you plan to be in London in January, don't miss it!
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| Look
inside
> to join us on the next of our visits to Narbonne with Marlane O'Neill. Notes on Narbonne in this issue shows us how this bustling little city is in a constant state of celebration. ~ > to learn about the mysteries of the truffle trade in the Rhône-Alpes through the eyes of Jeni Matthews of Red Balloon Travel and Consulting. ~ > for the first of our explorations to find Paris' least-known religious buildings in our new mini-series Paris Religious Buildings Off the Beaten Track. ~ > as we learn more about the engineering feats of Gustave Eiffel as Paris this year celebrates the 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower. ~ > and accompany us on a truly wonderful week-end cruise along the Canal Latéral à la Loire on the péniche Alphonsia Maria. |
PARIS
ENIGMAS . . . A Quiz on Your
Knowledge of Historic Paris
by Arthur Gillette Question from the last issue: Why is the elegant Place des Vosges, in Paris' aristocratic Marais neighborhood, so named? Answer: Money, money... Site of a 14th century palace demolished in the 1500s, it was called the Place Royale until the French Revolution. Afterwards, it changed names several times until finally taking its present title in recognition of the fact that, in 1800, the eastern Département des Vosges was the first provincial district to pay its full taxes to the central government.
Our new question: What is the one high vantage point in Paris from which you cannot see the Montparnasse Tower (called a 'huge upended coffin' by one wag)? Contact Arthur
Gillette to take advantage of his amazing knowledge of Paris
[See the answer to this edition's question revealed in our February 2010 issue.]
SPONSORING THIS ISSUE
The City of
Romance awaits you, so why not take it to
next page 
©1998-2009 Cold Spring Press All Rights Reserved |
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As
a
young girl, Linda Hampton Smith was mesmerized by the magnificent fairytale
illustrations of French painter Adrienne Ségur. This greatly influenced
her decision to become an artist, and she went on to study in Paris with
Parson's School of Design. There, she was given daily assignments to paint
en
plein air at points throughout the city. With her French easel
(a foldable easel that transforms into a backpack), she painted everything
from tiled rooftops to barges along the Seine to the bubbling fountains
in les Jardins du Luxembourg.
