Parisians, their Love Locks, and their Public Display of Affection

Parisians, their Love Locks, and their Public Display of Affection

Blogged by Marcus Bellamy

In the states, PDA is typically frowned upon, wherever you are; keep it private because no one wants to see that!  A common enough phrase is “Get a room!” which is said to any couple who is display their affection in public too much.

But in Paris?

That’s not the case at all!  Couples from young…

 …to old…

…show absolutely no shame in displaying their love for one another in Paris.

This brings me to the Love Locks Bridges.  Regardless of its origin – some claim that it began in Paris while still others say that it began in Italy – the Love Locks Bridges in Paris have been a symbol of everlasting love since the early 2000s.

Couples come to these bridges with a lock and key.  Once there, they inscribe their names or initials upon the lock, a significant date in their relationship, and lock the lock on the bridge.  After this, the couple throws the key into the River Seine, symbolizing that the key to unlocking their affection for each is now lost beneath the waves of the Seine.  Nowadays, some bring a combination lock instead, which loses the meaning, in my opinion; the method of opening the lock is a number, which you (can) memorize, and then return to unlock another time if the relationship goes sour.  That’s just MY take on it.

Here is a video of one couple, walking down the Love Locks Bridge near Notre Dame.  They don’t throw their key in the Seine, though…

If you have time, I suggest you read this article about a sudden midnight disappearance off every love lock in Paris:

Apparently, though, there is a difference between the two bridges upon which these locks are locked.  The “Pont des Arts is for your committed love, while Pont de l'Archevêché is for your lover.”  The whole article can be found here:

The Love Locks Bridges are a cute sight for tourists, but they hold deeper significance in the hearts of passionate lovers.

Palais Garnier

Palais Garnier

Blogged by Marcus Bellamy

I’m not going to lie – I was pretty excited about seeing this place, and while I was disappointed (in regards to my excitement in going), I was intrigued and amazed nonetheless, which turned the outing to the Palais Garnier a fantastic jaunt for that evening.

The Palais Garnier was built because of a competition put in place by Napoleon III.  Architects submitted designs for the new opera house, and the design, drawn by Charles Garnier, won the competition almost unanimously.  Unfortunately, Napoleon III did not live to see the completion of this structure which was made in part as a monument to him.  Let’s step inside and take a look at this magnificent building.

Here you can see, in the low ceiling of the rotunda, something that was unheard of in Garnier’s time: the architect’s signature.  Garnier was the first architect to include his signature on a building of this magnitude.  You can almost make out the dates “1861” and “1875,” the dates of the beginning and ending of the Opera House’s construction.

Garnier wanted his Opera House to be dedicated to the arts, and who better to dedicate it to than to Apollo, the Greek god of music.  Above the grand staircase is a mural of the gods, and on one side is this one of Apollo in his chariot:

However, Garnier could not decorate the whole of his creation with images of Apollo, so he designed the building with motifs of Apollo, such as his lyre, which can be seen in many places throughout the opera house.

Today, the Palais Garnier mainly produces ballets, which are no small event.  Here are three such ballets that have performed on the stage of Palais Garnier in recent years:

Défilé du Ballet

Djémil Variation Act 1

Gipsy dance in Don Quixote

Now, you may have heard whispers of the legend of the Phantom of the Opera, which originated from this esteemed establishment…

Much to my dismay, they are untrue.  There never was an Opera Ghost, as was told in the story written by Gaston Leroux, nor was there ever a lake or river beneath the foundations of the opera house.  In reality, there was an abundance of groundwater on the build site, which Garnier used advantageously: he designed a double foundation to protect the superstructure from moisture, which incorporated an enormous concrete cistern – this would relieve pressure of the external groundwater on the basement walls AND serve as a reservoir in case of fire.  In fact, there now exist within this cistern several carp and eels.

If you are ever in Paris, neglecting the chance to take in the splendor of such a theatre would be a mistake on your part.  Be sure to stop by the Palais Garnier, if even just for a moment, if you ever find the chance.

HIP Hits the Big Screen

By now, you probably could tell that HIP students are pretty cool...

but did you know they are also movie makers?

Check out HIPster Emily Owen has created a collection
of magical moments from our semester.

From frolicking in Marseilles....

to a mad dash around Paris...

to castle hunting in the Loire Valley...

to the first day on the ski slops....

It's all here!

Reims

Reims

Reims may be my favorite city in France.  Sure, the south of France was great, but they were big (and sometimes windy and/or cold!).  Just walking from the train station to Reims Cathedral – and what a sight that is! – gave me the feeling of openness without enormity.  Our first stop in this quaint city was Reims Cathedral, begun in 1211.   On the same site where the cathedral stands today, in 400 AD, Saint Remi crowned the first king of France, Clavis I, as depicted in the tympanum on the northern side of the church.

 The legend says that the church at the time was so crowded that no one could get the anointing oil to Saint Remi; after a quick prayer to God, a dove descended from Heaven and dropped a vial of holy oil into Saint Remi’s hands.

When we see a cathedral, our immediate assumption is that the building was built with stone and other trappings but there was no decoration besides that.  Well, we discovered that cathedrals were actually painted during their early years!  Wear and tear of weather, war, and time have removed most of this beautiful artistry, but some figures still bear a slight coat of the color, as seen here in one of the famous “Smiling Angels.”

 In fact, Reims celebrated the cathedral’s 800^th anniversary (2011) with a light show that put color back on the facades of the cathedral for a short time.   Here, take a couple of minutes to watch a clip from the illuminating experience:

If you’re famished for something that is fancy and filling but won’t break the bank, try Le Gaulois: 

Heading west from Reims Cathedral, you won’t have to walk more than ten minutes to find this place (factoring in weaving through various stores and shops).  On the day that I went with the Lynns, this place had a special deal for a “Plat du Joir” and a dessert for a little under 13 euros.  Take a look!

The first dish is pork in a mushroom gravy/sauce and (I think) scalloped potatoes with melted cheese.  The dessert was a rich and creamy crème brulee.

And if you want to see a piece of Roman architecture while you’re in Reims, be sure to stop by the Porte de Mars, an ancient Roman triumphal arch, dating from the 3^rd century AD.  This arch was the widest in the Roman world.

If you happen to be in France, make a point to visit Reims!

By: Marcus Bellamy

Tarte Normandie

Tarte Normandie

I was actually in Normandy to today and came across one of their regional desserts, the Tarte Normandie.  This shortcrust pastry, made in Normandy, is ornate with apples, almonds, all in an egg custard. It is then baked until the top is slightly caramelized to a nice golden brown color. It is quite similar to our own American Apple Pie, but Norman style.  The difference between this tart and others that use egg-custard is the fact that it contains the apples and almonds. This is the unique “trademark” of this Normandy dish. It should be noted that the Tarte Normandie is a variant of other Normandy apple tarts, as apples are one of the top regional products. Since apples are one of the stellar regional ingredients of Normandy, this dish is judged by the apples used to make it. Obviously if the apples are bad the tart will not be very appetizing, not very hard to figure out. Flavorful or not, this dessert is still pleasing to the eyes when walking past a Boulangerie.

~ Andrew Hervey

Dijon Mustard

Dijon mustard originated in 1752 when Jean Naigeon (of Dijon) substituted verijuice  for vinegar.  [Verijuice is the acidic "green" juice of not-quite-so-ripe grapes].  Dijon is a city of eastern France and the capital of the Burgundy region.

There are strict laws that regulate how Dijon mustard is produced and is protected by anappellation controlee, which means "controlled designation of origin," which came about in 1937.

Only black or brown mustard seeds can be used in Dijon mustard.  These seeds are soaked in water until swollen.  The seed coats are filtered out and blended with wine, wine vinegar, or verijuice.  Unless the mustard goes through this process, it is not allowed to have the name "Dijon."

However, the laws say nothing about the required origin of the seeds.  It is interesting to note that most of the fields where mustard seeds once grew have given rise to more profitable crops.  As a result, over 90% of Dijon mustard seeds are imported from Canada.

By: Marcus Bellamy

Epoisses Cheese

Époisses

Cheese is an interesting food. Very interesting. Did you know that is basically curdled milk? Now you do! It’s more complicated than that, but you get the idea.

In my quest for a French food I stumbled across the cheese, Époisses. This pungent cheese hails from the village of Époisses in Côte-d'Or. It is circular, between 10-18cm wide, and has a distinctive red-orange color to it. It became a favorite cheese of Napoleon and the famous epicure, Brillat-Savarin, called it the “king of all cheeses.”  

Époisses is made by heating milk with the coagulation lasting at least 16 hours. The curds are drained into moulds and 48 hours later they are salted and placed on racks to dry. After drying they are moved to cellars to mature and are rinsed up to three times a week with water and marc, which is a type of pomace brandy, this is part of what gives the cheese it’s specific flavor. The yeast and fermenting agents give it the distinctive orange-red exterior.

In the 16^th century there was a Cistercian community that called Époisses home, they were the original producers of the cheese. When they left the village 200 years later they gave the local farmers the recipe. By the 20^th century, there were over 300 farms producing this cheese but due to WWII the male population shrank leading to the women being unable to take care of their farms and also make cheese. This catastrophe almost meant the end of Époisses cheese.

Never fear! In 1956 two farmers, Robert and Simone Berthaut decided to re-launch Époisses cheese production. The Berthaut Époisses gained great success and became a favorite brand among devotees. To this day Époisses has remained a favorite cheese amongst the French people and it holds a special place in the hearts of the Côte-d'Or people.