It’s pretty rare for Paris to be so cold that the canal Saint-Martin freezes! Although it’s obviously forbidden to walk on the ice, we went down and took some photos to immortalise the view…

photos: JasonW

To test the ice, it looks like some clever people have thrown various objects onto it: bread, a shoe… and someone’s going to have to wait a while before they get their football back…Others have decided that their good deed of the day will be to give bread to the seagulls (and the pigeons), giving rise to an unusual feeding frenzy…To see what the weather has in store for Paris, the website www.meteo-paris.org is the most accurate, with real meteorologists working on the previsions (instead of automatic updates that aren’t even checked by a human – as is the case with most other sites). According to their forecast, the ice won’t be moving for at least another week, maybe more…

To check out all our photos of the canal Saint-Martin frozen, click the play button on the slideshow below, then click the four little arrow bottom right to go into fullscreen mode.

Fifty venerable organisations – libraries, archives, museums – have got together to form ‘the commons‘, an rights-free image bank packed full of interesting stuff.

For example, the photos of Paris are fascinating, with parts of the city that have completely changed…

Paris Exposition: moving sidewalk, Paris, France, 1900. Moving Sidewalk Panorama Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_014 image 9893).

We think you really should go and check out the picture of Paris on Flickr, not those taken by today’s visitors, but shots from a century ago or more.

Paris has seen a lot of grand buildings that were later destroyed, especially those that feel after the universal expositions, but the city has also retained a number of iconic monuments that look today much as they did in the early 1900s. The city has nonetheless evolved, seen important events, been drastically remodelled by Baron Haussmann, been occupied by the Nazis, been rocked by riots…

The photos of the big expositions are impressive, especially when you know that not much of their huge constructions remains apart from the Eiffel Tower, le Pont Alexandre III bridge, the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais. In some photos, it’s hard to believe that one is in Paris at all…

Paris Exposition: Champ de Mars and Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, 1900. General view of the Chateau de Mars taken from the Chateau d'Eau; Eiffel Tower prominent in view.. Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_015 image 9900).

Paris Exposition: Cambodian Pavilion, Paris, France, 1900. Palace of Cambodia. Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_015 image 1934).

Paris Exposition: Russian Pavilion, Paris, France, 1900. The National Pavilion of Russia. It is within the Trocadero Gardens Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_014 image 1554).

Paris Exposition: Italian Pavilion, Paris, France, 1900. The Pavilion of Italy located on the Eastern portion of the Quai des Nations. Royal Italian Pavilion. Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_014 image 1525).

Paris Exposition: Giralda Tower of Seville, Paris, France, 1900. The Giralda Tower of Seville in the distance. Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_015 image 1983).

Paris Exposition: Palace of Electricity, Paris, France, 1900. Interior of the Palais de l'Electricite. Machinery Building. Paris Exposition. Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_014 image 1536).

Paris Exposition: Swedish Pavilion, Paris, France, 1900. The Pavilion of Sweden located on the western portion of the Quai des Nations Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_014 image 1555).

Paris Exposition: Vieux Paris (Old Paris), Paris, France, 1900. Vieux Paris: restoration of Old Paris Brooklyn Museum Archives, Goodyear Archival Collection (S03_06_01_015 image 2114).

Other photos show everyday, yet extraordinary, events…

Paris -- German Shop smashed by mob , between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915

Paris Fashions, 1912 1912 (date created or published later by Bain)

Barricade at Paris gate, between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915

Taking Taxi from hole in Paris street, between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915

Paris -- Newsboys waiting for "Extras" , between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915

You’ll bump into some celebrities too, like the Statue of Liberty, Salvador Dalí and the sculpture prepared for Oscar Wilde‘s grave, which is still in place today in Père Lachaise and has just been restored…

Digital ID: 1161043. View of the external area of the workshop in Paris, showing construction materials, the head of the Statue of Liberty, and a group of men gathered in front of the left foot of the statue. Fernique, Albert - Photographer. 1883

Portrait of Salvador Dali, Paris. Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964, photographer. 1934 June 16

Monument of Oscar Wilde, between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915

And the area around our hotels is also well represented, with the Hôtel de Cluny (Cluny Museum) covered in lush ivy that is gone today, the Medici fountain in the Luxembourg Garden almost unchanged, and the Pantheon. But hey! What’s that on the right-hand side of the photo? Gosh, it’s the Hôtel du Panthéon! How amusing!

Paris - Hôtel de Cluny L. P. Giraudon (French, established 1877-present). Photograph date: ca. 1877-ca. 1895 Building Date: 1163-1345. Collection: A. D. White Architectural Photographs, Cornell University Library

Paris. Medici Fountain, Gardens of the Palais du Luxembourg. Architect: Salomon de Brosse (French, 1571-1626) Photographer: Bisson Freres (French, 1841-1862) Photograph date: 1857 Garden date: 1611-1629. Collection: A. D. White Architectural Photographs, Cornell University Library

Paris. Panthéon. Architect: Jacques-Germain Soufflot (French, 1713-1780) Photographer: Bisson Freres (French, 1841-1862). Photograph date: 1858 Building Date: 1757-1790. Collection: A. D. White Architectural Photographs, Cornell University Library

There are almost 900 photos to see in all, and wading through them is a wonderful way to see life as it was here 100 years ago. Click the ‘play’ button on the slideshow below, followed by the four arrows bottom right, and travel back in time!

The Commons is here on Flickr.

Two weeks of festivities starting 14th January, and two big parades on the weekend of 28th/29th January 2012.

Here are all the details on how to celebrate the arrival of the year of the water dragon (which officially starts on 23rd January) with pride!

photo by valentinvdb used under cc licence

In Paris, Chinese New Year celebrations are essentially concentrated in two areas; the 3rd arrondissement (near the centre) and the 13th arrondissement (southeast).

In the 3rd, everything kicks off Monday 24th January at the town hall with a conference, followed by a make-up stand for kids the following day, and then two documentaries and a debate on Thursday 26th January.

After that, at the Bourse du Travail (here) on Friday 27th January at 6.30pm, you can attend the official ceremony of new year wishes from the Chinese community and see the lion dance, followed by a concert with « Buddhist bowls and Asian gongs » at 7pm.

However, the main event is Saturday 28th January, with the parade around the streets of the 3rd and 4th arrondissement. The fun all starts on the square in front of Hôtel de Ville at 2.30pm.

For all the details about what’s on in the 3rd arrondissement for Chinese New Year 2012 in Paris (and in French), click here.But the 13th arrondissement isn’t just going to roll over and let the others steal their thunder! First of all they are holding a Chinese market in front of the town hall starting Saturday 14th and continuing until Sunday 29th January, with products typical of the chinese quarter.

Next, there’s a chamber music concert at the town hall on Friday 20th January at 8.30pm, and an East meets West concert on Saturday 28th January at 4pm, with traditional Chinese songs juxtaposed with French composers such as Chopin.

But obviously, it’s the parade that everyone’s interested in… as long as you’re not frightened of jostling crowds.

Starting at 44 avenue d’Ivry at 1pm, the area is so packed that’s it’s difficult to move! Forget your car; take the métro. Here’s the route map.All the details for the events on offer in the 13th arrondissement for Chinese New Year 2012 in Paris can be found (in French) here.

photo by Tangi Bertin used under cc licence

Details are sketchy on what’s planned in Belleville, a traditional Chinese area. Some sites seem to think there will be a parade on the same day as the main one in the 13th arrondissement, which seems unlikely but not impossible.

Apart from that, the Cernuschi Museum has a host of visits and events programmed starting 21st January. More details (in French) here.

And because the Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival, the department store Printemps (i.e. French for Spring) has lined up probably the most bizarre range of events you could imagine. As well as the token dragon dance (with lions, and 20 more dancers on top of that) you can pop into the store and, er, have your photo taken with Miss France on Monday 23rd or Tuesday 24th January (WTF?). There’s also some sort of lottery. It’s just silly.

And to finish off, French-speakers may enjoy some of the shows on offer on TV channel France Ô. They have a week of special programmes on between 21st and 27th January. The details are below. Click the first button at the bottom left of the image to go into fullscreen mode, or simply click here.

More French info about the Chinese New Year 2012 in Paris: www.nouvelanchinois.org

Back slightly earlier than last year, this popular street festival and parade intends to bring a bit of warmth into the the Parisian winter!

This year, the theme is Noah’s Ark, which could result in no end of hilarity. The organisers says that 3,000 people took part last year, with an estimated 5,000 more watching.

It’s an apolitical event that used to known as the Promenade du Bœuf Gras (literally, the walk of the fat ox), with place Gambetta as the starting point at 3pm for a four-hour noisy route down to Hôtel de Ville. Expect lots of music, papier maché giants and lots of people dressed up!

photo by Crikette Guilimaux used under cc licence

Everyone cas get what they want from the Carnival. You’re free to take along a banner, distribute leaflets, do some publicity for your website… go for it! The important thing is to take part.

photo by Crikette Guilimaux used under cc licence

And for those that didn’t know, the Paris Carnival dates right back to the 11th century. The Wikipedia here is worth a read.The 2012 Paris Carnival is on 19th February

Starts place Gambetta (here) at 3pm

Arrives (in theory) at Hôtel de Ville at 7pm (but don’t bet on it)

More info (in French): www.carnaval-paris.org

Facebook page: here

The current economic climate means that there will be no fireworks to celebrate the end of the year in Paris. AGAIN! Meanies…

photo by Yle is dreaming used under cc licence

The last exception was made when we hit the year 2000. Since then, the sky has been decidely dark and colourless on New Year’s Eve in Paris. The only time you can see fireworks near the EIffel Tower is on 14th July, Bastille Day. We mentioned this year’s effort on the blog here.

So don’t rush to Trocadéro for nothing. All you’ll get is souvenir sellers and pickpockets.

But don’t forget to mark Saturday 14th July 2012 in your diaries for the next firework display at the Eiffel Tower. Click the handy button below so you don’t miss it!

photo by Adrian used under cc licence

Official Paris site: www.paris.fr

Facebook: www.facebook.com/paris

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Paris

If you don’t have a car, it’s pretty expensive (although not impossible) to go and see the chateaux of the Loire valley from Paris.

But did you know that not far from our lovely capital there are some magnificent chateaux you can see, less than an hour away on public transport? We went to Gare de Lyon, hopped on a train, and 40 minutes later a different world awaited us…

photos: JasonW

A UNESCO world heritage site, dating back from the 12th century and added to/modified until the 19th century, the Palace of Fontainebleau is a pretty breathtaking place. The buildings is huge, the rooms high, the decoration luxurious. And it’s so close to Paris! It’s barely beliveable.

Check out the Wikipedia page about the place for loads more history, but the short version is that you’ll be visiting something with medieval, Renaissance and classical elements, set in a pretty park which is itself in a huge forest that ramblers adore.

In fact, if you take the train (as we did) on a Sunday morning during summer, you’ll be surprised by a mysterious unscheduled stop in the middle of the forest. There’s no station, it’s just known that this is the traditional starting place for ramblers to explore the heart of the forest.If you have a rented bike for the day, you can take it with you on the train for no extra charge (certain carriages marked with a bicycle symbol have spaces for them), and this is what we decided to do.

The journey from the station to the chateau takes 10 minutes by bike, but if you’re on foot, an agreeable 30-minute walk will also get you there without problem. As you cross the woods and gardens, you are already transported far from the bustle of Paris…Then the chateau comes into sight, little by little. The buildings are stately, noble, and surround by water features and gardens…The nearer you get, the more details you can see; paintings on walls, the architecture, statues…The visit is well planned, in the sense that it starts of with a slight disappointment – the Napoleon museum, which is in need of renovation and includes many exhibits that aren’t particularly interesting to look at (although of course, we didn’t read all the explanations). A few pieces do stand out of course…After this however, things take a turn for the better. As you entere the château proper, you soon realise why it is so extraordinary. Each room seems brighter, more opulent than the last. The carpets are vast, the fabrics lush, the paintings grandiose, the furniture finely crafted and decorated… Eat your heart out Versailles!It would be unreasonable to force you to wade through all our photos, especially as there are over 170 altogether! We just couldn’t stop ourselves. If you’d like to see them all, there’s a gallery at the end of this article.

We particularly liked the ceilings, as you can see from our little film (available in HD if you select 720p bottome right).

To finish off our visit, we went for a walk in the grounds of the palace before hiring a rowing boat and taking to the lake! Calme, oxygen… so relaxing.If you want to eat during your visit, don’t go the chateau tearoom (expensive, with little choice). Instead, walk two minutes to the town centre and choose from one of the many restaurants and their vast terraces.

We had an amazing day at Fontainebleau, a real change from Paris, and decidedly easy to get to. Here’s all the information you need to plan your visit.

How to get there: Trains leave from Gare de Lyon every 30 minutes (sometimes once an hour). A return trip costs about 15€.

The château: opens at 9.30am every day except Tuesdays, 1st January, 1st May and 25th December. We advise you t get there early if possible. Last ticket is 4.15pm (5.15pm between April and September).

Admission: pretty cheap! 10€ / 8€ for a non-guided visit (which is what we took). One hour before closing, the price is halved, so you can arrive late and run round the place!

Official site: www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr

To see all our photos, click here for the fullscreen version, of flick through them below (click to the right to go forward, to the left to go back).

BONUS! The music video from Lana del Rey, filmed at Fontainebleau…

You still have a few days left if you want to sign up for this slightly crazy street fashion-inspired event: last year, 700 people walked down the red carpet!

Paris street looks. Photo by Matthew Kenwrick used under cc licence

Although it’s very obviously a PR stunt by les Galeries Lafayette, perhaps we can cut this event some slack by treating it as a bit of harmless fun that allows future fashionistas to hone their skills.

Many of them are already models in their heads, and believe that agency scouts are just steps away from pouncing on them. 99.9% of them will be disappointed. It’s half cruel, half amusing, if you will.

Paris street looks. Photo by Matthew Kenwrick used under cc licence

But the fashion show itself is only part of the event. High-profile fashion bloggers were roped in last year, with certain being given their own window display and animated HD screens…

Expect something similar this year.

And if you speak a little French, we think you should go and watch this little film too, in which the marketing director of the event is so wide-eyed and gushing that it’s a wonder her eyeballs don’t drop out of her head and roll across the tarmac.

But shame on us for being so cynical! If you’d like to be a model for just one day, click here (before 8th September, 6pm CET). And for those of you who prefer just to watch, be around the boulevard Haussmann area on Thursday 15th September 2011 for the big show!

The fashion site of Les Galeries Lafayette (in French): www.lamodecestvous.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/galerieslafayette

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Galeries_Laf

Now celebrated in over fifty countries , the Journées du Patrimoine (as we call them here) have a theme each year, and for 2011 it’s The Heritage « Voyage », with – as always – some exceptional places to see for just that weekend…

photo: Wikipedia

The Heritage « Voyage » is a slightly obscure concept that involves the « voyage » of men who bring new influences to a country, as well as the « voyage » of trainees who go round the country learning their craft… Take it as an invitation to understand how travelling is essential for an open mind, without which there would be no heritage. Or something like that.Every year, many places open their venerable doors for the first time, just for the two-day event, and this year is no exception, with over fifteen ‘new’ venues to see. Some of them look very enticing indeed:

- La Société des Cendres (here) – a building dating from 1885, where ashes were cleaned, apparently part of the process of treating precious metals. Don’t miss the huge brick chimney (actually, that would be difficult, seeing how tall it is). Open both days, 2-6pm

- Le siège de l’Ordre Maçonnique Mixte International (here) – As shown at the top of this article, this masonic « grand temple » dating from the early 20th century has an impressive facade. Open both days from 10am-6pm (visits every half hour)Hôtel de Lauzun (here) – On the Ile St. Louis. A townhouse that has known visitors such as Baudelaire, Delacroix and Balzac. Free visit of « one of the most beautiful Parisian residences of the 17th century ». Open both days from 9.30am – 6.30pm

Hôtel de Mayenne (here) – currently being restored, you’ll be able to see demonstrations of the detailed work going on, and visit the building dating from the mid-16th- early 17th century, including its monumental staircase, now protected by law. Open Saturday only from 9am – 6pm

La maison de couture Lanvin (here) – Discover the office of Jeanne Lanvin on the third floor of a building along the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, decorated in the 1930s, with its art books, travel journals and its collection of fabric swatches for inspiration… Visits of eight people maximum, advance booking imperative (call +33 (0)1 44 71 31 01), both days from 10am – 7pm (closed from 1-2pm)

l’Hôtel de Vogüé (here) – Visit of the townhouse, plus an exhibition about the life of François-Xavier Ortoli. Open Saturday only from 10am – 6pm

photo: Wikipedia

You can even visit one of our favourite boulangeries (here), get your fingers in some dough and learn about their period décor! We’ve mentioned the place before, and it’s still just as magical… Open Sunday only, from 1pm onwards.

For the full list of Parisian places open just for the weekend, and participating for the first time this year, click here.

The 2011 European Heritage Days are on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September 2011

Loads more info (in French of course) on the official site: www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr

Facebook page: here

Twitter: here (#JEdP2011)

It’s going to to a couple of weeks more before the next HPRG newsletter is sent out, but can you guess which Parisian place we’ll be showing you this month? Here are two photos to give you a hint…

photo: JasonW

What, you don’t receive our monthly newsletter? Well, you’re missing out. Each month we write about a great restaurant to eat at, a fascinating place in Paris to discover, and show you a new photographer in our photo project.

Signing up is simple; just look at the right-hand column on this page, find the section marked ‘Newsletter’, enter your e-mail address, and you’re in!

You can see what to expect by clicking here and seeing what the previous newsletters have been about.

By the way, we don’t pass on your information to anyone, so don’t worry, and you can opt out at any time.

So! Here’s the second photo. Perhaps you already have an idea of where we were this month? To see if you’re right, check out the newsletter at the end of the month.

photo: JasonW

All the info about the 2011 14th July fireworks display by the Eiffel Tower. And did you know there’s even a fireworks exhibition on in Paris at the moment?…

After the firemen’s balls (mostly on 13th July), why not finish off your Bastille Day celebrations with the traditional 14th July fireworks display, created this year by Lacroix Ruggieri.

It all starts at 11pm, and the fireworks will be set off from the Trocadero gardens and the Iena bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower. Getting to and around the area is a little special that night, so be sure to follow these instructions.

You’re advised to use the following métro stations: La Motte-Piquet, Dupleix, Cambronne, Emile Zola, La Motte-Piquet, Ségur, St-François-Xavier and Varenne, or RER stations Javel and Invalides.

The following stations will be closed from 7pm until the next day: Iena, Alma Marceau and La Tour Maubourg.

Both the Trocadéro gardens and the « parvis des droits de l’Homme » (above the gardens at métro Trocadéro) will be completely closed to the public. The best place to go is along the champs de Mars, the gardens running back from the Eiffel Tower.

The show lasts around 30 minutes, and the accompanying music this year will be showtunes! (PDF list of titles here).

photo by Flavio Ensiki used under cc licence

In passing, you might like to know that there’s a new exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet, called Fêtes et feux d’artifice parisiens de Louis XIV à Napoléon Ier (Parisian parties and fireworks from Louis 14th to Napoléon 1st). It runs until 25th September and all the info (in French only, alas) is here.

Have a great 14th July!