Freelance Photography : Bertrand Celce

Fete Du Cinema

This was the "Fete du cinema" recently ; During three days , and after paying full price for one movie (usually around 9 Euro) , you could go in any theater and see movies for just Euro 1,5 each . I went to UGC Cite Cine Bercy wich is in the 12 th arrondissement . This is a multiplex movie theater at Cour-Saint-Emilion metro station with 18 screens . I saw some . B. is working in the south for the week and so , no arguing for the choice . I am sure I would have had trouble convincing her to see some of them ... I took the picture at one of the showings . The best thing I saw was "Ladykillers" . Really good movie . And I did'nt have positive bias for seeing the movie : Only after I saw it, did I learn it was from the Cohen brothers . These two are really talented ... I also saw "Les Choristes" , beautiful movie . The story takes place in the late 40's in a sort of orphanage in rural France . Nice .As I took the metro (subway) to go there , I saw this man putting up a new billboard poster (left) piece by piece on the older one (right) . Both posters seemed to wave to each other . I am not a fan of public transport (of the Paris RATP, at least), even if our mayor would like to force us all onto it . Service has been deteriorating over the years . When for some reason , I did'nt use the bike, I discovered I could walk long distance in Paris in not so much time . As "two-wheelers" (motorcycles & scooters) , we are not liked by this new Paris city council wich does not allow us to ride in the walled corridor they built in major Paris streets . Plus , the stalled traffic in the free access part of the street leads to even more pollution . But I think ideology more than logic is the queen here ...

Rhone Valley Escapade

To all the Cat Ladies of the cyber world : There is this cute little thing in Avignon someone is ready to give to you . I saw this poster in an Avignon street . The kitten's name is Ebene (Ebony) . Sorry for having framed this picture too tight , there was the phone number to get the kitty ... Short visit in the Rhone valley . "My Wine Journal" has a few articles on our whereabouts there . Aside from wine related places , we spent short time in Avignon , Orange , and other villages .Clearly this is Provence . Warm , sunny and dry . . And the mistral makes this heat bearable . Avignon is a pleasant town . We visit it before the crowds of the Theatre Festival overwhelm the place . In some pedestrian streets the restaurant terraces are overextended on the sidewalk . Dining there in the evening cool must be something . In Orange we arrived just when the street market finished , just in time to buy a few vegetables and fruits for our picnic , not far from this split plane tree ( see picture below ). Speaking of plane trees , we took some old sections of "Nationale 7" in the region . N 7 is the mythic highway going all the way from Paris to Provence wich was long time ago the only main route going to Provence . Some stretches still have the old look that many people associate with the 60's , when french city dwellers rushed southward in august . You can still see in some places the 60's gas stations (most converted for another use) that dotted the N7 before the Autoroute and supermarkets gas stations bled their revenues . We stayed at a "Chambre d'Hote" , sort of bed&breakfast in a private home with separate access . This system is affordable and usually comfortable as owners must meet certain standards . We payed 45 Euro in Chateauneuf du Pape and 33 Euro near Tain l'Hermitage for the two of us . The Chateauneuf Du Pape chambre was downtown (owner: Melchior) . Just a short walk to the Chateau overlooking the village , with vineyards all around . Nice place to dine: "Le Verger Des Papes" , right near the Chateau , with an outer terrace wich has gorgeous views on the rhone valley , the vineyards and Avignon far away . Add to that the dinner , the gentle breeze in the evening light , and some wine in good company ... Not bad .

Montmartre Colors

Catherine looks over Montmartre roofs with Paris and Eiffel tower in the light ...Summer in the big city . Paris is a city for walking people , and summer is even more this way . Smells are powerful , reality seems to expand and looking at other people is so nice . And this is Paris . Motorcycling is easy at that season , and today is a particularly bright sunny day . I went to some friend's atelier who held his vernissage for the " 17 th en Fête " , an event where ateliers and artists open their places to visitors in the 17 th arrondissement . Then met Benedicte who brought along her helmet , place des Abbesses in Montmartre . We visited Catherine and Marc who live nearby. They had some sort of brocante on the place des Abesses , and with the strollers and terraces , this was Paris as usual . Walking is even better than motorcycling on that occasion . And Montmartre streets are so narrow .
Among the people , there was this man , a colorful personnage who seemed to be well known by some in the crowd . I saw him first while I was checking some old Pierre Loti book on a stall . Strange . Then after B. arrived and as we were heading to Cath and Marc's place , I saw him again and decided to ask for a picture . He was great with his plastic flowers in the pocket . Sometimes , just ask , it's so simple . He gently agreed . So here he is , under the Abbesses trees .