(Belgium)- The central square of Liège, the second largest French-speaking city of the country after Brussels, and the neighboring Place du Marché are staging the "Village de Noël de Liège" (Christmas Village). This event has become over the past 23 years the most important Christmas market in Belgium. Every year, it attracts more than a million visitors, more and more of them are coming from abroad. In accordance with the traditional German Christmas markets, the “Village de Noël de Liège” creates in the center of the city a very particular atmosphere, full of magic and glamorous Christmas sentiments. But according to its organizers, due to its Latin character and with support of the "village council" and numerous food huts, the “Village de Noël” has also created a festive and convivial ambiance which enables the village in Liège to distinguish itself from its Germanic and Alsatian fellows.
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XXXDuring four weeks, 190 cabins welcome visitors and proposes them numerous gift ideas (attires, crèche figures, toys, little articles that can be put under the Christmas tree) of Walloon and French handicraft. Furthermore, various Christmas decorations (globes, garlands, crèches, greeting cards, firecrackers) and all sorts of delicious things for degustation (marzipan, salted treats, black pudding, mulled wine, Christmas beers, coffee, champagne, oysters, chocolate, gingerbread…) are offered. The whole family can also enjoy riding the 100-foot illuminated Big Wheel located in the center of the market. Entrance is free of charge, and the "Village de Noël" integrates perfectly in the dynamism of Liège and collaborates with all the shops located in the center and numerous other animations, such as the Christmas skating rink and the European circus festival.
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XXXThis year, the market introduced an innovation. On the esplanade of the Place Saint Lambert, at the bottom of the giant sledding run, you can join the fun at the first-ever trail-side chalet and watering hole, the "Dalle en Pente". Try some authentic mountain-style cuisine (raclette, stone grill dishes) or enjoy a glass of mulled wine on the terrace as you watch the kids gleefully careen down the snowy slopes. Right beside this sledding restaurant, you’ll find five thematic chalets featuring traditional mountain fare (Croziflette gratin), a ski bar, and a variety of alpine specialties and original products, including the latest coteaux de Liège wine. And you won’t want to miss the "carnotzet", the exclusive Swiss mountain chalet, where you and your friends and family can enjoy a cozy meal.
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XXXThe gourmet shop Sweet Christmas Flavors is back again this year by popular demand. Take your pick among the delicious candy, chocolate, nougat, puff pastry, biscuits and cake on offer. No Christmas would be complete without a sampling of these delights. A feast for the eyes and mouth, for parents and children alike. And for even more Christmas cheer, the whole Village is bathed in the warm glow of the tower, twinkling from 50 feet above. Also back by popular demand are the fabulous Christmas Village ornaments featuring traditional Walloon and Liégeois characters, to hang from your Christmas tree. These exquisite glass balls were designed by a Liège-based couple and made entirely by hand, the old-fashioned way — hand blown and hand painted by traditional craftsmen. Newcomers to this year’s collection include "la Haguète", a Carnival figure from Malmédy, "la Macrale", a witch from Vielsalm, and colorful Napoleon-era characters such as the piper, the drummer and the fool. All in all, there are seven new characters to choose from to keep Tchantchès, Nanesse, Charlemagne and Marcatchou company and decorate your Christmas tree in style.
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XXXAnother spectacular attraction at the heart of the Village, a genuine Ardennes Cottage invites you to taste the best Walloon specialties of Chimay, starting with the famous beer and accompanying regional cheese. Conceived by well-known Liege inventor, Gilles Falisse, the cottage has walls built with the actual rough-stone hewn from the nearby Ourthe valley, and has an open fire in the interior to spend a calm moment of conviviality and gastronomy in the heart of the Liège Christmas Village. (from villagedenoel.be)
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Discover more:

• show me the location of the Village on a map!
• visit the official website of the event
• discover Liège with this official website
• see pictures of Liège
• discover the Chimay Abbey, its beers and cheese

(USA)- The Marble Boy, a fragmentary marble statue of a nude young boy attributed to Michelangelo, made its way across Fifth Avenue from the headquarters of the French Cultural Services in the United States to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. France has agreed to loan the intensely lyrical work, the only statue in the Western Hemisphere widely attributed to the Renaissance master, to the American museum for a 10-year period, as a symbol of the strong ties of friendship that continue to bind both countries, and to give the general public a better opportunity to view the marble.
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XXXThe statue, identified variously as a young archer or a Cupid, has been the subject of some controversy but is increasingly viewed as having been carved by the famed Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti (Florence 1475–Rome 1564) when he was a teenage prodigy. It was removed from its former location at 972 Fifth Avenue and is now displayed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Vélez Blanco Patio (1st floor).
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XXXWhen the French government acquired the Payne Whitney Mansion (at 972 Fifth Avenue) in 1952 to serve as the headquarters of its Cultural Services, no one recalled the statue’s illustrious pedigree, and it was included in the sale of the building. Indeed, the marble figure of a nude boy missing his arms and lower legs was an integral part of the building: it had been originally obtained by famed architect Stanford White to furnish the new home he was designing for Mr. and Mrs. Payne Whitney (a wedding gift from their uncle Oliver Payne). For decades, the Marble Boy stood anonymously in the building’s entrance hall, above a fountain designed by Mr. White himself. In deference to Stanford White’s vision, the Metropolitan Museum has provided the French government with a faithful reproduction of the statue, which is displayed at 972 Fifth Avenue above the fountain as originally intended by Mr. White.
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XXXIt was only in 1990 that the statue accidentally caught the attention of Metropolitan Museum Curator James Draper. Though he did not initially attribute the work to Michelangelo, Draper did quickly identify its Renaissance origin and believed it to be by a later Florentine sculptor familiar with the work of Bertoldo di Giovanni, Michelangelo’s mentor. Seven years passed before New York University professor Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt ventured to suggest, in The Burlington Magazine, that the statue was by Michelangelo, thus creating quite a stir in scholarly circles. Brandt’s attribution to the young Michelangelo was championed by Draper and endorsed by many scholars, but the academic community has not reached a complete consensus and is unlikely ever to do so.
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XXXThis is not the first time the statue will be on exhibition. In 1999, it was the centerpiece of an exhibition on Michelangelo’s formative years, “The Early Years of Michelangelo,” at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. There its commonalities with works by Michelangelo’s contemporaries and instructors, as well as with his own early marbles, were explored. It was then exhibited alone at the Louvre Museum in France, where a dissenting curator labeled it as a work of the later 16th century. The installation at the Metropolitan Museum includes illustrated text panels outlining the marble’s history and indicating various schools of thought; viewers can make up their minds accordingly. A variety of educational programs accompany the exhibition. (from frenchculture.org)
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• show me the location of the museum on a map!
• visit the official website of the museum

(Tunisia)- The central Tunisia oasis town of Douz is hosting the 42nd International Festival of the Sahara this weekend. The four-day event (December 27-30) features Berber dancing, Bedouin horse races and other traditional offerings. Each year, the festival draws thousands of international visitors eager to see nearby Matmata and other locations from the Star Wars movies. An international conference is also offered by the Ben Ali Chair for the Dialogue of Civilizations and Religions.
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XXXEvents vary from poetry-reading (the oral tradition is still strong) to exciting performances by dance companies in the evening, while during the day horse and camel riders in traditional dress parade through the streets of Douz. In the afternoon the Festival moves down to the dunes where there are spectacular performances of camel marathons, military exercises known as "fantasias", greyhounds catching rabbits, acrobats, and jugglers as well as a Berber wedding. The people are incredibly friendly and it seems as if you have known them for years.
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XXXIf this all sounds a bit much for you, you can always retire to the food section of the Sahara Douz Festival and gorge yourself on Douz's recently harvested dates! Douz has more to offer than the festival. Every week, there is a big general market in the square and a livestock market nearby. The surrounding environment envelops the visitor in miles of palm groves. In December you can still see families collecting dates, which provide staple food for camels and tortoises alike in Douz's zoo! Another really interesting place to see is the museum. It's small but very well-organized around the theme of desert life, and features a nice collection portraying traditional Saharan life. (from magharebia.com, whatsonwhen.com, and gonomad.com)
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Discover more:

• show me Douz on a map!
• visit the official website of the festival
• watch a video of the festival
• see pictures of Douz

(Switzerland)- A unique sports competition is starting today in Davos. The Spengler Cup, the oldest international ice hockey tournament in the world, is a five-team, invitation-only event hosted by the Swiss hockey team HC Davos. The tournament is played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between Christmas and New Year's Day. It features club teams from around the world. Dynamo Moscow are the current (2008) Spengler Cup champions. This year, starting with Team Canada, made up of Canadian players on European teams, the tournament also includes host Davos, Adler Mannheim of Germany, Dynamo Minsk of Belarus and the Kontinental League, and Energie Karlovy Vary of the Czech Republic.
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XXXThe Spengler Cup is broadcast in most of Europe, in Russia, and in Canada. After a round-robin series, the top two teams meet in the final game on New Year's Day. From its inception until 1978, the tournament was played on an outdoor rink. The outdoor rink still exists outside the indoor arena, and is one of the largest outdoor rinks in the world. Starting in 1978, all tournament games have been played indoors. The Cup was first awarded in 1923 to the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club, composed of Canadian students, most notably future Prime Minister of Canada Lester Pearson. The tournament was then dominated by Czechoslovakian and Soviet teams between 1965 and 1983. In 1984 Team Canada - predominantly made up of Canadians playing in Europe - began participating and has since won the Cup eleven times. The Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League were the first North American professional team to compete at the tournament when they took part in 1996 and finished fourth.
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XXXThe Spengler Cup is the oldest European tournament for club teams. The Cup was created by Dr. Carl Spengler of Davos, Switzerland in 1923 with the understanding that Germany and Austria would be able to represent themselves internationally with the best club teams. At the time, the national teams of these countries were banned from official International Ice Hockey Federation competitions in the wake of World War I. (from hhof.com, thehockeynews.com, and wikipedia.org)
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• show me the location of the tournament on a map!
• visit the official website of the tournament
• learn more about this year's teams and players

(Paris)- Paris offers a myriad of sites and museums to enjoy all year long. But the last couple of weeks of December are particularly rich in fun activities for the whole family, which delight tourists who get to experience the city in a very special way. Many temporary venues are scattered around the city and will leave lifelong memories to those who are visiting Paris during this exceptional time of year. Put on some ice skates and admire the glittering lights of Paris, take a spin on some free carousel rides and discover a winter sports resort in a sports stadium... And don’t miss the firework display at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on December 31. All you need is to put together a program of activities for the festive season in the City of Light! Here are some suggestions.

• show me Paris on a map!
• visit the official website of the city of Paris
• watch a video of the ice sculptures exhibition
• see pictures of Paris

(Switzerland)- It was a renaissance waiting to happen. The ghost of Peter Carl Fabergé, goldsmith to Russian royalty, has been conjured up and his name tied to a new jewelry line. The Fabergé brand name has been relaunched by private investors and family members, and Fabergé’s only boutique opened on the shores of Lake Geneva. It is the first shop to open since 1917 when the Russian Revolution brought an end to the House of Fabergé, the celebrated jewelers who created fantastical Imperial Easter Eggs for Tsar Nicholas II, among others. The Bolsheviks seized the Fabergé workshops at the time, and the family fled to Germany and then to Switzerland, where the master craftsman died in 1920.
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XXXIn the years that followed, the family lost the rights to their name and saw it used to build a perfume empire that was later sold to Unilever for $1.55 billion in 1989. Private equity firm Pallinghurst Resources finally bought the name for an undisclosed sum in 2007, with a view to reuniting the brand with the family and associating it once again with high-end jewelry. "The opportunity arose because some particularly enlightened investors discovered that the Fabergé trademarks were a little bit unloved and a little bit ignored," Fabergé CEO Mark Dunhill explained, sitting back into a sofa in the Art Nouveau lounge at the Geneva boutique. "I think Fabergé is one of the great magical names in the world of beautiful objects. We see ourselves as custodians of a very famous and illustrious house. We are in a sense overseeing a renaissance," Dunhill mused.
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XXXThe new owners decided that in order to breathe new life into the brand, they would have to break from tradition and come up with an entirely different kind of collection. That meant that none of the famous eggs would be designed for now. Jewelry designer Frédéric Zaavy was brought on board with a brief to reinvent the brand’s French romanticism and Russian heritage with a modern twist. The first collection was unveiled earlier this year in Paris, with pieces ranging in price from $43,000 for a ring to $8.6 million for a bracelet with 5,000 diamonds, rubies, opals and sapphires. Big spenders wanting to pick up an item must either travel to Geneva or shop online.
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XXXThe Geneva boutique is nestled within the city’s luxury district. Visitors must pass through two security doors before entering the shop’s futuristic inner sanctum with its gleaming wood paneling and swathes of regal purple – an understated contrast to the brilliant colors of the jewels. Geneva was seen to be the best location in the world for a shop, being at the heart of the luxury watch and jewelry industries and as a hub of the world’s private banking and finance industry. Although the flagship boutique is in Geneva, the brand’s bigger window to the rest of the world is its website, where customers can inspect high-resolution images of the jewels and chat with a salesperson by webcam. Once customers have made their choice, sellers will home deliver the jewels anywhere in the world. Dunhill says the idea of basically selling such high-ends goods via a website is a world first.
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XXXJust across the border in France lives Fabergé’s great-granddaughter Tatjiana, who is now 79 and has been instrumental in helping the company draw a line between the brand’s past and present. She sits on a heritage council, together with another of Fabergé’s great-granddaughters, Sarah, and another expert on the family history. As a "living archive" they have contributed photographs, stories, know-how and even lent a Russian-made bust of their ancestor to the Geneva shop. "I think the most difficult task of all was bridging the time between 1917 and 2009 and picking up where the past was so glorious and came to a very sudden halt," explained Katharina Flohr, the company’s creative director, a previous fashion director for Russian Vogue and jewelry and fashion editor for Tatler magazine. To gain inspiration for the collection she went on a road trip to St Petersburg with Tatjiana Fabergé and designer Zaavy to meet museum curators, see works up close and soak up the Russian ambiance.
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XXX"We could not afford to reproduce what was done in the past because that, I think we all agree, is unsurpassed, and the level of craftsmanship that was applied in those days was just so exceptional,” she said. "We want to bring back the art of making beautiful jewelry. First and foremost we have to create products that are relevant to today and things that are beautiful today." She added that plans are being hatched for Fabergé best-known creation, the Imperial eggs. "We will come back to the eggs at some point in time. It’s a signature piece for Fabergé." As for Tatjiana Fabergé, she has long dreamed of reviving her ancestor’s legacy. Although dubious about the relaunch at first, having seen various attempts to regenerate the name, she thinks her ancestor would approve of the new collection. "It is rare to see history come full-circle during one’s lifetime. I am delighted that the Fabergé name has been brought back in from the cold," she said. (from swissinfo.ch)
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Discover more:

• show me Geneva on a map!
• visit the official website of Fabergé
• learn more about the life and history of Fabergé
• see pictures of Fabergé's historical jewels

(Rwanda)- Rwandans on Monday celebrated victories in beauty, music and small scale industry exhibition on a regional level at a function held at Nyamirambo regional stadium in the capital, Kigali. Rwandan Cynthia Akazuba won Miss East Africa beauty contest over the weekend; Alpha Rwirangira won the East African Tusker Fame 3 music contest in October while five Rwandan small scale industries were recently announced among the best exhibitors at the Jua Kali trade exhibition in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
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XXXThe mayor of Kigali, Aisa Kirabo Kakira explained that Rwanda as a country and Kigali in particular had reasons to celebrate the victories as achievements in the year and motivation for the New Year. “We have reasons to celebrate the victories, first of all as an achievement during the year and to motivate ourselves into working harder in the New Year we look forward to,” Kirabo said.
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XXXThe celebrations organized by the Kigali City Council also doubled as an occasion to welcome back Cynthia Akazuba from Nairobi where she was crowned Miss East Africa; she is also the reigning Miss Kigali. Kirabo noted that the beauty queen should be a motivation to Rwandan youth especially girls who have suffered rights abuse by societal briefs and African customs. “We want young girls to develop the much needed self-confidence against societal beliefs and African culture that kept women behind. Beauty contests suit well in Rwandan culture which calls for confidence, self-respect and wisdom, it shouldn’t be seen as promoting western culture,” Kirabo warned. Akazuba happens to be the first Miss Kigali since the end of the 1994 genocide who was crowned to celebrate the city’s one hundred years of existence late last year. The Monday occasion attracted a big audience characterized by youth and music lovers who seized the chance to watch Alpha performing. (from apanews.net)
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• show me Kigali on a map!

(Canada)- Pointe-à-Callière, the Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History, is presenting "Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters" until January 3, 2010. Visitors to the exhibition will learn about the 16th- to 19th-century seafaring adventurers who prowled the eastern seaboard of North America and the Caribbean. It's a captivating opportunity to discover the amazing stories of these terrors of the high seas. While most pirates, privateers and freebooters were outlaws and adventurers, some of them were also on the right side of the law, members of the Navy with letters of marque from the King or Governor that authorized them to attack the nation's enemies in wartime. The names of some pirates, men and women as well, have gone down in history. The exhibition will introduce a few of them, including Blackbeard, Sir Francis Drake, John Rackam, Sir Henry Morgan, Edward Low, Captain William Kidd, Jean Lafitte, to name only a few.
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XXXMore than 165 fascinating objects used by pirates from the 16th to 19th centuries are displayed, from pewter tableware to navigation instruments, firearms and sabres, figureheads, sea chests and other prized personal possessions, along with some rare objects linked to Canadian piracy. Visitors may be surprised to learn that pirates and privateers once plied Canadian waters, too. The most famous case was Canada's last piracy trial, the Saladin mutiny, in 1844.
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XXXA delightful surprise awaits visitors, as they are invited to set sail on the high seas aboard the fearsome Pointe-à-Corsaire. The Museum took on the tremendous challenge of building a ship's deck in the temporary exhibition room. Everyone is welcome to climb aboard and learn about the origins and history of piracy in America. As visitors explore the exhibition, they move through the different parts of a ship. The adventure starts on the wharf, at the recruiting station. Then the kitchen, followed by the forecastle (or crew's quarters), apothecary-surgeon's quarters (chills guaranteed) and armory. Farther on, they will come to the ship's prow and, villains be warned, the gibbet. Then the captain will throw open the doors of his cabin to proudly show off his booty.
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XXXThe Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History was founded as part of celebrations to mark Montréal’s 350th birthday, and owes its existence largely to the significant archaeological discoveries made on the site during the 1980s. Opened in 1992, the Museum and its site are inextricably linked. Rising above evidence of more than 1,000 years of human activity, it houses remarkable architectural remains, displayed in situ with absolute respect for their integrity. Pointe-à-Callière is the only sizeable archaeology museum in Canada. The hundreds of artifacts it houses are grouped into six main sections: the Éperon, a modern building that has won many architectural awards; the archaeological crypt on the lower level; the renovated Ancienne-Douane building (Montréal’s first Custom House), the Youville Pumping Station, the Archaeological Field School and the Mariners House. (from pacmusee.qc.ca)
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• show me the location of the museum on a map!
• visit the official website of the museum
• watch a video of the Construction of the museum

(France)- Every year Paris erects thousands of Christmas trees along its boulevards, throughout its quartiers and dotted around its official buildings. The Ministry of Parks is behind the initiative, which transforms the capital into a magical festive playground.Key points of the city are densely populated - some 270 fir trees are placed at the roundabout of the Champs-Elysées and 180 at the Place de la Bastille. But it isn't just the showiest parts of the city that turn green in winter. Less wealthy areas, such as Montmartre, also get their fair share of trees. The City of Paris donates trees to decorate the barges on the Seine where a Secours Catholique (Charity Celebration) welcomes the New Year for the underprivileged.
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XXXIf you're worrying about forests being ripped up to fuel the Christmas needs of the French capital, fear not - the fir trees are purpose-grown in French nurseries in the Jura. The practice is so firmly rooted in the French psyche that it is hard to imagine Paris at Christmas without its festive fir trees - the tradition has been going strong since the 19th century.

• show me Paris on a map!
• watch a video of the Eiffel Tower's light shows
• see pictures of Paris
• visit the official tourism website of Paris

(Niger)- The French-speaking country of Niger is celebrating the founding of its republic today. Niger, officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east. Its size is about 49,000 sq miles, making it the largest nation in West Africa, with a population of just above 15,000,000, mostly clustered in the far south and west of the nation. The capital city is Niamey.
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XXXNiger is a developing country with over 80% of its territory covered by the Sahara desert, and much of the rest threatened by periodic drought and desertification. The economy is concentrated around subsistence and some export agriculture clustered in the more fertile south, and the export of raw materials—especially uranium ore. Niger remains handicapped by its landlocked position, poor education, infrastructure, healthcare, deserts, poverty and environmental degradation.
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XXXNigerien society reflects a great diversity drawn from the long independent histories of its several ethnic groups and regions and their relatively short period living in a single state. Historically, what is now Niger has been on the fringes of several large states. Since independence, Nigeriens have lived under five constitutions and three periods of military rule, but have maintained elected multiparty rule since 1999. The vast majority of the population practice Islam. A majority also live in rural areas, and have little access to advanced education.
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XXXIn the 19th century, contact with the West began when the first European explorers—notably Mungo Park (British) and Heinrich Barth (German)—explored the area, searching for the source of the Niger River. Although French efforts at "pacification" began before 1900, dissident ethnic groups, especially the desert Tuareg, were not fully subdued until 1922, when Niger became a French colony.
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XXXNiger's colonial history and development parallel that of other French West African territories. France administered its West African colonies through a governor general in Dakar, Senegal, and governors in the individual territories, including Niger. In addition to conferring French citizenship on the inhabitants of the territories, the 1946 French constitution provided for decentralization of power and limited participation in political life for local advisory assemblies. A further revision in the organization of overseas territories occurred with the passage of the Overseas Reform Act (Loi Cadre) of 1956, followed by reorganizing measures enacted by the French Parliament early in 1957. In addition to removing voting inequalities, these laws provided for creation of governmental organs, assuring individual territories a large measure of self-government. After the establishment of the Fifth French Republic in December 1958, Niger became an autonomous state within the French Community and gained full independence on August 3, 1960 (from wikipedia.org)
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• show me Niger on a map!
• discover Niger with this official tourism website
• see pictures of Niger

(Canada)- The Quebec Government has promulgated a new provincial policy against homophobia, touted as the first of its kind from a North American jurisdiction. While homosexuality is already effectively fully normalized within Quebec law, the policy, released last Friday by the Ministry of Justice, is essentially a manifesto for normalizing homosexuality on the social level. The policy's main goal, explains an accompanying summary, is "to improve conditions for sexual minorities, in order for sexual minorities to attain social equality." The phrase "sexual minorities" is used to refer to the spectrum of sexual lifestyles connected to homosexuality ("LGBT").
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XXXAccording to Justice Minister Kathleen Weil, who is also in charge of the province's "fight against homophobia," through this new policy, "Quebec society demonstrates once again that it is at the forefront in the area of human rights for sexual minorities." The new document follows a detailed report published in March 2007 by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission), which demanded an all-out assault against the evils of homophobia and heterosexism. The 2007 report, named "From juridical equality to social equality," called first of all for such a provincial policy. But, as the new document states, the policy is merely "one of the key elements in a broader strategy leading to the full and complete recognition of the sexual minorities, institutional and community support for the sexual minorities, and improved knowledge about sexual diversity."
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XXX"An inclusive society such as ours must take the necessary steps to combat homophobic attitudes and behaviour patterns, and move towards full acceptance of sexual diversity," wrote Premier Jean Charest in a message for the new policy. Through this new policy, he said, "the government hopes to trigger a firm commitment, by institutions and the general population, to fight all forms of homophobia." The policy consists of four "guidelines," each building on the previous: first, the need to "recognize the realities faced by sexual minority members"; second, the promotion of respect for homosexual rights; third, fostering the well-being of homosexuals; and fourth, the need for a "concerted approach" to advancing homosexualism in the province. They highlight at several points the need to target schools and youth, as did the original 2007 report. "Awareness-raising and educational measures must target young people and the institutions they frequent in order to increase their acceptance of sexual diversity," the policy states. (from lifesitenews.com)
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• show me Quebec on a map!
• read the governement program against homohobia

(France)- France symbolizes many things in the world, most of all its elegant cuisine and its fine art. The world’s most-visited museum now sees France’s 1,142nd McDonald’s restaurant sharing real estate with the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The fast food chain, considered by many in France as a symbol of both American culinary crassness and cultural imperialism, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in France this year. To make matters even worse for lovers of French food and long lunches, traditional brasseries and bistros are in freefall from lack of business, while fast food giant McDonald’s opened 30 new stores last year in France and fed 450 million customers – an 11 percent rise from the previous year.
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XXXMuseum staff, many already miffed about the Louvre’s plans to lend its name and artwork to a multi-million dollar museum project in Abu Dhabi, are reported to be experiencing indigestion already from the presence of the golden arches in France’s temple of fine art. Some have been quoted, anonymously, in the press complaining bitterly about the commercialism - and the smells - that the new “McDo” will bring to one of the world’s greatest art meccas.
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XXXTo be fair, the McDonald’s is not located in the museum itself, but positioned in the underground approach to the Louvre, known as the Carrousel du Louvre. This area is already lined with shops and eateries, though most are admittedly more upscale than McDonald’s. The stone-lined gallery, which is owned and operated separately from the museum, opened in 1993, five years after the famous Louvre pyramid, which also caused a great deal of controversy at first. The Carrousel’s contract with the Louvre Museum states that “commercial activities will be regulated and restricted to cultural or tourist activities”. The Louvre has the right to protest against commercial establishements that it thinks fall short of this standard. However, the museum has agreed to a “quality” McDonald’s, with a look that is “in line with the museum’s image”. The Louvre envisions the McDonald’s as part of the American section of a new food court in the Carrousel that would feature foods from countries around the world, to be welcoming to visitors of all nationalities. Museum spokespeople also insist that the franchise owner has pledged to make this particular McDonald’s a work of art, with decor and atmosphere worthy of its elegant new home.
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XXXLouvre Pour Tous, (Louvre for All) a website whose mission is to “inform and defend” visitors to the Louvre, complained: “Henri Loyrette, president of the Louvre museum, had only to say one word to stop the aroma of French fries from wafting past the Mona Lisa’s nose. He chose otherwise.” The McDonald’s brouhaha follows a similar outcry last year when Starbucks opened a location near the museum’s entrance. At the time, Louvre employees and art lovers sent museum management a petition to try to stop Starbucks from opening there. It opened anyway; in an act of conciliation, Starbucks agreed to provide a cultural corner in the store of brochures and art catalogues as an acknowledgment of its lofty surroundings. But for many, this was not enough to offset the insult of supersized coffee in cardboard cups in close proximity with the gods of fine art.
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• show me the Louvre on a map!
• visit the official website of the Louvre

(France)- Jacques Audiard’s crime drama “A Prophet” was awarded the Louis Delluc prize at a ceremony held today in Paris. Awarded to a single title, it is arguably the most prestigious award in French cinema, having been won by such titans as Truffaut, Renoir, Chabrol, Malle, Bresson, Cocteau, Tati... The jury is composed of 20 members, including film critics and industry personalities. The award was created in 1937 in homage to Louis Delluc, the first French journalist covering film in France and the founder of discussion forums called cine-clubs. "A Prophet" beat out Alain Resnais’ Les Herbes Folles, A L’Origine by Xavier Giannoli, Christophe Honore’s Non Ma Fille Tu N’Iras Pas Danser, Claude and Nathan Miller’s Je Suis Heureux Que Ma Mere Soit Vivante, Philippe Lioret’s Welcome, Irene by Alain Cavalier and Hadewijch from Bruno Dumont which had all previously been shortlisted. The trio of A Prophet, Les Herbes Folles and A L’Origine were all competitors in Cannes where Audiard’s film won the Grand Prize.

• discover Jacques Audiard's filmography
• learn more about French cinema

(Andorra/France)- France's premier ice racing series, The Andros Trophy, stages its second race of the season this weekend at Pas de la Casa, one of Andorra's most modern resorts. A glamorous and spectacular event, the Andros Trophy has been running since 1990. Attracting big name drivers and manufacturers, it consists of seven races in mountain resorts, with a grand finale pitting the leaders against each other. The ice track on which the race is run is prepared weeks in advance, being ritually sprayed with water to ensure an even and stable coating of ice. However, the often capricious weather conditions make for exciting viewing when ice melts or forms. The race itself is fought in two categories, Elite and Promotion, each of which are split into two heats. Driver and co-pilot teams are divided into two groups for both heats and finals, guaranteeing more races for onlookers. The winning team is the one with the most points after the finals.
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XXXThis year, Formula 1 legend Alain Prost is to drive a Dacia Duster at the Andros Trophy. The Romanian company is hoping the 54-year-old will be able to show off the qualities of the model – its first SUV – which goes on sale next year. Three-time Formula 1 champ and two-time Andros Trophy winner (2007, 2008) Prost said: "I am happy to compete in a Dacia Duster. "This is a completely new vehicle and I am proud to take part in its promotion in such an original context as the Andros Trophy. I trust the vehicle’s capacity and viability for this race."
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XXXThe idea of an Ice Racing series first was born when professional racer Max Mamers (French Rallycross Champion 1982 and 1983 with Talbot Matra Murena) and the owner of the Andros company (jam and compote producers), Frédéric Gervoson met as rugby fans in 1985. They spent the winter racing with friends on ice circuits. In January 1990, the idea of a series came to life at Serre Chevalier with the first round of four. The series quickly grew, with a round at Paris (Pelouse de Reuilly) in 1991 creating a five round series; and a seven round championship in 1992. In 2003, the trophy gained an international aspect with a race at Sherbrooke in Canada, a race that was held for three seasons. For the 2005/06 season, the trophy remained mainly national, the exception being one round held in Andorra.
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XXXAndorra is a small (pop. 85,000, size 161 sq miles), mountainous country in the Pyrenees mountains in Europe, and is on the Iberian Peninsula, on the border between France and Spain, in Southern Europe. The Principality was formed in 1278, and sovereignty is shared between France and the Bishop of Urgell, Spain. It is a prosperous country mainly because of its tourism industry, which services over 10 million visitors annually, and also because of its status as a tax haven. It is not a member of the European Union, but the euro is the de facto currency. The people of Andorra have the 2nd highest human life expectancy in the world — 82 years at birth. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1994, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality ruled by the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra has achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Due mainly to the mountainous nature of Andorra, there is only one road entering Andorra from France, and only one widely-used road entering Andorra from Spain. Almost all entry into the country happens at one of these two points. (from whatsonwhen.com, wikipedia.org, and romaniantimes.at)
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• show me Andorra on a map!
• visit the official website of the race
• discover Andorra with this official website