Grab a baguette bag and throw yourself to the Seine
This week’s newsletter is an Entente Cordiale special edition.
Welcome to a new edition of mostly cool stuff, a space dedicated to the the random news and things I come across online and offline that get my attention as per the dozens of screenshots, pictures and links in my phone to remind me about them.
While I was away on holiday (France-Spain-France) for the past two weeks, London was hit by what the British insist on calling a heatwave but it’s commonly known as summer in Southern Europe. Paris, on the other hand, was in actual peak canicule mode1, which is the word the French use to refer to the sensation of being roasted alive and which has a very interesting etymology. In fact, the word canicule derives from the Latin canicula, which means little dog, and it was used to refer to the Sirius star, also known as the Dog Star, which the ancients noted appeared in the sky when temperatures started to increase, usually around mid-July. Little did they know back then global warming would bring the dog star forward by a few months…
Canicule mode on
And what can one do in Paris when the city feels like a giant open-air furnace and you like a poulet rôti? To begin with, stay hydrated, which is why I spent a good deal of time at the terrasses with an ice-cold Aperol spritz in hand. This and ice cream were the fuel that got me through the Parisian canicule. Perhaps I should have been more adventurous and ordered a café canicule instead.
The other thing I would suggest to keep sweat at bay is to lock yourself into a cold, dark place like the Musée des Arts Décoratifs where there is currently a wonderful exhibition on Paul Poiret. If you’re unfamiliar with him, suffice to say Poiret was one of the pioneering French fashion designers of the XX century, regarded as the father of haute couture, and who, despite being in business for a little over two decades until his maison closed down in 1929, became a great influence for Chanel, Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent among others. If you find yourself in Paris in the coming months, this is one exhibition you don’t want to miss regardless of the weather conditions.
Par contre, if you are looking forward to your first (or hundredth) visit to the Louvre this summer, it is beyond overcrowded and therefore the experience may not be very pleasant. In fact, honouring the ancient French tradition of striking, the Louvre staff unexpectedly walked out on Monday 16th June to protest against the pressures that mass tourism and understaffing has put on them, leaving thousands of visitors confused. While I understand the frustration of the tourists that missed on the opportunity to visit the museum, I’m with the staff on this one as the last time I visited the Louvre in 2022 it was indeed claustrophobic beyond belief and I was there only for a few hours. I can’t even imagine how employees must feel at the end of the week. This is but the latest example of the negative side-effects of the surge of overtourism in Europe, which puts to the test the capacity of already overstretched cities, facilities and people to deal with an affluence of visitors during the summer months.
Where else can you go in Paris when the weather gets warm and the days longer? To the Seine, bien sûr, or the Canal de Saint Martin if you prefer, where you would find Parisians amicably partaking cheese, charcuterie, a few bottles of wine, maybe some grapes and of course baguettes aplenty. While I failed to spot anyone along the Seine -or anywhere else- carrying designer’s Gustaf Wesman spyral baguette holder bag, which he presented at his pop-up Paris fashion week stand, it may soon become a thing. Is this a better option than popping the baguette inside an actual bag that may also hold other items or even carrying the baguette in your bare hands? Absolutely not, but if designers had ever put common sense over style, fashion would be long dead by now.
If, however, your taste in bags leans towards the classical and practical, and you have a stash of cash hidden under the mattres, Sotheby’s is putting up for auction this week a French fashion icon inspired by a legendary British icon: the prototype for the original Birkin bag.
But there’s more to the Seine than riverside picnics. In fact, Parisians can now throw themselves literally to the Seine to freshen up when the city becomes hotter than the Victoria line as the river has reopened for public bathing after over 100 years, albeit with a brief closure a day after reopening to control water pollution. Pas mal in this heat, I’d say.
If swimming on the Seine, as tempting as it seems, is not for you, Coco Chanel’s French Riviera villa La Pausa has also reopened after a stunning renovation that has brought back the designer’s summer residence to its former splendor. Don’t rush to buy tickets just yet as the restoration was aimed at making the villa fit to host artists once again, not mere mortals. Tant pis.
Of course if you don’t mind remaining this side of the channel this summer, you can get your dose of retro glamour in London as Dishoom, a highly covetable London dining institution, is venturing into hospitality with the opening of a tiny hotel in Notting Hill. Inspired by the aesthetics of 1860 Irani cafes and guests houses, the hotel’s design will certainly make guests forget they’re in the middle of London. The question now is whether the queues to get in will match those outside their Covent Garden restaurant.
Since we’re on the topic of retro design you may be interested in knowing the Bayeaux Tapestry is heading back to the UK for the first time in 900 years. The famous embroidery piece depicting scenes of the Norman conquest will be on display at the British Museum in 2026 on loan from the French government while the Bayeux Museum in Normandy is closed for rennovation. In exchange, the British goverment will be lending several museums in Normandy the Sutton Hoo treasures. That’s what I call a cultuaral heritage win-win. French President Emmanuel Macron officially announced the news in London this week during his state visit, when he joked about how it took less to negotiate Brexit terms than this cultural exchange.
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard, the Brangelina of French cinema (for their iconic status as actors as well as good looks, not their multiple personal disputes) have announced the end to their relationship after 18 years together. While a breakup is always hard, on the bright side two very talented and attractive people are now, like the Seine, once again available to the public, which is fantastique. Although I have a gut feeling that Canet and Cotillard, much like Chanel’s villa, will be welcoming only artists. Domage.
And from French cinema royalty to the new kid on the block. Cue to introduce France’s coolest guy judging by the amount of media coverage he’s getting partout. I’m talking about Raphaël Quenard, one of France’s most promising young actors thanks to his roles in Yannick or Chien de chasse, and his highly anticipated performance as French rock legend Johnny Hallyday in an upcoming biopic. The reason for his current ubiquitousness in every magazine, podcast, tv show, youtube channel, social media video, newstand and metro ads is two fold: he has a new film out this week, I love Peru, a mockumentary co-written and co-directed with his best friend, as well as a debut novel, Clamser à Tataouine, which is topping the French fiction bestselling lists2. Quenard is a very refreshing presence in the French cultural scene -which can be very snobbish- and extremely well liked thanks to his talent, bien sûr, but also his sense of humour and down-to-earth approach to his newfound celebrity status. I have really enjoyed this conversation between him and another beloved (at least by me) Frenchman, journalist David Castello-Lopes. I’m afraid it’s in French without English subtitles so if you want to put those Duolingo lessons to the test allez-y et bon courage!
We can’t talk about franco-british relations without mentioning a British acting legend and renowned Francophile, the one and only monsieur Hugh Grant, who has proved once more why he is my forever spirit animal as he was caught dozing off at the Royal Box at Wimbledon. Tennis fans were a bit outraged but I honestly can’t fault him as I’d rather watch paint dry than sit through a tennis, or any other sport, match. Allez Hugh!
Last but not least, what better way to finish this French dispatch than with the news that the British Film Institute (BFI) and the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) have signed up a partnership agreement this week in London to foster collaboration across the screen industry sector in both countries. Does that mean we may soon be watching Raphaël Quenard starring alongside Hugh Grant? One can only hope that’s where this will lead up to. In the meantime, I leave you with Jane Austen wrecked my life (or Jane Austen a gâché ma vie, depending on your language preference), a romantic comedy that brings together the best of British quirkiness and French charme to show how Austen’s long lasting legacy transcends borders and languages. À ne pas rater, which is French for if you’re an Austen fan, you will surely enjoy it.
Coolness is like energy: it never dies, it just transforms
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Having travelled directly from my hometown in Spain, where the average temperature was 36 degrees that I managed ok, I can confirm it was extremely hot in Paris in comparison.
The novel was originally written in 2019 and rejected by several publishers. Back then Quenard wasn’t the household name he’s become, so the novel only got published this year. I am aware this shouldn’t be any indicator of the quality of the writing itself but I’m also sure a smart editor understood how Quenard’s popularity could help drive sales and thought of rescuing the novel. Quenard was invited to discuss the book at La Grande Librairie, France’s leading literature tv show, if that counts for anything. I was still not impressed when he read some excerpts despite the praise so I refrained from buying the novel even though it was displayed in prime position in every bookshop. I’ll wait until the second-hand papeback edition is available at Gibert Joseph somewhere between 2027 and the day I die.
I loved every second of this post ❤️. I'm so glad to catch up with some french pop culture.
Also I can't believe I learned that Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard were together for 18 years. I thought they had broken up ages ago 😂. Shows how little faith I have in celebrity couples.
A strike?! How Parisienne! But I thought the Louvre was closed on mondays (or was it tuesdays)? I vaguely remember visiting it one day with zero queue and zero costs and then, after a whole day of beauty, realising I forgot to see the Mona Lisa o.O the next day it was closed.