Amelie

For anyone who has satilite or free view in the Uk, this strange little film is on bbc4 tonight (Sat 24th) at 11.30pm. And it's preceded by Johnathon Ross doing the 'World cinema awards' which includes this and 'Etre et avoir.'

Hi! I gave my main tips in the 'Weekend in Paris' thread just below yours. I wish more people supported Paris on here. I will reccommend 'Dorling Kindersleys Paris' book. we get all our tips of places to go on there...and they may even tell you where to get English food....they cover pretty much everything! Have a lovely time..I am sooooo jealous. love Amelie xxx

For people who have Sky in the UK, they are doing a 'world cinema' series every Wednesday and Sunday through to the end of March at least. They did this for a while before xmas, and there were some great films on. This series covers alot we mentioned in the 'Comedy' thread. Tonight at 8pm there is 'three colours: blue' and other ones to come on are 'La Reine Margot', 'three colours: red and white', 'La seperation', '8 Women', 'Betty Blue'(Hurray!), 'Colonel Chabret', 'Danton', plus a few Mexican, Beligian and Spanish films. Well worth a look. Especially Jen, if she is reading this as had asked about a few of these films on the 'Comedy' Thread. They also repeat them all an hour later the next dau on Sky cinema 2 so you get 4 chances to see them. Worth the subscription fee alone I reckon! Love Amelie

Big controversy in the 'Daily Mail' yesterday (only just got round to reading it) regarding the 'Nutcracker' on Sunday afternoon? Didn't get all of it, but is something to do with Greg Dyke funding it(alledgedly) and giving it airtime, although it was considered a bit inappropriate? Or something like that. I didn't get to see it, but apparently it was a bit risque for a sunday afternoon? Any ideas anyone who did see it? Love Amelie xxx

For those of you who live in England and love dance and musicals (especially you JILL!!!!!!) which are not on tv much, on Sunday on BBC1 at 3,20pm there is a performance of Matthew Bournes 'The Nutcracker' from Sadlers Wells. And at Christmas on boxing day at 9pm, there is the countdown of '100 greatest musicals' with the second part on Saturday 28th December at 8.25, both on Channel 4, and the whole thing repeated at 2.50pm on the Sunday afternoon on C4. Don't mean to sound defeatist, but as these are voted for by viewers (I voted for 'West Side Story') what's the betting that the top two will be 'Moulin Rouge' and 'Chicago', both of which I love, but people tend to only remember the most recent films in these polls. All the old favourites may be relegated way down the list. Lets hope I'm wrong! Love Amelie

Hello! Watched a lovely(probably old) documenatary on 'Les Miserables' tonight on the Performance channel on Sky, and it brought back all the memories of how I used to sing along to the soundtrack when I was 19, and when I went to see it, and was totally blown away. Fantastic musical, have the book, but haven't quite made it through yet! Also, totally unrelated. went to see 'Love,Actually' this week. I loved it, and wondered if anyone else had seen it. The bit with the boy in the airport at the end(not giving anything away) had tears running down my cheeks. Not strictly French I know, but some of it was set in France. Was it set in Provence or Marsailles(the bits with Colin Firth?) It was hard to tell as the families were Portugese! love Amelie

LAST EDITED ON 14-Nov-03 AT 01:08 PM (GMT) Hi Gary. I love that album too. I started off with 'Jane Birkins Greatest Hits', as it has all her popular songs on. But try looking on www.janebirkin.net. It has all her details on there, of what she's recorded, films shes made, etc. Oh, and without sounding like I'm advertising,(I have no connection with any sites except my own!), try www.play.com as well as Amazon, as I find them cheaper (no P&P) and get all my French cd's, DVD's off there. Quick delivery too! Love Amelie

No, no no! For the love of God...NO! I need more wine! Love Amelie

I'm being brave here as I worry about annoying people...but does anyone else think the magazine is not as informative as it was? I have got it for 7/8 years and been a subscriber for 4/5, and lately(since the changes) I've noticed that over half the mag is devoted to properties(Which is okay if you are buying but not so good if not) and the rest is a bit narrowed! The letters page this month was half the size as were other articles, and the pictures aren't as prolific. I love 'Living France' it is the first French mag I got, but I'm not so sure now, if it is as good as the two other main competitors or not? Am I just being picky, or does anyone else feel the same since Mr Yorke and co relinquished their posts a bit! I'm actually thinking about not subscribing next time!!!(Amazing for me!) Am I going to be hated now for saying that? I will say, that I still love the forum and get great joy from it so shouldn't complain too much, it's just I have noticed this for 4/5 isssues now. Maybe I'm getting old! Hope not to have annoyed too many 'Living France' lovers(of which I am one.) Love Amelie

French culture is a diverse subject, just like what defines art, and then look at the Turner prize! I have done a few postings on Films, and many others have covered films and music, I think culture is what ever you think it is, there was even a theme on what defines French culture, is it just art, films, books, music or is there more? I, for one think it covers all of the above, and anything that people find is cultural to France for them. love Amelie

Watched it tonight, and as a seasoned Paris holiday maker was surprised at the amount of places I hadn't been too, that looked worth a try. Especially the 'parc de citron'. The other half wants to visit the erotic museum of course! Have read about the restauraunt with the baby bottles before, and I think it's more a place to go if you are new in town and want to converse with other non-parisians?(but I could be wrong?) Anyway, drinking wine from a baby bottle really isn't my thing! And as I said before, do check out the catacombs...it's an experience that will stay with you for life, and we could all do with a few more of those!!!!!(In a good way!) love Amelie

Found this site for French cd's, etc. My French is useless when it comes to things like this so it may be a bad site(?) but the magazine I got in France covered every French singer I'd heard of and their website is www.furet.com love Amelie

Found this site for French cd's, etc. My French is useless when it comes to things like this so it may be a bad site(?) but the magazine I got in France covered every French singer I'd heard of and their website is www.furet.com love Amelie

Check out the posting on here called'call the shots'. We seem to have got into recommending Pairsian places on there, so my main suggestions are there too! Also, watch 'Call the shots' on tv on Monday 22nd. I've seen it before and it was very informative in telling you places to go. Also if you get a chance, check out the 'Pere Lachaise' cermetary, the one with Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf et al buried there. I'd never seen anything like it. You certainly don't get cemetaries like that in England. It wasn't even depressing, but strangly serene! And deffo do the tourist things if you've never been before. They have to be done, esp. the Eiffel tower, Sacre Couer and the best gallery in Paris in mine and alot of others opinions, the Musee D'orsay. It has so many famous pieces of work you get over-whelmed, unlike the Louvre, which although well worth a visit, is more 16th and 17th century art, which though fantastic, does tend to blend into one after you've seen 100 of them! Get there early though as the queue stretches for miles. And the same goes for the eiffel tower if its a clear day. When we go, we make a point of going at 9 or 10am, and there are only a dozen people there then, so you get a good look round. And walk down the steps rather than the lift if you can. What an experience walking down the middle of the eiffel tower, we felt quite alone in Paris then. They also have very interesting dummies attached to the outside of the lifts that you can't see from the inside! Have a fantastic time and a lovely birthday!

Being an artist, the place I dream of most(to quote Tony Hancock) is Paris. I've recently been told I should go for it , and not regret what I don't do, and as I've wanted to live in paris since I was 5, I think maybe, I should stop the excuses and go for it. The thing is, with not much money, I was more for buying a small(very) apartment/bedsit to use at weekends, but other people tell me i should rent. I've heard that every rented apartment that comes up has at least 30 potential 'rentees' and it was easier to buy, and just wondered what other people thought. If I was to get a place, it would be in the Montpernasse/Montmarte/St Germain areas as i did a bit of looking last time I went, and you can get a bedsit(suitable for weekend visits) for 20,000. (Which I haven't exactly got, but if anyone wants to loan me the money??????only joking!!!) All comments would be very welcome.