Paris Luxury Tours

Lovers of the art of Claude Monet can see an imaginative exposition of some of his works juxtaposed with later works of pure abstract art, including works by Jackson Pollock, Gerhard Richter, Mark Rothko, Clifford Still, Lee Krasner, André Masson, Sam Francis, Joan Mitchell and others. It makes the case that those works of Monet which pushed pictorial representation into abstraction directly inspired later practitioners of absolute abstraction, many decades after his death. This temporary exposition runs until September 26th, 2010, and displays abstract art lent from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid.

The exposition places twenty-two of Monet’s works next to twenty-one sheer abstract works that were executed in the middle of the twentieth century, and invites the viewer to explore the thesis that Monet’s art extended to an examination of his media, and that this exploration was carried on by later artists. Probably unintentionally, it evokes a basic paradox of abstract art: once representation is abandoned altogether, and a world is created in which a work can be anything to anyone, limited only by the viewer’s imagination, art appears to have lost one of its vital aspects, the ability to communicate clearly.

We hope that the imagination and talent that went into creating this exposition will be followed up one day with another that examines the flow of creativity from the other end of the time spectrum. It might be even more compelling to see an exhibition that shows how the exploration of abstraction in the earlier works of Joseph Mallord William Turner and Eugene Boudin energized Monet’s own creativity.

The Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris  is open from 11 am to 6 pm (9 pm Tuesdays), with last entries half an hour before closing, and is closed Mondays,  http://www.marmottan.com/index2010_uk.asp.

Every year we host hundreds of visitors in France who come from the United States, and a large number of them are surprised and relieved that they do not encounter any of the anti-Americanism for which France is notorious in the USA. Many ask us what has happened to it? Is it gone for good, or just hibernating? Did it ever exist, at all?

The truth is often elusive; and, in this case, it also requires a bit of perspective. Franco-American relations began with the French funding of the American War of Independence and supplying troops, ships and cannon which defeated the British at Yorktown. The payback was the French Revolution which resulted in the French monarchy and much of its aristocracy paying for that support with their heads. Had the funds lent to and spent on the colonies been available to buy bread, starvation might not have become one of the catalysts that kicked off the French Revolution. A Frenchman’s regard for the Americans would have been flavored by where they stood in the aftermath of the cataclysm. We know how de Tocqueville and Lafayette felt about it, but families that lost members to the guillotine surely felt differently.

Fast forward to the end of the First World War: France, already brutalized by the Franco Prussian War of 1870-1, faced several unpleasant truths: 1) it was indebted to the US for the successful conclusion of WWI, and 2) in the worlds of business and military might France was in decline while the US was rising. Did the elites of France resent it? You bet they did. Did the average French man care? Probably not. Many even chose to emigrate to the US.

The conclusion of WWII saw the same result, compounded with the humiliating memories of the French capitulation to Hitler, the German occupation, collaboration with the enemy, and delivery by the Anglo-Saxons. Was there gratitude? Surely. Ordinary French men and women often accost our American clients when we visit the American D Day sites in Normandy to whom they spontaneously express their gratitude, tears in their eyes, 66 years after the fact.

Was there also resentment? Of course: it is not easy to rise from prostration while keeping your dignity intact. Add in the psychological dilemma of having to deal with visitors who spoke a language you did not know, who had money to burn, while you were still counting your losses, not only in cash. Turning on them with a curt admonishment to speak French in France was a temptation to which many yielded. Finding your world turned on its head and your place in the sun usurped by what were perceived to be the uncultivated nouveau riche Americans was frustrating and galling to many, especially to those who did not speak English.

Is that the way most French regard Americans today? Hardly: most French have learned English in school, where it has been routinely taught for decades, and they are proud to show what they know. When they see someone with an American accent struggling with French, they often leap into English, to be of help. My own French is encumbered with an American accent, and I often have a hard time keeping conversations in French with people providing me services in France. Everyone tries to make it easier for me by switching to English, which, of course, also allows them to strut their stuff.

People also adapt, and times change. Very few remember the era of French dominance in world affairs, and they are resigned to a globalized world in which English dominates. Most French harbor a genuine affection for the US and its unique culture. Many choose the US for holiday destinations, hum the latest songs from the American hit parade, and dine at American-style eateries before going to see American films, shown in the original language, no less.

In the 30 years I have lived in France I have witnessed a sea change in French attitudes on a wide range of issues; and there is no time I can recall when Americans are as welcome as they are today. That is not to be confused with the French perception of the role of the US government in the world, which gets the same withering treatment that they reserve for all governments, including their own.

In the affordable range of the market, eating establishments that reliably maintain their standards, over the years, are rare in France, especially in its large cities. This is partly explained by French labor legislation, which imposes heavy charges on employers, which weigh more heavily with the passage of time. Another part accrues to voracious tax collectors, who are not lenient with establishments that have long waiting lists and are touted in the press, victims of their own success.

Before long, a successful lower-to-middle end establishment faces a predicament: shall they raise prices, or cut corners to keep costs down? The former works until they are priced out of the market, and the latter destroys their appeal. Many fold and move on. That explains, partly, why so many owners close shop in one neighborhood, and reappear in new livery in another, or emigrate.

I have enjoyed some of the best French cuisine in Luxembourg or Belgium, where I discovered very talented, self-exiled French chefs who had previously established and closed sensationally good restaurants or bistros in France. When thanking the chef at the end of my meal, I often learned that he or she left France because they felt they were not earning enough, after paying the legal entitlements of their employees, and the tax man.

That also explains the phenomenon of once great brasseries having turned into less glorious culinary establishments: owners who made their Flos, Bofingers, Balzars and Coupoles legendary places to eat have found, over the years, that they had to cut so many corners to make ends meet, that it was preferable to sell out to the brasserie/restaurant groups that took over. The latter ensured the survival of the great names, but only with tepid success in continuing the great cuisine. Economies of scale, even if combined with good management skills, does not equate to great cuisine. Nothing replaces raw talent and superb ingredients.

So, what is the visitor to do to find great French cuisine at affordable prices? The good news is that France produces a fresh crop of talent every year, and the regular replacement of once favorite establishments with new temples of French cuisine is a constant, on-going, process. France is blessed with a process of culinary renewal that blesses the country with the appearance of new establishments each year, often created by ambitious young talent that has honed its cooking skills working for super-stars of French cuisine, such as Alain Ducasse, Paul Bocuse, Alan Senderens and Guy Savoy.

The trick is in knowing how to find them. For that, see our earlier post, “Choosing a great place to eat in Paris and France.”