Sun King Sunday

 

Today is the last chance to see the magnificent Savonnerie carpets in a unique exhibition,

"The Rediscovered Treasure of the Sun King"

*** 

 The Savonnerie carpets, a gargantuan undertaking commissioned by Louis XIV in the late 1660s for the floor of the Grande Galerie (a.k.a. the Grand Gallery) in the Louvre Palace, was an ambitious project that involved creating 92 hand-knotted wool carpets, each approximately 9 meters (about 30 feet) wide. It was designed to cover the entire length of the gallery, 440 meters long, making it one of the largest such undertakings in history. Though the project took about twenty years (roughly 1668-1688) to complete, the carpets were never installed in the Louvre as intended. Louis had shifted his focus and court to Versailles in 1682, abandoning major renovations at the Louvre, so the pieces were put in storage, later dispersed as diplomatic gifts, sold during the French Revolution, or repurposed elsewhere. Only about 41 survived, with 33 remaining fully intact today. 

This special exhibition titled "The Rediscovered Treasure of the Sun King" ("Le Trésor retrouvé du Roi-Soleil"), brings together about 30 of these historic carpets on public display for the first time in over 350 years making it a limited, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see them reunited. - BPJ

Grand Palais 
3 avenue du Général Eisenhower 75008 

 Ends Sunday February 8, 2026

Below: from above 

 

Saturday silhouette

Til death do us art.

Painter Théophile Steinlen and his beloved "Mélie" lean into each other in Montmartre's quiet embrace.

  

*** 

 

Tomorrow is the last day to see the magnificent Savonnerie Carpets,

commissioned by Louis XIV for the Louvre Palace and seen for the first time in over 350 years under the expansive dome of the Grand Palais.

 

The Rediscovered Treasure of the Sun King 

 Le Trésor Retrouvé du Roi Soleil   

 Ends February 8, 2026 

Nouveautés 

 

Floral Friday

 

 

Spreading joie de vivre... One bouquet at a time.

 

Thursday thrill

 

 

But will they last before you get them home?

La Maison du Chocolat

19 rue de Sèvres 75006

 

6 locations in Paris 

 

Window Wednesday

A parasol fades into soft pastels.

 

Table Tuesday

 

Paris doesn't wait for spring.

Above: a table and chairs brought out at the appearance of sunshine

 

Miam Monday

 

Today is the Feast of La Chandeleur - The Day of the Crêpe

Above: caramel heaven on a plate

***

 While enjoying crêpes at a local crêperie is tempting (and better than not having crêpes at all), the proper way to celebrate La Chandeleur is to make them yourself at home. Tradition holds that the crêpes should be flipped skillfully, ideally holding a gold coin (or any coin for luck and wealth) in your left hand while tossing the crêpe with your right. If you don’t get that first flip right - it breaks, folds, drops on the floor, sticks to the ceiling, lands in the dog's bowl - it's seen as an omen for the year ahead, while a clean flip is said to bring prosperity for the coming year. Subsequent crêpes are flipped just for fun, without the same high-stakes superstition attached. Often the pan is then passed around for everyone to try their hand at dramatic flips (and laugh when they inevitably go wrong). If, knowing all this, you're still game, grab a pan, a coin, and give it a try. Whether they land like pros or end up as "creative shapes," it's all part of the magic. - BPJ 

 - Bon Appétit and Bonne Chandeleur -