French Culture

Louvre

Le musee du _______ was originally a midieval fortress.

fountainbleu

Napoleon's favorite retreat; a huge elegant palace. It is located just outside of Paris.

La bibliotheque nationale de france

The BnF is the National Library of France. In 1988 François Mitterand announced the construction of this building. And in 1996 it opened to the public.

le musee du louvre

This was a former palace of the Kings which is now the richest art museum in the world. The newest attraction of the ____ is La Pyramide which opened in April 1989. It is a modern structure which contrasts greatly with the Louvre's architecture. La Pyramide serves as the main entrance to the ______and once you are in La Pyramide you will see ticket windows, stairs, escalators, cafés, snack bars, information booths, a huge gift store for purchasing books, posters, and art prints. There is also a post office.

Lutece

This was the first name of Paris.

d'orsay

At le musee ______ art lovers can experience the birth of impressionism.

La ville Lumiere

Centre de la vie culturelle et intellectuelle (Center of cultural and intellectual life) The city of light!

versailles

Historic palace of King Louis XIV, the Sun King (Le Roi Soleil); located 11 miles SW of Paris.

en plein air

Impressionist painters tried to capture a moment's vision when painting outdoors, or____

PLace de charles de gaulle-l'etoile

It is a huge square in the middle of which is L'Arc de Triomphe. Twelve avenues radiate from the center of the square. This is how it got its name because the twelve avenues seem to form a star.

Place de la bastille

It is on this site that the Bastille prison was located. It was stormed and taken in 1789 by the people. This symbolized the beginning of the French Revolution as the prison represented the King and all his evil deeds. Today the Colonne de Juillet stands in the middle of this square. It was erected to honor Parisians killed in the Revolution described in Les Misérables.

Metro

Its easy to find your way on the ___ because all 14 of its lines are coded by color, number, and the name of the station at either end of the line.

Paris

La capitale de la France; population is 10 million.

Reunion

Located east of Africa in the Indian Ocean, the volcanic island of _____ is an overseas department of France.

La cathederale de Notre Dame

Located on Ile de la Cité, it is a majestic Gothic cathedral built in the 12th century. It was the birthplace of Gothic architecture.

La sainte chappelle

Located on Ile de la Cité, it is called the jewel of Gothic architecture. It is a small chapel built in the 13th century by Louis IX. It is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows.

Gaughin

Post impressionist artists, such as van gogh and ___, used bright, bold colors and loose brush strokes in their canvases.

Bac

Students who choose the _____ S select courses that help them prepare for careers in science- related fields.

La rive gauche

The left bank, to the south, is the student area of Paris. The University of Paris is here. There are bookstores, cafés, etc. The majority of all Paris institutions of higher learning are located on the left bank.

Le tour eiffel

The most well-known monument in Paris was built by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel for the World's Fair of 1889. It commemorated the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. It is repainted every seven years. The Tower is 1,000 feet tall and at the summit there is a weather station and radio transmitter.

Cubist

The museum Picasso showcases masterpieces from the blue, rose ______ of the artist's career.

l'arch de la defense

The new arch erected for the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution in 1989. It frames the Arc de Triomphe in the distance and it was the site of a summit meeting of the world's leaders on July 15, 1989.

Monet

The painting Impression, Soleil Levant by ____ gave the visionary impressionists a collective name.

Asterix

The parc ___ is a theme park on the outskirts of Paris that is based on a character in a popular French comic book.

Ile de la cite

The Île de la Cité is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris. It is the centre of Paris and the location where the medieval city was refounded

les bouquinistes

These are bookstalls along the Seine, which sell old books, stamps, postcards, and prints of scenes of Paris, etc. Un bouquin is a book. ( Think of it as a permanent flea market along the Seine.)

Les bateaux mouches

These are sightseeing boats on the Seine.

La madeleine

This is a fashionable church in the form of a Greek temple. Elegant weddings are held here.

Le musee d'orsay

This is a huge new museum built in the renovated train station - La Gare d'Orsay near the Louvre. It opened in 1986 and its clocks add to its uniqueness. The Impressionist collection is now housed here instead of in Le Musée de Jeu de Paume.

La conciergerie

This is a prison on Ile de la Cité which housed many victims of the French Revolution including Marie Antoinette. She remained here until she was guillotined in 1793. She was only 38 when she was beheaded. Her husband King Louis XVI was beheaded in January of 1793.

montparnasse tower

This is a tall saltbox like structure, which is an office building. It stands out on the Paris skyline and Parisians do not like it. It is 58 stories tall and is located on the Rive Gauche.

Le pont alexandre III

This is a very ornate bridge in Paris. It was renovated in 1989 for the bicentennial celebration. There are streetlamps, statues and sculptures along the bridge.

Le boulevard siant-michel

This is popularly called 'Le Boul-Mich'. It is the main boulevard through the Quartier Latin.

le centre georges pompidou

This is the Museum of Art and Culture which is also called the Inside-Out Building due to its unusual construction. It is located in a neighborhood called Beaubourg. It was conceived by the former president of France, Georges Pompidou.

la defense

This is the Paris business district, which has tall modern skyscrapers all grouped together, much like one would see in New York City. It is located on the Rive Droite.

la place du tertre

This is the artists' square around the corner from Sacré Coeur in Montmartre. You can have your portrait painted here or you can purchase a painting from one of the many artists.

La villette

This is the city of Science and Industry. It is a new area of Paris dedicated to Science and Industry. It is an incredible science center. One unique feature is La Géode, a huge mirrored structure that houses a theater.

Le champ de mars

This is the green, grassy rectangular area opposite La Tour Eiffel, which is used for Bastille Day celebrations and military ceremonies. It runs from the Seine to the École Militaire.

montmartre

This is the highest point of all in Paris. It is a neighborhood characterized by nightlife and a bohemian type of atmosphere. The famous nightclub, Le Moulin Rouge, is located here. The name of Montmartre means 'mountain of martyrs'.

La place de la concorde

This is the largest and most beautiful square in Paris. There are fountains, statues, and the Egyptian Obelisk, a tall needlelike structure. Many Frenchmen were guillotined on this site during the French Revolution.

le palais des congres

This is the modern Paris convention center near La Défense.

L'opera de la bastille

This is the new Paris opera house build in 1989 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. It is a very modern structure built near the original site of the Bastille Prison.

Le pont neuf

This is the oldest bridge in Paris over the Seine. It means 'brand new' bridge since it was named when it was the first bridge in Paris in the 16th century. It crosses the Seine at Ile de la Cité.

La sorbonne

This is the oldest division of the University of Paris. It was founded by Robert de Sorbon in 1253. There are twelve divisions of the University of Paris.

Ile st louis

This is the smaller of the two islands in the Seine. It is characterized by quiet streets and small art galleries. Youwill find 'Berthillon' here : the home of the best ice cream in Paris.

Le Quartier Latin

This is the student area of Paris. It received its name because the students used to speak Latin here in the Middle Ages. It is located on the Rive Gauche.

sacre couer

This is the white church atop the hill of Montmartre. It was built in the late 19th century and it resembles a mosque. It overlooks all of Paris. You can walk up the many steps to get to the top of the hill or you can take the Funiculaire, a type of mini trolley.

L'avenue des champs-elysees

This is the wide tree-lined avenue which extends from Place de la Concorde to Place de Charles de Gaulle-L'Étoile. It is only one and a quarter miles long and yet it is one of the most famous avenues in the world.

l'hotel des invalides

This structure was built by Louis XIV for injured soldiers. It now houses the red marble tomb of Napoleon. Napoleon is buried in six coffins below the Dome of Les Invalides. Twelve statues stand guard around his tomb. There is also a military museum at Les Invalides.

Le palais de chaillot

This was built in 1937 and it is where the United Nations meets in Paris. It houses the Museum of Man and le Musée des Monuments français, and many other museums and theaters. It is opposite La Tour Eiffel.

Art Nouveau

Wavy lines, wrought iron and glass characterize the ____ style of landmarks as the Grand and Petit Palais

Italy

The renaissance came to france from _______

La rive droite

The right bank, to the north, it is the largest part and the most animated. It is the business district, the center for shopping and the center of nightlife.

La seine

The river which flows through Paris and divides Paris into two sections; la Rive Droite and la Rive Gauche.

R.E.R

The visit outlying areas of Paris, such as Disneyland Resort Paris or Versailles, you can travel quickly by ___

Centre Pompidou

The ___ houses twentieth century works by artists like Henri Matisse.

Vincennes

One of two huge parks in paris, the bois de ____

Le pantheon

Originally this was built to honor St. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris. Today it is the burial place of many famous Frenchmen including Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Misérables. It is often called 'The Westminister Abbey' of France. From the air the building takes the shape of a cross. It is located in the Quartier Latin.

Parasii

Paris got its current name from this tribe. They were Gaulish fisherman and boatmen who founded the city over 2,000 years ago.

Arrondissements

Paris is divided into 20 districts or arrondissements for governing purposes. A Parisian's address would contain the arrondissement number as part of their 'zip code' or 'code postale.' For example, someone living near la Tour Eiffel may have the 'code postale' 75016. That would indicate that the person lived in the sixteenth arrondissement (16e).

L'arc de triomphe

The Arc was begun by Napoleon to commemorate his victories. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is beneath the Arc lighted by the eternal flame. The Arc is located in the center of Place de Charles de Gaulle-L'Étoile.

L'opera

The Paris opera house opened in 1875. It is famous for its grand marble staircase, its sculptured façade, its gold interior, its painted ceiling, and its elegant foyer. It was begun in 1861 and was completed in 1975. The designer of l'Opéra was Charles Garnier.

le metro

The Paris subway system