Two Days in September
Journées du Patrimoine
Journées du Patrimoine, the annual ‘Open Door Days’ in France is always held the 3rd weekend in September. By ‘always’ I don’t mean since the Middle Ages. I mean since 1984, when François Mitterand was President and Jack Lang was the Minister of Culture. I think I am in love with Jack Lang. And not only because his real name is Jack. It’s not a nickname and it’s pronounced the English way and not the French way, not Jacques. No, I think I am in love with Monsieur Lang because he seems to have always been a really cool guy. For example, in 1982 he organized the first Fete de la Musique, a public music festival which is now held annually in France on 21 June. It is wildly popular, even in the sleepy Dordogne village where I usually spend my summer solstice.
In 1984, Jack Lang (pronounced like the French word langue [language, tongue]) got the idea of opening the doors to places normally closed to normal French citizens. He called it La Journée portes ouvertes dans les monuments historiques. This is how he explained it: “these monuments are yours, they were built by your predecessors, they were bequeathed by your elders. Today, it is thanks to your taxes that we maintain and restore them so that they can be passed on to new generations tomorrow.”
The following year, Lang suggested to his European counterparts that his idea of Journée portes ouvertes become a European one. They agreed and it did in 1991. Since then it has spread beyond Europe to some American cities and states as well as other countries and continents, Australia, Canada, etc.
By 1992, France’s annual Sunday Journée portes ouvertes had become so popular that a second day was needed and the name was changed to Journées du Patrimoine. If you are in France, you are welcome to visit places that are either always closed to the public or to which there is limited access during the year. These places include national monuments, churches, theaters, chateaux, villas, private residences, banks, government buildings, city halls, etc. For free. Since then Monsieur Lang has not rested upon his laurels. In 2013 he became the president of the Institute Monde Arab and before that, he was the mayor of Blois for more than a decade.
I have not participated in the Journées du Patrimoine before this year. I don’t go to museums on free Sundays, either. The idea of standing in line for hours to be herded through the Élysée Palace or someplace similar has never appealed. Until this year. When one of the newsletters that pops into my email box, Secrets of Paris (https://secretsofparis.com/) listed a number of venues open for the upcoming Journées du Patrimoine that required reservations. Not money, just reservations.
On Saturday at 10, I made my way over to the Fondation La Sauvegarde de l’art Français in the 9th. (Figure 1) Only two of us had booked the tour. The guide seemed disappointed. I could have told him that one should always be grateful for the people who show up. It was his first go at guiding. What he lacked in polish, he made up for in enthusiasm. He told us about the building and the Foundation’s mission.
The Fondation is in a Haussmann apartment which has been converted into office spaces. (Figure 2) That never really works and this space was as chopped up as you would expect. But it was fun to walk through the offices, admiring the bits and pieces of surviving architectural detail. Oddest of all was the passage through a bathroom (functioning? I couldn’t tell) to get to the director’s office.
But I was most interested in the Fondation’s mission. For the past 100 years, since 1921, and 41 years before the Loi Malraux was instituted to protect the French patrimoine, this Foundation has been safeguarding it. It was co-founded by Duke Édouard de Trévise and his cousin, Aliette de Maillé de La Tour-Landry. A couple of aristocrats with money to burn and a passion for history to burn it on.
According to its website, the Foundation allocates about 1 million euros a year for the restoration of about one hundred buildings a year. As new sources of funding are found, the Fondation’s mission grows. Since 2013 the Foundation has called upon university students, initially art history students and now students from any discipline, to identify buildings anywhere in France that seem to them to be at risk. More recently the foundation has appealed to the non-academic sector, employees of large corporations, retirees, etc. to identify works where they live that that are in need of repair. And saving works of art means saving the jobs of crafts wo/men who do that work. Preserving livelihoods through preserving art. Has a nice ring, no?
The President of the Foundation, Olivier de Rohan Chabot, put it this way, “We should be proud and happy to love what is beautiful. And what we love, we want to preserve in order to pass it on. This is the whole program of the … Fondation.”
As we walked around, I noticed pamphlets and posters with text in English. When I asked the guide about it, he explained that quite early on, the Fondation reached out to wealthy Americans. To convince them to contribute to the restoration and renovation of public and private monuments in France. Rather than buy them up and transport them to America. You can think of any number of museums in the U.S. but I am thinking especially of the Met Cloisters. (Figure 3) Its huge collection of medieval art and architecture is housed in what was originally four French cloisters. Acquired by an American art dealer in France, John D. Rockefeller bought them and brought them to the United States. Then he bought a piece of land on which to house them and donated it all the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Proof that the Fondation has been successful in convincing wealthy Americans to contribute to the restoration of monuments in France so they can stay in France, can be seen everywhere. Just think of all the ‘Friends of’ places, like Giverny and Versailles, (Figure 4) the survival of which is a result of donations from wealthy American benefactors and/or their foundations. The Rockefeller Foundation funded the rebuilding of the Cathedral of Reims (Figure 5) after its wooden roof was destroyed by fire during World War I (the same disaster that befell Notre Dame in Paris a few years ago).
Figure 4. The American Friends of Versailles & American Friends of the Louvre
Figure 5. Reims Cathedral, Reims, France
We learned that one of the Fondation’s current initiatives is the restoration of rural churches in France. I was happy to learn about that effort, too. Near my home in the Dordogne, there are two charming, tiny churches. One has very interesting column capitols. Instead of foliated capitols or historiated ones with scenes from either the Old or New Testament, this tiny chapel has column capitols of fornicating couples. (Figure 6) The other church has a wonderful fresco of the Last Judgement. As usual, the scenes from Hell are much livelier and more interesting than the bucolic scenes of Heaven. One devil has a basket slung over his back filled with damned sinners. (Figure 7) I think this could be the derivation of the phrase ‘Going to Hell in a hand basket’.
Figure 6. Column capitol, Eglise de Monbos, 11th century, Monbos, (Thénac) France
Figure 7. Last Judgement fresco, detail Hell. Église Saint-Eutrope, Allemen-du-Dropt, France
I booked a visit to La Ruche for after lunch. You remember, the beehive shaped building of artists’ studios in Montparnasse, where all the artists featured in the exhibition ‘Paris for School’ had studios? At least I thought I had successfully booked. But when I went to find my ticket, I couldn’t. And when I contacted the company that oversees La Ruche, they couldn’t find one either. Oh well, maybe next year.
Instead, I took the metro to 40 rue de Sèvres, to the Hôpital Laënnec, (Figure 8) in the 7th. Formerly a hospice, then a hospital and since 2000, when the French government sold it to build a new hospital, the Maison Mère, Headquarters, of the Kering Group and the dress designer, Balenciaga.
Figure 8. Kering Headquarters, 40 rue de Sevres (formerly Hôpital Laënnec)
Just to make sure that you have all the players straight. There are 2 French guys whose names are important to the art world. Arnault and Pinault. Bernard Arnault is the chairman and chief executive of LVMH. The world's largest luxury goods company. Which owns the recently restored La Samarataine and always wonderful Le Bon Marché. And the Frank Gehry designed museum in the Bois de Bologne, the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Pinault is François Pinault, the founder of the luxury group Kering. It is his foundation that rents the Bourse de Commerce from the city of Paris which was transformed into a contemporary art museum by the architect Tadao Ando, and which opened this summer after Covid related delays.
I figured that if the line was too long, I could just get something for lunch at the Grand Épicerie, and eat it in the little park across from Le Bon Marché, then walk over to Citipharma for some bargains.
As it turns out, I did have a lovely little lunch catered by the Grand Épicerie (as I have so many times in the past, alone and with my kids over the years). And there was a very interesting exhibition at Le Bon Marché, too. In the grand interior space there were cascading waterfalls of hand stitched flowers in different sizes and colors (Figure 9) designed by a contemporary African artist and sewn by women in and around the African village where he grew up. (Figure 10).
Figure 9. Cascading Flowers Display, Bon Marché, Paris
Figure 10. Thebe Magugu, “Porte-Bonheurs” (Lucky Charms) for Bon Marché, Paris
When I finally got to 40 rue de Sevres, the line was longer than I had hoped but I stood behind and chatted with a nice couple. She told me she had worked there when it had been a hospital. Feminist that I am, I asked if she was a doctor. I could tell she was disappointed not to have to correct me, which she would have done if I had asked if she was a nurse! The gardens which occupy almost half of the grounds were a delight to wander through. (Figure 11) The space itself was streamlined and functional, of the most refined materials. So unlike hodgepodge of rooms at the Sauvegard earlier in the day.
Figure 11. Gardens, Kering Headquarters
Displayed in the 13th century chapel were Balenciaga creations dating from 1938 to 1968. (Figure 12) As the brochure noted, the exhibition reflects both the exceptional craftsmanship of Cristóbal Balenciaga and societal developments over three decades. A history of fashion is so much more than ‘just' fashion! I was watching Quotidien a few Fridays ago, (TMC) and Marc Beaugé, the fashion chronicler, talked about Balenciaga (whose Fall 2021 collection btw was presented as a video game). Balenciaga has begun designing Avatar outfits for video game figures. (Figures 13, 14) An Avatar in a video game is the player’s representation of him or herself. Obviously these avatars need weapons. Who knew they also need clothes? Balenciaga did. Can you imagine anything more perfect? You design something and it remains virtual. But can be purchased. By lots of people. According to Marc, 350 000 people had purchased Balenciaga designed outfits for their Avatars as of mid September. At 15 euros an outfit, well, you can do the math.
Figure 12. Balenciaga Exhibition. Kering Headquarters
Figure 13. Avatar outfits by Balenciaga
Figure 14. Avatar outfits for video game Fortnite by Balenciaga
But that’s not all, Balenciaga went further last week for fashion week. All the way to Springfield to dress the Simpsons. Mostly Marge and Bart. But Homer was rocking a look, too. (Figures 15, 16, 17) Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZHESOq-Gkw
Figure 15. Marge Simpson in Balenciaga, 2021
Figure 16. Bart in Balenciaga, 2021
Figure 17. Homer Simpson in Balenciaga, 2021
For Sunday morning, I reserved a ticket to go to Citeco - Cite de l’economie. Have you ever heard of it? I hadn’t but maybe that’s because it is a museum about economics. Yes, you read that right. But the space is gorgeous and I decided to check it out. Mostly because it is in the Hôtel Gaillard, a neo-Renaissance mansion (Figures 18, 19) built at the end of the 19th century and maybe modeled after a wing at the Château de Blois. It was built in 1878, for the wealthy banker and art collector, Emile Gaillard, to house his collection of Medieval and Renaissance art. Which it did until 1922 when it became a branch of the Banque de France. Which it was until 2006. Then, after extensive renovations, it opened 2 years ago, in 2019 as Citéco- Cité de l’Economie.
Figure 18. Hôtel Gaillard, Musée Citeo, Paris
Figure 19. Hotel Gaillard,Paris, interior
It is a very fun museum, filled with visual displays and videos and interactive games, all designed to help you understand concepts like supply and demand, financing, salaries, money and its antecedents.(Figure 20) I couldn’t help but think about how art history museums might creatively engage museum goers.
Figure 20. Money exhibition, Citeo, Paris
After all that unexpected education, I was hungry so I wandered over to The Grill Room, (Figure 21) on Boulevard Malesherbes for lunch. It is just down the street from the museum and right around the corner from the Parc Monceau. I have happily eaten here before. The first time was with my son on a lovely summer’s day. I had an overflowing bowl of perfectly seasoned moules with perfectly fried frites. He had a burger that chef Hubert Keller would have been proud to serve. What convinced my son that we were at the right place was one of the sides - Mac & Cheese. Made the right way, with crunchy edges. We shared a bottle of rose, from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s French winery, Miravel. Which they bought in 2011. Where they were married in 2014. Which she has been trying to sell since 2017.
Figure 21. The Grill Room, Blvd Malesherbes
After lunch, instead of another tour, we walked over to the Arc de Triomphe to enjoy it wrapped on a sunny Sunday afternoon. (Figure 22). I wrote about it here: https://www.museemusings.com/home/the-final-wrap.
Figure 22. The Arc de Triomphe, Sunday, September 19, 2021
Let me tell you quickly about lunch on Monday after our Arc visit. Dassai-Joel Robuchon on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore. (Figure 23) An easy walk from the Arc. I was living just down the street when it opened in 2018. I may only get to Robuchon’s Atelier for his signature mashed potatoes every so often, but I never pass up a chance to go to this combination take away, tea room and restaurant. If you decide to pick up prepared food for a picnic, hold on to the glass and plastic containers in which the offerings are packed. They are of such high quality that I have saved all of them to store my nuts, dried beans and flours. When you go, you must try the lemon and yuzu tart and the breads, all of them, especially the fig bread.
Figure 23. Dassai Robuchon, rue de Faubourg Saint-Honore, Paris
Altogether, in the spirit of Bill and Ted, my Journées du Patrimoine was an excellent two day adventure. I’m hooked and if you are planning to be in Paris next September, try to be here the third weekend, you’ll be glad you did!
Copyright © 2021 Beverly Held, Ph.D. All rights reserved
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