Art is top of mind this week. In our advanced French Conversation class, we read a recent article from Le Point magazine on French attitudes toward art and museums. In a February 2010 survey of 1000 French persons 18 years old and older, six Français sur dix ont déclaré visiter un musée au moins une fois par an (six out of ten reported that they visit a museum at least once per year). In addition, the survey noted that museums are where most French go to take in art. Interestingly, les expositions temporaires, les galleries et les foires (temporary exhibitions, art galleries and art fairs) garner less attention.
But some of our group wondered why the French did not go to museums more often with so many temples of great art at their disposal. Class participant Kathy declared in lovely French, “Si j’habitais en France, je visiterais un musée au moins une fois par semaine!” (If I lived in France, I would visit a museum at least once a week!)
This got me thinking about other types of “art” that the French frequent more often in their everyday lives. Take the neighborhood pâtisserie (pastry shop) for instance. The daily expositions (exhibitions) of pastry art in France are breathtaking. The various arrays of les gâteaux et les tartes (cakes and tarts) are des chefs-d’oeuvre (masterpieces) of color, creativity AND flavor. I would be willing to faire un pari (make a bet) that the average French family enjoys an edible oeuvre d’art (work of art) at least once a week, whether at Sunday lunch with the family or while entertaining à la maison.
To see firsthand the fruits of these creative pastry labors, let’s take an “art walk” through various pâtisseries in Paris and Provence:
Gosselin in Paris…EACH fresh raspberry has a perfect dot of raspberry glaze.
In Paris, Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan confection blends raspberry, litchi & rose.
Béchard in Aix-en-Provence is a veritable field of raspberries.
A cream puff of a cake also at Béchard in Aix.
Béchard even whips up ice cream cakes…Adieu Baskin-Robbins, bonjour Béchard!
In addition to all the regular art, I am fascinated by the mini versions of luscious pastries. What a labor of love to create each one of these little jewels. And their small size means you can taste a variety of flavors all the calories of the regular size. I wish more French pastry shops in the U.S. would include the mini pastries in their repertoire. Ah well, I’ll have to keep going to France for that one.
It is tempting to want to collectionner (collect) these edible art objects and keep them on the shelf, they are so beautiful. But of course, photos will have to do instead—and memories of wonderful tastes.
Next week, we’ll take a behind the scenes tour of a French pastry shop and see the art of pastry-making in action. Until then, add a comment at let us know your favorite type of French edible art!
French Take-Out™ ~ La France à emporter
My experience of Art in France is that the French highly value their culture, history and art. Museums—large grand ones like the Louvre or small regional ones, historic monuments, and châteaux are packed on weekends and often during the week. There is even a “French Heritage Days” weekend (Les Journées du Patrimoine) every September where fabulous buildings and properties—both government-owned and private—are open to the public for two days. The lines outside participating establishments are very long but the French consider it worth the wait.
If you are planning to be in France in September, you won’t want to miss this incredible weekend of French Art. While the Journées du Patrimoine web site is not up yet for 2010, you can bookmark it for future reference: www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr/.