The Pompidou-Metz Art Centre, which has been a very successful place since it has opened in May 2010 (more than 500,000 visitors in 6 months !), will present in 2011 several major exhibitions. Let’s have an overview of this annual programme with Toorismag…

Chefs-d’Œuvre? Exhibition

Both exhibitions “Chefs-d’œuvre dans l’histoire” (Masterpieces in History) and “Histoires de chefs-d’œuvre” (Stories of Masterpieces) will be shown respectively in the Grande Nef room and in Gallery 1 until July 4th, 2011; “Rêves de chefs-d’œuvre” (Dreams of Masterpieces) will be presented in Gallery 2 until November 7th, 2011.

May 2011: Daniel Buren

In collaboration with the Mudam (Museum of  Modern Art in Luxembourg), this major French contemporary artist will take possession of Gallery 3 with a project specially designed for this space called “Echos, travail in situ”.

September 2011: ERRE Exhibition

A journey to the heart of labyrinth theme in contemporary art. The exhibition will be shown in two rooms (Grande Nef and Gallery 1), i.e. over more than 2,000 m² (from September 10th).

October 2011: Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec Exhibition

First major monographic exhibition dedicated to both famous bretton designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec (from October 15th, in Gallery 3).

For children from 5 to 18 years old

Educational activities are very successful ! Since they have opened in September 2010, bookings pour in and workshops are always full. Suitable for children from 5 to 11 years old and adolescents aged 12 to 18 with prior booking, on Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays.

Price: €3 for a 1-hour workshop.

More information: Pompidou-Metz Art Centre - http://www.centrepompidou-metz.fr/

Source : Press Release Nouveautés 2011 en Lorraine

For those who feel like trying someting else than traditional skiing, the Vosges mountains offer a large range of unique activities. So, let’s have a quick look with Toorismag …

Snowshoe Trekking with Nordic dog

Enjoy a snowshoe hike pulled by a Nordic dog (harnessed to the dog by a belt). It is an ideal activity for small groups wishing to explore snow-covered landscapes.

Dog Sledging

This is a dog sled ride during which you will have the opportunity to discover the mountain and its secrets through forests and glades : tales and legends, fauna and flora … This service includes a sleigh ride of about 1h30 long, a snack and the opportunity to feed the dogs in their parks. It is an ideal activity for families!

Try the trapper experience. After an afternoon full of emotions, hikers have the opportunity to take a snack in a real tipi tent, comfortably seated by the fire, and even spend a “tales and legends” evening to discover the goblins who live in the deep forests of the Vosges.

Contact : +33 6 70 34 71 89 – Email : la.fee.polybotte@orange.fr – Website : www.odysseepolaire.com

Unique nights : sleeping in an igloo or a teepee tent

After a walk in snowshoes, there is nothing like further enjoying the day while sharing a good meal with mulled wine and melted Munster cheese with friends or family by the fire, and spending a good night in the heart of the countryside in an igloo or a teepee tent (from 6 people). In the tepee, a floor was installed for comfort and reindeer skins act as insulation.

Contact: Bureau de Montagne des Hautes Vosges – 5 rue Paul Claudel 88250 La Bresse – Website: www.bmhv.com

Fun hike : in search for the Yeti !

“The group of explorers walks deeper into the forest, following tracks that neither seem to be bear tracks, nor those of a human being but rather a mixture of both: large, deep, with long claws! … Sometimes you can see two or four… When it is time to set up the camp a long frosty scream sounds from the top of the mountain. Since then, we have never seen the explorers again… “

Teams of walkers will leave in search of these lost explorers. Throughout the journey, they will solve riddles, follow tracks and then go back to the root of the scream and find out  the explorers‘ latest writings , which will lead them to the lair of the Yeti …

Contact : mountain guides of  Gérardmer – Phone: +33 6 27 03 64 00 – Website : www.rando-gerardmer.fr

Following mugglers and merchants’ trail

Enjoy a nature focused hike in the Vosges mountains with a mountain guide. 5 days and 4 nights to explore the white desert that covers the peaks, magical landscapes shaped by ice and wind. The stay from 400€ per person includes full board accommodation in hotel or mountain lodge , daily 10 km hike with a professional, snowshoes and poles, luggage portage

Contact : séjours Randos nature à La Bresse – Phone: +33 6 79 33 31 35 – Website: www.randos-sejours.com

In the town of Gérardmer

Gérardmer ski resort also offers night ski sessions on lit slopes with sound system, snowrun, ice karting, snow motorbike or even ice diving. The ski resort has the longest ski slope in the Vosges Mountains,  with more than 3,200 metres !

In the town of Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle

“French pancakes and chalet” focused hike: after a snowshoes night hike with a guide, let’s end the day and have a snack break with crêpes and friendly atmosphere. The evening keeps on at candlelight whilie listening to tales.

Contact : Jean-Louis Fretti – Phone: +33 6 70 55 73 37 – Website: www.rando-vosges.com

More information:

Lorraine Tourist Office – http://www.tourism-lorraine.com/en

Vosges Mountains in Lorraine – www.vosges-lorraine.com

Source : Press release L’Hiver dans les Vosges en Lorraine

Bordered with gardens and dotted with lakes, Metz offers picturesque landscapes and monuments to discover…

Quartier Impérial area is the remarkable and well preserved symbol of german town planning from the late 19th century. This area is like an encyclopedia of both historical and new styles : roman, gothic, Renaissance, baroque, Art Deco and Jungendstil. It has officially applied for UNESCO’s World Heritage.

The Porte des Allemands et les remparts (the German Gate and the city walls) : the Porte des Allemands, one of the most beautiful jewels of medieval walls’ remains, is a fortified castle which spans river Seille. Both Porte des Allemands and the surrounding walls used to be 7km long with 18 gates and 38 towers.

Public squares and plazzas: in the centre of Metz you will find space and warmth in the renovated public squares and plazzas such as Place de Chambre (also known as Metz’s gourmet square), Place d’Armes (18th century), Saint-Louis medieval public square and soon Place de la République. All year round many events are hosted and turn them into lively places.

The quays of river Moselle, the banks of river Seille, the Marina and “Metz Beach“

13th and 20th century stained glass windows (Marc Chagall, Jean Cocteau or Jacques Villon…) adorn many religious monuments, including St Etienne Cathedral, also called ‘Lanterne du Bon Dieu’, which offers Europe’s largest stain glass surface (6500 m2 of glass windows)

The friendly atmosphere of local markets and the indoor market have a large range of regional specialties to offer. The second largest Flea Market in France (after Saint-Ouen) is located in Metz.

Gardens: Récollets, Esplanade, Tanneurs,  Seille Park, Pas du Loup Park (ornithological visits)

More information: Metz Tourism Office – www.www.tourisme-metz.com

Source : Press release Metz, vivre l’art et l’Art de Vivre

Music Day, also known in other countries as World Music Day, is held every year in France. This year, for its 29th anniversary, the event will put the spotlight on women… So let’s meet on Monday 21st June !

Be they music composers , opera singers, conductors, street singers, songwriters or DJs, the focus will be put on their creativity, their struggles and the deep and true nature of their music.

Since ancient times, women have always been an endless source of inspiration that has inspired the greatest melodies. Muses, singers or musicians, they take a leading part in the practice of this art. In order to pay a tribute to them, the 29th edition of Music Day in France will be focused on “music and women”.

This unifying theme will provide an opportunity for all artists, whether they are amateurs or professionals, to celebrate Music Day and women by interpreting compositions made by or for women … A large selection in prospect !

For one day and one night, French cities and towns will be swept away by all kinds of music, with concerts, free events and also the possibility of discovering amateur music players or singers in pubs and cafés.

More information: 2010 Music Day – www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr

Source: presse release “Fête de la Musique 2010″

Spring will soon be here and so does the festival season ! Without necessarily giving you an comprehensive list, here is an overview to our selection of France’s coming festivals…

• In April:

Printemps de Bourges, from April 13 to 18, will start proudly the festival season by celebrating its 34th anniversary. More info: http://www.printemps-bourges.com/en/home/welcome.php

• In June:

Hellfest open air, from June 18 to 20 for its 5th edition in Clisson, Western France. This 2010 edition already promises to be THE  major metal event ever organised in France! More info: www.hellfest.fr

Solidays, from June 25  to 27, at the Longchamps-Paris racecourse, this festival will bring together many artists all commited to the fight against AIDS. More info: www.solidays.org

• In July:

Eurockéennes of Belfort, from July 2 to 4 : this rock festival will bring together 80 artists on 5 different stages. The must-see artists: Jay-Z, Mika, The Hives, Charlotte Gainsbourg. More info: www.festival.eurockeennes.fr

The Avignon Theatre Festival from July 7 to 27, is a major and must-attend event of the european art life. For 3 weeks, this the festival will please theatre lovers with its 64th edition.  More info: www.festival-avignon.com

Francofolies, from July 13 to 17 , in La Rochelle, western France. New places, new names, new artists on stage to give you more fun and emotions!  The must-see artists: Phœnix, Diam’s, Émilie Simon, Cœur de Pirate. More info: www.francofolies.fr

Vieilles Charues, from July 15 to 18, in Carhaix, Brittany. The must-see artists: Muse, Mika, Indochine, Alain Souchon. More info: www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr

Musilac, from July 16 to 18, in Aix-Les-Bains, Esplanade du Lac, southern France, will celebrate its 9th anniversary. The must-see artists: Pony Pony Run Run, M, ZZ Top, Peter Doherty, Luke, Indochine, Cœur de Pirate. More info: www.musilac.com

• In August:

Route du Rock, will take place from August 13 to 15, in Saint Malo – Le Fort Saint Père, Brittany, for its 20th edition. The must-see artists: Massive Attack, The Flamming Lips, Yann Tiersen. More info: www.laroutedurock.com

Rock en Seine, will be held in the Saint Cloud gardens from August 27 to 29 for its 8th edition. The must-see artists: Blink 182, Arcade Fire, Cypress Hill, Queens of the Stone Age, The Kooks, Foals and  Massive Attack. More info: www.rockenseine.com

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day (March 8th) and the World Poetry Day (March 21st), this 12^th edition of the Poetry Festival « Le Printemps des Poètes » in France will focus on the theme of women.

The inauguration evening will take place on Monday, March 8 at the Opéra Comique, with Dominique Blanc, Brigitte Fontaine and Carolyn Carlson.

Celebrated throughout France, the event will especially highlight the work of Andrée Chedid with the 2^nd Andree Chedid’s sung poem contest with Matthieu Chedid as the  president of the jury. The actress Dominique Blanc will be the sponsor of the event.

An original exhibition, entitled “au fil des mots”, will present a selection of poems having a focus on the theme of hope, body and love. These poems have been reinterpreted by designers and artists who bring their own graphic layout of a short text. The set will be embroidered by women of Swaziland, sick of HIV. This work will give them an income. About thirty works will be exhibited throughout the year 2010.

More information:

2010 Poetry Festival: www.printempsdespoetes.com

In Chambley, between Nancy and Metz, the International Hot-Air Balloon Festival (Mondial Air Ballons) is held once every two years and brings together nearly 1,000 hot-air balloons and more than 1,000 pilots coming the whole world (70 countries). This makes it the largest hot-air balloon event in the world. This year, the festival takes place from 24 July to 2 August 2009 and has a very special programme for visitors: first flights, aircraft demos, patrols, kites, mini hot-air balloons, original balloons in the shape of a cake or a famous person, inflating balloons by night, … a magical moment when all the balloons take off simultaneously … an event which is still very much appreciated from visitors and pilots!

This year, the theme of the event is “At the Edge of the Stars”. On this occasion, the place turns into a real aeronautical city of 300 hectares and also hosts the aerobatic gliders world championship. Founded in 1989, this event is celebrating its twentieth anniversary.

More information:

Lorraine Tourist Office: www.tourisme-lorraine.fr

Since the Roman era, the healing properties of water in Lorraine have been known all around the world. The region has five spa towns: Vittel, Contrexéville, Amnéville, Bains-les-Bains and Plombières-les-Bains. Each of them have therapeutic indications and characteristics of their own. They also offer for general public health and fitness options with original and modern body.

Amnéville-les-Thermes:

Two spas are open to public: Villa Pompéï, designed on the theme of Ancient Rome, and Thermapolis.

Bains-les-Bains:

This spa town, which belongs to Chaîne Thermale du Soleil, gets a high-quality air since it is close the Vosges large forest.

Contrexéville:

This spa town is well known for being focused on Slimness Therapy. The town is called the “Minceur Flavour” capital. It has two spas, which specialized in weight loss: Les Thermes and Aquarius.

Plombieres-les-Bains:

Also named the thousand balconies city, it has one spa called Calodaé. The main features of this spa are the different spaces related the town’s authentic heritage. It is a real maze of corridors and subterranean passages and therefore a place completely out of time and unusual.

Vittel:

The attractiveness of this spa town lies in the quality and rarity of its facilities: fitness centre with spa care, massages and also a beauty centre with a range of refined care.

More information:

Lorraine Tourist Office: www.tourisme-lorraine.fr