Raining Sunshine in the City of Light

LA CAVERNE DU PONT NEUF

We had June 6th on the calendar for a long time, to bare the crowds and visit JR’s La Caverne du Pont Neuf, the same day as the annual La Nuit Blanche, until strong winds and stormy weather ripped part of the massive fabric skin covering the inflatable structure. The damage occurred while final preparations were underway. Organizers immediately postponed the opening and closed the site while engineers assessed the extent of the damage.

The tear occurred near the top of the structure, caused by high winds. Technical experts were brought in to determine whether repairs were feasible and now the opening date has been postponed indefinitely pending inspection.

This was JR’s most ambitious three-dimensional public artwork to date, involving hundreds of workers and years of planning. Because the bridge is a protected historic monument, the installation had to be designed without altering the bridge itself, making the engineering especially complex. Estimates put the project cost at roughly €10 million, funded privately rather than by the city.

As of this week, the opening has been postponed while repairs and safety assessments continue. JR’s team has said they are working to save the project and announce a new opening date if possible. The ambitious tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude now hangs in suspense while engineers determine whether Paris’s newest landmark can be repaired in time for summer visitors.

In the meantime, Les Esquisses de La Caverne opened at Perrotin Paris. At least this is our chance to discover never-before-seen artworks that tell the story of La Caverne, long before it rose above the Seine.

Galerie Perrotin
76 rue de Turenne, 3rd arrondissement
Tuesday-Saturday
10am-6pm

Stay tuned for more information!

LE PETIT MARCHE

One of my favorite restaurants in Le Marais, Le Petit Marché, finally reopened after six months of renovation. The restaurant closed beginning November 1, 2025 while the building owner, the “Régie Immobilière de la Ville de Paris” (RIVP), carried out major structural work on the entire building. The initial expectation was a reopening on April 1, 2026.

According to the restaurant’s announcements, this is not simply a cosmetic renovation of the dining room. The work involves structural repairs to the building itself, requiring the restaurant to vacate the premises during construction. The owners described it as essential work being performed by the landlord rather than a voluntary redesign of the restaurant.

I can relate. The same thing happened to me and my Paris apartment, but my renovation took 14 months! Still, the restaurant was able to open about a month later, and am I ever happy. (What you need to know is that their Magret de Canard is THE BEST.)

Like my renovation, they made no significant changes. They removed the old curtains, the walls are fresher, brighter, the banquettes are freshly upholstered, but otherwise it’s as it was and the waitstaff is the same. Le Petit Marché is one of a group by the same owners including Chez Janou, Le Petit Italien, and Le Petit Bal Perdu.

On the way there Thursday evening to meet up with friends, the rain came down, but the sun was still out. It was like Magritte’s painting, Empire of Light…and it was such a typical Paris moment! All I could do was stop, laugh, and take a few photos of the phenomena. Only in Paris.

MONEY TALKS AT THE SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL FORUM

Wednesday was the North American Expats in France Quarterly Financial Forum—2nd quarter 2026 with Brian Dunhill and myself. The topic: “It Costs Half as Much to Live in France…Learn Why!”

We went through 10 jaw-dropping savings compared to the U.S. My favorite is the healthcare comparison. Are you sitting down? France is 97% less expensive than the U.S.!

If you don’t believe me, you can watch the webinar in its entirety on our YouTube channel.

And make note of upcoming Forums. Visit our website for more information.

A SLEEPLESS NIGHT OF MOLTEN SILVER

Saturday night was the 25th edition of Nuit Blanche, one of Paris’s biggest free cultural events, running from Saturday into the early hours of Sunday, June 7th. The theme this year was love and music, under the artistic direction of Barbara Butch. More than 200 free events were spread across Paris and the Île-de-France region.

Yes, “La Nuit Blanche,” literally means “White Night,” but the real meaning is “Sleepless Night.” Created in 2002 by the City of Paris under Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, it’s Paris’s annual all-night celebration of contemporary art. Museums, churches, public buildings, theaters, and unusual spaces open their doors for free, while artists create installations throughout the city.

This year’s artistic director is Barbara Butch, who built the program around the themes of love, inclusion, and music. Ironically, the installation that many people planned their evening around is the one we could not see—JR’s La Caverne.

Le Marais is especially convenient for such an event, and is at my toes, but that’s not where I chose to be. Instead my friends and I decided to visit Le Petit Palais since the museum often creates a very different atmosphere after dark than during normal visiting hours.

With sundown at 9:49 p.m. Saturday night, it’s almost a good thing that we waited in the very long queue for about an hour before entering. The line ran all the way around, snaking past the Palais, but moving relatively quickly. Fortunately, the weather held up—not too cool and not rainy.

The primary installation on display at the Petit Palais was “Liquid Mirror,” one of the most talked-about installations this season. It’s particularly striking in the setting of the museum’s grand central garden and architecture. Liquid Mirror, by Mathias Kiss, is made of a wooden structure covered with a mosaic of mirror tiles.

What makes it so striking is that the mirrors are arranged in square modules that appear to be “melting” or flowing down the wall and onto the floor. Although the material itself is rigid, Kiss designed it to evoke the appearance of liquid metal or a cascading digital pixel field. The work plays with reflections, so visitors become part of the artwork as their images are fragmented and multiplied across the mirrored surface.

I found it worth the wait to see it. Dates for next year’s La Nuit Blanche have not yet been announced, but keep your eyes open for when it will be so you can make an effort to come for this fabulous Paris event.

FIREWORKS ON AN UNLUCKY NUMBER, JULY 13TH?!

Yes. This is an exceptional one-time change for 2026. The City of Paris has moved the traditional Eiffel Tower fireworks display from the evening of July 14TH to the evening of July 13TH so that July 14th can be devoted to the 10th anniversary commemoration of the Nice terrorist attack of July 14, 2016, in which 86 people were killed and hundreds more were injured, one of the deadliest tragedies in modern French history.

The decision was announced by Paris city officials in agreement with the French presidency. The idea is to avoid having the festive fireworks overshadow the national remembrance ceremonies planned for the anniversary.

This does not make me happy. I understand the sentiment, but the 14th is the 14th. The holiday is the holiday. It celebrates freedom for millions of people at the price of a lot of shed blood to achieve that. Instead of cowering to what happened in the past, wouldn’t it make more sense to stand up to it and show that we do not fear such terrorist acts? That they cannot spoil our traditions? Isn’t the point of terrorism…to create just this kind of reaction?

Who thought of this anyway? Ugh. Anyway, that’s my opinion and I have no say in this, so here’s the deal:

* Monday, July 13, 2026

* Concert de Paris on the Champ-de-Mars
* Eiffel Tower fireworks display in the evening
* Bals des Pompiers (Firefighters’ balls) around the city

* Tuesday, July 14, 2026

* Traditional military parade on the Champs-Élysées
* National ceremonies commemorating the victims of the Nice attack
* Other Bastille Day events, but no major Eiffel Tower fireworks that night

Traditionally I’ve gone to the Bals des Pompiers on the 13th and then spent the 14th on the Champ de Mars picnicking while waiting for the concert and fireworks to start. It’s the most fabulous display of fireworks in the world (I dare say, especially because of the Eiffel Tower backdrop). This year, one must choose between the balls and the fireworks. The parade is fun, but the fireworks are really the climax of the holiday. I intend on being there.

SEAMED EPISODES: TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

We’re part of a special double episode on House Hunters International this Thursday, “From Vacay to Permanent Stay: France and Italy.” HGTV and House Hunters International have been seaming two shows together to create one new episode—taking two of their favorites and pairing them. A couple of my shows have been paired up, the most recent airing this Thursday, June 11th at 9 p.m. EDT on HGTV.

About the episode:

Episode 2R4R17
“From Vacay to Permanent Stay: France and Italy”

“From France to Italy, international vacationers try to bottle the magic by turning their favorite getaways into full-time homes. But the reality of settling abroad isn’t all sunsets, and it might send them searching for another escape.”

In this episode, Krisi Hayden and I seek out properties in Epernay, the Capital of Champagne. Krisi loves champagne and she loves yoga. I do not love either, but she talks me into doing a session of yoga with her…which you might find amusing!

To learn more about it and view it, visit HGTV.

Note: The best way to watch the show depends on where you are and whether you want live HGTV or just specific shows. If you’re in France, HGTV is not generally available through French TV providers, but you have several options:

1. Discovery+

* Many HGTV shows are available through Discovery’s streaming service
* Availability varies by country, and some content may be branded under Home & Garden or Discovery Home

2. Max (formerly HBO Max)

* In some regions, HGTV content has been integrated into Max because both are owned by Warner Bros. Discovery
* Check the local French catalog

3. YouTube

* HGTV posts clips and some full episodes on its official channel
* HGTV YouTube Channel

4. Purchase individual episodes

* Some HGTV programs can be purchased through services such as Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video, depending on regional rights

If you want this specific show, the easiest way is usually through the official HGTV page: Vacay to Permanent Stay on HGTV.

If you’re in the U.S. The most complete access is usually:

* HGTV GO (requires participating TV provider)
* Discovery+
* Max
* Hulu + Live TV
* YouTube TV
* Sling TV
* DirecTV Stream

Have fun!

A la prochaine…