Americans @ the Tour de France

The Louvre was originally a royal palace that was built on the site
of an old castle and added to by different Kings, but with the
construction of Chateau de Versailles it became obsolete and was then
turned into a museum back in the 1700’s.

It was first given the name Musee Central des Arts, then it changed
to the Musee Napoleon and from that changed its name again to the
official title of Musee du Louvre, which is what it has been known as
ever since, although is affectionately known as just The Louvre.

Being one of the oldest and largest museums, it is home to probably
the most well-known painting in the world, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da
Vinci and has become the most famous and most visited art museum in the
world with over 8 million visitors coming here every year.

In an easily accessible part of Paris located by the River Seine,
The Louvre once again incorporates the beautiful Carrousel and the
Tuileries Gardens that are a great place for a casual stroll, yet this
means that it brings the museum outside with sculptures and statues
from artists such as Aristide Maillol and Auguste Rodin.

Most people now find The Louvre recognisable by the large glass
pyramid that is located in the central courtyard and this serves as the
main entrance to this awe inspiring Paris museum, which is in alignment
with the Champs-Elysees axis, but did you realise that it was only
actually built in 1989! And it is from this point that tourists can
access different temporary displays, the fascinating history of this
world famous museum, along with the bookshop, Le Cafe Marly restaurant,
etc, but also outside there is an equestrian statue of King Louis XIV.

Even if you are not a fan of art, you will still thoroughly enjoy
your time at The Louvre, as it houses some very impressive collections,
which include Egyptian, Roman and Greek artefacts, sculptures and other
works of art that date back to the Middle Ages, right through to around
1850.

Realistically you need at least a day, or even more at The Louvre,
as only allocating a few hours does not do the place justice, but it is
extremely worthwhile obtaining a map of the place, as it is so vast you
could end up missing exhibits you specifically wanted to see,
especially if you have time restraints, yet do not be concerned that
the exhibits are not all on one level as there are lifts to make them
accessible to wheelchair users.

Obviously there is an entrance fee, but on the first Sunday of the
month this and many other museums in Paris are completely free, however
it also gets extremely busy, but arriving early and making a bee-line
for famous exhibits like Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, will
ensure you get a good view before they get too crowded!

Yet when you need a well earned rest or need to refuel your body,
then there is an enormous different choice of food on offer in the
cafeterias and restaurants and incredibly, there are six different
cafes and restaurants to choose from, that are open every day except
for a Tuesday when the whole museum is also closed.

Whilst visiting The Louvre, do venture into the bookstore located in
the Hall Napoleon under the glass pyramid and along with visitors
guides available in more than ten different languages, it also stocks
the largest selection of books on art history in France, plus has
numerous other books, a children’s section and even sells prints made
up from the museums collection, with absolute thousands to choose from.

Now we quickly mentioned visitors guides, and if you are not fluent
in the French language, then we would say that this is a must to fully
appreciate the place, as many of the exhibit descriptions are not in
any other language bar French, alternatively, if you plan your visit to
the Musee du Louvre well in advance, you can have a guided tour that
lasts about 2 hours and takes you round the most well known exhibits,
leaving you to wander around the rest of this museum at your own
leisure afterwards.

There will definitely be something of interest for everyone at The
Louvre, including children, and it certainly lives up to its reputation
of the best museum to visit when in Paris, but do bear in mind that it
is closed every Tuesday and on national holidays, but is open from 9am
to 6pm every other day and also has a late night opening on a Wednesday
until 10pm.

France the land of over thirty thousand castles is an amazing country
to choose to hold your wedding ceremony. However a civil wedding in
France requires legal procedures and advance planning, as well as a
minimum stay of 4 weeks and blood tests to complete the necessary
documentation prior to the legal ceremony.

As this is usually difficult to comply with, many couples opt to have a
legal wedding in their own country, before jetting to France for a
religious ceremony held at an amazing location like a fairytale chateau
in the Loire Valley or in Paris and they then honeymoon in France.
Either a civil or religious ceremony in France will offer you a
romantic and picturesque setting for your special day.

A civil marriage is obligatory in France and religious ceremonies,
which are optional, are not legally binding in any way and can only be
performed after the civil ceremony. To be legal, a marriage in France
needs to be performed by a French civil authority. In practice this
means that the mayor or his legally authorized replacement performs the
marriage ceremony.

For a civil ceremony there is a requirement of residency in France
which one of the parties to be married must comply with. One of the
parties must reside in the town or the arrondissement if in Paris, for
the thirty days prior to the marriage. In addition to these thirty
days, French law requires the publication of the marriage banns at City
Hall for ten days which makes a total residency requirement of 40 days
before the ceremony can be scheduled to take place at City Hall.

Documents for a civil ceremony are as follows:

1. Birth certificate not from a hospital but from the official
government Bureau for recording births like the Bureau of Vital Records
in the United States of America.

2. A notarized “Affidavit of Law” (Certificat de Coutume), drawn up by
an attorney in law licensed in the State of residence of the party,
stating:

- that this person is free to marry

- that the marriage to be performed in France will be recognized as valid in their home country

- and that publication of marriage banns is not required in their home country, neither under States nor Federal law.

3. In the case of previous marriages, a certified copy of the death
certificate of the deceased spouse or a certified copy of the final
divorce decree needs to be produced.

4. Prenuptial certificate of health issued not more than two months prior to the date of the marriage by a medical doctor after:

- serological tests for syphilis,

- serological tests to determine blood types and possibly the presence of irregular anti-bodies,

- and further for females also serological tests for rubella and toxoplasma.

It is possible to have these tests done in France.

Regarding prenuptial agreements, if no special measures are taken by
the parties with a French Notary or an attorney at law in the States,
prior to the marriage, then they are considered married under the
communaute reduite aux acquets. This means that what each party owns
personally prior to the marriage, or whatever comes to them afterwards
through inheritance, remains their own property. Only what is acquired
during the marriage is owned equally by both parties.

All foreign documents need be legalized prior to being presented in the
French authorities. American documents can be legalized by obtaining
the Apostille provided for by the Hague Convention which was signed by
the United States on October 15, 1981. The apostille is usually
obtained through the office of the Secretary of State of whatever state
the document was issued in.

In all cases, it is recommended that the couple contact the Marriage
Bureau of City hall upon arrival in France as extra documents may be
required, such as a residence affidavit. All the documents above must
be translated into French for presentation to French officials.
Translations can be done in the United States of America by a
Translating Agency or by a certified translator in France. If the
translations are done in America the translations as well as the
original of the document must be presented to the French Consulate
General for verification.

American citizens holding ordinary American passports are not required
to obtain a visa for a trip to France as long as they do not stay
longer than 3 months. The visa exemption does not apply to journalists
or to members of airline crews no matter what the length of their stay.
American citizens holding diplomatic or official passports must obtain
a visa before going to France no matter what the length of their stay.
Other foreign nationals must check with the visa section of the
Consulate General of France.

As the legal requirements for getting married in France are complex and
may be reviewed or amended at any time, it is recommended that you
engage a competent wedding planner if you wish to get married in
France. Not only will she advise you on up-to-date legal requirements
she can assist you with every little detail for your special day.

A fairytale chateau in France is a magical location for your wedding vows.

The Seine-Maritime (department number 76) is located in the region of
Haute-Normandie and has an estimated population of 1,245,457
(approximate in 2004). The department was originally known as
Seine-Inférieure (Lower Seine) until 1955 when it changed to its
current name Seine-Maritime (Coastal-Seine) because Inférieure was
regarded as derogatory by the inhabitants of the department.

The capital of the department is the city of Rouen, with the
coastal towns of Dieppe and Le Hâvre also featuring within the
immediate area.

The landscape of the department is typically coastal as you would
expect with historic ruins and Norman castles dotting the landscape.
Along the coastline is stunning cliff scenery and half-timbered
villages.

In addition to the gastronomy offerings you would expect in
Normandy, namely the cider, fish, meat and cheeses other delectable
delights specific of the department include Bénédictine liqueur and
apple sugars from Rouen.

Why you should visit Seine-Maritime for your next holiday in France
If you enjoy sightseeing and places with an interesting historic past
then you need go no further than Seine-Maritime. Teamed with its
magnificent beaches, divine gastronomy and its close proximity to the
UK, this department is a perfect destination for a long holiday or
short break.

The department enjoys a similar climate to the UK but its location
means it is slightly milder year round. As with England, summers are
warm with temperatures in the mid 20C and in the height of the season,
temperatures can reach into the 30’s.

What to see in the Seine-Maritime:

Rouen

Rouen is brimming with monuments, medieval streets and churches.
The city is particularly famed for the Place du Vieux Marché, where
Joan of Arc was martyred. The town’s gothic cathedral was a favourite
of Claude Monet and he famously painted the cathedral’s facade at
almost every moment of the day.

One of these priceless pieces of art is on show today at the Musée des Beaux Arts.

The main routes through the city may be less picturesque but they
do keep traffic away from the prettier, medieval pedestrianised centre.

Places of particular interest include:

The Rue Gros Horloge with its big clock.

St Ouen is in some people’s opinion more impressive than the
cathedral as its interior is often empty leaving the sun to cast
colored images from the stained glass across its flagstone floor.

Place St Marc on Sunday mornings is the setting for the giant flea market with the majority of the shops open until lunchtime.

The Rive Gauche near the Eglise St Sever hosts a bric-a-brac market on Thursday mornings.

Dieppe

The major cross-Channel port is the main feature of this seaside
town but Dieppe has in some ways benefited from the arrival of the
tunnel. The seafront has been given a face-lift and the streets are now
lined with welcoming cafés and restaurants.

The château-musée is situated high on the hill top and boasts
panoramic views across the long pebble beach which is host to an annual
kite festival. Dieppe continues to be a bustling port and a large
Saturday market draws big crowds from the villages around.

Le Havre

Le Hâvre is still a major western ferry port and dominates the
mouth of the Seine. The port is a popular choice for holiday makers who
would rather spend longer on the crossing than the drive.

Places to visit include:

Eglise St Joseph

Musée Malraux (also known as the Musée des Beaux Arts) houses a fine
collection of canvasses by the Impressionists, who painted extensively
in Normandy.

Caudebec-en-Caux and Lillebonne

These lovely towns offer several attractions, some still undiscovered
to a certain degree. These include the abbey at St Wandrille near
Caudebec-en-Caux where the monks sing the Gregorian chant every day,
the surprisingly well preserved Roman amphitheatre in the centre of
Lillebonne, and the gorgeous cheese from Neufchâtel-en-Bray whose
heart-shaped form dates from the Hundred Years’ War.

Etretat

Etretat is located along the Alabaster Coast (Côte d’Albâtre) and is
famous for its chalk cliffs and needles which were popular subjects by
the Impressionists. The town is looking a little weathered but is still
worth visiting for its breath-taking scenery and selection of
restaurants.

Fécamp

The town is known for its infamous Bénédictine liqueur and guided tours
in the palace in the centre of town offers visitors a chance to sample
this tipple. Fishing boats still land their catches at Fécamp,
guaranteeing fresh seafood in the harbour-front restaurants.

Gournay en Bray

A small town, Gournay en Bray has a lovely little romanesque church.

Le Tréport

Le Tréport is located in the north east of the Seine-Maritime and was
popular as a beach resort with Parisians in the late 19th century
thanks to a rail link. Surrounded by white cliffs, the quayside houses
many hotels and restaurants that enjoy views of the fishing boats and
yachts.

Saint Valéry en Caux

St Valéry en Caux is situated west of Dieppe. The towns centre and
marina was entirely rebuilt after WWII and the nearby nuclear power
station has brought prosperity. A little further west of the town,
little rock pools can be found, which are always popular with kiddies
of all ages.

Yvetot

The capital of Pays de Caux, Yvetot, is an important market town
completely rebuilt after WWII. The Wednesday and Saturday markets take
over the central streets and it’s still possible to hear the ancient
dialect Cauchois being spoken. The circular pink church dating from the
1950s may seem an eyesore from outside but the stained glass inside
almost makes up for it.

How to get there

Holiday accommodation in the Seine Maritime is easily accessible.

By Air

Skysouth are the only direct airline and they fly six times a week
direct from Shoreham (ESH) to Caen (CFR). Prices start at around £70
for a single trip.

By Car

Driving would be the common mode of transport to get to the
department as Seine-Maritime is just a quick hop across the channel to
either Le Hâvre or Dieppe, both conveniently located within the
department.