The Senat

Ages ago, I promised a write up of my trip round the Senat. I hadn't forgotten, dear readers (all 3 of you) who are obviously hanging on my every word.

That said, my trip round the Senat was now several weeks ago, and I've lost the handy thingy they gave out at the end with information. So, this may be a slightly more skant version of the blog post I had been intending to write. I know this disappoints you. I'm sorry. (Or, I would be sorry, but I've just come back from holiday, so I don't actually care. But I can pretend, just for you. Yes, I will share the photos and write that up too - maybe even this very evening, if you're lucky. You probably won't be.)

Anyway, the Senat. It's the upper chamber of the French legislature. There are... 340? members. (Their website tells me 343 - I think I was close enough.) And they have the job of scrutinising legislation passed by the lower house, the Assemblee Nationale, and amending it if they think it necessary. Any amendments have to be agreed by the Assemblee Nationale, and, when both houses are in agreement, it goes to the President to sign. (He can't actually refuse, though he technically has the power to do so, I think. What he can do if he hates it is sign it into law, but not implement it - not set an activation date, if you will.)

This is much the same as the process in the UK, for those of you interested - the big practical difference between the Senat and the House of Lords is that the Senat has a clock which limits the amount of time each person is allowed to speak. The Senator proposing amendments can speak for 3 minutes; each person after that has 5 minutes each to put their point across. And there's a big digital red clock counting down as they talk.

The other difference is that the Minister in the Senat doesn't have to actually explain *why* s/he disagrees with the proposed amendments - s/he can just say "I think that's a bad idea." or "Disagree" and sit down. Those of you who have seen debates in the UK Parliament will know that this does not happen there. These both sound like excellent ideas to me, and ones that should be adopted forthwith!

The building (The Palais de Luxembourg) used to belong to Marie de Medici who had it built in 1615 as a modest country home for herself and her son, Louis XIII. It was variously occupied by counts and other important people (Napoleon took it as his residence when he was First Consul of France), and during the War, it served as the headquarters for the Luftwaffe. (There are, I should add, more useful details than my scattered memory can provide on Wikipedia.)

And now, the pretty bits. Photos from the tour, mostly uncaptioned because I couldn't remember what they were if I tried...

Picture on the ceiling

These pictures are painted on leather, if I remember rightly...

Napoleon's throne:

This is the same pattern as you will see on the underneath of the Arc de Triomphe, and is reflected in the carpet on the stairs at the Senat (taken in groups of 4 steps - it's very clever...)

You, too, can go on tours round the Senat - you can certainly go and listen to them debating law if you're so inclined, by handing in your ID at reception and going and sitting very, very quietly in the visitors' gallery. The Senat website has more details on visits if you're interested, and it has a virtual tour, too.

Happy 14 Juillet!

Bastille Day, to those of us from the UK and presumably other Anglophone countries, but the French call it 14 juillet, and so should we...

I'm currently watching (on telly) the military parade up the Champs Elysees - their theme is "Overseas" this year, I think, focusing on France's overseas Departments and Territories. They've painted the Champs Elysees so it makes the bleu-blanc-rouge of the tricolore - I'm very impressed by that. Later, there will be planes flying over with coloured smoke (yeah, technical term, that, hush...) and it will all be very pretty.

Once I've finished my coffee (the main reason, obviously, that we're not at the parade in person - that and we'd never, ever see anything if we were - the view on the tv is much better), we might go for a wander in the sunshine, and we'll probably end up at the Champ de Mars this evening for a free concert in front of the Eiffel Tower and then a huge fireworks display. I think that might be a nice way to spend the evening...

So, happy republican day France, chequered history though you have with your monarchy. Happy celebration of your overseas territories, complicated past that you have with them and your ex-colonies. And thank you for painting your roads to amuse me, for giving me a day off, and for giving me the chance to watch most of Cabinet sitting looking deeply pained and trying to hide it faced with this opera singing. Vive la France!

ETA: My husband has shattered my illusions, telling me that they haven't really painted the Champs, and it's all technological trickery on the part of the TV. This upsets me, and I'm not entirely sure I believe him, but he's usually right about these things. I am hereby unimpressed with the people who painted the Champs Elysees, because they didn't. Lazy bastards.

Technorati code

This isn't anything interesting. Technorati require me to make a post with the code 2ERH75CDMW9W in it, so they know I'm me.

So, this is that.

Told you it wasn't interesting.

Carnaval Tropical de Paris 2011

Last week was the Carnaval Tropical de Paris, a mixture of anti-slavery commemoration and all-out party. 2011 marks its 10th anniversary. Normally held in the Nation area, this year, they took to the Champs Elysees, and it was brilliant.

Not as noisy or, quite, as packed as Notting Hill, I found the whole thing much more enjoyable. But then, I had pushed my way to the front of the crowd, which undoubtedly helped... My view wasn't as good as that of the rich people looking out of their Champs Elysees flat, and the guys who had climbed onto the window ledges of the bank along the route probably had a good view too, but mine was pretty good!

The sun shone, the people danced, it was a good day.