Category Archives: Travel

CULTURE: FRANCE-AMÉRIQUE MAGAZINE – APRIL 2023 Issue

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France-Amérique Magazine – April 2023 – Ahead of Earth Day, April 22, we profiled five Gallic startups based in the United States and helping biodiversity, fighting against food waste, and curbing global warming. We also sat down with Tristan Grimbert, the French CEO of EDF Renewables North America, one of the leaders on the green energy market in the United States and Canada. Also in this issue, read about the 15-Minute City, a model born in Paris and advocating for livable, sustainable urban centers; discover our profile of Gérard Araud, the former ambassador of France to the U.S. and a sharp observer of international relations; and read our interview with William Christie, the American conductor who has done more than anyone else for the revival of French baroque music.

“French Classical Music Owes a Lot to American Universities”

American harpsichordist and conductor William Christie has arguably done more than anyone else for the global revival of French baroque music. He now lives in France, but on April 25-26, he will bring his ensemble Les Arts Florissants to Carnegie Hall.

Table of contents

FROM THE NEWSDESK

France Rethinks, Once Again, Its Relationship with Africa. By Anthony Bulger

COME ON OUT

French Cultural Events in North America. By Tracy Kendrick

EDITORIAL

Wokeness Dividing the (French) People. By Guy Sorman

INTERVIEW

Julie Taymor: “The Lion King Makes People Laugh from Paris to New York.” By Guy Sorman

THE OBSERVER

Why the 15-Minute City May Be Your Next Home. By Anthony Bulger

BUSINESS

Five French Entrepreneurs Caring for the Planet. By Benoît Georges

360° Travel: Lake Hibara In Fukushima, Japan (12K)

AirPano VR (March 31, 2023) – Lake Hibara is a lake located in Yama District, FukushimaJapan. It is a part of the Bandai-Asahi National Park and is the largest of the lakes in the Bandai-kōgen plateau.

A mesotrophic lake, Lake Hibara was formed as a result of the July 15, 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai. The resulting debris avalanche created a natural dam that then filled with water, submerging Hibara Village.The remains of Hibara Village still lie at the bottom of the lake.

Hikes: Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa

URBAN ROAMER (March 30, 2023) – Virtual Walking Tour on Top of Table Mountain Plateau in Cape Town, South Africa. The summit area is huge and full of stunning panoramic views around the Coastline of Camps Bay, Clifton and Sea Point.

Video timeline: 00:00​ View to City Bowl of Cape Town 00:28 Devil’s Peak View 03:15 Other side of the plateau 05:00 Twelve Apostles View 07:40 Restaurant Area on Mountain Top 08:30 Beautiful Bird – What’s the name? 08:53 Camps Bay Beach View 09:20 Lion’s Head | Clifton Beach and Sea Point View 10:30 Waiting Line to go down at cableway station 11:51 Cape Town Cityscape & Table Bay View

Also the City Bowl with its vibrant city centre and business area and even Robben island are visible from the highest point in Cape Town.

Views: A Walking Tour Of Strasbourg, France (4K)

The Traveler (March 29, 2023 Upload) – Strasbourg, German Strassburg, city, capital of Bas-Rhin  départementGrand Est région, eastern France. It lies west of the Rhine River on the Franco-German frontier.

The city was originally a Celtic village, and under the Romans it became a garrison town called Argentoratum. It was captured in the 5th century by the Franks, who called it Strateburgum, from which the present name is derived. In 842 Charles II (the Bald), king of the West Franks, and Louis II (the German), king of the East Franks, took an oath of alliance there, the Serment de Strasbourg, a text of which is the oldest written document in Old French. After a struggle for power between its citizens and the bishops in the Middle Ages, Strasbourg became a free city within the Holy Roman Empire.

Future Of Camping: 2025 ‘Grounded Aerodynamic Pop-Up Towable Camper’

Grounded Aerodynamic Towable – The unique aerodynamic expanding design offers the best of both worlds, blending low-profile aerodynamic efficiency with expanding mechanical engineering to provide you with a large, luxurious space. The hydraulic system allows for a quick and easy transition between towing and livable modes, making setup and teardown a breeze.

  • Roof contracts into aero mode when towing
  • Expands to 6.5 foot standing height when camped out
  • Remotely controllable electronics & appliances
  • 1500 watts of solar to charge up
  • Queen-sized bed
  • Bench seating with pull-out table
  • Kitchen with fridge/freezer, sink, and induction stove
  • Dry-flush toilet
  • Expected to ship in early 2025

The interior is insulated while the rooftop 1,500W solar panels power the remotely controlled electronics and appliances. Based on a modular layout, the travel trailer can be customized to suit each occupant’s requirement, fitting piece by piece according to need.

The Grounded RV’s futuristic towable is expected to ship in 2025 with a weather-resistant exterior and modern aesthetics to leave most RV makers thinking. With all the fancy antics, the interesting concept puts durability, comfort, and sustainability at the forefront, which has left the outdoorsy in me excited.

Read a review at YankoDesign.com

Design 2023 : ‘LYX HOME’ Mobile Home Concept

LYX Arkitekter (March 29, 2023) – Because LYX Arkitekter is the pioneer in finding a unique architectural solution that combines luxury, simplicity of design, and another creative feature, the brand new LYX home represents the dream of every person on this earth to have his own home and to locate it wherever they want. Thus, the company came up with the house concept which was originally inspired from a container box, but gradually evolved by smoothing the edges. 

The house is originally made from carbon fiber because of its ecological effect being better than metal, and it gives an increasingly feasible transport, it can be also combined with tesla truck for instance could make a revolutionary detour to embrace nature again and can significantly reduce the global warming.

The home dimensions in closed mode is (2.7×11.6 m) which is almost the same size if 40 feet container box, the approximate area of the home is closed mode is 32 sq.m, while it reach up to 42 sq.m in the open mode. The interior design is completely different from the ordinary motor home, it consists basically from cutouts, living room, kitchen, washing room, little dining space, and extendable bed room, with an over hanged bed all necessary equipment are concealed in the rear side of the house.

But what mostly distinguish LYX home, is the kinetic feature which allows the owner to optimize the space of their home, in addition to a remotely glass wall and they are switchable to give full privacy or full view whenever desired. For sure if you are going to live in a house it should have a power source, LYX has electrified the new home with different sources of electricity, First, it can be connected to the grid, or power supply point when it is camping.

Second, it has enough number of rechargeable batteries which can be recharged during camping or even when driving by using advanced dynamos. Third, PV solar panels on the roof. which is interactive and adjustable to fit with the best sun angle during camping mode. And it can also recharge the batteries.

 360° Views: A Walking Tour Of Seattle, Washington

4K Urban Life (March 28, 2023) – The video is an 8K 360° VR city walking tour of downtown Seattle that takes viewers on a virtual tour of 1st Street and the Riverfront, capturing iconic landmarks such as Pier 57, the Public Market and other locations.

Disasters: Earthquakes & Cyclones Ravage Vanuatu

The Independent (March 28, 2023) – The tiny Pacific island state of Vanuatu was hit by two category-four cyclones and two earthquakes over three days this month, in a devastating onslaught that destroyed homes, cut power, and impacted 80 per cent of the population.

Scientists say global heating is already making major tropical cyclones like those that hit Vanuatu more frequent. Under moderate and worst-case climate scenarios, the country is expected to lose around 20-25 per cent of its GDP from natural disasters each year, according to a recent UN report. Later this month Vanuatu’s proposal for a top international court to clarify the obligations of states to tackle climate change and the consequences of not doing so under international law will be put to a vote at the United Nations.

Vanuatu is a South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands that stretch 1,300 kilometers. The islands offer scuba diving at coral reefs, underwater caverns and wrecks such as the WWII-era troopship SS President Coolidge. Harborside Port Vila, the nation’s capital and economic center, is on the island of Efate. The city is home to the Vanuatu National Museum, which explores the nation’s Melanesian culture.

Views: Walking Tour Of Chania, Northern Crete

Uploaded on March 28, 2023: Chania is a city on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. It’s known for its 14th-century Venetian harbor, narrow streets and waterfront restaurants. At the harbor entrance is a 16th-century lighthouse with Venetian, Egyptian and Ottoman influences.

Opposite, the Nautical Museum has model ships, naval objects and photographs. The former monastery of St. Francis houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania.

Filmed and edited by: Zameer Pactyan