The Grand Palais newsletter

As from July 17, the Grand Palais' entrance hall on avenue Winston-Churchill will be open to the public all year round. For the first time ever, the public will at last be able to enter the lobby even while events are being assembled or dismantled. Passers-by will have the opportunity to admire the polychrome work specially executed in situ by Daniel Buren.
With another new visitor information feature installed in the entrance hall, you can now put the Grand Palais in your pocket and take it home! How? Through a bluetooth "hotspot", enabling visitors to download on to a mobile phone 3- to 5-minute audio sequences on the history, the architecture, and the magic of the Grand Palais, as well as the programme of events. If you're bored with traditional audio-guides, have no fear: the content offered by the Grand Palais includes entertaining interviews with high-profile personalities like Daniel Buren and Karl Lagerfeld.
Alternatively, if you live too far away or want to prepare your trip to the Grand Palais before you leave home, you can download the content from an Iphone application, or from the grandpalais.fr Web site.
Use it! It's free and will be available in English as from the end of July.
The system has been designed by Sinapses conseil and Audiovisit.

What? No lifts in the Nave of the Grand Palais? No wheelchair lifts for the disabled? Not enough washrooms? Plans are afoot to remedy these shortcomings. In February the Grand Palais launched a competition to appoint a contractor for a project to improve visitor facilities. The creation of new premises and circulation to help visitors tour the building is part of the vast ongoing restoration and development programme. On April 15, the jury, chaired by Yves Saint-Geours, short-listed four teams from the 43 bidders. On July 7, the winning bid was unveiled: the Beckmann-N-'Thépé agency, whose chiaroscuro design will aim to "define precious moments by using the interaction of penumbra and light to create tableaux vivants".
Patience, please! The first phase of the work will be delivered in autumn 2010.

For the first time in its history, the Grand Palais opened its doors to the world of roller-skating. On June 27 and 28, in collaboration with the organisation Pari-Roller the floor was transformed into a gigantic rink measuring 13,500 m2 (145,000 sq. ft.). For the 15,000 visitors, this was a moment to enjoy, celebrate and remember. With 140 pairs of in-line skates lent free of charge, the young and the not-so-young seized the opportunity to find their feet. Experienced skaters could attend workshops and perfect their technique and style. Sports that often get under the radar, like rink-hockey (hockey on roller skates) and roller-soccer, aroused the curiosity of tourists and passers-by. A highlight of the event was the 5,000 skaters of the roller parade crossing the Nave on Friday 26 June at 10:30 p.m. followed on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. by "Rollers et coquillages" whose 3,500 skaters contributed to the event's peak attendance. By the time the weekend came to a close, there was only question on everybody's mind: when do we do it again?

At the Grand Palais, there is always an insider's view. For the first time, the Grand Palais team, co-organiser of the show, tells what it is like to be both spectator… and take part!
 
She loves sport: Melvina Mossé-Caubel. Patronage officer, she took part in the Friday evening roller parade, and was one of the 5,000 skaters to set out from Montparnasse at 10:00 p.m. to cross the Nave.
It was a magical, unforgettable moment! I aimed to be up among the leaders so that my colleagues on the Nave balcony could pick me out! When we arrived at the Grand Palais, the music and the sheer buzz from the skaters gave us an enormous rush of energy, but that didn't stop the parade from slowing down to admire the size and beauty of the Nave.

A beginner: Marjorie Lecointre. Director of communication, patronage and partnerships, she took her first steps in the demanding art of skating, making light of her colleagues' mirth.
The first thing was to get into all the protective gear (helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, hand protection). A quarter of an hour later I was ready and off I went. My skating style was slow and rather wobbly, but it seems I have good reflexes (the organisers, who are astute managers, were very encouraging). So I built up some confidence and narrowly missed disaster: it must be great once you've really mastered the technique.

Daredevil: Isabelle Stibbe. Publications and external relations officer, she zoomed across the floor
The problem was that I hadn't been on skates since I was eleven. That was the old days; there was no such thing as in-line rollers. At the time I broke my wrist, but with the protective clothing lent by Rollerblade, I felt completely safe. That's where I got it wrong! With the speed and excitement I got a bit carried away and came down with a whack on the concrete floor. My superb bruises earned me a new nickname: Smurfette! (NB after the cartoon character in the blue Smurf family)

A witness: François Tomasi. Our regular photographer at the Grand Palais had to forego his sacred week-end lie-in to get some shots of Pari-Roller.
I fancied trying the skates but I figured it would be hard to get proper shots if I had to worry about keeping my balance and focusing at the same time! From the Great Staircase, the roller parade looked like a giant ant-hill, and through the zoom lens, I had the impression that 5,000 people were bearing down on me. Scary!