The Smiling Angel in Reims

Notre Dame Cathedral of Reims
was built in the 13th-century

Notre Dame Cathedral of Reims was one of the earliest monuments registered as a UNESCO Heritage Site. No doubt it is a gothic art masterpiece but as a church, how does it differentiate itself from the hundreds, if not thousands of magnificent churches in Europe?

The Reims state seems to have the right answer because anyone who had visited the city would remember the ubiquitous image of the Smiling Angel. Her enigmatic face is on the cover of travel books, candy boxes, carrier bags and even on Champagne bottles! She is not only an icon of the Cathedral, she is a symbol of Reims.

The Smiling Angel as seen on the packaging of the famous Biscuits de Reim

In searching for the celebrated "Ange de Sourire", I spent a good hour examining the extraordinary sculptural ensemble that this Cathedral is known for. Scouring through some 2,300 pieces of sculpture on the monument was not an easy task but I finally managed to find her. There she was, right at the side entrance, standing poise and graceful as if extending her warm welcome to everyone who enters the sacred space. Whether she truly came from the medieval period or the recent past does not seem to matter to anyone. Her charming smile is irresistible.

Churches are a rich source for the study of religious iconography. For this reason, images on stained glass window as much as paintings and sculptures are important artifacts that shed light on how the society and religion were linked at the time. Unfortunately, stained glass in old churches nowadays are mostly reproductions and genuinely early examples are kept in museums as churches underwent major restoration. In 1976, Notre Dame of Reims commissioned surrealist painter, Marc Chagall, to create three stained glass windows to replace those made in the 19th-century. 

Chagall's work took six years in the making

In portraying the stories from the Old Testimony, Chagall succeeds in combining the modernity of drawing and of composition, with the hues of medieval stained glass. Although the subject matter here is different, the distinctive style of Chagall is hard to miss. A truly stunning piece of art.

Nice - a jewel on the Mediterranean coast

Being the second most visited city after Paris, Nice attracts 4 million tourists yearly. The mild Mediterranean climate and stunning landscape first came to the attention of the English upper classes in the 18th century and they are still what attracts most visitors today.

Place Massena is the main square in Nice

Nice was Italian until 1860, and the pastel facades and balconies of the Old Town have a distinctly Italianate feel. The daily market in the cour Saleya is a bustling area which transforms into restaurants and pubs in the evening. But if you are more interested in food than people watching, you would avoid eating there for obvious reasons.

Yes, they are real tomatoes

Courgette flower makes great tempura

My favourite girolles are now coming from Spain

Of the very few Michelin starred restaurants in central Nice, I was thrilled to secure a table at Flaveur which is a smart little place with no more than 20 seats. Passion, freshness and personality summarise this eatery that overlooks a lovely garden square.

Salted cod with tomato ragout

A nice selection of entrees and plats du jour including salted cod, grilled veal, poached fish and steak tartare are on offer. The play on textures and exotic notes of flavours from the garnishes are well thought out and beautifully done.

Tartare de boeuf Charolais with panisse

Fish nicoise with cream of artichoke

One of their dessert specialties - croustillant rose-litchi mousse - certainly has got the wow factor. The crispy cylinder in the centre is filled with a lychee ice-cream. The pink rosettes are rose petal mousse with the lychee fruit. A dropper containing a rose petal perfume completes the dish with finesse and style.  Flaveur, in my opinion, is a deserving member of the Michelin starred accolade.

A short walk from the restaurant will lead you to the Cathedrale Orthodoxe Russe St-Nicolas which sticks out like a sore thumb in central Nice alongside its marble-cladded baroque counterpart. Built in 1912, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral is testimony to the presence of Russian nobility in Nice since the mid-19th century.  It is an interesting fact that the church was a gift from Tsar Nicholas II who visited Nice in 1864. It remains the largest Russian orthodox church outside Russia. The exterior is of pink brick and grey marble with elaborate mosiacs.

Blending the Middle Age with the Contemporary

On Sunday mornings, to visit a church is like going to a wedding without an invitation.  After having a nice expresso on Rue Mouffetard, I decided to explore a 'religious' site of a different kind - a place of intellectual exchange.  

The College des Bernardins in the 5th arrondissement is an outstanding example of Cistercian architecture, a style most associated with churches and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Cistercian order.  It stressed simplicity and avoided any superfluous ornamentations that were seen to distract from piety.  The austere aesthetics of the Cistercians was expressed in pointed arches and ribbed vaults made entirely out of stone.

The College was constructed in 1248 when universities were popping up all over Europe - Paris, Oxford, Cambridge, Heidelberg, Bologna.  After the French Revolution, it was took over by the Government and had served as a prison, a warehouse and even a fire station. The College was completely renovated and reopened in 2008 as a catholic artistic and cultural centre.

Showing now at the College des Bernardins is a light installation Between You and I by American avant-garde artist Anthony McCall.  His simple projections that emphasised the sculptural qualities of a beam of light was theatrical and lyrical. As the viewer moved around the work in the pitch-black space, the observer would in turn become the observed as he came under the light.