France

If you want to see some impressive room sets, then the biannual Foire de Chatou, 15km from Paris and held on the banks of the River Seine, is the place.

The Parcours de la Céramique has become a well-established feature of the Paris rentrée.

One highlight of the rentrée is the scholarly exhibitions put on at the same time as the 'Biennale' by the Paris dealership Galerie Kugel.

In Europe summer is traditionally a time of lower activity for much of the working world with schools closed and people heading off for a long break. This is especially true in France, so when activity rekindles in September the French make a big thing of La Rentrée (the return to work).

The auction season is only just getting into gear in September but as this is a hectic time of year for fairs and dealers, most auction houses are keen to capitalise on the potential footfall to the Grand Palais and the Left Bank dealers’ trails.

More than 90 exhibitors will gather at the Grand Palais in September for the Biennale Paris, France’s premier art and antiques fair.

Cristina Ortega is a specialist in Chinese and Japanese ceramics with a gallery in the rue de Beaune. Now taking part in her eighth Parcours de la Céramique, she remains very enthusiastic about the possibilities…

The Biennale has restructured as the fair evolves into an annual event. ATG talks to chief organiser and SNA president, Mathias Ary Jan, to hear how the changes are not just practical but cultural as well...

ATG canvasses the opinion of two exhibitors, one returning for the second time and a new recruit.

As France’s main tribal art showcase, the 'Parcours des Mondes', prepares for its latest staging ATG speaks to Pierre Moos, director of Tribal Art Management, organiser of the event. Moos outlines its origins, his role in its growth and how it has changed since its inception.

A well-established lynchpin of the Paris rentrée is the gallery-based, Left Bank tribal art fair known as the 'Parcours des Mondes' (PDM) staged in the small galleries that pepper the network of streets in the 6th arrondisement antiques district around Saint Germain des Prés.

All auctions are the same aren’t they? Well not exactly.

Music, in printed editions rather than autograph scores, played a significant part in raising a premium-inclusive €1.65m (£1.45m) for the third portion of the Pierre Bergé library to come to auction.

The sales held by a variety of Monaco auction houses that are a feature of the summer season are traditionally big on jewellery, cars and Hermès handbags and other luxury accessories and modern art.

Isle sur La Sorgue, near Avignon, is one of the most ravishing towns in Provence.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s much-loved tale of The Little Prince was first published in New York in 1943, with Reynal & Hitchcock issuing it in both French and English versions.

A number of the French auction rooms have released their sales figures for the first half of the year, with Christie’s Paris operation taking the top slot.