Part I: Introducing France in Visual Studio .NET

Generating UCC - 12 in Visual Studio .NET Part I: Introducing France

Herbie Hancock have brought down the house For details, call % 04-9214-46-46 or visit wwwnicejazzfestcom Mid-July; Nice As a world-class cultural event, the Festival d Avignon presents works in theater, dance, and music from international troupes The focus of this prestigious festival usually is on the avant-garde; tickets are pricey During the same period as the festival, another festival called Festival Off takes place It s a sort of the off-off-Broadway version with less expensive events and less established performers For details, call % 04-90-27-66-50 or visit wwwfestival-avignoncom Three weeks in July; Avignon Although primarily a music festival with a wide range of styles, from medieval to contemporary, the events of the Festival d Aix-en-Provence are more affordable than the one in the previously described neighboring festival at Avignon For details, call % 04-42-17-34-34 or visit www festival-aixcom Four weeks in July; Aix-en-Provence

Off-limits palaces, churches, and other official buildings throw open their doors to the public for two days during the Journ es Portes Ouvertes Long lines can put a damper on your sightseeing, so plan what you want to see and show up early (with a good book, just in case) Get a list and a map of all the open buildings from the Paris Tourist Office, reachable at % 08-92-68-30-00 Weekend closest to September 15; Paris The Festival d Automne is an arts festival around Paris that is recognized throughout Europe for its innovative programming and the high quality of its artists and performers Obtain programs through the mail so that you can book ahead for events you don t want to miss For details, call % 01-53-45-17-00; wwwfestival-automnecom September 15 to December 31; Paris Some 50 concerts are held in churches, auditoriums, and concert halls during the La Villette Jazz Festival in the Paris suburb of the same name Past festivals have included Herbie Hancock, Shirley Horn, and other international artists Call % 01-40-03-75-75; wwwjazzala villettecom Early to mid-September; La Villette The International Ready-to-Wear Fashion Shows (Le Salon International de Pr t- -porter) at the Parc des Expositions, Porte de Versailles, is one of the premier fashion shows in Paris For more details, call % 01-44-9470-00 or visit wwwpretpariscom Late September (also last week in Jan); Paris

Celebrate the harvest of the wine produced at Montmartre s one remaining vineyard, Clos Montmartre, during the F tes des Vendanges Montmartre You can also watch as the wine is auctioned off at high prices to

benefit local charities (Word of advice: Don t bid The wine isn t very good) Locals dress in period costumes, and the streets come alive with music For details, call % 01-46-06-00-32 First or second Saturday of October; Paris Les Voiles de St-Tropez is a regatta for antique wooden sailboats in StTropez on the Riviera It s a tossup whether the most beautiful sight is when all the boats are under full sail in the bay or when they re all docked in the harbor so that you can get a close look at their gleaming hulls During the weeklong festival, the town is full of youthful sailors from around the world, and evenings are very lively For details, call % 04-94-97-08-76 Early October; St-Tropez One of the largest contemporary art fairs in the world, the FIAC (International Contemporary Art Fair) has stands from more than 150 galleries, half of them foreign As interesting for browsing as for buying, the fair takes place in Paris Expo-Porte de Versailles For details, call % 0141-90-47-47; wwwfiacpariscom Late October; Paris

France s most prestigious wine festival, Les Trois Glorieuses, takes place annually in three towns in Burgundy and features wine tastings galore and plenty of street fairs The biggest event is the wine auction in Beaune, which attracts wine connoisseurs from around the globe Getting a room in Beaune or nearby villages is difficult during this event For details, call % 02-23-35-58-57; wwwbeaunetctourismecom Third week in November; Clos-de-Vougeot, Beaune, and Meursault, Burgundy Lancement des Illuminations des Champs-Elys es, which is the annual lighting of the avenue s Christmas lights, makes for a festive evening, with jazz concerts and an international star who pushes the button that lights up the avenue For details, call % 08-36-68-31-12 or 01-49-52-53-35 Late November; Paris