Alone on his bike, Jean-Luc Perez is about to cross France through a 2600 kilometers track. Jean-Luc's goal is to beat the record in less than five days, which implies never stopping or sleeping. What kind of fascination pushes a 48-year-old man, family man and teacher at the famous Louis le Grand high school in Paris, to ride through entire countries, restless and sleepless? Is it existential for a physics and chemistry teacher to live the contraction of space and time in his flesh and bones?
French flânerie
One of the highlights of the French Pavilion is its esplanade promenade which was designed as a flânerie (lounge) and relaxation space for visitors, adorned with endemic trees.
The groundbreaking of the pavilion was done in May last year in the presence of Elisabeth Borne, former French Minister of Transports. The architects were Jean-Luc Perez and Bernard Mauplot (Atelier du Prado Architectes) and Jacob Celnikier and Pascal Grabli (Celnikier & Grabli Architectes).
Also in attendance at the inauguration on Thursday were Amélia Lakrafi, Member of Parliament (French National Assembly) and President of the France-Emirates Friendship Group at the French National Assembly; Xavier Chatel, French Ambassador to the UAE, and French Consul General Raja Rabia.
Expo 2020: French pavilion ready for visitors
Team KT/Dubai
A view of the French pavilion at Expo 2020. Supplied photo
On April 26, the pavilion will unveil its visitors’ journey and the permanent and temporary exhibitions to be discovered by visitors
The French pavilion at Expo 2020 has completed construction, more than five months ahead of the event in October.
Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State and Managing Director for the Dubai World Expo, and Franck Riester, French Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, were welcomed to mark the pavilion completion on Thursday.
To symbolise the completion, the last tree garden – an acacia arabica – was planted on the France Pavilion’s promenade. This esplanade promenade was designed as a flânerie and relaxation space for visitors, adorned with endemic trees.