France in Haifa – Itinerary by Naama Sobol

“You need to walk the streets of your city
As if it were a foreign city
To enter a cafe
Sit back and see what happens.
Maybe a girl you don't know will come in.
Smile at you and sit from a distance.
You can imagine what you would do,
You can also get up and go.

You probably won't come.
But that's not the point.
Think it's abroad.
And that's okay.
Everything is fine”

(From the song “Abroad”, lyrics: Dan Toren, composition: Yuval Messner, performance: Balagan Band)

So how did I start looking for Paris in the city of Haifa?

It all started on my last birthday.
Due to the bad weather, we decided to celebrate in the city and went to have a spoiled breakfast at the Santa Maria Cafe, located near Stella Maris, in Carmel French. For lunch, we dined at the Swiss-French restaurant Walla with friends. So far, have you noticed a certain pattern here? Because I haven’t.
In the restaurant to his right sat the Francophile. I recognized the Francophile by secondary but clear signs. Across from him sat Ruth Shimoni, my culture teacher. France From time immemorial, there have been many bright and beautiful people in the field of French.

This is where the fallout occurred.
Ruth recognized me as her former student and blog owner and introduced me to the Francophile.
From that moment on, we didn't stop talking and even spent the remaining half of the day exchanging experiences and ideas. I was given the great honor of being asked by the Francophile to write a post here about Haifa's French connection.
It turns out there's a lot more to it than you describe. So let's start the tour, you say?

First stop – a little history at Paris Square

I always write inMy blog Everything in Haifa starts in the lower city. In this case, too, the above rule of thumb is true. Paris Square was and always will be a very central square in the lower city and in Haifa in general. It was built during the Ottoman period and until 54, its name was Hamra Square. During this period, it was a center for bustling urban trade. Horse-drawn carts and vendors from the villages of the area would arrive with a variety of goods, and a colorful market was held in the square on a regular basis. Another function of the square was a bus stop. From there, carriages and stagecoaches would depart to many places. There were also stormy demonstrations in the square. In 54, due to the decision to build the Carmelit, Haifa's subway, the square was renamed Paris, as a sign of respect and the friendly relations that prevailed between the countries at the time. The Carmelit, which is actually an underground cable car, a funicular, was built by a French company at a relatively cheap price. Today, there are a variety of places to eat in and around the square. If you want to feel a little cosmopolitan, you can visit Soudan – a place for gastronomy lovers and an institution in its own right. You can find there Cheeses Many French women, great wines and ingredients to prepare a French meal as it should be.

Second stop – Provence in Haifa’s Lower Town

Did you know that Marseille is a twin city of Haifa?
Both are port cities that stretch out over a relatively sunny bay and have a comfortable Mediterranean climate.
Shahar Sivan, a chef and artist, decided to fulfill an old dream and establish Vania – a bistro near the sea and the port. He defines his cuisine as Provençal that blends in with the Israeli environment (lots of touches of Palestinian food and Eastern European Jewish food). For me, Vania is simply a culinary continuation of Studio Namle, the studio that put Shahar on the map of the city center and you have to come there on Mondays for the model evenings that still take place there to understand. Shahar’s roots are half-French and you can see it in his explosive Joie de Vivre. Sometimes Shahar comes out of the kitchen, sits next to the customers and has a drink or two with them. Maybe you’ll manage to catch his attention. Tell Naama sent you.

When you dig a little deeper, it turns out that the whole idea of ​​living the good life to the fullest flows like wine through the Sivan family's veins. When you get to know Moti Sivan, Shahar's father, you immediately understand how Shahar is what he is. Moti, a true Francophile who is married to Shoshi, a Frenchwoman by definition, discovered French culture through cooking. He channeled his midlife crisis into volunteering at the best restaurants in the country (Rafael, Yoezer Wine Bar, Keren) alongside Shahar, who worked in some of them (Rafael). At some point, he decided Learn French Then he was captivated by the French charm, obtained citizenship, went to France to study cooking, and continued with the wine field, where he also volunteered and studied – in Israel and in France. Today, he has a winery in Latrun and produces his own Chardonnay wine, which is served during the harvest season at the Vanya restaurant and other places in the lower city under the name “Moti Wine.”

Third Station – The French Carmel: A Country in Miniature

There is an entire neighborhood in Haifa dedicated to France and French culture. The French Carmel neighborhood is named after the patronage that the founders of the Carmelite monastery located there received from the French consul, who helped mediate the negotiations for the establishment of the monastery with the Ottoman Sultan in 1769. The street that leads into the neighborhood from the west is “France Road,” and in addition to it there are many streets named after French figures such as Emile Zola, Edmond Peleg, Jean Zors and many more. In the 30s, most of the area on which the neighborhood is located was owned by the Carmelite Order.

In the heart of the neighborhood, the Gaston Defer Institute of French Culture was established. You can take French courses at various levels at the institute, and of course there is a library for visitors. It is also a meeting place for French people living in the city, and there are various events on important days such as Bastille Day and the Beaujolais celebrations. In the commercial center of the neighborhood, you can find Zebra – the bistro bar of Gilles, a Haifa chef of French origin who also runs the French theater in the city. Gilles’ cooking is Mediterranean style with a French touch, as he defines it. It is highly recommended to stop there and eat the excellent gratin and tarte tatin, which are sold at affordable prices. In addition to the food, the place also hosts performances and exhibits.

Fourth Station – Carmel Center: The Alps are here

The Alps are a mountain range in south-central Europe, running from east to west through the countries of Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and France. The Jura Mountains between Switzerland and France are geologically considered part of the Alps, but geographically, on the other hand, they are considered an independent mountain range. In the center of the Carmel, the Jura Mountains exist in the most delicious configuration imaginable. Walla Restaurant is a kingdom of Swiss-French food whose first incarnation was on the Nordau pedestrian street in Hadar. It was established in 1988 and was perhaps the first haute cuisine restaurant in Haifa. I and many others experienced our first gourmet meal there. My meal included pickled salmon served as a carpaccio with capers and creamy horseradish, wonderful breast of moulard in a honey and cherry sauce and a winning lemon cake. In the current branch, which reopened in 2010, they manage to do the unbelievable and simply maintain the level and the classics and also manage not to rest on their laurels and innovate with specials and fresh dishes. You can eat fondue as usual in the restaurant of three types (meats, cheeses, chocolate), rosti pastry - a Swiss classic, and you must not, simply must not, give up the date dessert with whipped cream and brandy. If you want to spend an intimate evening with your partner, ask for the second floor, where you will enjoy film classics such as the Phantoms films in which he starred. לואי דה פינס The one and only. At Vala, you will always be made to feel like guests, not just customers. And if you ask nicely, they will treat you to liqueurs that they make on the spot from fruits and herbs such as currants, cranberries, soursop, and many others.

Fifth stop – Valley of the French Sun: Ruth Shimoni

I must admit that I am a Francophile – even if only a little one. My French craze began when I was studying at Alliance High School in Haifa. I had the good fortune and honor of being a student of Ruthie Shimoni – a powerhouse in the field of French culture and a Haifaite in the past and present. Ruthie is the person who breathes and lives France and its culture. From the age of 9, she felt the magnetic attraction like a “lightning strike” to everything that smelled of French culture – oozing from it, and this – due to a family visit to Paris. From there – the road was short, to continuing her studies at the Alliance School in Haifa – where the French language and culture were taught with emphasis. And this despite the fact that she lived in the Krayot area at the time and the road to Haifa – took about an hour. Then came the university degrees and a return to Alliance School – this time as a teacher of French history and culture and as a leader of the Kih student delegations to Paris. At this point our paths crossed and Ruthie also taught the tenth hour of French culture, which was only permitted. I waited for this weekly hour with bated breath. For me, Ruthie was a colorful and beautiful ray of light in all the grayness that dominated my middle school years. Whether it was the chansons she brought and played, or the flavors of the Camembert cheese or the amazing photos of you falling in Paris – I don’t know… Apparently the combination was what made the difference. Ruthie continued with the “French Connection” as she lectured, in her own unique way, in various chairs – on the charms of Paris, on various regions in France – all accompanied by colorful presentations and incorporating so many layers of knowledge. Naturally, hosting on television programs also came – 4 meetings with “London and Kirshenbaum” and two more on lifestyle channels. Today she serves as an authority on everything related to French culture. When I ask her when her passion for it began Paris, she replies without hesitation: “From the previous incarnation” and quotes a beautiful text by Jacques Yonne that was translated for her by the poet, translator, radio personality and also a good friend of Ruthie – Dori Manor: “To penetrate the heart of a city, to capture the subtleties of its secrets, one must be patient with infinite grace and patience – which is often discouraging. One must feel (the city) without guile, to caress it without any hidden intention, and so on and on for centuries to come.” The entire conversation with Ruthie ranges from quotes to poetic and honest descriptions of the longing and intense love for Paris and France, and I don’t think there is anyone who can’t simply fall in love with France after listening to Ruthie, even if only for a short while. It is highly recommended to attend one of her lectures, where she enchants the audience with thoughtful and colorful presentations, especially the culinary ones – a feast for the eyes and palate!

Sixth stop – A tour around Haifa with Zvi – Lower City, Hadar and French Carmel

I first met Zvi Petrkovsky, a singer, actor and Haifa pride in general, at Shahar Sivan's studio, the ant we talked about a little above. His dog Dartnein is an even more serious celebrity than him and participates in his owner's performances and plays. Zvi has his own band called "Zvi and the Escort Boys" and is a true chansonnier who also performs Chansons Classics and also writes and composes his own. His first and only album so far, Current+60. We highly recommend it to anyone who misses the magic and nostalgia in this frenetic life.

The song that became most famous from it is “Stairs of Spinoza,” and it can be said that in some way it is a musical summary of this post. Zvi tells what brought him to write the song: “The song was written while I was handing out flyers in Kiryat Shmuel for the pizzeria I had in Kiryat Motzkin. I’m originally from Haifa and although we moved to Kiryat when I was quite young, I continued to spend a lot of time in Haifa because my father had pastry shops on Bar Kochba Street or Yalga Street (I don’t remember anymore) and also in Sprinzak. The inspiration for the song was probably the French chanson that I heard a lot of at that time. I can’t say which of the singers influenced this song. I heard a lot of French music then and still do – Charles Ternay, Jack Berle, Georges Brassens and Leo Pere…”

And finally, we brought you the lyrics of the song in its entirety so that you too can enjoy it. What's up?

“If you’ve always dreamed of going to Paris, but the furthest you’ve gotten was a French Carmel.
If you've always dreamed of climbing The Eiffel Tower, but the highest you reached was the Tower of the Prophets.
If you've always dreamed of eating a real butter brioche, but you've settled for a rugelach at the local pastry shop.
If you've always dreamed of pinching a waitress's butt and still getting a smile and a bottle of Chateau Margaux '65 instead of a night
In the cell he was arrested in Kishon.
If you've always dreamed of all of these then maybe this song isn't for you, maybe you'd better catch Air France
And go to Paris, I sing for those who remain.
The Champs-Elysées doesn't do it for me, not even with all the lights.
And Haifa Street is not Parisian, but it has no less
There are fishing boats moored at the docks like ducks on a lake.
There are sands from the sea that the wind will carry around the world.
Independence Street is full of old soot, types of tobacco and drinks
And in mouse dens all the sailors drink alcohol to their fill.
And sing the song that always reminds me of how I chased you around the city.
And how did you, with all the posing on the Spinoza steps, go up to the French Carmel?
The Champs-Elysées doesn't do it for me, not even with all the lights.
And Haifa Street is not Parisian, but it has no less.
Yes, Haifa is right, not Paris, not Lyon, not even Tel Aviv.
But when there is less in it, there is more in it, I don't consider the rest.
Yes, if you suddenly get depressed, that's true. Yes, Haifa is not always colorful.
So we'll catch a cab and go downstairs and dance in Paris Square.
The Champs-Elysées doesn't do it for me, not even with all the lights.
And Haifa Street is not Parisian, but it has no less.”

A few words about Naama Sobol

Naama Sobol is a blogger who aims to disprove the saying “there’s nothing to do in Haifa.” Luckily for her, Haifa has been helping her a lot with this in recent years. To show everyone the beautiful side of Haifa, Naama writes A blog that is all about Haifa, conducts city tours and coordinates the Jane Haifa Walks with other friends. As a graduate of “Alliance” and a student of Ruth Shimoni – Naama sees herself as a living embodiment of French culture with all that this implies and dreams of visiting the real Paris.