Sometime after the entree had been served at the opening-night dinner on Wednesday at the 56th Cannes Film Festival, after Harvey Weinstein had pumped half the hands in the room, and Wes Anderson, Bill Murray and Bruce Willis had entered to applause following the premiere of their film, “Moonrise Kingdom,” the pink lights were dimmed, and the waiters began weaving among the tables, carrying large, heavy blocks of illuminated ice. With their tiny interior lights glowing and embedded plastic cups holding haute cuisine soft-serve, it looked as if a fleet of toy U.F.O.’s were landing — or a deconstructed igloo. At Cannes, even dessert is a show.  More from the NYT.

From France Today: Inspired by the stunning stained-glass windows of its famed 13th-century cathedral, every night from April through mid-September the city of Chartres illuminates over a score of its principal buildings, squares, bridges and streets in a blazing swirl of brilliant colors orchestrated by lighting expert and scenographer Xavier de Richemont.

Some of the light-show projections are still, some in motion, many are accompanied by music and other sound effects, and most are astonishing. Among the must-see sights in their luminous glory are the cathedral, the Beaux-Arts museum, Saint Pierre and Saint André churches, the 19th-century theater, the Place des Halles and the 20th-century Médiathèque.

The 29 sites are scattered throughout the town’s historic downtown, and the free event starts at nightfall and goes until 1 am. Walking tour maps showing the suggested route are available at the tourist office; you can also visit the sites on Le Petit Train de Chartres for a fee.

Chartres en Lumières Every night from April 21 to September 15. www.chartresenlumieres.com

French kids don’t snack. Hard to believe, but true. They don’t snack at school, or in their cars, or in their strollers. I never saw a single French child rummaging in cupboards or the fridge. This was as true for the French children living in our little village as it was for the girls’ big-city cousins in Paris and Lyon.

“So when do kids snack?” I eventually asked my mother-in-law.

“They don’t snack, of course,” she replied. Her surprised look was a sign that I’d asked, yet again, one of those dumb foreigner questions.  Continue reading at Babble.