There is much more to the Ile-de-France than Paris. Here is a list of some of the exciting events taking place in the region surrounding Paris.

Through January 2, 2005 – “Chronicles of a Day”, at Musée International d'Art Naïf MIDAN in Vicq, +33 (0)1 34 86 06 22.

This exhibition features 70 pieces and illustrates the events of a day as seen through the eyes of each artist. "Chroniques d'un jour" lends fascinating insights into different artistic approaches.

Through January 2, 2005 – In the Time of Mallarmé, le Faune at Musée départemental Stéphane Mallarmé in Vullaines-sur-Seine, 33 (0)1 64 23 73 27

Inspired by Mallarmé’s poew "L'Après-midday d'un Faune", this exhibit includes paintings, sculptures and drawings of the 19th century, on the topic of fauna and the satyr, and includes works by Rodin, Bourdelle and Gustave Moreau.

Through January 2, 2005 – “The Horse, Symbol of Possiblities” at Musée Archélogique du Val d’Oise in Guiry en Vexin, +33 (0)1 34 67 45 07 or musee.guiry@valdoise.fr.

As early as the Paleolithic era, horses were not only hunted and eaten by man more than any other animal, they also featured heavily in Prehistoric art. This exhibition looks at the different ways in which horses have been represented in art over the centuries. Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9am-12pm and 1:30pm - 5:30pm, and 1:30pm-6:30pm at the weekend Closed on Tuesdays Admission: 3€ for adults 1.50€ for 7-16 year-olds.

Through January 9 – The Drawings of François Boucher at Musée Lambinet in Versailles, +33 (0)1 39 50 30 32

The Musée Lambinet will be continuing its series of exhibitions of 18th-century art with an exhibition of drawings, pastels and sketches by François Boucher (1703-1770) from private collections. The collection illustrates the diverse techniques used by the artist, from pastel to red chalk and through black stone and ink. Boucher was equally diverse in his choice of subject matter, from history and religion to paintings of women.

Through January 15, 2004 - Pleix Exposition at Le Cube in Issy-les-Moulineaux, +33 (0)1 58 88 30 00

Comprised of illustrations, video installations and electronic music, "Pleix" is an artistic collective of 7 people working in graphics and electronic music. The exhibition alternates clips and advertisements with more personal artistic projects.

Through January 16, 2005 – “Paul-Emile Borduas, the Magic of Signs” at the Orangerie du Domaine de Madame Elisabeth in Versailles, www.tourisme.yvelines.fr, contact@colonnes.com or +33 (0)1 30 83 14 67.

For the very first time in France, around fifty works by the French-Canadian painter Paul-Emile Borduas (1905-1960) will be exhibited at the Orangerie. "The Magic of Signs" looks at the career of one of the most notable figures on the contemporary art scene whose work was to have a significant influence on artistic and cultural ideas in Canada. Carried out between 1927 and 1960, the collection of gouaches, watercolors, and ink and charcoal drawings show how Borduas' style and approach changed in the course of his career. After his figurative work in the 1930s, his paintings changed radically in the early 1940s and moved towards spontaneous expression.

Through January 21, 2005 – “The Construction of Feminity in Dance” (15th-18th century) at the Centre National de la Danse in Pantin, reservation@cnd.fr or 33 (0)1 41 83 27 27

In modern Western society, dance plays an essential role throughout a woman's life. As a child she dances for her own amusement. As she reaches adolescence it is an essential part of the courtship ritual which eventually ends in marriage, and as a married women she dances to show her dignity and fidelity. In dance, the female body is not so much hidden as subtly concealed in a way that reflects her position in society.

Through January 22, 2005 – “A Whole World of Gourmands” at the Multimedia Library in Bagnolet, +33 (0)1 49 93 60 90

Exhibition of original works by Katie Couprie and Antonin Louchard, beginning with thier books. Another way of looking at the images and the books from which they are derived. A multi-media work about the universe of the authors is also proposed under the artistic direction of Katy Couprie.

Through January 30, 2005 – “Playing Through History” at the Musée du Jouet in Poissy, +33 (0)1 39 65 06 06

This exhibition features over one hundred toys and games including dolls in national costume, military figurines, mechanical toys, snakes and ladders and playing cards. French military history and in particular the Napoleonic Wars have provided inspiration for a number of toys and games ranging from tin soldiers to snakes and ladders with Alsace and Lorraine as the prize.

January 1-31, 2005 - December 9, 1905, Anniversary of the Seperation of Church and State, throughout Ile-de-France

2005 is the centenary of the separation of the Church from the State in France. On December 9 1905, the Socialist Member of Parliament Aristide Briand put to vote a bill on the separation of the Church from the State. The bill applied to the four main religions practiced in France at the time: Catholicism, the Augsburg faith (Lutherans), the Reformed (Calvinists) and Judaism. The new law put an end to the Napoleonic Concordat of 1801 which governed links between the State and the Catholic Church. The law ensured freedom of worship and laid the foundations for secularism in France. Article 1: "The Republic guarantees freedom of conscience and freedom of worship." Article 2: "The Republic does not recognize, pay or subsidize any religion".

Through March 6, 2005 – “Secrets of the Basilica, Architectural Treasures” at the Basilica in Saint-Denis, basilique-saint-denis@monum.fr or +33 (0)1 48 09 83 54

This exhibition features pieces from over a century of archeological excavations in the Saint-Denis basilica. Visitors can learn about the origins of this magnificent building which started the fashion for Gothic architecture and houses the graves of the kings of France from the 6th to the 19th centuries. The exhibition is part of "The Invisible Town, 30 Years of Archeology in Saint-Denis", a series of concerts, events and attractions. Over one hundred archeological pieces including sarcophagi, jewelry and sculptures will be on display for the first time in the very place they were excavated. The exhibition focuses on four themes: "The Origins of the Site", "The Necropolis of the Early Middle Ages", "The Abbey Compound", and "Man and the Town". The 136 pieces on display come from the archeological collections of the basilica and the town as well as the Musée des Antiquités Nationales in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Through March 13, 2005 - Xavier Boggio at Centre d'Art Jacques Henri Lartigue in L’Isle Adam, 33 (0)1 34 08 02 72

Xavier Boggio, born in 1953, is the great-grand nephew of the Venezuelan born Post-Impressionist painter Emile Boggio (1857-1920), in whose house in Auvers-sur-Oise he works. Since the 1990s, Xavier Boggio, who is also a painter and drawer, has worked on large-scale polychrome sculptures. Emile Boggio's paintings of the Grande Rue in Vaux-sur-Seine are currently on display at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Louis-Senlecq.

Through March 13, 2005 – The Route of'Emile Boggio at Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Louis Senlecq in L’Isle Adam, 33 (0)1 34 69 45 44

The Val d'Oise department - and in particular - Auvers-sur-Oise - has drawn generations of artists over the centuries, including the Boggio family. In parallel to the exhibition of contemporary sculptures and paintings by Xavier Boggio currently showing at the Centre d'Art Jacques Henri Lartigue, the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Louis-Senlecq is exhibiting works by his great-grand uncle, the Venezuelan-born post-Impressionist painter Emile Boggio. Open every day except Tuesday 2:30pm-6pm Tickets: 3.1€

These are just some of the events being held throughout the Ile-de-France. For more information, visit www.pidf.com. Media contact: Sophie Patry, 33-1-56-89-38-10 or spatry@pidf.com.