Oh! to wander over Paris. What an adorable and delectable existence is that! Strolling is a form of science, it is the gastronomy of the eye.” - Honoré de Balzac
While idling my time in Paris waiting for Vivien George to be declared fit for travel, I’ve managed some Paris walkabouts on particularly nice fall days. What follows is a selection of photos gleaned from those walks – mostly depicting Parisians out enjoying their special city.
Fall in Paris is a time of new museum exhibitions, fall fashion week, and giant flea markets. I stumbled across one such Grande Vide taking place on the plaza of my local city hall. This one was dedicated to children, as evidenced by an abundance of toys, children’s books, and clothing ranging in size from infant to pre-teen. But the most remarkable sight was the petting zoo. Geese, chickens, sheep, goats, and a pig mingled with curious children, their arms extended in a tentative but careful caress while parents looked on, cells phones poised to capture what might have been their child’s first encounter with a farm animal.
It's all happening at the zoo, located at the Marie de 15th Arrondissement
From what I’ve observed over these past several years, most Parisians have a great love of their outdoor spaces, which not only provide a welcome escape from often small and cramped apartments but also a space to gather with friends. Most evenings, the Champs de Mars is filled with picnic-goers, their blankets spread as they eat cheese and drink wine, waiting until dusk when Eifel tower is illuminated. As the seconds wind down to the top of the hour, voices ring out in unison – “cinq, quatre, trois, deux, une” - and erupt in big cheers as the illuminated tower comes to life with glitter and sparkle. A sense of joy sweeps over the crowd, glasses raised in a toast to the moment - I’ve even been known to get up and dance.
Susan CarpenterTo Rich FrasierIt really was great fun. I'd had several picnics on Champs de Mars but always in the daytime. The evening picnic waiting for the lights to come on and sparkle is definitely the way to go. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
When in Paris, I like to think of myself as a flâneur, a word with several translations ranging from stroller/wanderer to loiterer/loafer. Naturally I prefer the more positive definition, and think of my outings as strolls. I usually set out with a destination in mind, but most often get misdirected and/or distracted along the way. And no matter where I set out, I seem to find myself in a park.
Square du Clos Feuquières, one of several small parks in my neighborhood
Jacquie GaudetA black bass! I've never seen one before, but I wonder if my son covets one. Both his are traditional wood finish. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Though I am drawn to the parks, there is a lot to see along the way – sometimes it’s an interesting building you spy down a cross street, sometimes it’s just a different perspective at a sight you’ve walked by a half-dozen times.
The cannons at Les Invalides. Remarkably, the Army Museum at Les Invalides recently filed a complaint for property theft after discovering that two cannons, each weighing a hundred kilos, have mysteriously disappeared from an interior courtyard in the Army Museum
On the way to the Pantheon, I came across this somewhat shabby and closed Italian restaurant that was an attraction for many young people with cameras. My hunch was right - it was the restaurant featured in the TV show "Emily in Paris", a show I am somehow compelled to watch, sort of like watching a car crash
And finally, two reliable signs of fall in Paris - Fall Fashion Week and Mushrooms at the local market
Striking a pose near Gare Montparnasse, where I ran into a contingent of models and photographers. My random knowledge of popular culture doesn't extend to haute couture and I recognized no one.
I picked up Vivien George today from the great folks at L'Hirondelle Vaugirard and we leave in the morning on our last adventure of the year - a tour through some of the rivers and gorges of southwest France.
Rich FrasierYou're making me nostalgic! It's such a great city for walking and this time of year, as you have written, is the best time of all. Thanks for this! Reply to this comment 2 years ago
