The Paris Traveler

 If you happen to be heading over to Paris this month, be warned that you are going to see an amazing amount of signs similar to this one, telling patrons that yes, indeed, it is August, we are French and by God, we are going on vacation for the entire month!!  That’s it.  Shops and cafés will draw the curtains, their owners will flee the city in search of sun and fun, usually in the south of France where chances are, the sun will actually shine and the city will feel different–quieter.  I moved to Paris in August and the …read more

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 Pétanque, is a game that captivates Frenchmen ( I am alluding to the male species as I have never seen women playing).  If you see a gaggle of men looking at the ground in various parks and gravelly areas throughout Paris and France, with very serious and concerned looks on their faces, you can pretty much bet an intense game is going on.  Cigarettes are usually involved which accounts for the haze surrounding the area.  It is a unifying event, bringing men of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds and cultures together to have their moment in the pétanque sun.  
The game …read more

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There are so many parts of Paris that are sort of alluded to in guidebooks, but as a first time visitor, there just isn’t time to hit everything.  Being overwhelmed by all there is to see and do is understandable and expected.  The little journey I am going to send you on isn’t out of the way–it’s something that you might not know to do but can easily fit into your day.  The above photo is taken from Place de la Concorde looking down Rue Royale towards Place de la Madeleine which is where you might want to go today.

 La Madeleine’s history …read more

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Awhile back, I wrote a post about a gem of a website, The Little Bookroom, which features beautiful volumes devoted to travel, food, wine, shopping and equally beautiful journals that easily inspire one to jot down thoughts that could be a future title on this charming site.
  Previously, I mentioned a book by Gilles Pudlowski, Pudlo Paris, a guide to all that is yummy in Paris–restaurants, bars, cafés and gourmet shops.  A foodie’s Paris bible if there ever was one.
Now, Mr. Pudlowski has taken his show on the road.  Pudlo France,  just out last month, is a comprehensive journey through the entire country, …read more

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Enjoy your Sunday.

Man on Wire (2008) (nytimes.com) 
France tops bill for costly holidays (timesonline.co.uk)
Eau dear! French turn on the tap (guardian.co.uk)
Gulp! Mystery oyster killer threatens to deprive France of its precious delicacy(timesonline.co.uk)
Bored by the Tour de France:  No doping, no drama (chron.com)

 
Photo credit:  s j b@flickr
 

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I’ve mentioned before, I am a bigger fan of Paris when the sun goes down and the city is bathed in a beautiful golden hue from all the creative lighting they use.  Certainly not eco-friendly and plans are in the works to dim some of that glow.  I suggest you get here sooner than later to see some of it.  If that isn’t possible right now, I am about to send you to a site that will bring Paris up close and personal, literally, while it astonishes at what can be exposed through a camera lens.  
Jean-François Rauzier, a renowned …read more

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Le Petit Palais, sibling of Le Grand Palais located right across the street, is the proverbial story of flamboyant, older sister getting all the attention and right behind, getting lost in all the elder’s drama, is the tiny flower of a girl whose beauty is total and complete and goes unappreciated until one uncovers it.  That is what happens when one discovers the Petit Palais.   
Built for the 1900 l’Exposition universelle like its neighbor across the street, it is a gem that quietly goes about its business of being beautiful and housing a wide collection of art ranging from antiquity …read more

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Starting July 21 and running until August 21 the banks of the Seine will become a sandy beach oasis inviting all to soak up some of that elusive summer sun that shines down on Paris.  Entering its seventh year, Paris Plage, once again suggests you grab a beach chair and work on that tan, get a beach volley ball team together or take advantage of the entertaining events the city has in store.  
Two “beaches” have been set up this year–one at voie Georges Pompidou (in the 4th) and the other from the Bassin de Villette to Salingrad (the 19th). …read more

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I’m not sure why, but these last few days I have been drawn to vintage photographs of Paris;  Sunday I posted an old photo from the World’s Fair of 1900, capturing the exhibition halls built along the Seine.  Yesterday, I found a series of more photos, including the one above that I had to share.  This is Rue de Seine in the 6th arrondissement, smack in the middle or thereabouts of the Saint Germain area.  Bustling, artsy-fartsy in the best way, it is lined with art galleries, small cafés and shops.  Certainly not an end to itself as it is …read more

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Sadly, I have just finished reading the latest adventures of David Sedaris, author of When You Are Engulfed In Flames.   I say sadly because I laugh harder than I usually do when I read about the misadventures of he and his partner, Hugh, as they traverse the world.  Actually, Hugh has few misadventures.  It is Mr. Sedaris that finds himself doing banal, daily things like smoking cigarettes or visiting a doctor’s office, as we all must once in awhile, however,  all hell breaks loose for this author and the mundane becomes hilarious.
These events would not be half as funny …read more

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