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| Eiffel Tower image: www.stevenmorris.com |
The wonderful Cole Porter song 'I love Paris...in the Spring time; I love Paris in the Fall; I love Paris in the Winter when it drizzles; I love Paris in the Summer when it sizzles..." certainly applies to me. I really do love Paris and the more I go the more time I crave to spend there. I'm very fortunate that my work enables me to travel and I've recently returned from a wonderful week in the French capital. Having overheard a snippet of conversation between two women at the airport talking about 'living the dream' I totally know why they were so enthusiastic.
At heart I am a born and bred Londoner, but the reason Paris appeals so much is the timeless continuity of neighbourhoods - the arrondissements each with their own distinctive character, the local boulangeries, and specialist food suppliers; regular street markets for the freshest fruit, vegetables and array of other ingredients; convivial cafes, independent boutiques and small shops. London is becoming a 'homogenised' city of luxury brands as increasingly high rents squeeze out the small businesses which cannot afford the overheads. There's still a respect in Paris (and indeed France) for taking the time to maximise the rhythm of the day. In a queue for anything, whether buying train tickets or bread, others waiting will offer their opinion and become involved in the simplest of transactions.
The book 'Almost French' by Australian writer Sarah Turnbull traces her own adventure of living in France. An amusing insight to the cultural challenges she experienced in moving to Paris, she recounts how the French man in her life had an "abhorrence of tracksuit pants" and goes on to explain Parisian females ability to ooze casual chic. Sarah's interview of Ines de la Fressange, fomer muse of Karl Lagerfeld, beautifully encompasses the ethos - as does Ines' own book: Parisian Chic - A Style Guide.
On this past trip though I've thoroughly enjoyed reading David Lebovitz' New York Times bestseller 'The Sweet Life in Paris' described as a 'deliciously funny, offbeat, and irreverent look at the city of light, cheese, chocolate, and other diving confections.' I highly recommend it and the appealing selection of recipes included in the text. Chocolate spice bread is high on my list of things to try. Another excellent read with recipes too is 'Lunch in Paris' by American journalist Elizabeth Bard which again is so evocative of adjusting to life in the City of Light.
Wikipedia has solved my curiousity as to why Paris is known as the 'City of Light':...'both because of its leading role during the Age of Enlightenment and more literally because Paris was one of the first European cities to adopt gas light in the 1860's.'
This is certainly tourist season in Paris with between 25,000 to 35,000 visitors a day at the Eiffel Tower, queuing for between two and five hours just to get through the ticket barrier. Perhaps if it's a case of either queue or never go at all people feel compelled to wait, tourists are apt do the strangest things. Personally I'd skip the line and use the time to enjoy experiencing the attraction from a different perspective. Lunch at Le Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor with it's direct private lift is a good way to go. Or a highlight on my recent trip was to climb the 284 steps to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and watch the 10.00pm illuminations. (The Eiffel Tower sparkles with magical white lights for just a few minutes on the hour every hour in the evening). Another great view of wider Paris is to take a guided driving tour by 2CV, the famous Citroen car and so quintessentially French. However much time I have in Paris there's always somewhere else I'd like to explore, or another gallery to see and different restaurants to try...all good reasons to return.
