Paris
EXPLORE Montmartre
EAT Cheese Shops, Bagguetes & the Supermarket
christina
Known as the city of lights, I’ve long had a love affair with Paris. It was one of the first cities I visited by myself when I was still a young 19 in 1997. The romantic and moody nature of the city has always been with me as I still idealize the arts and literature salons of the early 20th century. Who amongst us creatives hasn’t imagined being in those close knit circles of Hemingway, Picasso, Matisse and Fitzgerald among others that Midnight in Paris did such a great job of depicting. Returning now after more than 10 years away, and 20 years since my first visit, I can say honestly that something feels different. Not sure what it is, maybe I’m just older and seeing things more holistically through a bigger cultural lens than ever before, or perhaps it’s because we’ve been traveling so much and my vision of the planet has extended so widely. Either way, something is different. I looked into this and found out that generally, it’s just more touristy. Turns out that Paris is having a record-breaking 10-year high of visitors. There are also some critiques from Parisians, like this one, that outlines how the city has shifted over the last few decades. All are interesting elements to note, but I think the amount of tourists generally explains my feelings – it seems that everywhere that used to feel cosy and special, now feels a bit overdone and hyper-commercialized. Also, when I first came, Paris felt more localized as compared to now when global brands have taken over the Champs d’Elysee with local Parisians turned off to it and you can find McDonald's scattered throughout the city. Instead of feeling uniquely French in all ways, the city now seems to be a conglomerate of globalized consumerism mashed together with the French joie de vivre. We were only there a few days, so perhaps I wasn’t able to really dig deep on this matter – it’s just something I noticed, and something that I’m noticing in most big (and famous) cities throughout the world (have you seen Times Square lately?!).
Some wonderful things about this great city thankfully never change: taking in the sacred and miraculous Sainte Chappelle, visiting the cavernous Notre Dame, lounging in the sun around the ponds of the Tuileries Gardens, or spending time with the masterpieces of the Louvre or the Musee D'Orsay - all of which remain timeless. Wandering around the cobblestone streets and catching the wafting smell of fresh bread and chocolate croissants continues to inspire. Meanwhile, the magnificent cheese shops (and whole aisles in the grocery store!) are a taste of decadence simply not found anywhere else. On the food front, we ventured out to L’As du Falafel to try out their namesake product and many nights would have a small picnic in our Airbnb with sandwiches from the bakery along with delicious wine. These rich cultural experiences along with the savory culinary delicacies here are what makes Paris continuously transcendental (I mean canned confit de canard really?! And yes, I am aware this sounds extremely bougie.)
We took our time through Paris which was such a treat. Whether it was a daytime stroll through the back hills of Montmartre or having a coffee alongside a boulevard in Saint Germaine, we were apt to just flow with the city and get a feel for the quintessential neighborhoods that have captured the collective imagination through time. The view from Sacre Coeur remains unparalleled giving a glimpse into the sheer size of this huge city, and of course, there’s the Eiffel Tower, though we didn’t make it all the way there on this trip.
This month marks one full year on the road. It’s interesting to take note of this here, especially given it's first international city status for me all those years ago. Reflecting on that time and now, I see huge changes in myself especially as they relate to how I experience the world as opposed to "see the sights." It’s certainly a luxury to have limitless time but truly settling into the rhythm of being in a place is, I think, the best way to really travel, absorb and integrate the world. Moving away from being a tourist into flowing with the rhythm of a place gives you much more freedom in experiencing something new, and sometimes even magic happens. Being in Paris, with so many beautiful and amazing sights, I can see this shift in myself very clearly. As my friend Marissa will attest, that visit when I was 19 was filled with seeing it all - I think I even had a checklist. The wisdom of travel is truly in slowing down and taking it all in – which we definitely did this time. I’m grateful to have learned so much about myself on this journey we’re on – it relates to almost everything else that I do in life. How am I really “being” in this world as opposed to “doing?” How am I integrating what I have learned, and where will that integration take me next? All great questions and ones I assume the salons of yesteryear took on in their intimate creative circles. Perhaps if we all started to travel this way, more mindfully if you will, then we wouldn't collectively ruin the authentic unique vibe of a place and turn everything into a carbon copy experience. Fundamentally, can we move from traveling as a task to traveling as a quest?
Sainte-Chapelle
This famous Gothic chapel from the twelve hundreds was simply spectacular.
Notre Dame has special meaning through its honoring of the divine feminine. It also is reputed to house many of Catholicisms holy relics such as the crown of thorns and a piece of the real cross.
Joan of Arc!
Tuileries Garden
People were just hanging out in Tuleries Garden all day. Picnics, bottles of wine and groups of friends all enjoying the outdoors and each other.
Around Paris
Montmarte was full of history and homes of famous writers and artists.
This was a well known Falafel place with the best in France rep. It was amazing! We got our pitas and ate in the nearby park. 34, rue des Rosiers, 75004, 4th Arrondissement, Paris, France (map); 01 48 87 63 60
The restaurants were all overprice and not that great. Nothing was better then getting some fresh bread and fixings and eating at home.
Of course no visit to France is complete without going to the Louvre. The Mona Lisa was surprisingly small and getting close to it was quite a task.
the iconic Sacré-Cœur Basilica and the view from the top. The steps were quite a scene and full of people hassling tourists.
Enjoying morning coffee and breakfast in Montmarte
Street art in Montmarte
This was our go to stinky cheese spot in Montmarte!
The cobblestone streets of Montmarte.
FOOD FACTS: Paris is a fine display of the French Paradox - boasting low rate of chronic heart disease despite high saturated fat diet; some explanations include their consumption of red wine, the French style of eating and/or the saturated fats being mostly from dairy. The French also have one of the longest life expectancies of any EU country.