Paris in May – l’embarras des richesses
A personal account by Ann Macfarlane
You faithful readers sent me amazing suggestions for my first visit to Paris. You offered a grand spread of choices – and I have to admit that we could not do justice to all of them.
Thank you, thank you again for your thoughtfulness and generosity in writing! I was touched to hear from you, and delighted to know that Paris holds such a special place in many hearts.
My friend Wendy and I arrived just in time to see 20 police vans lining the Ave. des Gobelins and police collecting at the Place d’Italie. On inquiry, we learned that a « manif » – short for « manifestation » or demonstration – was scheduled for 2 pm. It was May 1, Labor Day, the weather was 80 degrees, and people were in the mood for a good time. Chanting, drumming, dancing, flags, banners, bookstalls, snacks…you can get the feel of it from this little video.
After mingling with the peaceful crowd, we made our way to the Grand Mosque, to meet with my son and his family. This impressive building has a long history, having sheltered Jews from the Nazis during World War II. On our way home, we stopped at Les Arènes, a Roman amphitheater uncovered during the 19th century.
The next day Wendy and my daughter-in-law visited the David Hockney exhibit at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, while my son and I stayed with the baby in their apartment. We had to flee the scene when an apartment two buildings down burst into flame. Soon we had 9 firetrucks on the Boulevard St. Germain.
Good opportunity to visit the nearby Luxembourg Garden, with the Catherine de Medici fountain. The Garden, managed by the French Senate, has been a Parisian resort for centuries and certainly is a lively scene.
On Saturday, we took a little ride on the Seine in an electric boat with a pleasant guide who managed to keep us informed without using a megaphone. We found a bistro (recommended by Rick Steves, but we discovered it on our own) in the Rue Cler, before seeking out the apartment building Wendy had lived in 57 years before. Yes, she was a student in Paris during the student/union riots of 1968. Wendy observed that the metro, the monuments, and the city itself are much cleaner now than they were then, and transportation much easier.
Back at our place, I wanted to get some supplies from the Carrefour market (groceries and household items, in general, cost much less than in Seattle). As I stepped into the street, I was bombarded with hailstones, some as big as a quarter. Fortunately no damage. That evening we got to meet Julius-Amédée Laou, a Caribbean filmmaker whom my son works with and supports. He is a larger-than-life personality and treated us to a lively soiree.
Sunday Wendy and I visited the Pantheon. It is moving to me that Josephine Baker, an American Black woman who started life as an entertainer in Montmartre and served as a spy during World War II, is buried there among France’s greats. There were interesting historical artifacts, including this famous painting of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, looking over the city as she prays to protect Paris from Attila the Hun in 451.
We spent the evening at Chez Georges, a 6th arrondissement wine bar run by a family who are « parents of the heart » to my daughter-in-law. My French was good enough that we could converse, thank goodness !
On Monday we took the hour-long train to enchanting Chartres Cathedral. It is, of course, over 1000 years old and easier to access and enjoy than Notre Dame.
Tuesday we visited the Musée d’Orsay, just as crowded as everyone warned us. I wanted to get a feel for the layout of Paris, so in the afternoon we recruited a taxi driver to take us along the Champs Élysées, twice around the Arc de Triomphe, along the Place de la Concorde, and to the Paris Opera and the Galeries Lafayette. We enjoyed the free viewing platform at the top of that elegant establishment, which allowed us to see Sacré-Cœur and, in fact, tout Paris. Finished up with mille fois and religieuse pastry at Café de la Paix, feeling very turn-of-the-century in its brocaded rooms.
On Wednesday Wendy enjoyed a trip to Giverny to see Monet's house and garden. I was able to spend the whole day with my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. First we went to the PMI, a City of Paris center for « La Protection maternelle and infantile. » It warmed my grandmother’s heart to see the baby taking hesitant first steps in a supportive atmosphere. In the afternoon, we attended the marionette theatre in the Luxembourg Garden. There have been puppet shows there since the 19th century, at least. In this instance, children shouted out to the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf in full cry. All turned out well when the Wolf promised to become a vegetarian. It was a heavenly day.
Free tickets to Notre Dame are available at midnight two days in advance, and generally sell out within 20 minutes. Fortunately one of our party was intrepid enough to snag some, so we visited at 9 am on Thursday. The cathedral is just as stunning as everyone says. And we are seeing it in a condition that no one has ever seen before. Hundreds of years of candle smoke and grime have all been cleared away, and it is utterly beautiful. If you haven’t seen the PBS documentary Rebuilding Notre Dame, it is is well worth your time.
We were also able to enjoy some savory crêpes by the Seine, and visit Sainte Chapelle. We finished up our day with dinner at Le Procope, originally founded in 1686 as a coffee shop. Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson frequented the original cafe, so we felt very historic dining in its descendant restaurant.
One disappointment was the the Centre Pompidou is shortly to be closed for renovation. All the exhibits but one were packed up.
I appreciated all your practical tips, though at my age, traveling by Segway or motorcycle sidecar was not in the cards. Citymapper proved to be a hugely useful app for finding our way. The Metro was indeed clean, well-organized, and relatively easy to use, though with no elevators and few escalators, it required a lot of walking. I defaulted to taxi or Uber some of the time.
It was an extraordinary privilege to be able to visit my family, and Paris, in May, a gorgeous time of year. And thank you again to everyone who made such interesting suggestions. A return trip may be called for...any thoughts?
Books that I enjoyed in connection with this trip:
The French Art of Living Well : Finding Joie De Vivre in the Everyday World by Cathy Yandell
Every Frenchman Has One, by the actress Olivia De Havilland (recipient of the Legion d’honneur)
Frommer’s Memorable Walks in Paris by Haas Mroue, recommended to me by a friend of the author
Je ne Sais What ? A Guide to De Rigueur French for Readers, Writers, and Speakers, by Jon Winokur
Cara Black’s mystery novel, Murder on the Left Bank, which includes the Mairie of the 13th arrondissement and the Gobelins Museum, both mere blocks from our apartment.
1000 Years of Annoying the French, by Stephen Clarke