Midnight in Paris: Time Travel Not Included

Across the Seine, all of the lights

I've been back in the UK for two months now, and when I look back over my time in Paris, one moment really sticks out: my final evening. Knowing I was leaving, and having made the most of my day in Montmartre, I invited some of my favourite Parisians out for a celebratory evening. We began, late-afternoon, on Île-de-la-cité drinking something sparkley.

Île-de-la-cité is one of the two little islands in the middle of the Seine. It's home to Notre Dame de Paris and is the centre of the capital*. There is a fantastic book, The Seven Ages of Paris, that explains the history of Paris in a really great way. Thanks to this modest knowledge, when I'm there I  imagine I'm where it all started. Before Revolutions, Sieges, World Wars, Piaf, Artists and the Palme d'Or. This island really is the heart of Paris and has a magical quality, but then I'm a Paris Romantic.

So we drank above the flowing river and under the bizarrely-placed willow tree before heading off to eat in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Obviously lovely company, lovely food, lovely wine all created a perfect final night but really, it was the ending that made it so special.

Do you remember when I took a bike ride around Paris? I was desperate to cycle but afraid to go at it alone. Well I finally rented a Vélib'. The remaining three of us giddily set off searching for our rentals. In a perfect twist of fate/destiny/timing we pedaled off to la Tour Eiffel, arriving just in time for the midnight sparkles. Clichéd? Maybe. But beautiful and memorable, which is enough for me.

Christmas Trees and Giant Broccoli taking over Paris one monument at a time

 *Disney fans, can we just take a moment to remember The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Esmarelda's map necklace. Did it really take them so long to figure out that it was Paris? The thread was blue for goodness' sake. Poor effort.

Behind the Sacré Cœur: finding Montmartre

What will I find hidden?

I visited Paris on a school trip when I was 12 and remember everyone wearing bérets, having our caricatures sketched in the Place du Tertre and forcing down tiny coffees on the steps under La Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. We felt fabulous and French and I loved it. But Montmartre divides the population. It's not what it used to be, they say. The magic is still there, hidden away, say others. So on my final day in Paris, I grabbed my camera and wandered around without a map trying to stay away from the hilltop until the final moment.

 

If there aren't many people, you've found the right place. The old village where 19th century artists all flocked, selling their paintings for rent and meals, joined into Paris as it expanded. Stepping away from Boulevard du Clichy, you soon find the village taking over from the peep-shows.

Shops, vineyard and the Sacré cœur - but not how I remember it.

It was a lovely place to wander around with surprises popping out all over the place. A vineyard, sculptures, murals. A great spot for this flâneuse.

Le Passe-Muraille (The Man Who Walked through Walls) was sculpted by the actor Jean Marais apparently which is just mind-blowing to me - why isn't this more well-known? This statue commemorates the intriguing story by Marcel Aymé written in 1943 about a man who can - would you have guessed it - walk through walls.

Love from all over the world

I finally found myself arriving at the back of the SC and was surrounded once again by Paris's tourist population. I'm not one to shirk the mainstream and I believe usually things are popular for a reason. It can't be denied it's pretty magical atop that hill and the view over the rooftops of Paris is one of my favourites. I never could quite detach myself from my tourist persona in Paris - the fact is that it still remains totally magical and other worldly in my eyes. So never quite a Parisian, but I tried to become more than a tourist and it ended up being quite a nice space to occupy.

Crazy crafts and time flying

I'm back in the UK for my internship now and suddenly, with a 9-6 job and a commute, I find myself falling behind with my little Paris scrapbook. But I'm determined to keep going and don't want to lose all my lovely photos so will persevere to get the memories up here.

Flashback to a lunchtime break in the Jardin du Luxembourg with the lovely Melissa before our Versailles lecture. We nattered by the pond for a couple of hours where a very crafty man had displayed his handmade ship by the water. Matchsticks, lego, Hello Kitty, soft toys and rigging. He was very proud of his creation and encouraged me to snap away.

Very awesome. You might spot in the first picture, there are the little flags he encouraged people to design and stick on the mast. Passer-bys kept stopping to admire and the fact that you could add a little something made it all the better for kids, but also for the more grown-up kids, like ourselves. Good job, Monsieur!

100 Days in Paris

My sky

Today, Wednesday 21 May, marks my 100th day living in Paris. I guess that 100 days isn't really an anniversary of any particular importance (other than the fact that everyone loves a round number) but #100happydays is trending on my Facebook homepage so let's commemorate. Yes, I know I'm mixing up my social medias but I'm radical that way.

I can honestly say, my time in Paris has been one of the happiest periods of my life. My French has improved, I've met lovely people, and done plenty of unexpected things. But it has been a difficult period in other ways, with lots of rushing back and forth to England to be with my family. As I reach this point, it's easy for me to say that blood will always come before Paris but I'm thankful this city has always been waiting to welcome me back. As I begin to count my days down here, I am clutching onto anything Paris offers me.

Here are some photos from off the tourist route. These are all shots from my bedroom window. The 28th floor certainly gives me quite a view. It looks out to the east of Paris so don't go scanning for the Eiffel Tour, it isn't there. My post today is inspired by the rain that is currently pouring down after a week of beautiful sunshine.

The rain in Paris seems to come out of nowhere, chucks down heavily and disappears. And I see it all from my apartment in the sky and it has become one of my favourite things - rushing to window when I hear it begin. I don't really have a point and I don't want to turn it into a metaphor. Let's just enjoy it...

tl;dr I like the sky.

DisneyLand Paris / DeeznayLond Paree

Just like real life

Depending on the day you ask, my top five Disney films are: Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Tangled, Frozen. As much as I appreciate the older classics, you can tell I was born in the 90s. The Fates were on my side last week as I met a Finnish girl who, with her annual pass, could get me into DisneyLand for the lovely little price of 21€ on Sunday. I have been to the American parks in Florida and California but it was over ten years ago and now that I am A Grown Up, it was time to relive the magic. If you are a Disney-sceptic, please be so kind as to turn back now because what follows will be unabashed enthusiasm for everything.

Monsieur Disney et Mickey Mouse

Since my friend was an expert, we had a complex plan involving Fastpasses and Tactical-Park-Moving that I've completely forgotten but that meant that we easily saw everything we wanted to, even leaving time for a leisurely cocktail. Turns out I love a good adrenaline rush and my highlights were The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and The Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. But the smaller rides are still pretty awesome with special shout-outs to the Le Carrousel de Lancelot and Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains. Just like the names of the rides, the whole park is in a mixture of French and English which was fun. The French C-3PO is pretty charming.

The perks of being A Grown Up: Disney cocktails, staying up late, last métro home

The park quietened down as it got darker so we made the most of it with a peaceful wander through La Cabane des Robinson which was the Best Tree House Ever and if they posted it on airbnb, I'd be there. It all felt so magical at night with the copious amounts of fairy lights and instrumental music. We settled down for the fireworks show. If you don't well up then your heart is frozen cold and we need to get you to Pabbie, the troll king, ASAP.

Projections! Fountains! Music! And a few explosives...

A Mouzaïa wander and a Buttes Chaumont picnic

Mouzaïa in the 19th: a hidden village inside Paris

At the recommendation of one of the women that I live with, I grabbed my camera and spent an hour exploring the unusual neighbourhood which centers around Rue de Mouzaïa. Behind concrete tower blocks, you can find this little haven of flowers and felines. There were no tourists, and I even got some funny looks as these Parisians are certainly not used to having their territory snapped.

This area makes a fun change from the beautiful (but repetitive) Haussmann style of central Paris. Little pedestrian alleyways run off the main street and meandering up and down them, you'll find cute gardens and houses better suited to a village far away from the capital. There are plenty of helpful signs warning you about the dangerous and savage animal population, so thankfully I knew to watch myself around this wild cat.

The charming details of the villas

 I saw families playing in their gardens which is certainly something you miss in the city where a private garden comes with a hefty price tag. The charm is in the detail so this is not a place to visit if you're in a rush but is a great add on if you're heading to the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. As I happened to be...

Parc des Buttes Chaumont

 I had been invited to a little picnic and so four ladies gathered with wine, bread, cheese and radishes for a thoroughly French meal. We nattered away until dark, until we were kindly welcomed back to one of the girls' pad for snuggles with her cat. Lots of wine was had, and the next morning, I had about 50 blurry photos of that cat. A good time indeed.

Wine and whiskers

Un weekend à Paris: Canal Saint-Martin and Jim Broadbent

Canal Saint-Martin: the picnic and protest edition

 Les tous petits plaisirs. If you haven't seen Amélie, you need to correct that immediately and learn to enjoy the small pleasures in life. Such as skipping stones on Canal Saint-Martin. My classmate very wisely proposed a picnic by the canal last weekend and so we ate our Sésame bagels, chat about life and watched the world go by. A gorgeous afternoon, enjoyed with many Parisians. Protesters marched past, stylish kids scooted along and boats passed through the locks. Simply charming!

Popular with the locals, we searched for an empty spot

My weekend in Paris was finished with Roger Mitchell's Un week-end à Paris, newly released here in France but came out in the UK back in October as Le Week-End. I was completely enchanted by this film. Beautiful shots of Paris, a honest look at a long-term relationship, and quiet humour. I loved the throwback to Godard's Band à Part and I now dream of recreating the dance scene in a little bistro. It was a film that I wanted to instantly see again once the credits rolled and think if, like me, you enjoy New Wave films, Jim Broadbent or Jeff Goldblum do not miss this!

Blue Bike Tours, Paris à vélo

Blue Bike Tours, their bikes are indeed very blue.

The wind in my hair, speeding around little street corners, pinging my bell at tourists - Paris on a bike was certainly a tempting idea for a Sunday morning in springtime. Except, bicycles are deathtraps. Whilst I love them, I am not a confident cyclist and still have a lovely scar from my tumble in Pushkar. So, thinking safety in numbers, I signed up with the Blue Bike Tours company for a 'Secrets of Paris' tour. 

I can't recommend them enough. Our guide Sonia was as cute as a button, gave me such fab Paris tips and we had a lovely little ride around the Latin Quarter and the Marais. I felt so safe on my bike (who was named Marie Curie) and afterwards I was pretty convinced that Paris is a great city for cycling.

We began at Gare d'Austerlitz then set off along the canal before we stopped on le Pont de l'Archevêché, otherwise known as one of the Love Lock Bridges. I have never added a padlock to one of the three Parisian bridges that lovers grace with their padlocks. I think it's a cute idea however I've also heard that the bridges aren't really build to withstand that kind of weight so... falling into the Seine, not such a cute idea. But it looks cool.

Le Pont de l'Archevêché and its view onto Notre Dame

Staying rive gauche, we went to every tourist's favourite bookshop Shakespeare and Company. Now, this shop is awesome; it has little nooks and crannies perfect for reading, typewriters, hidden (and-not-so-hidden) notes and a lovely cat. But it is also very expensive and very touristy so prepare to use your elbows to get to the good bits. 

Shakespeare and Company, complete with Kitty, open piano and writing hideouts

 

The tour circles around the Latin Quarter and Sonia gave us lots of brilliant little factoids and stories. We finished in the Marais and walked our bikes through the unusually packed Place des Vosges where the sun-worshippers had flocked.  The tours lasts about four hours with lots of stops to take photos and a longer stop midway for a lunch. I was joined by a Welsh couple and a Parisian family of five so with only eight people you don't feel like too much of a peloton. Highly recommended, next step is braving the Vélib...

Place des Vosges, housed my Parisian, Monsieur Victor Hugo

Jardin des Plantes: home to a thousand and one orchids

The mysterious gazebo atop the labyrinth may cause expressive dancing

Sunshine hits the 5th arrondissement

To profite bien du soleil, after my classes I headed to the Jardin des Plantes to soak up the vitamin D along with every other Parisian with a lunch break. This garden has a pretty rad history, thanks to the little Menagerie. This zoo housed all the animals that survived the French Revolution in the Royal Menagerie of the Château de Versailles, although most had been eaten or sold. Whilst it was being constructed a lion, a polar bear and a sheep (amongst others) had to live in harmony in the basement of the museum. When it was finally ready, visitors apparently spat at the lion and yelled obscenities at it since it represented the guillotined Louis XVI, and he too, was once the king of the jungle.

However, not one to release my anger on wild animals, I popped into the Mille et une Orchidées exposition to admire the crazy selection of beautiful orchids. I was definitely the youngest person there by around 65 years, however since watching this awesome video about Marianne North, I have decided that flowers are basically The Best Thing Ever for a young lady to enjoy. Transported to the Tropics I wandered the expositions in an absolute daze - the sudden warmth, the sweet smells and the complete confusion of having just stepped out of Paris and into a jungle. Magical.

Mille et une Orchidées

Only missing a paint brush...

Tea Time in Paris: A Priori Thé

Galerie Vivienne

On a rainy afternoon in Paris, what could be nicer than a spot of afternoon tea? A very international group of twenty-something girls met in the Galerie Vivienne, one of the many hidden passages in the second arrondissement. In the 18th century, these passages were popping up all over the city, turning it into a shopping labyrinth. Of those that survive, some are definitely of the shabby-chic variety but the beautifully preserved Galerie Vivienne's amazing mosaics and grand architecture transports you back to the belle époque.

We headed to A Priori Thé (a nice French pun to show that tea is an absolute priority) for small talk and scones. After indulging, I wandered off with a Swedish dancer I had just met to explore and admire the curiosities in the windows of Galerie Vivienne and other passages in the area. If you fancy a little window shopping away from the tourist crowds, this is the area to delve into - old maps, faded books, retro toys and lots of lovely treats.

Magical mermaid skull and hot-air balloon voyages - some of the many delights to be found

Studying French at the Sorbonne

The Sorbonne

My Language School

So I'm in Paris to brush up my French skills which have been unsurprisingly neglected since my graduation last July. Tempted by the prestigious name of the Sorbonne, I enrolled at the Cours de Civilisation Françaises de la Sorbonne to follow the 'Cours Complet with a specialisation in Business French' for the Spring Semester.

I was a little hesitant about signing up since I felt I'd been running on the educational hamster wheel long enough, however this seemed to be different enough to jump back on for a few more months. My decision was actually inspired by a British woman I met in India who, like me, studied French at university and worked as an au pair for a French family. Despite having had very similar experiences, I was jealous of her living in the capital during such an exciting period of history. She was an au pair in Paris in 1968 and enrolled in the CCFS. She said she was badly paid and so after strolling the baby up and down the Champs Elysées, her only treats were her trips the the cinema. Woman after my own heart! Whilst I can't relieve the excitement of the Cinémathèque Française in the 60s, I certainly can study French at the Sorbonne. And go to the cinema. A lot. Like, everyday for my first week.

After two weeks of classes, I couldn't be happier. My French teacher looks just like Frozone (including chic turtleneck) and today I had a lecture from a man in a cravat who, whilst the students were filing in, played harpsichord music. En plus, the French practice is pretty great too.

Lunchbreak in the Jardin du Luxembourg

The flâneuse in Paris

A rather gloomy day of sightseeing in the City of Light marked my arrival in Paris. I've been here before, many times, thanks to my Erasmus year. But never to live permanently. Well... perhaps permanently. TBC.

The first thing on my list was the exhibition of Brassaï photographs at the Hôtel de Ville. Amazingly, I found myself among Parisians on their lunch breaks and not another tourist in sight; although maybe they were just blending in as well as I hoped I was...

I studied Brassaï's work at university in my favourite module with my favourite teacher which really helped me enjoy my afternoon there since I am a bit of a photography novice. This is not a review, although it is brilliant and I recommend it heartily! But in bringing back my memories of this class, I remembered the flâneur. 

The image of the stroller, an urban-explorer, obviously appealed to the romantic student in me and has stuck in my head ever since. The flâneur wanders the city and observes its people, its everyday existence but from a distance. He is detached and objective. In my seminar we discussed the lack of the flâneuse, where are the women wandering the streets of Paris? Well, it was a pastime that only rich and educated men could undertake.

So, welcome to the 21st century. During my stay in Paris, in my wanderings of the city, I will become a flâneuse and enjoy all that this city can offer.