Edith Piaf, one of France’s most acclaimed performers, sang with passion about Paris’ cherished commonplace experiences in “Sous Le Ciel de Paris (Under the Paris Sky).” Parisian life seem to elicit added appeal when private steps are steered toward trendy streets, sidewalk cafés, classy façades of haute-couture shops and moments of ordinary life happening across the boulevards.
I heartily embrace the notion that walking is the only way to become acquainted with one of the world’s most beautiful capitals. A stroll along the Seine, allows the blissful visitor to witness the grandeur of the Pont Alexandre III (bridge) which was built to honor the Russian Tsar Alexander III and the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. Meanwhile, the narrow Pont de l’ Archevêché, is a tribute to lovers who have engraved padlocks with their initials and after, have fastened them to the bridge’s rail. Hundreds of these chained locks toast an enduring moment in Paris. As the stroll unfolds, I reflect on the timeless everyday images captured by master photographers: Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Their work have inspired me to reframe my camera lenses while seizing luminous mundane details around Paris. Photography workshops may also facilitate the development of one’s unique Parisian narrative. One such workshops is delivered by Valérie Jardin Photography who provides outstanding photographic and cultural trip/workshops through the streets of Paris. In the same manner, two travel-expat-essay books have encouraged me to value Paris & France’s attributes: “Paris to the Moon” and “The Table Comes First: Family, France and the Meaning of Food” both by New Yorker magazine’s writer Adam Gopnick.
There are multiple and diverse neighborhoods in Paris. A lofty cultural exercise consists of learning the culture of different Parisian neighborhoods and then choosing one to call home. In my case, the place that I call home when in Paris is: Saint-Germain-des-Prés on the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Although it has become much-frequented by vacationers, it was previously regarded as the epicenter for writers and ideas’ protagonists. Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Luc Godard made their home here. Till this day, this neighborhood bolsters a spirited exchange of ideas within cafés and bookstores. During the spring season, I often unwind on the grounds of the Luxembourg Gardens with an enjoyable book. Celebrated cafes in Saint-Germain are: the Café Les Deux Magots, frequented by Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Hemingway while Picasso preferred Café de Flore. Then, at 13 rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, a prized restaurant in a historical location: le Procope. At the Procope, I have enjoyed a delectable authentic French cuisine feast together with great décor, service and presentation.
The film industry has always been enamored with a Paris setting. Poetic passionate love stories as well as intense action films persistently crisscross alongside its backdrop: An American in Paris (1951), Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard (1960), Charade (1963), Sabrina (1954, remake 1995) Ronin (1998), Moulin Rouge! (2001), and Woody Allen’s, Midnight in Paris (2011). Cinéma enthusiasts, will also treasure the “Cinéma au Clair de Lune/Movies by Moonlight” experience. This end of summer affair offers French film screenings “under the stars” at various Parisian parks and gardens including: the Paris Buttes Montmartre, the Montsouris Park or the Esplanade des Invalides. My own experience beneath a “starry night” at Parc Montsouris transported me into the fascinating world of: “The extraordinary adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec” a film by Luc Besson. This collective outdoor activity uncovered another auspicious facet of Paris that was unfamiliar to me.
A film enthusiast in Paris will easily recognize certain neighborhoods and streets that have become iconic images of Paris. A prized film street is: rue Foyatier, located in Montmartre, 18th arrondissement of Paris. Its prominent and outspread flights of stairs lead to the summit where the Sacré-Cœur Basilica graciously stands. On this spot, another breathtaking view of Paris can be enjoyed. Similarly, the Montmartre neighborhood is also recognized for having sheltered the art-studios of ingenious artists including Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. Till this day, proximate to the basilica, amateur portrait artists arrange their easels/stalls and sketch portraits of tourists at Place du Tertre, Montmartre’s old main square.
Without a doubt, a paced stroll “under the Paris sky” will foster the discovery of a surprising never-ending story.
Le splendide voyage 