Paris: Beyond the Glamour
Paris, the city of lights, is unlike any other city I have been to - and it goes far beyond the cobble-stone streets, the Eiffel Tower, and 3 euro bottles of wine.
One thing I have always loved about France is the culture, and that the residents are unapologetically themselves. Paris is a city that can be branded as occasionally rude, always glamorous, and sometimes a little pretentious. We were lucky enough to spend just over 3 weeks living there, on our first Trusted Housesitter trip, and I can honestly say that I saw a different place. Sure, there are glamorous old ladies everywhere and luxury stores lining the main streets, but overall I saw a massive, beautiful city that has a community feel wherever you go. Contrary to popular belief, not a single person was rude, even with our terrible attempts at speaking French.
We walked close to 15km a day, without a plan of seeing any major landmarks. The French have a saying about Paris called Flâneur, “a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; and/or a person who walks the city in order to experience it.” Very fitting to our style of travel (hence the name - dérive).
The city is devised into 19 arrondissements (districts), wrapping like a snail shell around the centre to the outer districts. These neighbourhoods range in population from 15 thousand, up to 250 thousand in the 15th arrondissement. The city is driven by a passion for fashion, boulangeries, brasseries, cigarettes and having a glass of wine at an outdoor cafe at any time of the day. It took us a few days of wandering to get our bearings - most importantly, where our favourite boulangerie was (for our daily intake of baguettes and croissants - there was a quota). Every day, just like clockwork, the city wakes up, and heads outside (rain or shine) to grab their coffee, croissant, and a baguette (or 5).
“According to the Observatoire du Pain (yes, France has a scientific 'Bread Observatory'), the French consume 320 baguettes every second – that's an average of half a baguette per person per day and 10 billion every year.” (BBC)
Young or old, it doesn’t matter. No matter where you go, there is someone with baguettes tucked under their arm, the tips of the loaf torn off, just snacking on a handful of bread. Making bread isn’t some secret recipe, just a simple mixture of flour and yeast, but you do it right and somehow magic happens. Crunchy, soft, pillowy perfection. Some might say, ‘it’s just a baguette, how can it be so much better than back home?’ Practice truly makes perfect I guess.
The food culture goes far beyond the beloved baguette and well-known passion for wine and cheese. France has a deeply rooted food culture of people who want more from their food. Food not just consumed because you are hungry, food to experience. For most in Paris, this experience doesn’t start in the aisles of the grocery store, but in the streets at one of the many weekly markets. In the 15th arrondissement where we were staying, this happens 3 days a week, 365 days a year. 50+ vendors representing the diversity of Paris. Selling their fares from an abundant array of flowers, fruits and vegetables, to mixed nuts and olives and cheeses. Sitting on ice were whole chickens and fish, amongst a wide variety of other seafood, being cleaned and packaged for their happy and loyal customer base. As you push through the crowds, shoulder to shoulder, to fill your baskets full of what looks best that day, you see people smelling tomatoes and melons, bartering with the sellers over the price or quality of something. On every corner, the cafes buzz with energy, full of people done their shopping for the day, having a coffee and some pastries. Maybe a glass of wine or a beer and a cigarette (or 5). The vibe is real.
If I feel like I learned anything from our month in France, it is that life is too short to not do the things that make you happy. And you shouldn’t waste your time thinking about how the rest of the world perceives you. Eat the food that makes you smile. Eat that second croissant, drink another coffee, & have a glass of wine in the sun at 10 am.
