John and I just had our 36th wedding anniversary (40 years together). When we were deciding where a good place would be to celebrate, we wanted it to be somewhere that we could just hang out, live, experience and be like a local. We decided on Paris for two weeks, which is a sort of homecoming.
We lived in Paris four years 20 years ago, and the last time we visited was about 10 years ago. When we lived here, we came for my job, and I traveled M-F every week across Europe for the entire 4 years. We had four children that grew up as teenagers, and my weekends were full of staying home and being with my family. It was amazing and I am so thankful for that time. It absolutely changed my life.
We were coming here alone, with the ability to do what we wanted when we wanted….or do nothing at all. When we lived here, it was in a quiet area on the outskirts of the city center, so this time we wanted to be in the action and experience what it all. We chose the Marias and decided to Air B and B a flat.
We decided to do some of our favorite touristy things….read a book and nap at the foot of Champ des Mars, watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle, experiencing Notre Dame restored, spend all day at the gardens of Versailles in Marie Antionette’s Hamlet, castle hopping in Loire Valley and climbing Sacre Couer. But then we just wanted to walk and walk and walk, ride bikes, ride metro trains….stop at cafes, take pictures of art, interact with people at the markets, wander in the beautiful parks, and catch up with those we know that still live near. We averaged 10 miles per day!
Our dear friend Deb came up from her home in Sete, the south of France, to spend time with us. She and her husband Reed showed us so much kindness when we lived here, our adopted family. It was heart and soul warming to spend time with her in the city we met. We will always be attached. We went to a jazz club to listen to a friend of John’s Donna sing.
And we took it all in.
So many things were the same….people everywhere, the most beautiful gothic and haussmannian style architecture everywhere you turned against a beautiful blue sky. Those wide boulevards and sidewalks, laden with different cultural groups, the smell of local food from arrondissement to arrondissement, street art everywhere you turn. French and English intermingled between local and tourist. The announcements in advance of strikes so you knew what metros to avoid
But so many things were different…the city implemented aggressive urban green planning changes – tens of thousands of parking spaces removed, higher SUV fees, lower speed limits, low emission zones, bike lane expansion, and pedestrian zones. The vehicle traffic is very very quiet, the motorcycles are almost nonexistent, walkers, ebikes, skooters, and cyclists everywhere.
People were kind, and we felt welcome and safe. Our French is terrible, but most people reached us more than halfway to understand and help. The City of Lights stole our hearts 20 years ago, and it was amazing to reconnect with her, spend time with those who knew us then, and make new memories as we age. Paris, we will be back.
A nice kismet, I am walking part of the Spanish Camino de Santiago in October, but the entry point for the entire route is in Paris. I was able to see the bronze medallion scallop shells as I walked the many miles through the city. A good training for me for when I return very soon to Europe.
