The Aussies and Kiwis have their good ol’ barbeques. The French? They picnic. And they do it in families, as a couple, alone, in groups of girls, even in groups of guys. They are unashamed about it. I love that about the picnic culture here.
Every picnic needs to have at least one baguette, some wine, cheese and fruit. We added saucisson to our picnic fare (it’s a type of cured sausage). Find a nice shady spot by the Seine and voila, we’ve just had ourselves a picnic ala Français!
Lately our days have developed into a familiar pattern, usually starting at mid day (when you have daylight until 10pm, sleeping in becomes easy) where we head out to a new spot or sight to explore. On this day we decided to explore the famous food street Rue Montorgueil, known for its boulangerie (bakeries), fromagerie (cheese shops), boucherie (butcheries), fruit shops and countless cafes and restaurants. Wandering through Rue Montorgueil and taking in all the sights and smells gets us hungry soon enough, and we stopped by a cafe off the main street for some croque monsieur (grilled ham and cheese sandwich) and lasagne. Once our tummies have been filled we make our way by foot to the Jardin des Tuileries where we sit to rest our feet and people watch or just bask in the sunshine. Sometimes we pack a sandwich instead and pick the many gardens or parks around our area to sit in and relax. This time we had some framboise (raspberries) bought from Rue Montorgueil to enjoy in the Jardin des Tuileries.
Once we’re ready to head home we take a leisurely stroll along the Seine back to our humble apartment, one of my favourite parts of the day. I can’t fault this simple life in Paris.
Spending an extended period of time in Paris gives us the chance to find pockets of peace and calm to retreat to in this big city, away from the crowds of tourists often present near famous sights. We found some of the less touristy parks, namely Parc de Belleville and Parc des Buttes Chaumont to be charming, serene and perfect to sit in and eat a packed sandwich, people watch or just reflect. Parc des Buttes Chaumont seemed to be the locals’ favourite, and there is also a puppet theater held twice a week for families to enjoy. What a brilliant idea!
The Père Lachaise cemetery may not sound like an ideal place to relax but despite being the most famous (and expensive) cemetery in Paris, it’s dead quiet and easy to get lost in. Big names like Chopin, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde have been laid to rest in this plot of land. Our French language teacher in Sydney first introduced us to Edith Piaf’s songs and recommended we visit her grave, which is why I listed it on our Paris Bucket List. I’m glad we did because this cemetery is worth visiting. Tombstones that resemble church altars and museums? Where else but in Paris! Even the dead are housed like the living.
And the beautiful Seine. Nothing beats staring out into la Seine and feeling the noise of traffic get slowly drowned out..
bilbyandbear 