Bonjour,
Any day in Paris is better than a day at home, wherever that might be! But there are some differences this year which I thought might be interesting to you.
We arrived in July of 2021 a week after the travel ban to France had been lifted. There was no one in the Newark airport, if you can imagine that, and very few travelers in Paris. All the restaurants had small outside dining kiosks on the street with bottles of hand sanitizer on every table. Masks and the COVID phone app were required everywhere. I never saw Paris any cleaner!!
This year, the streets are jammed, masks are not required anywhere, and I think we spent 72 euros for nothing on our first day to have our booster shots added to the COVID phone app. Everything seems dirtier and the “green team” is not as visible cleaning and sweeping. (Of course, the dry, dusty air hasn’t helped.) The buses don’t run as often and seems as if the workers inside places like the grocery store are not as friendly. COVID has taken its toll on the labor force here just like at home, and I can only presume that this is affecting the manual labor jobs the most.
As we walked around our neighborhood a bit yesterday afternoon (Bernie is feeling much better), we noticed a big difference from the St. Paul area we are used to. There is a different class of people, not as many tourists, and fewer beggars. As Bernie said, “There are not many rich folks around here with extra money.” Also many, many young people, drinking and smoking, and I have almost been knocked down three times by either bikes or folks running like hell to get around me. Boulevard du Temple is as busy and noisy as rue St. Antoine but without the bicycle lanes. The pharmacies are much smaller, there are almost no fresh fruit stands, no cheese or chocolate shops, no firehouse for emergencies, fewer boulongeries and patissiers. Haven’t seen a dry cleaner, no churches, and very few hotels. It’s just a very different area. I’m sure I’ll learn to love it, but my heart is somewhere else.
We spent last evening sitting at our favorite spot, Au Bouquet St. Paul. We feel a bit like nomads which is sad to me. Bernie can’t link up with all of his friends for a nightcap. Those guys in the management company in London have no idea how much their disregard for our rental agreement has affected us. There’s just some grief which we are working through. Please bear with us for that. The part we miss the most is the ease of walking the river at dusk. It’s a trek to get there but since most of our company is staying in the old area, we’ll have plenty of reason to return frequently.
We did find a fabulous new grocery store, a Carrefour, which is very close by on rue Amelot. It will be much better than the Monoprix at La Place de la République. It’s ironic to me that I’ve never liked this area at all, and now we’re trying to make it home. There’s got to be a reason and something to learn from all of this.
On a positive note, the weather yesterday was glorious with rain the night before and a high of 80 degrees! We are SO grateful for that. We also found a cute little sandwich shop highly praised by Richard and Vincent and had a quick lunch there yesterday. We will return and take a photo next time!
We so appreciate all the well wishes for Bernie’s health and he is feeling much better. He believes he invited his cold by sleeping directly in the path of a blowing fan during those hot, hot nights.
The café chair theme will be challenging as many of the chairs reflect the mood of the world right now. So many are black, gray, brown or metal. Quite a difference from 8 years ago. We did find one of the nicer chairs, Maison Drucker, at the Bouquet last night of all places. (I looked up the price: 450 euros each!) They are the best and most expensive wicker chairs. The new patron there had them nicely set up in a double row. They were slightly used but still a pleasure to see. 
Here are a few other chairs from our rounds.
Today’s plan is a quick trip to the Bastille Sunday market for some personal items like soap, Vaseline, disinfectant wipes, etc. because they are SO much cheaper there than anywhere else. Then mid-afternoon, we’ll head to Le Tour de France. The major subway stops around the route will be closed so we’ll have to be clever in finding a way there. The parade is what we like to see which usually comes through about 4:30. The bikers won’t arrive until around 6 so we may scurry back home and watch on TV! You can get a much better view that way. Yes, just call us “old!”
Here’s the lovely view of our courtyard from the dining room window.
Bon dimanche!
L & B
July 24, 2022 @ 11:11 am
I hope you continue to find special sites, shops, and cafes as you explore your new neighborhood.
July 24, 2022 @ 11:26 am
You are wise to look for the lesson(s) to be learned in having to adjust to a new location. It’s what keeps you both young, obviously– that spirit of adventure and seeking. Glad Bernie is better!
July 24, 2022 @ 11:35 am
Bernie looks better. Glad he has recovered.
July 24, 2022 @ 12:19 pm
I am enjoying all the pictures. Hope Bernie is feeling better.
July 24, 2022 @ 12:21 pm
I was curious about the area where you are staying and discovered one of the earlier Daguerreotypes (invented 1837) was taken in 1838 by Louis Daguerre and it is thus believed to be the earliest surviving photograph showing a person. (A man stopped to have his shoes shined, and by remaining still, he (though not his head) unwittingly became captured on the plate, while all the other traffic rushing through the street vanished from the image due to the long time of exposure. The exposure of the famous shot was 4 to 5 minutes. Perhaps you and Bernie can find where this historical photo was taken! The location where Louis took the “photograph” is at the south side of Rue Léon Jouhaux just off the north corner of Place de la République. If either of you enjoy photography, it might be a fun adventure for you.
July 24, 2022 @ 6:37 pm
We may have already seen this on rue Daguerre last year but I will check it out. We’re not far away.
July 24, 2022 @ 2:10 pm
I definitely noticed that Paris was much more crowded and dirty this year. The rain (lack there of) certainly had to be a factor for some of the dirtiness. My first visit was in August when many of the Parisians were on holiday and the second visit was at the tail end of all of the Covid stuff.
That abandoned pathway is sad; I hope they get all of that graffiti off.
I’m confused by the café chairs. They seem awfully expensive so where have they gone? Why would we not be seeing the same ones from years before? Do they have to be replaced that often?
I thought part of your new neighborhood was nice but much of my delight in coming to Paris is returning to the familiarity of your usual stomping grounds. I’m sad for you in that regard. I still think it would be worth trying to relocate back. Only a day or two hassle for weeks of joy.
Lisa and I wish we could be there again with you!!
July 24, 2022 @ 6:36 pm
Very sweet comments. I don’t understand about the cafe chairs either. Saw some pretty ones today. I suppose if a shop owner was in financial difficulty, he might sell his block of chairs to someone else and use much cheaper ones. They do take a beating, however, stacked every night and brought inside and then placed outside again the next morning.
July 24, 2022 @ 5:25 pm
Given time, you will come to feel at home in your new area. Glad the weather is better and that Bernie feels better! Looking forward to our time there.
July 24, 2022 @ 6:33 pm
And we are looking forward to spending time with you guys. I know you had to adjust to a different situation after having one that you loved on Ile St. Louis.
July 24, 2022 @ 7:26 pm
Good to see Bernie has recovered … and the adventures continue. 🙂
July 24, 2022 @ 7:28 pm
I am so grateful to follow you again this year. I always look forward to your travels. This year we are especially pleased as we are still states bound this year after canceling our plans. Glad Bernie is better!
July 24, 2022 @ 8:04 pm
In spite of how disconcerting all is right now in the new surroundings, I feel you two in your sojourns will find the good in the not so good. I agree with Natalie in hoping you may return one day to find that passageway graffiti clear.
July 24, 2022 @ 11:27 pm
Much admiration for the adjustments you two are taking on!
Continued blessings and prayers that it’s your best summer yet!
July 26, 2022 @ 9:57 pm
You haven’t said your exact location of your new apartment, but you did mention rue Amelot and the Monoprix at Replublique. If you are perhaps in the 3rd are you close to rue de Bretagne? You mentioned a lack of food shops in your area. Rue de Bretagne could be your answer if it isn’t too far of a walk for you. We stayed twice in the 3rd or “haut Marais” and rue de Bretagne was our go to place for cheese, pastry, wine, bread as well as two small grocery stores. And of course the Marche Enfants Rouge for all your fresh veg and fruit needs (there are also some food stands there as well).
I agree with you though, the Monoprix on rue Saint-Antoine is much better than the one at Republique. IMHO. LOL.
July 27, 2022 @ 2:24 pm
We have discovered rue de Bretagne and it will be a lifesaver!
July 27, 2022 @ 7:46 pm
Your courtyard is lovely, at least from your dining room window. And Bernie looks content sitting in the cafe chair. I hope things get better every day with the new neighborhood.