The River Seine in Paris
Bonjour mes amis,
I’m sure most of you watched the wonderful opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Magnifique! I watched it LIVE and then again Friday evening with Bernie.
However, for some of the locals, it has not been a great experience. Our beloved neighbor shared the frustrations of scrambled metros, stores that are closed, less frequent trash pick-up, and a lock-down that is worse than Covid. She has retreated to Germany for a month! On a YouTube walk through our area, there was only one store open, the Monoprix (like a Target). Even the dry cleaners and boulongeries were closed. And no cars allowed on the major thoroughfare of St. Antoine. This has to be devastating for the local economy. Consider that the Champs Elysées is totally blocked off with no traffic because it feeds into La Place de la Concorde where many of the events are staged. I can’t image because of all the cafes and shops.
Imagine planning the trip of a lifetime to Paris and not being able to see Le Tour Eiffel, L’Arc de Triomphe, Le Louvre, La Place de la Concorde or walk along the Seine, which is the heart and soul of Paris. I think we played our hand well by staying away this summer. But good for those who had the courage and the money to attend.
And then there was the rain, oh the rain! Definitely not a fan. Thank goodness, it didn’t seem to dampen the festivities.
Here’s a look at what a typical summer along the Seine is like. It’s a joy and often referred to as Le Paris Plage or Paris beach. Not as good as years ago but still loads of fun. Early on there was sand, an actual swimming pool with changing cabanas and so many excited, skimpy sunbathers. Again, many of those early photos were taken on Bernie’s camera and I don’t have access to them. They are stored with fondness in my mind.
Enjoy the fun photos.
We have spent precious hours walking along the Seine. Last night’s show was a treat for us as we could relive so many memories. How blessed we are!
L & B
July 27, 2024 @ 8:49 pm
So much fun to see these. You and Bernie captured some heart and soul of Paris in those pictures. But it’s sad that this 2024 event has to harm the local people and businesses.
July 27, 2024 @ 9:02 pm
Wonderful memories from summers past along the Seine! Thanks for sharing. We look forward to being there and seeing for ourselves how Paris is during the Olympics!
July 27, 2024 @ 10:34 pm
Thanks Linda! enjoyed seeing the Seine. What France has done to Paris is disappointing. Will have to wait and see …
Thad
July 27, 2024 @ 11:31 pm
I love the photos thank you. Enjoy your best memories and hopefully normality will be restored when you get there in a few months
July 28, 2024 @ 1:38 am
So French wasn’t it, including all the rain. Thankfully it didn’t damped the spirits of the young athletes. I enjoyed it all, even when I didn’t have knowledge of the back references. So creative! But yes, I think you were wise to put off your trip until later in the year. Paris will be wearing a different outfit when you are there this time. Enjoy
July 28, 2024 @ 5:59 am
Love these, Linda. It’s the next best thing to bring there!
July 28, 2024 @ 1:25 pm
Hi Linda! I enjoyed reading your blog post–except the sad parts about how the Olympics are affecting the locals. When we see all the gala ceremonies and the events, we don’t realize the impact on daily life in the surrounding areas. Thank you so much for sharing this perspective.
And I love your photographs–it was really fun to look at them. I’ve never been to Paris, but I want to go some day.
You probably won’t remember me, but we’ve met a few times. Through golf, at Valley Hill, on a few courses, and at some local events from time to time. And we have friends in common–Charles and Judy Gattis.
Again, thanks for sharing your experiences in Paris. My bridge partner, Janie Byers, sent a link to me.
July 30, 2024 @ 3:13 pm
Know this has fun for you to watch and input from friends there will look forward to December!
August 1, 2024 @ 12:19 am
Love this, you, and that guy who keeps popping up!