Christmas time in Paris

Ah what a weekend! Where do I begin?!

Well Friday night Stephanie and I ventured to St Michel in the hope of finding an underground jazz bar hosted in an ex-dungeon. We did find it, and the live music was pretty good, the crowd seemed pleasant and it was full but there would have still been room to sit down. We decided against it on learning that drink prices downstairs (thus by the live music) were almost double the already-expensive price list of the bar upstairs. So instead we ended up at the Le Who's Bar by Notre Dame.

The bar was nice, the live music was no jazz (they mainly did cover songs along the likes of U2 and The Beatles) but the atmosphere was upbeat and drinks were flowing... but the men, eugh. It's no secret that French men are more often than not far too sure of themseves and their own irresistability, but this bar was full of this sort. I will say that my friend had a good time hehe, and I met one French guy who was not sleazy or arrogant but listened intently to my broken French as I explained about my boyfriend in England and (cheese alert) how in love we are. He didn't speak a word of English which was great as it meant I really had to try hard to use my French, and we understood each other really well. The poor boy is a hopeless romantic and still in love with his ex-girlfriend, but maybe I could set him up with one of my lovely au pair friends?!


Eventually we decided to leave the bar and begin the mission of getting home. And it was most definitely a mission. After hailing down a bus which took us in the wrong direction, and then continuing to walk in the wrong direction, we finally realised our mistake and followed the Seine until we arrived at Rue de Rivoli and the Jardin des Tuilieries and caught the first metro at 6am. I tumblied into bed at 7 in the morning, and slept most of the day!

Saturday (once recovered) I attended the Champs Elysées Christmas market with Stephanie, Adrianne and Annika. Having forgotten about the crazy amount of tourists present on a Saturday evening in Paris, I tutted unappreciatively at their slowness and general shuffling about. You see, I am no tourist, I consider myself half-Parisian already and act accordingly (this means moving people out of the way whilst uttering the occasional "pffft" sound). By the by, this pfft sound is most certainly one of the most important "words" in Paris. It is, I have learned, used to suggest a nonchalance attitude (as I ask my host dad a question, he kindly shrugs and says "pffft, bien sur!"), and can also be used to portray a feeling of discontent and annoyance. If you're ever in Paris, use it well, it will gain you respect I promise (they will see you as one of their own).

Christmas Lights on the Champs Elysees leading towards the Arc de Triomphe

After indulging in some much-needed Vin Chaud, we took the metro to Abesses where we climbed up the hilly surroundings and stopped at the Place de Tertre to further indulge in Chocolat Chauds and Verres de Vin.Our spot outside directly overlooked the Place de Tertre and accordinly the beautiful Sacre Coeur in the background, and the waiter was extremely French ("Bonsoir les filles!) and cheery. Weather-beaten artists walk around asking Voulez-vous un caricature? Un portrait? And then shoot you unhappy looks as you shake your head and say firmly non merci! Truth be told if I had any money I would get one, how quaint right by Montmartre these French artists, even if some be amateurs! We stayed here for almost 2 hours people-watching and practicising our broken French. The couple next to me ordered snails and oysters, which was intriguing and the first time I have seen someone eat snails since arriving here.

Place de Tertre in Montmartre

And voila, there is my weekend for you. Paris is even more stunning when enveloped by Christmas lights and the city is charming as ever.

Bisous

Before I forget...

Ah I forgot to mention a couple of other things...

J'adore le Marais. The Jewish quarter is great, the best place to be in Paris on a Sunday (everywhere else is closed and boring). This area is buzzing with fashionistas, tourists, Frenchies etc etc. Many of the shops sell Jewish food and traditions, as can be expected. The falafels are très yummy and at 5 euro a piece a reasonable price for lunch in Paris. The vintage shops offer real fur coats (if you're into that kind of thing) for as little as 60 euros, and a host of other strange but quirky things. The range of shops is huge... clothes, shoes, Japanese bags, vintage, designer, books (I love these ones of course), arts and crafts etc. The winding roads and pebble paths add to the area's authenticity. Many buildings appear to lean towards each other, and offer a glimpse of Parisian history, in all its trend-setting glory of the 1920s. One day, when I am very rich and successful, an apartment in the Marais wouldn't be amiss!

I visited Les Catacombes recently. A morbid but almost compulsory experience when living in Paris. The underground collection of cemetries consists mainly of piles and piles and piles of skulls and bones, some 6 million bodies in total so the guide leaflet tells me. These piles are impeccably arranged, rows of skulls, rows of bones etc, all of which appear to have been cemented together by the age of time. The underground passages originated in the 18th century, and for the most part the bodies were long since dead, being moved there to prevent disease, but it's interesting (?!) to discover that many who died during the Revolution were placed directly into this strange equivalence to a grave. As one first descends the narrow winding steps, a sense of trepidation occurrs and we couldn't help wondering what to expect and, even, if they get people to jump out at you like they do at the London Dungeon? Luckily, it's not that kind of place, and although the morbid factor never fully leaves you, the experience of trudging under Paris witnessing a past generation's attempt to juggle the dead with the living is worth the visit.

Arrete! C'est ici L'Empire de la Mort!

Another great thing I did... was to go see Harry Potter. Yes yes massive geek I know, but it was great. We did of course watch it in the Version Originale, but as we watched it in the St Germain des Pres area, a ticket was very expensive. Also, not being French, we didn't realise that having already bought your ticket you are expected to queue again to secure a reasonable seat. Seat numbers do not exist! The French are strange in their logic, in so many ways. But all turned out well and drinks after in the area were nice, as were the discoveries of English (and cheap!) second-hand bookshops.

Over and out.

Falling in and out of love (with Paris)

It's been a while since my last post, the reason for this being a lack of computer. I now have a new hard drive so fingers crossed this one continues to work!

Like many other folks in France, and England for that matter, at this precise moment in time la neige is something one cannot help commenting on. It's pretty, picturesque, inkeeping with the spirit of Christmas and, as the 6 year olds I look after would say, it's a sure sign that Santa is on his way and of course now that it's there WE HAVE TO GO PLAY IN THE SNOW! The Scrooge in me is a bit more miffed off, any thoughts of venturing into Paris this evening (I have yet to visit Queens club on the Champs Elysèes, free for les filles wednesday nights) have fled as the RER seems to be a bit manic at the moment due to the cold white stuff.

Having visited Monmatre for the first time just over a week ago, I am a little bit in love with the place. The Sacre Coeur is everything it's cracked up to be, and the mass of people is for once not annoying but exhilirating, as are the many musicians and street entertainers on the stairs, including puppet plays. The little and large sidestreets contain many authentic Parisian shops. The bf and I enjoyed a delicious French meal, accompanied by wine and cheese (how else?!) for a fair price, and the restaurant's charm was very both very Fench and unique. Cocktail bars, cafés, cheese shops, boulangeries... all seem to be filled with 'real' Parisians and are therefore reasonably priced and from what I sampled (the mojhitos were particularly good) are worth the money you're spending.

Another thing we did was of course climb the Eiffel Tower... I say climb, but we took the lift! This was partly due to our late arrival (about 10pm on a Friday night, which turned out brilliantly as we queued for under 15 minutes, miraculous when you consider the queues during the day) which meant they were no longer selling tickets for the stairs. It is by lift only that you can arrive at the very top, and it was cool and all that but it was freezing! I enjoyed the second platform, on which you could happily observe the glittering lights of a night-time Paris and point to all the places you recognise (for me this was quite a few things, for the boy not so much) and marvel at Paris' carefully planned structure. The eiffel tower has a strange existence... I seem to remember reading somewhere that it was intended as a temporary fixture until, well, until it became symbolic of Paris herself. In the brightness of day, it doesn't seem that great standing directly beneath it, but at night... oh at night it really is beautiful. The simple but effective technique of causing its lights to sparkle every hour on the hour for 5 minutes is mesmerising and most definitely enchanting. A similar feeling occurs when walking down a Parisian street and voila, the tip of the eiffel tower is visible in the distance. Our hotel was a 5 minute walk from the Parisian landmark, and we spent the rest of the evening drinking not so fine wine in a bar on a boat (the raving, loud music kind of boat) and finishing with cocktails by Trocadero.

I will write again soon,
bisous

Halloween... Kind Of

I just had to write and to say that I have the nicest au pair family ever! I had my first French test today, and this morning the mum wished me luck several times, the dad text me to ask how it went, and when I came home the grandma said "bravo" and I felt like a little kid who has just done something really well, rather than simply have taken a test.

The children have holidays soon, hence the grandma staying, as she is taking them to stay with her at the end of the week for the duration of the vacation. It's actually pretty good to have some help! Tomorrow will be our "Halloween day", carving pumpkins and making arts and crafts and hopefully a yummy Halloween cake. Strange though, due to the Catholic nature of France, they don't celebrate Halloween and instead focus on the significance of All Saint's Day on the 1st of November, which they use to honour and respect the dead. Very much in a direct clash with Halloween, which admittedly is full of consumerist values... but don't you remember being a kid and how fun it was, dressing up and going out into the frosty night to knock on people's doors to get handfuls of sweets, and then coming back and sitting in the warmth and tipping the whole lot out so you could see how much you've earned dressed as a witch/ghost/vampire etc. Well with les enfants we are going to catch a glimpse of why Halloween is fun, as it's all new to them (no trick or treating though!).

That is all, was just a quick small update! 

Bonjour,

It's late Sunday afternoon, and freezing outside! Part of me is looking forward to Christmas time in Paris, but mostly the cold means that spending my spare time wandering through Parisian streets and Jardin du Luxembourg etc is becoming limited. Soon all there will be to do is shop hehe!

Friday evening some friends and I decided to try out a bar called Panic Room in the Marais. It was recommended in my guide book which has so far proved trustworthy. Although I had a good night, the bar was different to what I was expected, although I'm not too sure exactly what is was that I was expecting! How was it different? Well first of all the majority of the crowd (and it certainly was what you'd call jampacked) undoubtedly belonged to the gay community, and was male. Being three straight girls, we felt somewhat out of place. During my trip to the toilet I witnessed the beginnings of flirtations between the handsome, chisselled French men behind me, and at one point one of them turned to me and, in French, said what I guess to be something along the lines of "I think I'm in luck, he's gorgeous" to which I could only smile and nod.

But what disappointed me was the price of the cocktails, at 8 euros 50 each it wasn't what I'd call cheap. I ordered a mohito and whilst the barman was very nice and patient with my petit French, the one I had in Andy Whaloo at 10 euros was much, much nicer. I stuck to beers after that.

Saturday evening we treated ourselves to dinner in Paris at a Sushi restaurant by the Pyramides metro. I think it was called Sushi Shop and it was pretty good. The atmosphere was upmarket and relaxed, and the prices weren't too bad. Afterwards we took the metro to Invalides and walked towards the Eiffel Tower, arriving in time for the lights to sparkle wonderfully. After munching on yummy French crepes, we decided to spend some time in the gardens by the tower. This was a mistake, if ever there were was a place to find French chavs, this would be it. We eventually left the area and, as it was tres foid, went home without taking the night bus for once.

This morning I attended a classical music concert at the Salle Pleyel in Ternes with the family. The concert was short (1 hour) and intended for children, with frequent explanations and interruptions. I enjoyed it a lot, although the children weren't quite as convinced! Afterwards I visited my Aunt and Uncle and we had a lovely French lunch complete with wine, cheese, coffee and dessert. 

As you can see I've had a lovely weekend, here's to a good week!

Nathalie xx

Un verre du vin est parfait pour le soir

So I sit here, sipping a glass of golden French wine (a Muscat, if you're interested) and everything seems alright again. Don't get me wrong, I love it here, the family is great, I've met lots of great different people blah blah blah. But sometimes things get a bit much.

I turned down the offer of going out for drinks with some friends in Le Vesinet for various reasons:

a) I'm currently a massive bore and feel much more safe in my pjs inside the comfort and warmth, and the thought of trudging outside and bracing the cold is daunting. In short; I am tired.

b) Money is always an issue and whilst I'm able to convince myself that the 25 euros spent on a blazor from the new H&M on the Champs Elysées was necessary, I am in fact actually very poor (and I intend to go out tomorrow night, and the night after that).

c) Although the life of an au pair is overall almost as good as it gets (no bills, food in the fridge, somewhere to live in Paris of all places, and a reasonable income), children are HARD WORK. My patience levels have been stretched a considerable amount and I don't think that any adult could faze me after 6 weeks of attempting to reason with the mini-people. I need some time to myself to hear myself think.

Anyway, moving swiftly on...

I am beginning to live for the weekend. At the weekend I can sleep, plan my own time and as mentioned, go out without worrying about getting up in time the next morning.

Did I tell you that there is a fabulous bar by the Odeon metro? It's called Le Bar Dix, and if you venture down the admittedly dangeriously small, steep and crumbling stairs into what should be the cellar, you will find a small but vibrant room lit by candlelight, with picturesque French mirrors and old film posters. The waiter (it is always the same one, and there is only ever one of course) is old, with a dramatically receding hairline and spectacles which frequently slip to the end of his nose. Do not be fooled though, he is quintessentially French: he is impatient, so much so that it verges on rude, speaks not a word of English and slams down your jug of sangria before demanding money and then flying off again. It's brilliant, the lack of English is refreshing and the apparent rudeness is mere normality for France. I highly recommend it.

Le 10 Bar, 10 rue de Odéon 75006 Paris

A demain, peut-etre

Some things that I love about Paris so far...

Here goes, a list of the things that are oh so Parisian and oh so adorable:

1) French people really do love their bread and cheese. It is deemed unacceptable to eat any kind of cheese with a bread that is not a baguette, unless of course it is a Croque Monsieur but that's another story. And I can see why, baguettes here cost on average 1 euro and are delicious! It is also not uncommon for French people to ride their bicycles through Paris and Le Vesinet with some baguettes peeping over their front basket which is très picturesque. I have no idea how they are so thin!

2) Live music on the RER/Metro. Now sometimes, particularly when recovering from a hangover or if the music is just terrible, this can be a nightmare. But mostly, it is lovely. Real Parisian music brightens the outdated interior of any metro. The awkward part comes when they ask for money and no-one makes eye contact or acknowledges them. I tend to smile in appreciation (I have yet to part with my money, you might say I'm being stingy, I say I'm waiting for the musician that really blows me away).

3) Parisian Cafés - bizarrely chic places where indulging on un verre du vin at 11am is considered normal, even necessary. If you're not ordering wine or coffee, you are obviously in the wrong place. By the by, as a friend and I were advised by a rather impertinent older French couple, young ladies are to drink white wine during the day and red wine pour la nuit. It's all about apearances you see.

4) Fashion (aka appearances). I like shopping. A lot. But Paris takes the experience of shopping to a whole new level. Place de la Concorde is a good place to nose around for the latest designer trends, most notably Chanel. J'adore Chanel! Mais malheuresment c'est trop chér pour moi! Window shopping is definately recommended. And then there are the huge department stores: Le Printemps, Galeries Lafayettes, Chatelet Les Halles. For me, the most influential fashion is that of the Parisian woman. Not the one dressed in head to toe in Louis Vuitton, but the tall slender dark-haired woman with the incredibly simple but exquisitely tailored wardrobe. Parisian chic: no bold prints, simple block colours, good cuts, classic handbags and impeccable shoes. Voila! Even the men always have good shoes.

5) Paris is a romantic city. In more than just the obvious couples smooching kind of way. Granted there are excessive amounts of tourists in some of the best places, with tacky and overpriced shops to accommodate them. But if you walk down the right side street, if you let yourself wander without hurry or fear of getting lost, you will see glimpses of the real Paris. Take Notre Dame for example. She is beautiful, without doubt, but wander a little and you will find yourself in the Latin Quarter, in parts of Paris that are not so concerned with appearances but contain character and something other; something that has attracted generations of writers, poets, artists and the like. It is easy to forget that this version of Paris exists, but once in it I know exactly why I'm here.

I don't have long to write this as must pick the kids up from school soon. French lessons are still going well although when I'm tired I really struggle to understand a word. Tomorrow will be host to yet another French strike - in this case a national strike affecting many aspects of day to day life, in protest against the government's plans to alter the retirement age.

 Hopefully the biggest problem I will have is with transport to and from my French school in St Germain des Prés. Trains are still running but slower than usual. Worst case scenario: the childrens' school is on strike and I have them for the entire day, but I don't think that will happen.

I went along to the WHSmith on Rue de Rivoli on my way back home today. Yes I know it's cheating but a good bookstore is a good bookstore regardless. I also discovered that they sell many bilingual books (English and French) which maybe when my French improves I will be able to read. And that they sell very overpriced but genuine English goodies - mostly consisting of unhealthy treats such as hobknobs, walkers crisps etc etc. They do also sell real English tea. I resisted the urge to buy any of these as a) French food is much nicer and b) the prices are extremely farfetched. But it's good to know that when I'm feeling homesick I can find a taste of home there.
The thing I did buy was George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London, which Elle recently recommended to me and I shockingly have not yet read. Still reading Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the moment which by the way is fantastic, but will work on Orwell after.

Speaking of which, the exposition of poverty in Paris is somewhat shocking to me; having lived in many places but currently calling Kent home, I am not used to witnessing poverty so explicitly. There are beggar children which hop on and off the metro, holding out their hands as they plead for sympathy (and what good is sympathy without a little money), and women with small babies doing the same. Homeless people, almost always male, slumber in metro stations at all times of day. The contrast between this, and the luxurious designer clad Parisians, covered from head to toe in such luxury that one is never too far from Chanel, or Louis Vuitton, or Versace... , is odd and as I belong in neither category, makes me feel quite lost at times. It is uncomfortable to be constantly reminded of the extremes of society.

On a more amusing note, crazy people also roam the metro. And I mean crazy, although I have to admit I don't understand a word of their ramblings but that is probably a good thing. Someone once told me that there is a French law against being admitted into mental asylums without the explicit voluntary action of the person in question, and thus these people are free to rudely interrupt us 'normal' people. I have observed the Parisians and gathered that the best way to deal with them is to make firm but dismissive eye contact and then look away. Maybe you think that's harsh; then you obviously have never used the metro in Paris.

Must go and pick the little terrors (I jest, sort of) up from school, will again write soon. 

Bon Soir,

Having chosen to begin a blog for the first time, and having been in Paris for 6 weeks and counting, it seems like forever since I moved here and things that seemed so new and odd to me are no longer quite so foreign. However, I'm constantly exploring and experiencing the French way of life and so will continue to post my impressions of them on here. It also has to be said that there are some things a non-Frenchie will always find strange. I will elaborate where appropriate.

Paris is beautiful. It truly was built to fall in love with. Working as an au pair allows me to travel in and out of Paris with a home to come back to. And a French home at that, which is oh so different to English life. They are also very healthy; everything is in moderation, but they enjoy life and adore their children which is great to see.

Being under 26 grants me free access to many expensive places in Paris, such as Le Louvre and St Madeleine. On an Au Pair's budget this is extremely useful! Walking along Rue de Rivoli is also free although it tends to leave one with a certain longing for a ridiculous financial income which quickly evaporates when leaving the area and remembering that Paris has also been home to some of the most radical political and literary revolutions fighting against the exclusive bourgoisie depicted there. I love both sides of Paris, although I have to admit I love the poet's version better!

Today I stayed in Le Vesinet, recovering from the events of last night and embarked on a two hour bike ride avec mon ami Stephanie. Elle est au pair aussi. We rode along the river Seine and it was beautiful, the sun was shining and reflected itself fantastically on the river, and the path was long but relatively easy going. Apparently Claude Monet sat by the river here whilst creating some of his most famous paintings. Pretty savvy; hey?

It's getting pretty late and I have French homework to do, le professeur will be very angry if I don't do it hehe so I better go, I will write again tomorrow with a bit more detail of things I've done so far.

Bonne Nuit xx