All in a Day at the Park

When summer comes to Paris, those who are still cooped up in the city flock to the nearest park in search of a quiet patch of shade. And soon the capital's espaces verts become dotted with picnickers and sunbathers, making them a fountain of free sociological information--and entertainment.
You can really learn a lot about a quartier from a park bench. Peering over the pages of an open book, you can innocently people-watch for hours, taking in everyone from the endimanché elderly couple sitting one bench over, quietly bickering, to the bare-chested, middle-aged man standing up and yelling on his cellphone to a flustered mother trying to remember how to play with her children again now that the nounou is on vacation. Unfortunately, as you are in a public, neighborhood park, you can't expect to hide behind your book indefinitely. At some point, someone will manage to squeeze herself and her summery spirits down next to you and begin some banal banter ("It's sure a hot day, isn't it?"). How can you break it to her that there's no fun in people-watching a good-natured Parisien?

Kristin Davis as Charlotte York Goldblatt. [Online image] 2004.

It Takes A "Quartier"

It's easy to feel alone in Paris. Parisians just don't smile or say bonjour to strangers for the fun of it. 

So don't expect any niceties from the check-out lady at Monoprix as she yawns and watches you swipe your American Express with one hand and stuff your soy patties and rice crackers into bags with the other. If she tosses an au revoir your way, consider yourself lucky. But pas de soucis: you'll still have plenty of time to chew the fat on your walk home. 

Off to pick up the dry cleaning? Your local pressing owner will not only greet you with a warm bonsoir; she'll probably rattle off the articles your husband dropped off over the weekend and dive into a heart-to-heart on family planning.

Never mind that between your groceries and Monsieur's suits, you need ten minutes to punch in your building code--you're still glowing from your bout of neighborly banter. And to think you get to top it off later on with a dégustation of tea and vegan goodies at your Yoga studio. Oh, comme j'aime mon Paris !

Audrey Tautou as Amélie Poulain. [Online image] 2001.