Coincée à Paris cet été, j’essaye de trouver le moyen d’avoir de micro vacances ici et là…

Comme chaqué été, il y a bien sur Paris-plage pour ma part, si vous trouvez les quais de Seine trop peuplé pour être agréables, allez voir du coté de la nouvelle “extension” le long bassin de la Villette (métro Jaures ou Stalingrad) où a aussi lieu L’été du canal. Transat, partie de pétanque ou “bal barge” vous trouverez forcément de quoi vous occuper.

Si vous êtes sportif ou plein de bonnes résolutions, je vous conseille de tester la gym suédoise des courts gratuits ont lieu jusqu’à la fin du mois dans les parc de Choisy (mardi, jeudi à 19h) et Montsouris (lundi, mercredi à 19h, samedi à 11h). C’est mon coup de coeur de l’été ! L’ambiance est sympathique, on se défoule en musique et en plus pas de courbatures ! enfin à part après le 1er cours…

Et vous vous faites quoi cet été?

August is here!

It’s the same thing every year, I’m not sure why I keep noticing… Paris is empty (apart for the tourist centre): the market stalls are empty, the offices are empty, the shops and restaurants are closed… Well, not all of them, of course. But too many for any Parisian stuck in town for the time being! O well, time to try out new places ;)

I know metblog is not about my own personal adventure in Paris, but for once I will not follow that rule…

Yesterday we, Parisian metblogger (Lil, Bij and me) , met for a picnic lunch at “luco” (=luxembourg garden in parisian language). I was told the day before that I might be kidnapped… So I was ready.

It happens that Lil decided to make me a surprise for my birthday…  and the girls took me to the subway and to Andre Citroen Park… When we arrive in the park I still thought that Lil wanted to visit a park she has never seen before.

And guess what’s was the surprise?

We were about 10 persons taking place in the nassella and as soon as everybody was in, the “baloon” was starting to move.

The experiment is quite hard to explain, the movement is smooth, there’s almost no noise, and the view is incredible. A little disturbing actually, since we were all used to see Paris from point like Montmartre, Hausmann or Montparnassse…

You can walk around above the park (150m high!) and have a 360° view on Paris.  The experience was great but too short ! (as always when you’re having a good time). Lil was expected some comment about what was in sight, but none were displayed… We asked for nothing but I guess the pilot might have answered our questions.

If you also plan to surpise a friend with that experience, I send you to their website (in french). And good news, if you’re living in Paris and you child is less than 12, it’s free for him/her (you need to justify your adress and the child’s age).

Other view of Paris?

- Eiffel Tower (of course!)

- Montparnasse Tower

-  Montmartre

- last floor of Printemps and Gaeries Lafayettes (department stores on Bd Haussman)

A quick photo from Montsouris park:

I walk by this graffiti every day on my way to work. /sigh
And I still go all the way there anyway!

Isn’t this amazing? I found out about this here and apparently it came from here (with step by step instructions!).

O my, and there is the Milllenium Falcon too!

Well done Hubert! Most impressive and inspiring work! :D

To illustrate this renewed event (though almost everything is gone now already), I would suggest you follow this link to Le Monde which regroups a number of pics of Paris under the snow this morning.

Now I’ll promise to make an effort and try to talk about something else than the weather next time. Demonstrations seem to be pilling up at the mo’, we’ll see…

for now at least…

Indeed, yesterday, temps went up a bit and it rained… The remaining snow did not make it through the drizzle. Things are now back to normal over here: no snow, no slippery sidewalks, but opened parks (with muddy tracks!)

I’m curious if we’ll have further snow this winter. I remember last year we had a brief cold period in early winter and then the rest of winter was a breeze…

We’ll keep you posted ;)

Yes, there is still snow in Paris!

I know, it’s most unbelievable. It’s still the same snow though. But it’s been holding in places… I think today the sun has started working on it but in the mean time parks are still closed for “bad weather” (which is funny with the sun shining above…)

This mean that Paris has had snow for over a week now! This must be some kind of record, no?

I can already hear the Canadian, Russian or people from wherever there is snow every winter making fun of us little Parisians… A day of snow and everything is messed up, people decides to stay home or bus stop running… Today no snow but be careful!!! It’s sliding… I experienced it myself despite the hiking shoes I’m wearing…

BUT it seems there’s differences depending on the “arrondissement” you’re in. When my bus was in the 14th, everything was withe outside and I experienced the sliding sidewalks. And as soon as we enterred the 6th : no snow anymore, the sidewalks are not even wet… If anyone has an explenation, please, feel free to comment…