Scenes of Paris Under Lockdown

It’s hard to describe the feeling of Paris these lockdown days. While the spring sun illuminates the empty streets, windows open wide to let in the promise of impending freedom. During my infrequent walks to pick up essentials in the neighborhood or weekly runs to the river, I share scenes from Paris under lockdown.

The river Seine is uniquely peaceful beneath blue skies without tourist boats or picnickers lining the quays.

Only permitted to exercise in the morning before 10 am or after 7 pm allows for beautiful sunset views.

Curious to visit the Louvre, home to some of the world’s most admired artwork and revered treasure hunts THATMuse, I make my way to this former royal palace.

All alone with the birds flying overhead, I am reminded of a private tour to an empty Louvre with Buly 1803.

Every time I pass the many shuttered cafes lining the streets, I imagined their terraces bustling with life.

Back in the Marais neighborhood, every day in the usually bustling Jewish Quarter looks like a Saturday.

Like all of Paris’s many cultural venues, the recently renovated Picasso Museum patiently awaits better days.

On an early evening walk to the neighboring tenth district, Porte Saint-Martin, one of Paris’s original doors looms grandly, inviting those willing to pass through its historic 14th-century gates.

The calm Canal Saint-Martin invites those out for their daily stroll or run to reflect along its now empty quays.

Every time I head out to buy groceries with my note in hand, I smile at Marianne looming in the distance.

Paris Picks: Paris From Home

We are now well into week three of lockdown life in Paris. The sun is shining brightly and the sky has never looked so blue. At least nature is at peace these surreal days, while we struggle to make sense of current affairs. For more on life in France, head over to HiP Paris where I share thoughts along with fellow ex-pats. Meanwhile, I trust and hope that you are all safe and sane at home. In an attempt to share a little bit of Paris with you until we’re able to travel again, here are my top ways of bringing the City of Light home to you.

What better way to dive into a culture than via the pages of a book? Privileged to know so many talented authors, here’s my selection of inspiring reading material to add to your Paris book or kindle collection.

Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas who also wrote Brooklyn in Love: A Delicious Memoir of Food, Family, and Finding Yourself for the New Yorkers

Seven Letters from Paris: A Memoir by Samantha Vérant who just published her latest book The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

Bonjour Kale: A Memoir of Paris, Love, and Recipes by Kristen Beddard

Je T’Aime, Me Neither by April Lily Heise who also writes blog Je T’Aime, Me Neither

The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World’s Most Glorious – and Perplexing – City by David Lebovitz whose brand new book Drinking French: The Iconic Cocktails, Apéritifs, and Café Traditions of France, with 160 Recipes just launched

Paris Dreaming by Katrina Lawrence who shares more love for Paris on her site Paris For Dreamers

Don’t Be a Tourist in Paris: The Messy Nessy Chic Guide by Vanessa Grall who also wrote Don’t be a Tourist in New York: The Messy Nessy Chic Guide

When in French: Love in a Second Language by Lauren Collins

The Paris Journal by Nicole and Evan Robertson whose stunning literary art you can find at Obvious State

The New Paris by Lindsay Tramuta whose new book The New Parisienne: The Women & Ideas Shaping Paris you can now pre-order

The Seine: The River that Made Paris is Elaine Sciolino‘s latest book

Notre Dame de Paris: A Celebration of the Cathedral by Kathy Borrus

Paris in Stride: An Insider’s Walking Guide by Jessie Kanelos Weiner who also wrote New York By Foot

Paris On Air by Oliver Gee who runs podcast The Earful Tower all about life in Paris

Since most of us are at remaining safely at home these days, add a touch of Paris to your interiors by accessorizing. Square Modern is a favorite Parisian pillow brand that adds just the right pop of color. I myself decorate with these custom cushions, each made in Paris of designer remnant fabrics. Read more about founder Suzanne Flenard, here. As for your walls, leave it to photographer Rebecca Plotnick who has an impeccable eye for Paris.

In case you need help setting your table, whether it’s for one, two, four or more, Laura Calder is your gal. Her latest book The Inviting Life: An Inspirational Guide to Homemaking, Hosting and Opening the Door to Happiness teaches you everything you need to know about nesting in style.

In terms of dressing yourself, local designer Mari of Koshka Mashka is shipping orders directly from her Parisian atelier. Doing her part to keep us all safe, she’s including complimentary face masks with every order. If you’re in Paris contact her and she’ll happily give you a mask.

While we are nourishing our minds by reading and our homes by decorating and dining, let’s not forget our bodies. The founder of Broadway in Paris, Michael Pereira is now offering a dance class via Facebook Live every day at 5 pm Paris time. Ready for a little ballet or Broadway jazz? Read more about this inspiring dance professional, here. If you prefer an intense cardio class, head over to Instagram where you’ll find Paris-based fitness experts @StephNieman, @CaliforniaBarre, and @jujuontherOcks, each teaching classes in English.

Lastly, what better time to start those French classes? Babbel is currently running a promotion and offering three free months of lessons for all students. Bon courage!

Paris Under Lockdown: Week Two

Today marks two weeks since the French government enforced a mandatory lockdown, limiting our freedom of movement to grocery shopping, doctor or pharmacy visits, 30-minutes of exercise close to home and bakery runs. Long live the French baguette! I’ve only ventured outside on a few occasions thus far, abiding by the #stayhome, or should I say #restcheznous rule. On one of these outings, I captured scenes of an empty Paris.

Never have I seen Place de la République so deserted, while the statue of Marianne continues to stand tall.

In case you’re wondering why bakeries remain open all over France, I recently wrote about why boulangeries are deemed essential, in this cultural feature for BBC Travel.

A walk around the Haut Marais proved that my neighbors were safely at home or when out of doors, abiding by the social distancing rules. The bises greeting so much a part of the French culture, will have to wait.

Without its terraced cafes, strolling locals and tourists, Paris feels even calmer than on a Sunday in August.

While just two weeks ago Parisians were crowding into still open parks and running along the Seine, as I wrote about for Urbansider one week into lockdown, an eerie quiet now fills the empty streets.

Read more about life in Paris under lockdown and how the French are uniting, in my article for Fathom.

Paris in the Time of Corona

The Coronavirus pandemic often doesn’t feel real. It’s as though the entire world is living a nightmare from which we can’t wake up. With each day the deadly threat of this virus is spreading throughout villages, towns, and cities from Europe to the Americas to Oceania. No one is left unaffected. Here in Paris, today marks the first day of social distancing, with all cafés, restaurants, bars, shops and social clubs, closed. Schools, universities and daycare centers too, are closed. Is this the severity of the measures that will be taken? I don’t suspect so.

My Italian and I are taking every precaution to stay safe, as his family has been doing while on lockdown in Liguria. The fear is this silent enemy attacks unknowingly. As everyone is aware by now, the virus lives on surfaces and can take weeks for symptoms to appear. My fear is that the young and virile in Paris are not taking this very seriously. This was evident today as we took a walk from the Louvre to the Seine.

While many remained solo or in isolated couples like us, others congregated in groups, kids playing nearby.

My guess is that the same way citizens in Italy and now Spain are placed in lockdown, France is next.

Tuileries Gardens are already closed, as are museums and other cultural institutions. The gravity is mounting.

Wherever you are in the world, please take every precaution. Don’t merely wash your hands, but isolate yourselves as much as possible while COVID-19 continues to spread. We are all fighting this invisible battle.

In the meantime, work from home if you can. And to keep yourself stimulated, pick up those books you were meaning to read, take up a new indoor hobby, call friends who live a timezone away, learn a language, take up a meditation practice, play with your kids, discover a new passion… Dedicate this time to yourself. I for one plan to improve my Italian language skills and learn new recipes, in between writing assignments of course.

Thinking of you all and sending virtual (non-contagious) hugs! Feel free to reach out anytime, and do make plans to visit Paris once this is all over. Remember that this too shall pass.

Private Tour of an Empty Louvre

Sometimes life in Paris feels like living a dream. This was the case when I was invited on a private art tour of a closed Louvre Museum. The occasion was to discover the artful inspiration behind eight new limited edition Buly 1803 fragrances, each one created by a leading French perfumer. Ready for this exceptional tour?

Two weeks earlier I met with Victoire de Taillac who in 2014 along with her husband Ramdane Touhami, opened their all-natural fragrance emporium Buly 1803 first in Saint Germain and soon after in the Haut Marais. Read more about the brand in my Luxos feature. Now back to the Louvre tour, starting with “the most feminine woman on earth” Venus de Milo. What does she smell like, you wonder? According to the perfumer inspired by this femme fatale, an exhilarating blend of mandarine, jasmine and amber.

Walking around an empty Louvre was surreal! Joined only by a handful of fellow journalists from around the world, we were led through the stillness of centuries-old chambers by Victoire and our expert guide.

The next stop was to a personal favorite, La Victoire de Samothrace, the Greek goddess symbolizing victory.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace, a Hellenistic marble sculpture of Nike, dates back to the 2nd century BC. I was completely taken by the majesty of this Greek goddess as we shared a moment in quietude. And her scent? A mix of tuberose, magnolia and jasmine with a hint of myrrh.

Our sensory tour continued to La Grande Odalisque, an oil painting by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres from 1814. As interpreted by the perfumer, her fragrance exudes incense and pink pepper along with musky notes.

Discretely hidden in the corner of the Louvre was painting Conversation in a Park by Thomas Gainsborough. As Victoire explained, this scent exudes notes of peppermint and bergamot along with Ottoman roses.

All of my senses were engaged as the tour continued from one empty room to another, the only other personalities present being those captured in frames upon the walls.

Our last stop was to Nymph with the Scorpion by Lorenzo Bartolini. This sculpture inspired a scent composed of heliotrope and jasmine with a touch of amber and musk.

While a tour of the closed Louvre isn’t available to the public, you can take a treasure hunt with THATMuse to discover many remarkable artworks, and have great fun while you’re at it. Trust me, I’ve been on a few!

Before leaving the Louvre we stopped at the Buly 1803 pop-up shop. Here I was able to sample all eight art inspired scents, along with their first collection of alcohol-free fragrances.

Obsessed with fragrances, my chosen scent was La Victoire de Samothrace. It brought me right back to Greece!

These Louvre inspired perfumes are available now until January 6th. In case you can’t make it to the Louvre Museum for your own sensory tour, these eight perfumes are also on sale at Buly 1803 and online.

Next time you encounter an artwork wherever you are in the world, imagine what it would smell like.

Finding Purpose in Paris

To end the year, I’m sharing a post I wrote for Urbansider, a new Paris insider’s guide that I’m proud to be a part of. As one of their first ‘Urbansiders’ I wrote about my experience of moving to Paris, already nine years ago, and how I slowly but resolutely found my way. I welcome you to read more of my Urbansider articles here. 

It was my first week in Paris. A new chapter was about to be written, and it was up to me how the pages would be filled. The late summer sun teased me with endless sunsets in hues of pink and gold. I walked along the Seine wrapped in love, the kind that resides within and often takes years to discover. My journey had taken me around the world and back again, with Paris as my new backdrop, and a soulful Italian center stage.

My thoughts were only of the present moment. What I had lived and learned years prior was now part of my rich and varied history. This life that I had often dreamt about was my present. In all truth, a gift. The future yet unknown, filled with endless possibilities, was waiting in the wings to reveal itself.

Those first weeks quickly turned into months, as leaves fell and blue skies turned gray. My mood too, changed with the seasons as I tried to understand who I was in this new life. More accurately, who did I want to become? I spent those early days coming to peace with my ego and listening more acutely to my soul. Paris was the stage on which to set my dreams in motion, this I was certain of. The question remained, how?

Little by little I found my way, a stranger in a foreign land. Courage was my guide and humility became my teacher. I began to create a name for myself, to design my namesake handbags, to write a blog, and soon afterward to publish articles; to find my place and purpose. In so doing I became my truest self. And for this, I will be forever grateful to Paris.

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