Pilgrimage
France
05 CHAPTER
PARIS
The city I always want to return to is Paris! It seems to me that you can fall in love with a city the same way, you can fall in love with a song from its first chords, or with a man – at the very first glance. I fell in love with Paris from the very first seconds of my stay! On these pages, I partially confess my love to it and plunge into the pleasant memories associated with this place.
A bit about love:
First time I came to Paris 8 years ago, in May. At that time, spring excitement reigned in the city, and love vibes floated in the air. On the first day, my head was spinning not only from the jetlag but also from local handsome men, proudly pacing around the town. They were marked by a distinctive wardrobe element that distinguishes the French man from any other - a scarf. The mastery of French in tying scarves in any possible manner, cannot be beaten by anyone in the world! I remember that the first landmark that I saw in my jet-lagged state (except for the "French Scarves") was Notre Dame de Paris. It looked fabulous. The mighty and magnificent cathedral delighted with its harmony. Everything in its appearance was concise: the cross vaults, the stained-glass windows, and the ominously hanging gargoyles and chimeras, symbolizing human sins. Notre Dame simply breathed with history, veiled by a mystical halo. Two Christian relics are stored there: a fragment of the Crown of Thorns, which according to the legend, was placed on the head of Jesus Christ and one of the nails from the cross upon which he was crucified.
I remember how I was impressed by the greatness that opened before me, and for some time, I continued to silently study the facade of the cathedral. And only on my next visit, I decided to go up to the very top of Notre Dame, having waited in some unthinkable line to look at least once in the eyes of those scary gargoyles, frozen in a waiting position at the foot of the towers.
The last time I visited the Cathedral was shortly before a vigorous fire that occurred in April 2019. I stepped inside by accident, guided by the towing bell that I heard as I passed by. Right then, I pointed to myself that this is a good sign and, therefore, immediately proceeded inside. At that moment, a service was held, and I heard the sounds of organ music. This was the first time I listened to the acoustics of the temple when the organ was playing. And it was so beautiful! There was a big procession, and a lot of people have gathered around it. Light penetrated the building through numerous multi-colored stained-glass windows, adding drama to what was happening. This picture struck me to the very core of my being, almost to tears. And I disappeared in the peaceful atmosphere of the Cathedral, to the sounds of organ music.
Turbulent passions of Versailles.
In December of that same year, I returned to Paris again. I fell in love ... But I fell in love not only with the city and the local culture but also with a particular person - a real Frenchman. This time I stayed at his place. For the first time, I saw that the facades of houses located on the narrow streets of Paris were hiding very cozy courtyards, and every apartment in those houses would face this quiet yard that didn't allow any noise to infiltrate from the busy city streets. I liked everything about Paris - the purling of the French language, the cobblestone streets, the exquisite antiquities, the street cafes, and most of all, I enjoyed meeting with the locals for a glass of wine. In Paris, I first saw how to brew coffee in a French press. A fast and easy way to prepare coffee without using coffee machines! Every morning, my Frenchy got up early to buy freshly baked croissants for breakfast. When I woke up, fragrant coffee and fresh croissants were waiting for me on the dining table. I felt like I was spoiled, but the French breakfasts are always like this.
The French are also known for hospitality. They enjoy inviting their friends and even not very familiar people over for dinner, during which the hosts and the guests have long, in-depth conversations. This is a whole ceremony, and for dinner, each dish is served in a particular order. Cheese or I would say several different varieties of it is considered a dessert and is brought to the table at the very end. Well, of course, with cheese, they usually serve a bottle of red wine.
In my childhood, when I was devouring books about the adventures of the magnificent Angelique, by the novelist duo Anne and Serge Golon, I dreamed one day to see Versailles - the residence of the French kings. The boiling passions that took place in the book made an indelible impact on me. In the story, by acting with feminine charm and wit, Angelique, conquers the heart of the king of the sun, Louis XIV. I cannot describe my excitement when I found out that the residence of the French Kings is only half an hour's drive from Paris.
Accompanied by my Frenchman, I went to the palace. Before you find yourself in the palace complex, you need to walk through the vast territory of the park with fountains, surrounded by cobblestone pavements. Today the Palace of Versailles retains the status of a museum. Its magnitude is merely incredible. The Mirror Hall, wherein the time of Angelique royal balls were held, was exceptionally beautiful. I immediately started to imagine how gallant gentlemen and beautiful ladies in stunning dresses, were waltzing around in this place to the sounds of elegant music. The hall is decorated with a very rich embellishment, a large number of mirrors, and chandeliers made of Bohemian crystal. You can wander around Versailles all day long, but it wouldn't be possible to see all the halls and the numerous royal chambers of the palace. This place is so huge!
As in the best canons of French soap operas, my brief romance ended immediately upon my return from this trip. Just before my departure, the Frenchman looked faithfully into my eyes for a long time and promised that he would come for me very soon. We talked about our future, about how often we would visit each other, and then eventually, we’ll definitely come up with a plan, but alas, the reunion didn’t happen. For a couple of years, I had no desire to return to Paris. Only when my wounds healed and good memories of the beautiful city prevailed, I came back to Paris intending to celebrate my birthday. That year I turned 31, and it was one of the best birthdays of all time. Since then, I decided that instead of celebrating milestone birthdays, I should go haywire when I turn odd number on my birthday, such as 31, 33, 37 years, and so on ...
The tower lights up!
I was delighted when my friends took me to a unique restaurant on the roof of the Museum on the Branly Embankment, called Les Ombres. From there, a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower opens through the glass windows of the panoramic terrace. You can freely step out to the terrace and make beautiful shots with the Tower. And when, after dark, my friends asked me to count to 5, and on account of 5 the Tower suddenly sparkled with golden lights, I was happy like a child! The performance lasted about three minutes, and I naively assumed that it was in my honor! It turned out that when it gets darker in Paris, the Tower is lit with lights every hour.
It is hard to hide from the Eiffel Tower. You can see it from anywhere in the city. By design, it resembles a huge nail, and its discovery made a massive sensation at the opening of the World Exhibition in 1889. I tried to climb it but wasn’t able to get to the very top. It was way too crowded, and I didn’t have enough patience to wait for my turn. So, I decided it would be best to enjoy it from a distance.
Mur des je t’aime.
Paris is a city of lovers. The main validation to this statement is immortalized in one sentence, “I love you”, translated into 311 different languages on the hill of Montmartre.
Recently, I came to Paris for the wedding of my very close friend. She moved here from Russia many years ago and became a true Parisian. She perfectly mastered not only the French language, but also absorbed all local traditions and culture. In Paris, she met her future husband, who is French.
The wedding was not quite traditional, since half of the guests, from the bride's side, were Russian speaking. The wedding ceremony itself took place at the local city hall. It was pretty quick. A city clerk read out loud an article from the family law of France about the rights and obligations of future spouses. Then the couple and their witnesses proceeded to sign the official documents. Eventually, the newlyweds received the marriage certificate, called in livret de famille in French, and with joy, the whole procession went for a walk around the main attractions of Paris.
It struck me how simple the French guests were dressed. All the outfits were modest and elegant. I haven’t spotted any bright makeups and over-the-top hairstyles. Festive attire in France is a tiny bit more stylish than their everyday clothes.
After a walk around Paris’s main attractions, the guests were seated in cars, and the whole procession set off to the country for dinner and party. The newlyweds reserved a small banquet space with access to a cozy courtyard. The party began with an aperitif. Guests broke up into small groups and began to communicate and exchange impressions. In general, I noticed the fact that the French love to discuss political topics or social issues that concern them, and most of all, they like to complain about almost anything. A wedding is the best reason for the French to exchange their views on the political situation in the world.
Most of the celebration was dinner. For dinner, we were offered traditional French food. Each guest was brought his portion on a plate. There were no common dishes. But the wine flowed like a river! Naturally, after the drinking of alcoholic beverages, the Russian people cheered up and were ready to dance. As soon as the DJ put on the first dance track, our guys immediately started dancing, while the French went to breathe air into the courtyard and were generally not very interested in the dance part of the program.
The French guests began to leave immediately after midnight, while the Russians continued to dance energetically.
Photo credit: Laurent Indovino
The next day, the newlyweds invited their closest friends for brunch. Perhaps, this was the best part of the whole wedding. The atmosphere was more intimate and friendly, and everyone enjoyed each other’s company. After the brunch, we were all taken to try French delicacies such as snails and cheese fondue. And then, our celebration culminated in one of the Parisian rooftops bars. Everyone was impressed with the gorgeous view of the city from up there.
Just observe.
One interesting person asked me, “What do you like doing in Paris?” and I confessed that I enjoy observing the rhythm of the city. Paris has its own, not comparable to any other city charm. If you decide not to follow the favorite touristic routes and just get lost on unfamiliar streets, pretending to be a Parisian, then the city will show you a different side. The expressive rumbling of the French people will gradually settle into your conciseness, and some phrases will become identifiable. After observing the natives eating long baguettes on the street, you would suddenly want to mimic them, by going into a local boulangerie (bakery) and buying the same thing. Later, while walking next to Seine River, you would devour it with the appetite. And then, escaping from the summer heat, you will eventually wander into one of the many parks, and just sit there quietly for a few minutes, listening to children play, watching local Madames argue, and witnessing some couple, effortlessly opening another bottle of wine, as they are stretching out on the grass.
During my last visit, I enjoyed watching sunsets. I was able to catch one magnificent sunset from The New Bridge! Did you know that the New Bridge is the oldest bridge in the city? When it was built, there was simply no suitable name for it. But since it was the newest among four other bridges, which existed at that time, it inherited the name - Puente Nuevo!
During my road trip to France, I was struck by this idea that when we travel – we travel to ourselves by testing out our boundaries, expanding our comfort zone, gradually filling ourselves with impressions from everything we saw and experienced.
Vive la France!
