People & Places

Paris is a city we enjoy visiting and have enjoyed visiting many times. When you get away from the tourists the people and places are fascinating. One area we have frequently stayed in is the 19th, north east of Gare du Nord. Apart from the obvious attractions of la Villette where three canals meet,we enjoy the peace of parc Buttes-Chaumont. Although the fences are concrete impersonating timber and the topography is artificial, the atmosphere is always peaceful.

This is not the usual city park - acres of mown grass criss-crossed  with jogging tracks.

From the top of the cliff are wonderful views across Paris

Our habitual evening meal is taken at Le Cadran Bleu on the junction of two metro lines and about seven roads. Here we people-watch. Returning from work, they collect fresh bread and maybe cakes,  or milk and juice for the evening. They congregate at the crossing and chat to the newsvendor.

And when the lights change they surge across the road braving the mad scooter riders.


Sometimes they don't wait for the green light which adds spice to this activity.



We usually stay in a small hotel close by from which we can vicariously enjoy the friendly frenzy.

This week we have seen the most dreadful example of evil in Paris, perpetrated by people who lived in this area Who even planned their pointless mayhem in par Buttes-Chaumont!

And I am at a loss to understand how it came about: how an area so full of life could spawn such monsters