Weather Wednesday

Carried away on a breeze.

***  

Once again the Paris forecast is for highs around 35 - 36°C (or more) this coming week. Coastal areas in Brittany, Normandy, and the Charentes (Atlantic coast) are excellent choices to flee to, not that far, and, thanks to sea breezes and the moderating influence of the Atlantic, northern and western coasts typically stay 5 - 10°C+ cooler, especially right by the sea.

 

 Having spent much time in Brittany, here are my top picks for breezy escapes in the region, with most destinations accessible 2 - 4 hour direct or simple-connection high-speed trains (TGV). The beaches, towns, and activities make for relaxed coastal getaways with walks, seafood, and sightseeing. Or simply pack the laptop and get in some scenic teletravail (working remotely) between sea views and moules frites - now in season, especially Brittany’s famous rope-grown bouchot mussels, including those from the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel:

 

 Dinard & Surrounds. Visit Plage de l'Écluse (main beach with iconic huts) and coastal sentier (path) walks

Finistère West Coast (e.g. Brest, Crozon Peninsula, Pointe du Raz)

Saint-Malo and Emerald Coast (Côte d'Émeraude)

 Quiberon Peninsula (southern Brittany)

 Île de Batz or Ouessant (Ushant)

 Erquy or Cap Fréhel 

 

- Stick as close to the coast as possible for Maximum Breeze Benefit (MBB)

- Keep in mind that trains fill up in summer - check SNCF Connect soon. Consider a 1 - 2 week regional pass if doing multiple stops

 - Expect variable weather (possible showers), but milder than inland

- Pack layers, sunscreen, and rain gear 

- Head farther west like Brest (Brittany) for even more Atlantic moderation 

Enjoy. And maybe, see you there! - BPJ

***

JULY 23 - 26

Jazz Fesstival on banks of the Aulne

Chateauneuf-du-Faou - Finistère

Central Brittany

Info/Tickets 

   

JULY 26 - 30

Jazz at the Lighthouse 

 Phare de Baleine

Ile de Ré 

Info/Tickets 

 

Tuesday terrace

 Sunny with a chance of daydreams.

Temperatures and terraces return to normal. Until they don't.

 

Museum Monday

 

 

Came for the AC, stayed for the art.

Above: Raoul Dufy's epic mural

 

 

MUSÉE D'ART MODERNE DE PARIS

 

 Check for current exhibitions

11 Avenue du Président Wilson 75116

 

*** 

“A summer the likes of which I had never seen and never believed possible in our temperate climate: days when the thermometer in the shade rose to 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit), not a single blade of grass, not a single flower by the 1st of July, the trees turning yellow and losing their leaves, the earth cracking open as if to bury us, the terror of running out of water from one day to the next… - George Sand's description of the heatwave in France in September 1870, in her book Le Journal d’un voyageur pendant la guerre ("The Journal of a Traveler During the War") - the Franco-Prussian War - part of a hot dry summer.  - BPJ

 

Travel Tuesday

 

 

Beating the heat.

Above: hiking in the French Alps

 ***

 Reprint from "Some like it hot" 7/26/2019

Some tips for keeping your cool in Paris:

Sip water throughout the day (skip ice-cold and sugary drinks), take cool showers, avoid caffeine, heavy physical activity, and the métro. Uber and G7 taxis are your friends - they usually have AC. Get your errands and sightseeing done early while it’s still fresh out, stay out of direct sunlight, and if possible, nap during hottest hours (in other words, copy cats). More: libraries, parks, gardens, churches - search: air-conditioned spaces open to the public Paris. Come evening, treat yourself to a tall cool one.

 

Pro tips: The city’s many chocolate shops, larger movie theaters and supermarkets (Carrefour, Champion, G20, Franprix etc.) all have strong AC - sometimes so strong the cashiers are wearing sweaters. Keep shutters and windows closed during the day to block out the heat. Or, if you can, head to the mountains. - BPJ

 

***

Fans / ventilateurs
  Space air conditioners / climatiseurs available at:

Darty, Castorama, Conforama, BHV, Bricorama, Mr. Bricolage, Leroy Merlin, Lidl

 

Mocha Monday

 

Beating the heat with cafés glacés, for the asking even if not on the menu.

 

A Paris escape

No need to head to Switzerland to escape a heatwave when La Belle France has more than enough mountains to go around.

Next week: where we (accidentally) dodged Paris' latest canicule

Gin juleps

The French-inspired mint julep of The Old South - originally sipped from silver goblets - just in time for this week's coming heatwave.

 Above: gin replaces traditional rum or cognac

 ***

Gin

Perrier or soda water

 Freshly-squeezed lime juice

Mint

Ice

Vacated

 

 

With the recent canicule, coronavirus precautions and August vacances, usually crowded streets near the Basilica are eerily empty.

 

Peachy

Last week's heatwave inspired a wave of light refreshing homemade drinks. 

Above: peach spritzes with a splash of Cointreau

Muy refrescante

On a tiny street down a (relatively) tiny flight of stairs in Montmartre, just over a block away from chez nous, a tiny gem is serving up icy cold drinks and authentic house-made arepas, Venezuela's signature corn-based flatbreads that are also the name of these sandwiches.

 Above: incredibly refreshing limón-laced Papelón, the national iced tea w/avocado guasacaca (that's not a typo) and manioc chips; pulled pork and beef arepas w/crumbled Venezuelan white cheese, black beans, fried plantain

  Bululu Arepera

20 rue de la Fontaine-du-But 75018

Open in August

French spoken