Friday find

 

A medieval moment on a Marais back street. 

 

Minicafé

10 rue des Barres 75004 

Throwback Thursday

 

Taking in Paris... One magnolia at a time.

 

Window Wednesday

 

A testament to balanced living.

Hugo on feeding the mind through books, Descartes on feeding the body to support the mind.

Table Tuesday

 

 

A lineup of tables red-y for smokers.

Mona Monday

 

 

Sunny Lisa... One smile at a time.

 

Sunrise Sunday

Early birds get the best seats.

Above: the Tour de France is hours away but fans are already streaming up the butte

*** 

 Tour de France

 Arrival in Paris: Sunday July 26, 2026  

 

🚴‍♀️🚴🚴‍♂️  

 Montmartre schedule

Saturday sentry

 

A lamppost commands a leafy square.

 

Window Wednesday

 View from a Montmartre apartment on a beautiful day. 

Monday magic

 The Assemblée Nationale as seen from Place de la Concorde.

Sit-down Saturday

 A quiet get-together off the man drag.

Frenchie Friday

 Tell me you're French without telling me you're French.

Above: whatever the temperatures café life goes on

 

Thirsty Thursday

The usual (and not so usual) suspects at a bar beneath a Montmartre stairway.

***

The fan overhead whirred as Laurent leaned on the bar from a corner stool, his voice low and threatening.

"Where did you make the connection?" he asked in his clipped French accent. "I want names." Keyser, standing, a shortish man with a slight build, smiled faintly before letting out a weary sigh. His eyes drifted past Laurent's shoulder to the glowing wall of bottles behind the bar. Laurent tapped the record button on his phone. 

"It started at the Saint James Hotel, here in Paris," Keyser said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Captain Morgan brought me in. He introduced me to Eristoff, a slippery Russian fixer. William Lawson handled the clean documents, while Botran was the quiet one who made sure the shipments never saw daylight.


He continued. ”Later we met in a little place behind the Bastille. Basil Hayden was waiting in the back and passed me on to Redbreast, the drop man. Never said much - just got it done. Then there was Chartreuse. Knew everybody. Kept insisting I meet her friend Charette, but I never took the bait. Her brother, Diplomatico, was an ex-diplomat who smoothed over the international side. Mr. Banks looked after the money and kept everything flowing clean.

 When things got too hot, we shifted the whole operation to the States. Zacapa set up the new route, while Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare made sure everything crossed the border without a trace.”
 
Laurent’s eyes narrowed. “And the man at the top?" Keyser hesitated, his voice dropping to a low rasp. “Jose. Jose ran the whole operation.” He looked up, now his eyes narrowing. “You don’t cross Jose.”

Satisfied, Laurent told him to get lost. Keyser bolted out the door and was quickly swallowed into the crowd on the stairway, and out of sight. 

Laurent had what he needed. Only then did he turn to the bartender for a drink. His eyes landed on a bottle straight ahead: Jose Cuervo, then slid slowly across the shelf… Saint James, Captain Morgan, Eristoff, William Lawson, Botran, Basil Hayden. Bottles of Redbreast, Chartreuse, Charette, Diplomatico, Mr. Banks, Zacapa, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, nestled among better-known brands, jumped into his gaze.

The blood drained from his face as the full realization hit him like a freight train. By the time he spun toward the door, it was too late. Keyser had already vanished. - “The Usual Spirits”  © Barbara Pasquet James

Waiting Wednesday

 A pause at the light before continuing their descent.

Mocha Monday

 Cloudy with a chance of coffee.

Suzanne Sunday

 Late afternoon in the studio of artist Suzanne Valadon.

Musée de Montmartre
12 rue Cortot 75018

 

Sit-down Saturday

The sun-dappled sidewalk terrace of a local boulangerie.

Floral Friday

Flower in the crannied wall...

- Alfred Lord Tennyson

 Above: wall on Avenue Junot

 

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 

 

Table Tuesday

 Your coffee awaits.

 

Museum Monday

 ADYA & OTTO VAN REES

 At the heart of the avant-garde 

 

Ends September 13, 2026 

 

Musée de Montmartre
12 rue Cortot 75018

 

 

***

 

Dutch artist couple Adya van Rees-Dutilh (1876-1959) and Otto van Rees (1884-1957) have returned to Montmartre, offering a fascinating example of a true artistic partnership at the heart of 20th-century modernism. They lived and worked in Montmartre's now famous Bateau-Lavoir (Picasso, Braque, van Dongen, Mondrian, Modigliani and poet/writer Max Jacob were part of their circle) and later, Montparnasse, in the era that helped define Pointillism, Cubism, Cloisonnism (with its flat planes of color, heavy dark contours and simplified forms) and eventually, Abstraction. The current exhibition at the Musée de Montmartre - with its refreshing garden, small tea room, and sweeping views - is the perfect opportunity to discover them. - BPJ

 

 

 

 

Sit-down Sunday

 

A beret, a baguette, a café crème.

 

Flour Friday

 

From oven to table... One loaf at a time.

 

Night walk Wednesday

Cool breezes and cobbled streets lead to Place Émile Goudeau.