Cartoon wall

A lineup of cartoon characters.

Flamingo wall

Birds and exotic plants decorate the wall of a small corner bistrot.

On a quai

“Though I have often looked for one, I finally had to admit that there could be no cure for Paris.”

Prologue, The Paris Wife, Paula McLain

Tartine du jour

A light summer's day lunch: 

 

Above: farm fresh goat cheese atop toasted pain de campagne, radishes, green onion, grilled cherry tomatoes, baby spinach leaves en salade

Au Sauvignon  
80 rue des Saints-Pères 75007

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August newsletter
Nouveautés

3 hours (or less) from Paris: Côte d'Azur #2

Exploring the corners and byways of hilltop village Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the oldest medieval village in the South of France.

Below: a cobbled climb; cloudy and cool at the top; apéro at Le Tilleul

Some like it hot

Beat the heat in The City of Love and hole up à deux for a sizzling night (or two - why not?) at one of the capital's many air-conditioned hotels - ask if the hotel is climatisé or has climatisation. Indoor swimming pool, cocktail bar and spa a plus.

Above: afternoon room service

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The heat is on. Again. But you won't hear that refrain on everyone's lips these days, "Il fait chaud!", coming from me. In comparison to summers I've known in Arizona (dry), New York (humid), the South of France chez my French in-laws (cigales chirping in unison each evening), Morocco (early errand runs) and Spain (¡Ay, que calor!) - and how about those five weeks in India? - Paris' brief canicules seem almost tame. It helps living in an airy apartment / artist's loft in always-slightly-cooler Montmartre in a well-insulated historic building. A plus: an interior courtyard with shade trees reduces the need for AC; a fan will suffice as temperatures rise. 

 

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

 

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Fans / ventilateurs
  Space air conditioners / climatiseurs available at:

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

Moon lighting

This month's full moon over the Basilica from a friend's Montmartre terrace.