Livable Paris

This is where I live in Paris.  Having lived here part-time for several years, I have learned how livable Paris really is.  Switching from being a tourist to being a local give you a whole new perspective.

Walking out your door here, you are immediately a part of a community.  Now that you are a local, the people you see are your neighbors.  Unlike in the US where we drive most places in the privacy of a car, here you are in community all the time, and it feels really good.

And, the people in the community have learned well how to live together comfortably.  People are nice to each other, because that is an important part of good living.  When a Parisian parks his car (if he happens to have one), he always does it in a way that doesn’t interfere with anyone else.  He may technically be violating some law, but he is respecting everyone else and their right to use public space.

People are polite.  Even teen-agers shake hands.  People say “Bonjour” on entering a place and “Merci.  Au revoir”  when leaving.  They give up a seat on the Metro to older people without being asked.  They make way for each other on leaving a bus or Metro.

And, it is not just a neighborly feeling.  You live in a real neighborhood and you can meet your daily needs in your own neighborhood.  Shopping, cafes, movies, schools, hotels, and parks - it is all right here in your neighborhood.  And in many neighborhoods you also have a local landmark.  In my neighborhood, Sacre Coeur presides over our neighborhood, orients us, and welcomes us home when we have been away, 

When you want to go to another neighborhoods that is easy too, with a choice of how to do it.  Walking is always wonderful here.  If you like bikes, Paris has the Velib program, where for a small fee, you can pick up a bike, ride it to your destination and drop it off there.  When you come to Paris you should also try the buses.  They give you a visual tour of Paris as you go.  And there is always the Metro and no place in Paris is more than 500 meters from a Metro stop.  So, if you are wandering around Paris just go wherever you want to go and when you are finished you can check the nearest Metro station map and see what connections will take you back home.

What about cars?  Yes, it is true there are cars in Paris, but they are an option, not a requirement.  And for most people, not a very good option.  Parking is one issue.  Except for a few parking garages, parking is just what may be available on the street.  So don’t expect to find a vacant space when you arrive at your destination.  There probably won’t be one.

And Parisians don’t see traffic congestion as something to be fixed.  Americans in their cars feel entitled to drive freely without traffic congestion.  If they encounter congestion, they expect it to be fixed, and quickly, so they can continue to drive without delay.  Parisians don’t see it that way.  If traffic congestion occurs, so be it.  (And it does occur.  Every afternoon about 4, the nearby Place de Clichy becomes one huge traffic jam, with most traffic not moving.)  But the French are wise enough not to try to tear down buildings and widen the street so cars can move freely.  The French know that people are more important than cars.

Another important part of Parisian livability is sidewalk cafes - they are everywhere.  My cafe is in the ground floor of the building I live in and I am a regular there.  As a regular, I am welcomed whenever I arrive.  And at dinner I am often offered a complementary kir to enjoy while I am reading the menu.  (And the French read the menu thoroughly.)  After a meal, the French have “an cafe”, a small, potent espresso.  My cafe uses “Cafe Richard” coffee and, with two small cubes of sugar, it is delicious.  A treat that I can’t seem to find anywhere in the US.

Despite the occasional cool or rainy day in Paris, Parisian cafes have mastered the art of outdoor dining whatever the weather.  The windows of the cafe open magically in nice weather so even the first two rows of indoor seating seem outdoors.  In cooler weather, the awnings come out, with radiant heaters, and transparent plastic screens around the edges to keep the heat in.  I don’t understand why cafes in the US can’t seem to learn how to do this.

Another aspect of neighborhood life is the bakeries.  We have four or five or more within a short walk, so we get to pick which ones we like best for breads and which ones for pastries.  A delightful decision to have to make.  And the French baguettes are as good as you might imagine.  Every morning I go to the bakery to buy a fresh baguette to have with coffee for breakfast.

So that is a little taste of Parisian living.  I hope cities in the US can learn from it.