Sundays are sacrosanct—slow motion mornings made for sleeping in or wandering empty Paris streets or lazily reading piles of newspapers, punctuated by coffee and croissants. For one band of merry Parisians (seemingly straight out of central casting), Sundays are a marathon of music … and a reminder of all that is good about France.
They start at the Mouffetard market singing and dancing to Piaf and Trenet—the kind of songs that make old (and young) a bit nostalgic for yesterday. The timeless melodies and a “je ne regrette rien” credo take hold in a powerful way. Even if you don’t know the words or the tune (except perhaps osmotically from old French movies or scratchy Piaf recordings), you will find yourself humming … and smiling … and pretty soon dancing.
The group then flows uphill and takes over a Mouffetard restaurant to continue the party. They drink and eat and sing and dance some more. The accordion chords vibrate off the poster-rich wooden walls, and the dancers stretch the limits of the aisle-turned-dance floor. Everyone just plain has a good time. The group then adjourns to the quai Saint-Bernard (when the summer warmth comes) for … what else? … more singing and dancing. We should all have such a good life, n’est ce pas?
Meredith Mullins is an internationally exhibited American photographer and writer who currently lives in Paris. She is a recent winner of the Grand Concours Photo sur Paris, author of the award-winning book, In A Paris Moment (click here to order), and contributor to Paris Magazine and Browntrout travel calendars. Visit www.meredithmullins.artspan.com to see more of her images. Original photographs are available directly through the artist. And don’t miss a new exhibition coming up at the Greenlane Gallery in Paris beginning May 25.
Meredith will be teaching several new photography courses and workshops, including courses at WICE and photographic expeditions to the covered passages of Paris, the Bagatelle gardens, Parc de Sceaux, and a sunset/night photography prowl of the Ile de la Cité and Ile St-Louis. She is also available for private photography instruction/exploration in Paris. Sign up for an information-filled, creative half-day lesson! Contact: [email protected]
Coming soon: Eye Prefer New York Tours
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte’s professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Wonderful article, wonderful pictures. This looks like a fun group to have at a party.
Posted by: Diogenes | March 24, 2010 at 11:46 PM
I love these pictures! Definitely the good life :)
Posted by: Katrina Foster | March 25, 2010 at 05:52 PM