The tiny, heartbreaking little sign posted on one of my favorite neighborhood bakeries says, “Fermeture Annuelle” – Closed for the ENTIRE month of August.
I’m not sure how I feel about August in Paris. Its hushed streets, tightly closed shops and unusual friendliness are almost unsettling yet it is the only time of year to experience real urban calm. It is both soothing and eerie, refreshing and maddening. Merchants use this time to remodel or close permanently and workers take obscene amounts of vacation, taking most of the cars and attitudes out of the city.
Bakery, closed for renovations
I think my aversion partly stems from the fact that I know my coat-less days are numbered. Or maybe it’s because my favorite bakery takes their annual, month-long vacation leaving me desperate for a comparable replacement to my daily loaves of bucheron. I often feel more nostalgic for home and family when the little comforts I take for granted become inaccessible during the month of August.
The only way to avoid letting this feeling consume me (and depress me) is to become a tourist in my own city. With the streets as bare and quiet as they are, even around heavily frequented areas, it is the ideal time to break out the camera and go exploring. I don’t pretend to know every little nook in Paris and I prefer to go hunting for them when I am less likely to get boo-hiss looks from Parisians who immediately write me off as a pesky interloper.
So I strolled and even popped by Paris Plages (Paris Beaches) to see what was new this year…
Modernity vs Antiquity – was she helping set up the equipment?
L’Ebouillante – delicious and adorable. Tunisian inspired. Recommended to me by Jane of La Cuisine Paris.
Off to Paris Plages…
Pétanque concentration
Seine Relaxation
A stroll through the Paris d’Amour free photo exhibit at L’Hôtel de Ville, a beautiful display of love and celebration captured by photographer Gérard Uféras. The exhibit was extended through the middle of August but for those who won’t get to visit, check out this video (below).
To finish off the day with a film in the open-air cinema – with picnics and blankets, it’s the modern-day drive-in.
So while August still kind of depresses me, aside from the joyous occasion of my wedding anniversary, there’s still a lot to do, see and eat. Sometimes a Paris staycation is just the vacation you need.
(All photos taken by me, please contact me if you’d like to use them and credit my site! Thanks!)
