Life in Paris under lockdown

[Patricia Perry]

Hello fellow forum members,

I live in Paris in the 15e arrondissement near to the Seine where I go jogging and pass by the 1/4 size replica of the statue of liberty at the tip of Ile aux Cygnes (island of the swans) next to Pont Grenelle.  At the other end of the island at Pont Bir-Hakeim is a statue of Jean d’Arc on a horse and a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower.  At least with this lockdown you can wander 10 km from your residence, but must return home for 7pm – 6am curfew.  This past year it has been ParisWithoutPeople PWP or ParisSansGens PSG, very strange not seeing the hordes of tourists around the nearby Eiffel Tower and the Champs de Mars looking like an empty pastoral overgrown meadow.  I don’t think traveling to Paris will be advisable until perhaps late fall or winter, depending on the covid situation which is not good at all right now.  

[Annie Sargent]

OMG the Champ de Mars looking like a pastoral overgrown meadow… And to think that “before” they couldn’t keep people off the grass long enough to let it grow! Beautiful photo. Please keep us updated on how things evolve in Paris.

[Kim Loftus]

Bonjour Patricia,

Thank you for sharing your great photo of Lady Liberty by the Seine, and your experience as a Parisian during this time. I am a huge fan of Jeanne d’Arc and you mentioned running past her sculpture on the Pont Bir-Hakeim. It is my goal to visit the Jeanne sites in Paris once we can visit again. If you ever capture a photo of the Bir-Hakeim Jeanne, please share!

Stay well, Kim

[Patrick]

The pandemic has been unfortunate for many reasons but PSG sounds attractive. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s I could literally go up and down the Eiffel Tower 4 or 5 times and not wait or even see that many people. Not to mention how times I stared at the Mona Lisa when she didn’t have her own room. The one reality of life is, really enjoy the moment because you cannot go back other than in your mind.

 

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