Driving in Circles

Driving in Circles

One silver lining of the pandemic in France: Driving around the Place de l’Etoile is not nearly as scary as it used to be. This is even though France has almost entirely reopened, as of this month. Stores and restaurants are open, as is the Louvre down at the other...
Who Is the Real Étranger?

Who Is the Real Étranger?

In late 2005, I was invited to be a panelist on an evening news show called Mots Croisés. The topic was the riots across France in the low-income, predominantly Muslim ethnic suburbs that surrounded big cities. There were about 10 participants, representing every...
The Saddest Street in Paris

The Saddest Street in Paris

By Anne Swardson Not so long ago, rue de Caumartin throbbed with activity noon and night. Its narrow sidewalks in the heart of Paris were jammed with office workers and tourists at lunchtime and patrons of three nearby performance venues at night. Fully 15 restaurants...
To Bise or Not to Bise?

To Bise or Not to Bise?

By Anne Swardson When I came to Paris on a school-scouting trip before moving here, the outgoing Washington Post correspondent, a rather large American man, welcomed me with a two-cheek kiss. My reaction was, yuck. But, like him and like many foreigners who have lived...
Uncovering for Déconfinement

Uncovering for Déconfinement

Originally published in The American Scholar By Anne Swardson The French are facing an existential question as their coronavirus lockdown phases down: Will they be able to go on vacation this summer? Cable television news and newspapers are filled with this topic....

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