by Anne Swardson | Apr 8, 2025 | France, Paris, Trump
In the decades I’ve lived in Paris I’ve seen, and covered, many street protests. But last weekend was the first time I got to be in one. Paris was one of numerous cities in France, and Europe, in which Americans joined millions in the U.S. to protest the ways in which... 
by Anne Swardson | Mar 30, 2025 | Art, France, Metro, Paris
You can see so many wonderful things in Paris, from theater to film to dance to foreign countries. Without even going aboveground. I was struck recently how the posters in the Métro are so much more varied and inviting than they used to be. In just one trip I was... 
by Anne Swardson | Dec 22, 2024 | Christmas, France, Paris
I’ve written a lot about the joys of shopping in France’s open-air markets, where you can get the freshest meat and produce. The Internet is filled with recommendations for the best markets in Paris. We just enjoyed one in a small town during a recent visit to our... 
by Anne Swardson | Sep 24, 2024 | Architecture, Art, France, Paris
Around level 4 of the 6-story escalator of the Centre Pompidou, I realized it had been a long time since I’d visited a high place in Paris. It was a mantra when my sister Christine and I traveled in Europe. See a church, eat a good meal, visit somewhere old and climb... 
by Anne Swardson | Sep 9, 2024 | France, Olympics, Paris
I was away from Paris for the Olympics, so I missed the enthusiasm and the excitement of seeing live competitions. On my return, I figured I’d catch a few Paralympic events. This was mostly because I’d been so wrong about the Olympics’ impact on Paris – Crowds!... 
by Anne Swardson | Jun 28, 2024 | Election, France, Paris, Virginia
I took a train to vote in the French elections. But it’s not as simple as that. For starters, I was in Virginia. Second, France has never seen an election like this one. The chaos began when President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the French parliament on June 9 after his...