by Anne Swardson | Dec 12, 2022 | France, Morocco, Paris, World Cup
In Paris, celebrations, demonstrations and riots tend to take place on the Champs-Elysées — but usually not all at once. Saturday was an exception. The excitement began in early evening, after Morocco defeated soccer powerhouse Portugal 1-0 to qualify for the... 
by Anne Swardson | Nov 28, 2022 | food, France, Paris
Scratch a Parisian, and they will tell you why the food market where they shop is the best. Tourist guides also make recommendations, such as here, here and here. Open-air food markets are an essential part of cooking and no one who wants fresh, tasty ingredients... 
by Anne Swardson | Nov 15, 2022 | France, Paris, Parisbiking, Walking
I’ve always thought of Paris as a city that flows, and not just because a river runs through it. Living here teaches you a kind of malleability and adaptability, in transport and otherwise, that is arguably less present in my confrontational native land. Driving in... 
by Anne Swardson | Oct 31, 2022 | Architecture, France, Paris
Second of two parts This post has been corrected, see below. To some people, the symbol of Paris is the Eiffel Tower. To others, it’s the Arc de Triomphe or the Louvre. To me, the symbol of Paris is a train station: The Gare du Nord, North Station. It represents... 
by Anne Swardson | Oct 11, 2022 | Paris, Trains, Travel
First of two parts Paris train stations and I have never gotten along. Years ago, for instance, I was leaving on a ski vacation with my kids, then little, and my parents, then healthy. For some unaccountable reason, I decided we should take the Métro to the gare where... 
by Anne Swardson | Sep 12, 2022 | France, Paris, Walking, World War II
The joy of my return to Paris after two months away began with a movie on the airplane. “Diplomatie,” a 2014 Franco-German production, is set on the night of August 24, 1944. Nazi General Dietrich von Choltitz, recently arrived as governor of occupied Paris, is under...