Springtime in the Streets

It's the ninth annual Festival of Arts in the Streets in the 10th arrondissement where we've been staying.

Canal Saint Martin is draped with fluttering banners in shades of blue: sky blue, marine blue, blue violet. Art events are scheduled all weekend from the marvelous sprawl of Villemin Park, to the restored inner square of Hôpital Saint-Louis (that dates from the same period as Place des Vosges and is constructed in a similar style), to Espace Jemmapes (in spitting distance of Hôtel du Nord), to Place Raoul Follereau. There are performing artists everywhere you look. And the citizens of the 10th are out in force to enjoy it. This city uses its parks to full advantage. And they support the arts in word and deed.

We saw all sorts of performances for both adults and for children. Everywhere you looked there was something going on. Some people walked from one venue to another while others spread out blankets and settled in on one performance space to watch the events or just the other people or even the clouds reflected in the glass of a nearby office building.There was an old-fashioned amusement ride with real baskets for kiddies to sit in, powered by a man turning it by hand.

But it was last night's event that took my breath away and hardened my resolve to find a way to live here permanently.

As dusk fell over the canal, a fantastical white ship floated up along the side of the canal, accompanied by haunting music and a kind of surreal scat singing. It was preceeded by towering white creatures out of a dreamscape and citizens of the 10th followed it in pied piper fashion.

Atop the dreamship, acrobats performed, accompanied by the fanciful music and song. As they traversed the length of the canal and crossed over one of its bridges to return along the other side, more and more people followed, Mardi Gras style. Residents hung out of balconies. And of course no traffic was allowed, so the streets were full of people swaying and dancing. We were all in a fugue state of joy and enchantment.

The ship 'docked' by the park at Square Villemin and the crowds poured in to watch another acrobatic performance there in the park. There were sparklers and light effects and the stilted creatures jumped rope over a string of lights.

For a finale, an enormous sinuous tube wormed onto the field and erupted with a great gush of bubbles that flowed like lava, covering the surface until we were surrounded by tides of bubbles. Adults, children, even dogs danced and swam and pirouetted in the sea of bubbles which shimmered in the reflected light. It was such a magical experience that I expected the crowds to drift upward and fly off into the night.

Comments

[Tricoquine]

I cannot believe that I missed this. I LIVE 4 BLOCKS FROM THE CANAL (rue alibert bridge). What a shame. Looks like a fun time. Hopefully they'll do it next year!

[chezanna]

I can't believe WE missed this either. We were one week too late! Thanks so much for the photos, Tut. At least we get to see those! I'm thinking maybe I need to pay better attention to what's going on in your beloved Tenth. That canal is making magic happen! Can't wait 'til you come back so we can be city mouse, country mouse with visits again to my Burgundy and to your Paris.
Have a safe trip home. I'm going to miss you two funny women like crazy. However, the chateau stories are being written as we speak...You'll hear more soon!

[Debra]

I can feel your longing!! I'm a femme d'un certain age who also longs to live in France. My family thinks that I've gone off my rocker and am just being 'dumb'. I'm so glad to find someone who also feels that strange urge to live une vie francaise.

[panasianbiz]

I stumbled upon this site while I was doing some online research. You certainly presented a fascinating picture here. I am envious I was not there!

[Jack]

Well...France has a certain and profound excitement outside of the dull unpainted houses, some of the festivals are no longer pleasing celebrations (Fete de l'ourse for example celebrating their killing..extermination actually )but wherever one is there will be some celebration of life and some laughing at death. In the Catelanian areas and up through St Laurent Cerdans down the Basque, across into the Pyrenees belt...up through to... well...to the top,past Finisterre, Nantes and across to Normandy is colour celebrating things we, born outside France never consider,...I have a home now in France and love to be there, it has something, perhaps ease of travel, great trains, excellent autoroutes and general roads, cheap cars, access to the Cathar trails, Perypetuis, Queribus, Montesegur, monasteries with staggering perfection of sound if you sing a note, churches rarely visited where one can sit and just ponder alone, some with templar seating still intact.and further down in Spain and Portugal the same, with convents also to visit.., The sense of history, sadness, joy is maintained often in the fetes...well...perhaps the joy is more profound in Spain but the colourful hustle and bustle and sense of release is in France too...and the French know well how to make a mighty protest parade also...rarely are they clubbed and beaten and dragged off as in USA Australia UK and China for just a few...France offers a new aspect which we "etrangers" find refreshing. I lament the introduction of alien culture..Dordogne perhaps with its cricket clubs and conkers competitions but then, it happens and one can travel elsewhere of a completely different history and culture in a day. With villages set at less than a day's ride on horseback long ago there is a sense of endless connection once off the autoroutes. Three star hotels are quite adequate and often have wonderful food...in France and in Provence...and in Spain too..no need for 5 star expense..There are wonderful Operas in Toulouse, choirs in villages, street msicians of various ilks, sunny colourful Senagalese beauties with their equally drab males..That reminds me that for me, it would be nice to have someone "vers un certain age" with whom to enjoy it LOL!!, I sometimes ache for that too and France is not all as portrayed in travelogues...Whilst travelling alone and meeting men "out of the blue" has also its plusses, there are serious predators sometimes as opposed to simply "charming males" in some of the villages and women travelling ought to know so...(France is not the "paye de bon vivant" only ) and it's nice to have a snuggle in the warmth of someone you know when you want to...in my view. Continuing relentlessly...The trains are brilliant and clean...in all my experience...occasionally empestered by noisy soccer teams it is interesting to see how far, for example, people travel to work in say Paris..some stay during the week there and travel 3 or 4 hours or more home on Friday night...some do it each day...In closing, when in Paris, there are more beautiful church sites than Notre Dame, a block away is St Severin for example and Ste Marie...and the canals throughout France are "something else"...it isn't all about Gay Paris and Replicated Carcassonne saved and wonderfully restored by violet le Duc..or urine scented villages like Bezieres so close to the mediterranean LOL (it's common to see men openly urinating in the street..and on the roads.., even into pretty street gardens as they seem unable to find a toilet, or to control themselves..or is it something else..??)..so don't feel odd Chezanna...you are smelling a different scent....the sweet and natural perfume of a new Spring...one day eh...it will happen..but you have to step out and make it happen. yes? ..One caution...don't sell up to come to France...rent a place for at least 6 months and look around, many go broke in more expensive Provence and elsewhere too as they over-invest and overlook costs of living and labour..., keep your assets intact whatever you do...too many tragic stories of women seeking a new life with or without kids... most dreams like most passionate nights have a morning after..sane behaviour can make the permanent living attainable and you can keep your assets too...and a part of that is avoiding overpriced unrestored or restored expat houses...renting is both wise and long term in France..and so is learning to speak French whilst thinking about the trip..Cheers Jack

[Jack]

Hi...There's plenty of fun on this site of the sagely yearning Madam Tut...and through its contributors but contact to ask something directly, or otherwise, seems unattainable...I had something to say to Tricoquine and Cezanna I seem to recall..Perhaps I missed the methods. My email address if someone wants to ask or make a point is cathar_rex@yahoo.fr and you are welcome to write. In the meantime I'll probably find there is a "sytem" for that which I have missed...(LOL!!) as I had things to ask also.....c'est vraiment normal ...!!cheers, Jack