Off Paris-Plage

A while back Patrick Donovan asked that I write about Paris-Plage. Sorry for the delay Caballero.

The name Paris-Plage made me think of a “fake beach” in Paris. What a kitsch crock of shit I thought. But the name doesn’t help it at all. It’s not a plage, it’s like a festival along the Seine (roads are blocked off for the occasion). Loads of people, mainly tourists, walk along the Seine. You can bump into street performers, sculptures, temporary cafés with terraces, mini Mont-Royal Tamtam Jam sessions, concerts, minimalist picnic tables with nice Asian umbrellas, weird misty fountains ,,,and yes of course, some parts have “fake beaches” all with a touch of Brazil this year.

One great thing about Paris-Plage, and everywhere it seems in Paris, is you can drink alcohol legally in public. This makes it a lot easier to have a nice picnic. – - Also makes it easier to drink in the Metro – -

My main interaction with PP (I’m sure cool kids must say: “Alors les mecs? Ca vout dit d’aller draguer les minettes sur PP ?”) was to just relax in a café and read. Go for a drink with a friend and people watch. This city is so populated, people watching is becoming my hobby. I could do it for hours. Hi hi hi! ;)

Heres the British take on it ;) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3914649.stm I love the last sentence: “- something that won't go unnoticed in the battle with London for the 2012 Olympic Games.” A lot of good that did….. Ironically the 2012 games went to the Brits.

The OPP could be seen as the people that hang out on the other side of the Seine and watch us. They don’t have all the fancy structures and all that…. but I’m sure they can do other legal things in public. It’s nothing official, but they are always people on the other side watching the PP goers.