PAR(id)IS(e) Regained!

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For the next 4 weeks we are heading first to Paris and then to Brittany. However, before we start this journey let's wind back the clock to 2011 and a conversation we had about our trip that year.....

......."how about we spend all four weeks in Spain. Would that be alright with me” Dianne asked. Alright?? -- it would be absolutely marvellous for me!!! however I was surprised that Dianne would give up her opportunity for two weeks in France. Dianne quickly corrected me on this point – no she was not giving up France, but rather postponing it from this time; our next trip would be totally French.

..... which brings us to here and now as we prepare to set off to redress the travel imbalance.

For our two weeks in Paris we have chosen to rent an apartment, and again it is in the Marais and located even closer to the Seine than the apartment in Rue de Tournelles where we stayed in 2005. We are giving the Airbnb network a whirl as a way of identifying and renting the apartment, and if you wish to take a peek at where we will be staying in Rue Petit-Musc then point your browser here! And while we will be leaving our 'Darlo neighbourhood behind a search to find some history about Rue Petit-Musc reveals that we are going to somewhere very much like home!! To quote that ultimate authority (Wikipedia) "this street was formerly frequented by prostitutes and then called street Pute-y-Muse, from the old French to loiter or wander, or alternatively Pute-y-Musse (lit. f**king is hidden). This became successively corrupted to Petit-Musse, Petit Muce, and finally Petit-Musc. The street also appears on a map of the sixteenth century under the street name of Celestine, and already existed in 1358". Additionally the Marais is, as our apartment host here puts it with such a delicate turn of phrase, in the "happy" area of Paris; again how very like home. Paris and Darlinghurst - who would have thought it, although as the French say 'la plus ca change, la plus meme chose'.

While our previous visit to Paris was very much focussed on sight-seeing, this time it is our intention to wind back a little and explore the by-ways and small corners, embracing the spirit of that fabulous french word (for which there is no english equivalent) the flaneur -a deliberately aimless pedestrian, unencumbered by any obligation or sense of urgency. However we must stress that we will not be wandering in the same sense as the ladies from whom Petit-Musc draws its name.

And so if you care to, please drop by over the next few weeks to share in our ramblings and musings as we flaneur our way through France.

A bientot

Peter & Dianne

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Photos

Farewell Darlinghurst ...
... and Hello Paris; historically more in common than first meets the eye.