Tuesday, May 22, 2007

RECHERCHE...


A few days in Paris beckons - I hope to saunter around rather than hobble by then; but a week of "resting" prone on the sofa eating a steady intake of ready meals has done nothing for the old forme. No trying on clothes in those horrible communal changing rooms particular to Paris where women openly stare, not at how the clothes look, but at each others figures, for me then.

Luckily for those in need of exercise, Paris has some nice public swimming pools - the Club Quartier Latin looks lovely - it's only 3.70 euros for a swim and Cathy Horyn went there during fashion week, which somehow reassures me that it must be reasonably hygienic and aesthetically pleasing. But maybe I'm missing out on a better pool. I once read about a public pool in Paris that still had its beautiful art deco interior intact. Ring any bells for anyone?

I also found a place that hires out lovely Dutch bicycles - look! Ding ding! - by the half day, day, weekend, even for three months if you're lucky enough to be in Paris that long.

Or maybe I could just blend in and not eat, smoke loads of cigarettes and drink coffee all day while I'm there.

I'll get in the Paris mood by seeing Dans Paris at the Institut Francais here in London before I go - something about depression, anyway it's got Romain Duris in it so who cares about the plot.

And when I return: To stave off post Paris malaise, Paris Je T'Aime is finally being released in the U.K on June 29th. It's taken so long I thought I'd missed its release and asked for it in my local DVD shop. I stood there for about ten minutes trying to explain to the boy working there that it was directed not by one person but lots of different people, but I couldn't remember who any of them were and he wasn't really getting the whole arrondissement scenario.

10 comments:

Julia said...

Thanks for the velo link - we'll be doing this in Amsterdam but I'd love to in Paris as well...toot toot!

I remember seeing a photo of that pool too but google hasn't come up with anything :-(

Yes, Romain Duris...would love to hear your thoughts on the film. I saw Paris Je T'aime a few weeks ago (but didn't post about it). Enjoy!

RD said...

A few random threads:

- I remember a section in Adam Gopniks' Paris to the Moon where goes swimming at the Health Club at the Ritz. I think you can go on a day pass. Won't be cheap, but then when does beauty come cheap?

- I saw Inside Paris as well (at another location in London). It made me realize that every film tradition has it's own way of being funny, silly, and sentimental. In Hollywood it's tear-jerking meeting on the roof of the Empire State, actors that look like Meg Ryan or Tom Hanks. In France, it's actors who look like Romain Duris having horrible existential rows with their far-too-pretty girlfriends and actors like Louis Garrel going around sleeping with every girl in sight. The real mystery is why the French formule seems classier and more thoughtful. Probably because it is.

- Perhaps you should tie a Hermes scarf around your ankle?

- Did you read the bit in last night's paper about how someone hire fake paparazzi to pretend to stalk Janet Jackson?

I'm sure all the dots connect somehow...

Have fun!

Cheers,

BB

travel notes said...

Ding ding indeed! This all sounds wonderful! And the tariffs for the bicycles are quite reasonable.

I cannae wait to see Paris Je T'aime! I hope it's in a cinema near me.

Oh you're going to have a lovely time in Paris! xx

p.s. if you happen to be on Rue de la Verrerie and/or stalking the sexy waiter at Le Verre Luisant (!) could you please note down an 'ambience rating' for me?

Claire said...

sure thing! I will make a point of walking down "your" street and will give you my thoughts - and I may ogle the waiter a bit too, not that he ever notices me...

la femme said...

Mmmm. I would like to go to Paris too!

Good luck attracting the attention of the builder :)

Anonymous said...

I loved 'Paris Je t'aime'...particularly lovely to see Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazarra reunited. I also loved the Alexander Payne 'au contraire' sequence.x

Claire said...

eb - either you've read Lux Lotus today or you've been reading my mind!

Anonymous said...

Hi Lola, next time you want such a movie, call me and I send it over to you :D

oh and by the way good choice, that place is remarkable, but of course i could never get in wih adigital camera so could not talk about it on my blog :-)
kisses
King Negrito

Anonymous said...

There is a beautiful pool at Butte aux Cailles which may be the one you have seen, it has coloured tiles and arching vaulting. The pool that I would like to go to is the one Juliette Binoche swims in alone in "Three Colours: Blue" before eating vanilla ice cream with an espresso poured over.

Claire said...

thanks negrito I will take you up on that offer!
Anon: The Butte aux Cailles pool looks fantastic and the area sounds a good one to explore - one of the few corners of Paris I don't know so I'll definitely go there - thanks for the tip...