McLaughlins Take France: Freedom

Today was our first day of freedom since March 17, 2020! Today, we were allowed to travel outside of our neighborhood, ride public transportation, get a haircut, and visit stores that have been closed.

Before we left our apartment, we made sure to bundle up. For the first time in 8 weeks, Paris was freezing. In lockdown, we had gotten used to blue skies, sunshine, and 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit.) But today, it was overcast, windy, and in the 9 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit.) It felt like spring in Minnesota. In addition to our masks, we made sure to bring gloves and scarves.

A new type of family photo!

RATP did an amazing job getting the Metro ready for the public. There were signs everywhere about needing to wear masks. One the trains themselves, there were stickers for where you were allowed to stand and sit. For now, we are not allowed to ride the Metro during morning or afternoon rush hour, unless you want a 135 Euro fine. Also they have closed about 60 stations, to help reduce traffic.

We started our day taking line 9 to line 6 to the Arc de Triumph. We got off and walked from there down the Champs-Elysee.

Before you even enter the station, you are told you need to wear a mask.

Stickers tell you when you can stand and sit.

Never before...

A few things surprised us along the way. We were expecting to see a lot more people out and about, especially on the Champs-Elysee. Stores were open, but not as many as you would think. (Some of that has to do with the fact that many stores are normally closed on Mondays.) Stores that were open, hardly had anyone inside, except the masked employees. It is also important to note, that Paris is emptier than usual, because there are no tourists and because almost 20% of Parisians fled to the countryside to wait out the coronavirus.

Looking down the Champs-Elysee.

Movie theaters haven't changed their posters since
March. They won't be open for several months.

Louis Vuitton was open!

There were wonderful floral tributes all over Paris,
as a reminder of VE Day, on May 8.

Oh, how we missed you, Charles de Gualle.

Gardens and public parks are still not open. This one,
along the Champs-Elysee, is in need of a little TLC.

We went to the Place de Vendome on our first full day in Paris,
July 9, 2019. We thought it only fitting to revisit it today.

A look inside the Jardin de Tuileries.

Le Louvre

This is a common sight in Paris. The streets are
marked with places you can stand that are 2 meters apart.

The cafes will be closed for at least another month.

Notre Dame

I had packed sandwiches for us to eat for lunch, remembering that all cafes were closed, but forgetting that all boulongeries are considered "essential." We missed our chance for a fresh baguette sandwich! But this view of Notre Dame, along the Seine, was pretty spectacular lunch spot, considering we had it all to ourselves.

Shivering through lunch.

After lunch, we explored an area of Paris we almost lived in. The first apartment we had secured was in the 5th arrondissement. We have not spent much time there so it was fun to explore a new neighborhood as a family, especially when we found a unique metro station and an Amorino! We were really sad to think that our favorite gelato shop might not reopen this year before we leave. We were pleasantly surprised to find one open in the 5th arrondissement. Even despite the temperatures, we couldn't pass up Amorino.

Metro station - Place Monge

We found an open Amorino!

Even when it is cold, it is worth every bite!

She loves cheesecake flavor.

One of a few places Hemmingway lived.

It is interesting to note that the beautiful, French buildings
are often built first with brick before covered up with cement.

Headed home from Gare de Austerlitz on line 10.

Another interesting thing to note is that Paris was noisier today. There were so many more cars on the streets, with more people being allowed to go back to work.

After walking 8 miles around Paris today, we returned home, exhausted!

Before I close, I wanted to make sure I included a few photos from our eighth of lockdown. Enjoy!