Finding Love In Paris! Part Three
Falling in love with a Parisian is beyond romantic, but what happens afterwards, when you realize you are no longer a tourist but a resident of this impossible but also impossibly beautiful city?
This is the delightful twist on a travel memoir called Almost French by Sarah Turnbull.
Sarah is an adventurous and feisty Australian journalist who meets a charming cravat-wearing French lawyer named Frédéric in Bucharest. Frédéric then invites Sarah to visit him in Paris where he lives.
Sarah takes a leap of faith governed either by pure instinct, or folly, and fortunately enters into a relationship that evolves into a grand love affair. Things take an interesting turn, however, when Sarah recounts how she suddenly feels like a fish out of water as she tries to fit in and make her new home in Paris.
Author Sarah Turnbull
I have always said that Paris is best enjoyed a little at a time and not full time.
Because in many ways, if you live here, Paris is a city that expects so much of you.
Sarah discovers this almost immediately. One morning she is rushing out the door wearing a loose-fitting sweat shirt and warm-up pants when the love of her new life gingerly questions her attire.
“I am only going to the bakery.” Sarah says in her defence, to which Frédéric gently adds, “But it is not nice for the baker.”
This is just the beginning of Sarah’s humungous learning curve to become “almost Parisian.”
She writes;
“The thing is the French are highly sensitive to aesthetics. Anything unattractive–even something as insignificant as an under dressed tourist–can make them uncomfortable. It spoils the scenery.”
Which is why when I am in Paris, I dress up a little more, splash on perfume (French of course) and make sure I have my make-up on — yes, even if I am going to buy my morning croissants.
After all what WOULD the baker think if I didn’t!
To BUY THIS BOOK Click on this Link — Almost French by Sarah Turnbull.
My Other Book Recommendations
If you have not yet read my Two Previous Book Recommendations,
(See blogs called Love In Paris Part One and Two)
1) About a Canadian woman who finds love with a butcher in Paris, and
2) And an American woman who is completely smitten over lunch with her future French husband.
You can click on the links below to BUY THEM!
Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod
Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard
Other books by these two authors:
A Paris Year by Janice MacLeod
Picnic in Provence by Elizabeth Bard
Dinner Chez Moi by Elizabeth Bard
Love to hear from you with your reviews of these books and any other Paris Memoirs you find!
Catch up on previous blogs at www.womanofacertainageinparis.com
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Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
“Spoiling the scenery” is a brilliant way of explaining the Parisian dress code.
Bravo for that insight Diana.
Those are the authors words but I wish I had thought of it! Diana
Live the ginger reminder by her lover. Good to know when in Paris wear my makeup to go for my am croissant. We need to know these things!! Thanks Diana.
Things I believe are more relaxed than they used to be Luci.. but it is still nice to make the effort and not fall into that category of sloppy tourist when one is in Paris.
However, I also saw yesterday a woman from Japan I think who was dressed to the nines in 5-inch stilettos trying to walk along the Seine with her husband. She was being very stoic but looked as if she was in pain as she inched a long. That might be overdoing it a bit n’est ce pas?