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The Little Church & Gardens

Parisians abandon ship in August.

They flee the city and head in swarms to the coast, to Provence and to Les Alpes.

Paris is left with a skeleton staff of a few poor souls who stay behind to man the pumps.

The streets are all but abandoned, the traffic is non-existent and the restaurants lie empty.

Of course tourists and explorers from around the world still arrive en-mass, but typically stick to the famous bits.

The trick in August, is to slope along the back streets and discover the lesser known gems. If you avoid the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, & Laduree, you can have the city all to yourself.

I’m addicted to the smell of churches.

The cold stone mingling with the warmth of carved wood, worn to a shine by visiting worshipers. The burning candles, dribbling wax and peeling paint.

I find the enveloping silence and cave-like gloom comforting.

Disciples whisper to their creator, bowing, kneeling and crossing themselves feverishly.

We lit our candles and went on our way, marvelling at the architecture as we went.

We dipped through winding streets and hid from another smattering of summer rain.

Determined to stay out of the downpour we made a beeline for a tiny Angelina. Completely abandoned (in stark contrast to its’ sister near Le Louvre where crowds queue, four deep, around the block). We ordered the compulsory African Hot Chocolates.

Pouring thick rivers of glistening chocolate into warm cups, and topping with cold whipped cream.

Soon the rain passed and we strolled through the Luxembourg Gardens, bathed in sunlight.

We passed by a cluster of tables completely covered by chessboards. French and Arabic men crowded around them, muttering, gesturing, and shouting at one another. The players sat in the middle, hunched over with furrowed brows, deep in thought and completely ignoring their jittery audience. I was desperate to take photos, but didn’t want to disturb the games. I let them be.

Instead we sat for some time by the pond. Here we watched a ballet of children, boats and their parents.

Littleuns pointed and poked their hired sailboats, while agitated fathers stood by shouting instructions. Mothers chatted in huddles or snoozed in the sunshine, mostly disinterested in the naval battle commencing under their feet.

Dads snatched poles from little girls in frilled dresses and launched ships into the distance, before kneeling down and saying to the bewildered face; “see? Like that! Isn’t this fun?!”

All for the children’s sake, you understand!

We moved to sit in the shade of a fruit tree.

Full of chocolate and cream we fell promptly asleep.

White dress // Sneakers // Rings // Sunnies

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Necklaces designed & handmade by Silver May (my mum!)

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