pariswat

So I'm in Paris.
Coming from Belgium and staying in hotels. A bit like a tourist.

Bruxelles : strong military and police presence at the hall of justice.
I came early in case checks or whatever would happen. Nothing. Train was 20 min late, waiting for authorization to start its journey. 'for reasons of safety we incurr a delay of 20 min' somehow I guess it is not the last time I've heard this.

Train arrived 20 min late in Lyon. No passport control. No check. No nothing.
No military presence in Lyon that I noticed. Took the car, drove one hour - quiet.

Tonight, back from Lyon to Paris. Train 20 min late due to congestion.
Arriving in gare de Lyon. No strong military or police presence felt or seen.
Nobody on the streets (was 9 30 pm). Went to eat at 'la biche au bois' (excellent, got a rabbit - the wild one - lièvre in french, forgetting now the name in english). Excellent bordeaux (ormes de pez 2007). Last week they made 90 meals on monday eve, today 36.

Difficult to find a velib - then went to the Seine and back (not really for tourism, wrong address on hotels.com). Went twice around Bastille - no car or hardly. So back to 11th. Not many people on the street.

Had booked hotel yesterday, a good 3 stars for 110 €. Lots of choice. Upgraded in a 'suite'. Nice.
Lots of cancellations on the week end, less now.

No idea about tourist 'attractions' - wasn't there on the day. More to come tomorrow if you permit...

Have a good day.

yestravel

Thanks for your updates. Appreciate hearing what its like on the streets.

kerouac

A <i>lièvre</i> is a hare.

I took a train to Paris on Sunday morning and we had a 20 minute delay from Lille as well just before getting into Gare du Nord because of "somebody on the tracks." Normally you would not give such a statement a second thought, but it's amazing how many thoughts can run through one's mind blocked in a TGV just after hearing a tiny phrase like that.

Gare du Nord was perfectly normal.

Tulips

My daughter took the Thalys to Paris on Sunday - slight delay, police on train walking around, but no passport checks.

GreatJourneys

R.I.P to all those who lost their lives in Paris terror attacks.

historytraveler

Thanks for the updates.

fuzzbucket

I walked the dog over to a friend's house last night around rush hour. There were very few people in the streets, very few in cafes and restaurants around Bastille. It was like that during the daytime and also when I got home around 10 PM. Yesterday, there were sirens pretty much all day long, but no idea what that was about - it's starting to fade into the normal traffic noise, though.

Haven't had a reason to take the Metro or bus yet, but will today. Everybody else seemed to be using public transportation as usual. ParisWat is right - there are very few Velibs available. I bet many more people are using them, at least for the moment. Lots of taxis out, lots of them full of passengers.

There's not a lot of hilarity among residents, yet. Many are still waiting for news of their friends, many are preparing for funerals. The people I know who have children are trying to make sure that they don't dwell on the tragedy - and are shielding the very young from the media as much as possible. Teachers have been doing a good job, and when needed, school psychologists speak to the class or individuals.

Most of the stores opened as usual, yesterday. More tourist attractions will open, too. Apparently, many people have cancelled or postponed their trips, so the lines might not be as long as usual. I plan to go out tonight with friends, just because we all need some sort of release.

I think that after we bury the dead and celebrate their lives, life in Paris will go back to normal. Right now, everyone's worn out, but life does - and must - go on.

Traviata

We walked through the streets of the 5th yesterday and all seemed normal.......but yet, there was "something"....we are still mourning, but now, the emphasis is on going forward, beginning again.

Very little police presence, but when you do see it, they are in vests and have guns close.

The sun is out today.......we need that.

flpab

I have been reading a bit about the hospital situation. They have done a remarkable job in saving those critical. Lines of people giving blood.They and all the emt's were brave and have done a great job. I can only imagine what they are going through mentally today and tomorrow. Very much a war zone for them. Paris has a medical plan that many other places need to replicate.

I am still glued to the news. Stay safe.

bilboburgler

lievre could be hare or leveret (baby hare), you'd have to guess from how many muscle structures you had on the plate

justineparis

Thank you to Pariswat and to the others who are now in Paris for posting this on the ground reports.

It must be a very sad time in Paris.. as one would expect. However as shown.. life does go on .. just at a different pace right now.

pariswat

Yup.
Was to have dinner with good friends but they both were not so well and cancelled.
I realized I have a hotel close to another good friend, called him and am on my way. He had time to tell me that 4 of his children's friends died in the Bataclan.
Will probably be a sad evening, but I will be glad to be there.
Wine might help. Or maybe not such a good idea.

travelchat

Thank you, those who are updating from Paris. Yes, life must somehow go on while the grief and sadness remain but it's an uphill climb to be sure.

pariswat

Yes.
Am sleeping 300 m from syrian embassy - maybe it explains why the nightwatch complains the hotel is quite empty.

My street goes north and south (ok, not so much unusual till here) : at first crossing the roads towards east are blocked by cops. No cars allowed. Pedestrians ? I don't know. I wished them a good night, told them I appreciate the work they do, they smiled with some lassitude and that is it.

I'm always surprised at how polite the cops are in Paris.
And they are typical French. First was white, colleague arab looking. Second black like real black...
That is also Paris : you find arabs, blacks, jews, muslims, homos etc. You can even be a wasp and still be ok. Worst still you can be Belgian...

So I criscrossed Paris on my bike. Saw more people than yesterday and if the restaurants remain quite empy, a lot of people go on the terraces.

I passed in front of the Paris Eye (grand roue) : blue - white - red. Before in front of Madeleine : blue - white - red. Then l'assemblée nationale : blue- white - red.
Ah, only good side is taht I could see the winows of the Galeries quite clearly, without a huge crowd just in front.

Then went to the restaurant - nice, but half empty.
Had a good Chablis btw.

On the way back I went to the Eiffel Tower : blue- white - red, but only the side from the Seine. Quite beautiful. With 'fluctuat nec mergitur' on the first floor.

Then through rue Cler - who sid it is an excepional street ? RS ? who is this guy ? Street is not any better than lots of others. But full of Us speaking people though. Full...

up to now, I have felt quite safe.

Tomorrow to La Défense. THen sleeping in ? 9th ?
Have a good night.

nukesafe

FYI, a hare in the U.S. would be called a jackrabbit.

cynthia_booker

Thanks to all who are there and posting. I so appreciate the view of real people, some of whom I had the pleasure of meeting. The news on CNN is fine, and France 24 is better, but they are focused for the most part on hard news and I like/need the man on the street observations here much better.

August2015

A lovely report, thank you! Please keep us posted. I was in NYC after 9/11/01 and remember the same sort of solemn quietness on the streets near Wall Street and the World Center.

stokebailey

Thank you, pariswat. Excellent report.

historytraveler

Yes, your reports are much appreciated.

GreatJourneys

It seems like everything in France (Paris) is getting back to normal. I am seeing tourists have started visiting the city just like ever. But be cautious and stay safe!