Do you know who can be more romantic than a Parisian?

DO YOU KNOW WHO CAN BE MORE ROMANTIC THAN A PARISIAN?

So, do you like to travel?

As a reader of this blog, the answer should be an astounding YES, right?

I’m relaxed in my hotel room, and I feel – in a strange way – home.

It’s probably more a feeling that I want to have, but that’s OK. I have a wanna-be feeling of home.

The hot steam is hissing inside the heater, people come from the city giggling, the noise of the hotel dies down, while I find the quiet to write this for you.

Read the article below to find out who can be more romantic than a Parisian, and watch the video for a touch of joie de vivre.

(This week: the verb VIVRE – to live)

New York City…

I just came from the common area of the hotel, where I had a conversation with a born Canadian in her first trip to NYC, a Dutch first time across the ocean, and a Parisian living in the US. For me, this defines one of the most interesting evenings ever, before even mentioning that we had watched a stand-up comedy show organized for us by the hotel.

I see myself staying here for more than a week at a time – wouldn’t that be convenient? – discovering more French gems in NYC, and then more French people to talk to.

There are so many French people to meet and mingle with – I met one of them tonight – and we talked about the differences between Paris and New York – the two most fascinating cities for me – another thing that I would do for more than an hour at a time.

She lives in Connecticut, but comes for work a few times a year. It was so interesting to me to speak French with a Parisian in the middle of Manhattan – it puts everything in perspective.

I know now that I’ll search for the groups of people who go to the French restaurants that I described in the past posts, to remember the familiar taste of Salade aux Saint-Jacques, not just to experiment with novel cuisine.

Where do the friends and cousins of the brilliant cooks from Éclair Bakery mingle with their own? Let’s meet and greet, let’s ask for the recipe of the éclair au chocolat noir. Should we? Could we?

More places, yes, it’s always interesting to discover, but to meet more people is incomparably more fascinating.

This is probably the main difference between Paris and New York.

In Paris we are fascinated by buildings, places, museums, decorations of the city. Lighting, stores, tour Eiffel and Louvre pyramid.

What about the people?

Clearly, in NYC we don’t have the exquisite architecture (some will argue that architecture is the stamp of time), but we have the people. The people of NYC who make us love or hate the place. The people of NYC who make us find ourselves in a more authentic way – whether we like what we find or not.

The places of Paris who make us love the people. The people of Paris who make us sometimes even fear the language itself.

This is why I looked for – and found – René Gustave, the cheeky gentleman (in the proper sense of the word) who shows us the secret corners of Paris when I go in the immersion retreats. To meet the people. The people who maybe never set foot outside of France.

But what a treat to meet Parisians who can relate to our culture, perspective and values – how much more a fascinating encounter!

So, what is more romantic than a Parisian? You speaking French in NYC 🙂

Come to the French immersion in NYC, to see for yourself what a delicious combo can be found here between Paris and the Big Apple.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN!
Tell us in the comments below, what is the most romantic side of Paris (or NYC) for you and why?

Let me guess.

Do you constantly have the feeling that you can’t hear what the French say and you don’t know how to read all the French words because they are written so much differently than they sound?

Learn 3 secrets that will help you be self sufficient in the way you pronounce French words – even if you don’t know what they mean – so that you can read that sophisticated menu in your favorite French restaurant.