Summertime blues
The Paris Olympic Games have come and gone and in the process seem to have managed to transform grumpy Parisians into zealous sports fans. At least some of them. There was quite a lot of negativity around the organisation of the games and how it was imagined they would disrupt life and generally muck things up.
And they did, to a certain extent, but overall there seems to be a consensus that it all went a lot better than expected, and the benefits outweighed the disruption. The opening ceremony was broadly acclaimed as having reaffirmed the ‘French Touch’ around the world and was described as “weird, ambitious, ultimately wonderful, and extremely French” by Time magazine; ‘Fanzones’ (public spaces with large screens to watch the games for free) were crowded and fun, adding a kind of festive element that was especially frenzied when French teams were competing and winning. That collective energy is what large sporting events are all about, and even if you weren’t attending the actual event, but watching in a fanzone, the contact high was unavoidable.
But now that they’re over, there’s a a bit of ‘postpartum depression’ that has seized many of the city’s residents, obliged as they are to return to the humdrum of everyday life. Articles have been written suggesting ways you can beat the blues (in French) that include dancing to the music of the opening and closing ceremonies, and becoming a player rather than a spectator by signing up for a sporting activity yourself. All good suggestions, but we would also encourage you to sign up for wine walks! What could be more uplifting (and healthy) than a walk in the shady green spaces of Paris in convivial company boosted by spiritually inspiring wine tastings of real wines, exquisite cheeses, rustic fermented breads and summer savouries?
Everyone else has gone away on holiday. The streets of Paris have never been so empty, which is something we expect and look forward to in August with the departure of ‘les aoûtiens’ (those who go on holiday in August) but they have never felt quite this vacant.
Listen to Summertime Blues - by Eddie Cochran (the original version of the song written in 1958)
On the downside, there was definitely a drop in tourism with an estimated 3/4 of the normal volume of tourists choosing to go somewhere else. Paris Wine Walks, like many other businesses that were persuaded to stay to meet the surge in activity the games would represent, saw practically none of it. But we did have a fun afternoon with Kassidy Cook who won a silver medal in diving for Team USA. Stay tuned for more on that as we are waiting to share the images that were taken during the walk.
In the meanwhile, here is a photo of Kassidy with her silver medal during our wine tasting, and a photo of her medal with my book.
We are still around for wine walks if you’re looking for a fun way to spend a few hours in jovial conviviality. Notably, Belleville Unbottled (today!! at 5:30pm - contact us for last-minute deals), Clos Montmartre Sunday 18 August at 10:30am and Wine Your Way Through the Marais on Tuesday 20 August at 3:30pm. Join us, and take a walk on the vine side!
And on a parting poetic precis, the following poem about the month of August by Elizabeth Maua Taylor, neatly and rather coincidentally captures the disruption, the surprises, and the sparks the Olympic Games inspired, along with the sadness felt at their departure.
"August" by Elizabeth Maua Taylor
August rushes by like desert rainfall,
A flood of frenzied upheaval,
Expected,
But still catching me unprepared.
Like a matchflame
Bursting on the scene,
Heat and haze of crimson sunsets.
Like a dream
Of moon and dark barely recalled,
A moment,
Shadows caught in a blink.
Like a quick kiss;
One wishes for more
But it suddenly turns to leave,
Dragging summer away.
Thank you for letting me into your world and for reading the Paris Wine Walks Substack. Your support is invaluable as are your comments, suggestions, critiques, dreams, thoughts and remembrances. A little encouragement goes a long way, so please consider a paid subscription, which need cost no more than (a cheap) glass of wine per week. Or, book a wine walk!
My book, ‘The Hidden Vineyards of Paris’ (reviewed in Jancis Robinson’s wine blog, the Wine Economist, National Geographic Traveler UK, UK Telegraph) is also available at ‘The Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop’ at 11 rue de Medicis, 75006 Paris. If you haven’t yet discovered this gem of a bookshop, now’s your chance. Open every day!
Wine Walks!
For more information, click on the underlined links:
Sparkling Wine Splash!
Share a sparkling, convivial moment with colleagues, friends or clients to celebrate the moment or to simply gather for fun.
Clos Montmartre - Paris in Your Glass
Paris' most famous wine producing vineyard
Latin Quarter Unbottled!
An insider's journey to the oldest wine neighbourhood in the city
Belleville Unbottled!
A winebar crawl that features some of the best winebars in the city
Wine Your Way Through the Marais
The Marais seen through a wineglass
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Discover the vinous spirit of medieval Paris
3-Vineyard Cycling Tour
A comprehensive overview of medieval Paris
Paris Bottled!
Short on time? This one’s for you.
