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In Search of the American Dream

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

It's possible my American Dream is to live in Viroflay and write in Paris!

Sunday I took the train to Paris to go to church. From Viroflay to the center of Paris is only 20 minutes! I'm loving where I'm staying! I'm so grateful to Christelle for opening her home to me.

This is the church that I attended during my one-year creative writing sabbatical. It's a Protestant service, in French, for the French. But there was an international group of people there, as I expected. And I saw a friend, Suzy, an American who lives in Paris. When I was trying to decide what to do, where to go, when my sabbatical time was up last time, she was an invaluable source of support and steadiness in my decision-making process. Forever indebted to her, to Christelle, to Paris!

I'm on a busman's holiday. It's like a bus driver taking his vacation by traveling on a bus. I write for a living, plus I make time each day to write my own projects, and now I'm using all my vacation time to write in Paris.

I'm having a great time on my busman's holiday! I've written a bunch of new chapters the last few days, and revised others. Yesterday, when I read what I'd produced over the past week, I was pleased. Though good storytelling and good writing always require tons of thought and revision.

It also requires the attention of a circle of serious writers who have a well-developed second skill: the ability to critique well. There are three such groups in Paris! For Anglophones who write in English! I reconnected with two of the groups on Tuesday. Guess what? They said the travel essay that I brought to the group, which I thought they were going to love, needs more work. Ouch! As always!

I'm thinking today about the story arc -- the increasing stakes, the increasing tension, the increasing sense of frustration and struggle -- for my two main characters. Things have to happen to them to the point where they must change, even if they don't want to. I'm writing down ideas for circumstances that will increase the discomfort inside the pressure cooker! I have so much to draw from in my own life : )

Monday and Tuesday I worked in the first of the three historic and beautiful libraries that I will work in on this trip. There are 10 beautiful libraries in Paris (at least), but two of them are closed this summer for renovations.  First I went to Bibliotheque Mazarine, oldest public library in France, dating back to 1643. It's open to the public! But it was nearly empty, maybe because so many French people, including scholars, were en vacances.. I first discovered the library at this link.

Enjoy the fraught history of the library here. 

I sat near the one open window. Even though it's much cooler in Paris this week, I was sweating profusely at the opposite end of this room, while I waited for my passport to be processed and to be given a library card. I was so glad there was at least one window open! And that I could sit near it! It faces the courtyard. Gorgeous! See for yourself!

This is the Institute de France, a huge building. Bibliotheque Mazarine is in part of it.

Look at those attic windows! Wouldn't you love to live up there? I'm reading the Hunchback of Notre Dame (in English, thank you) while I'm here, and attics feature prominently. Stay tuned for more pics of attics!

It's all glorious.

A view, from the courtyard, of the rotunda.

A close-up. There's a mini rotunda on the left. It's fantastic! See why I love this place?

Another facade within the courtyard.

The facade of the Bibliotheque Mazarine.

Just inside the front door.

Looking down the spiral staircase.

Inside the bibliotheque.

Another view in L-shaped library. I sat near the open window on the left.

A view of the statuary along the walls.

A chandelier. Does your library have such a beautiful thing?

The circular staircase, going up.

We're talking wrought iron.

The squares on this checkerboard marble floor are shaped to the outer circumference and inner circumference of the circular balcony. 

The door for people on foot to exit.

Staircase within the porter's office.

A door to the Institute de France.

There's a courtyard off of the courtyard! Bonkers!

Another gorgeous door.

The courtyard is cobbled so beautifully. How about you? What do you think? Is this place crazy beautiful?

This Suburb of Paris, C'est Extraordinaire!!

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Yes, I'm in Search of the American Dream...

by Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

I'm in France for a new creative writing sabbatical, this time only three weeks. I won't finish a novel, like I did last time in a year-long sabbatical. 

But I'm making a big dent in a new novel, set in Brooklyn where I live now.

I'm grateful for my friends, whose hospitality makes this sabbatical possible.

Christelle lives in Viroflay, a suburb of Paris. Only 20 minutes by train to Gare Montparnasse! 

I've been exploring Paris, and also Viroflay. I'm delighted -- see pics from Viroflay below. And the people have been charming.

A few days ago, I went to a pharmacy in Viroflay, where I'm staying. I said "J'essaye en francais," which means, "I will try in French." And I told her in French that I felt I was coming down with the "grippe," like I had sand in my eyes. I demonstrated a cough. Then I stopped.

"Now we try in English," she said with a smile. I was crestfallen, but it worked out better. She interviewed me and found out I had headache and that I wasn't allergic to ibuprophen. She told me sand in the eyes is ALWAYS allergy. I never knew that. And I'm still not convinced it's true. She told me that the sleep aid I had at Christelle's would work with the ibuprophen she was giving me. 

She conducted a medical consultation in English! Wow! I'm sure she doesn't have to do that every day. Yet she switched to English with ease. These French are amazing! And she had such a big smile for me. She was patient while I tried in French, and she appreciated me trying in French. "Enjoy your time in Paris," she said as I left. I had a big smile on my face too. Citizens of two great democracies (may the far right and far left in both our nations not ruin everything) working together and having a great time.

Everyone in Viroflay -- and the Parisians, too -- has been so patient with me speaking French. Between a little French here and a little English there, I've managed to get through the reception process at two libraries, to get the bit of paperwork done and to gain an understanding of the rules.

I'm so grateful for my bit of French!

This has been a soul-satisfying stay. I bought chevre (goat cheese) in the farmer's market this morning and had it with slices of baguette. The bread was crusty. The cheese was white. Firm. Packed with flavor. Glorious!

Here are a few more pictures of beautiful French houses in Viroflay:

I like the little room above the door.

Gates, walls, such a sense of enclosure, of safety.

All these houses are built of local stone.

I went for a walk in the forest of Meudon, just outside my village of Viroflay.

The older houses have tile work that's so appealing. I'd love to live in one of these houses!

There's Christelle on a little shortcut through Viroflay.

This house on the right provides a wall for this little narrow way.

The town puts in lots of flowers, at every opportunity, as most towns do in France. How about you? Would you like to leave your life in the U.S. and live in one of these houses? Comment below!

My first evening in Paris -- spooky

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In Paris, In Search of the American Dream

by Norma Hopcraft

We're having a heat wave in Paris. 102 Wednesday, Thursday the highest ever temperature in Paris, 108 F.  But I am enjoying France anyway. I've had interactions with people in this town where I'm staying, just outside of Paris. They've all been very pleasant and helpful and happy that I'm trying to speak French with them.

My back went out, so I'm a little behind in my writing schedule. But I put in a good chunk of time this afternoon, and will give it another hour and a half now. Then I'll watch a French movie with English subtitles.

The first day i was here Christelle, her family and I went to a big destination in Paris, Les Invalides, an army hospital, still in use, that Louis XIV built for his men in 1670. We enjoyed a sound and light show and then went behind the hospital to Napoleon's tomb (covered by a gold dome--you'll see).

He was such a huge force in the history of not only France but all of Europe. When I looked at his huge marble coffin, I felt like there was still energy from him emanating out of it. He'd like to get out and do it all over again, only this time better.

His coffin is directly under the dome--maybe 75 feet below the highest point. His coffin is lit with special lighting and surrounded by marble statues of angels. And hovering above, Jesus on the cross. But Napoleon is the star of this show.

For all the glory and riches that went into making his tomb, what does it matter? Dead is dead. Whether you're in a pine coffin or an elaborate marble one. I think "dead is dead" is kind of funny, especially in light of all that was invested in making his tomb spectacular. I'm enjoying my irreverence.

This trip to his tomb, with other French ministers and generals in coffins in side chapels around him, all took place at midnight. It was really spooky--but delightfully so.

These pictures were taken by my friend Christelle's father. His name is Thierry Lamblin, he recently retired as a cardiologist, and he lives near Grenoble.

The main gate to Les Invalides, the huge army hospital, still in use, that Louis XIV built for his wounded men. The name of the firm that created the show, Lutece, is projected onto the facade, along with a tantalizing taste of the colors and effects that they used during the show.

The son et lumiere show was projected against the walls of the courtyard of Les Invalides.

In the center is Napoleon's absolutely huge marble coffin. We visited at midnight. Candles lit the marble floor, and spotlights highlighted the carved angels.

A shot of the dome, many many feet above our heads.

Jesus guarding Napoleon, who is definitely the star of this arrangement.

A shot of the dome at midnight.

The Eiffel Tower is near Les Invalides, lit up at night for all it's worth and probing the city with its spotlight. How about you? Want to do it all over again, only better? Comment below!

I'm in Paris! Still in Search of the American Dream--for Writers

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A Writer's Sabbatical in the City of Light

By Norma Jaeger Hopcraft

I am in Paris again -- in a suburb just outside, actually, but much closer than I was in my apartment in Brooklyn! I'm here to do a short version--a three-week version--of the one-year creative writing sabbatical I did in Paris a few years ago.

The plan is to write much more of my new novel. Like last time, I'll do it in the historic libraries of Paris. My favorite from my one-year sabbatical, La Bibliotheque Historique de la Ville de Paris, is closed for renovation this summer. It was built in the 16th century and was knock-out beautiful. I was so sorry to read that it would be closed while I was in Paris this second time.

So I had to hunt for a new historic library. I found several!  I've selected three or four libraries I've never been to before--that I didn't know existed until I found this link: http://www.blog.welcome2france.com/10-of-the-most-beautiful-libraries-in-paris/

So I'll be writing a novel set in Brooklyn while luxuriating in the beauty of Paris. 

I'm not sure how well it's going to work. Brooklyn vs. Paris.  Grit and chain link fences versus charm and wrought-iron balconies. I hope this works!

But it's fantastic to pursue a writer's dream--doing more good work--while in the City of Light, so called, in part, because it's the capital city of the Enlightenment. I'm praying for lots of light to shine on the dark stuff I need to write about in order to write realistically and compellingly about Brooklyn.

I have some good news and some bad news about this trip so far.

I find that the French words and expressions that I painstakingly learned four years ago are coming back in full. This is very exciting. French is not the easiest language to learn, and I hated feeling like I had forgotten most of it.

I learned yesterday that it's still with me! It was taking a breather in the far recesses of my mind. It's still a little jumbled with Spanish, which I studied during my 3 months living in Barcelona. Yesterday I said, "muy bien" instead of "tres bien". But my French friends graciously smiled and carried on.

After chilling out with these friends and recovering from jetlag, I was supposed to go into Paris today with my lovely French friend and host, Christelle.

But in the days leading up to my flight to Paris, I neglected to do my daily back-strengthening exercises because I was too busy.

I'm paying the price. My back went out at noon today. Instead of a pique-nique in the Tuileries amidst flowers and grass, I am flat on my back with an icepack.

But it's a French icepack! And hopefully by tomorrow I will be feeling well enough to buy a baguette and un petit peu de fromage.

Yesterday,  before my back went out, I went for a walk in Christelle's town of Viroflay Rive Gauche and took a few pictures I'd like to share with you. They're of French houses (soon I will share with you the pictures I took at the Jersey shore of Victorian houses).

The orange stone is locally sourced. Isn't this home gorgeous? So solid -- it will last forever.

Another stone home behind gates.

This house has a circular window in the attic -- and the French have made shutters that exactly fit such windows! Clever!

Just beyond a wrought-iron gate are these steps to another French home.

Behind the gate, up the steps, into a solid, stone home.

This is a newer place. But the French love shutters and flowerboxes, so this home has both, as usual. I especially admire the lace panels behind the window.

Another home, a different type of lace panel.

This is what the home looks like, in full. A profusion of flowers.

Another beautiful lace panel. How about you? Do you want lace at your windows or something plain? Comment below!