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

Tweet

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!