David Jaggard
Hotels in Paris: Where Have All the Fleabags Gone?
Ah, the Good Old Days of Bad Old Hotels
I was young. Inexperienced. Also clueless, foolhardy, resilient, tolerant of discomfort and blind to questions of personal safety. And stingy. You had to be all of those things to do what I did back in the early 1980s. No, I … Read More
Paris Shop Signs: From the Ridiculous to the Sublimely Ridiculous, Part Nine
There Seems to Be a SNAFU in the TEFL
Last December 31, I happened to be riding on a train along the coast of southern France. As I was gazing out the window, contemplating the year just past, the year to come, the sorry state of the world, the … Read More
Appearance Discrimination in Paris: The Ugly Truth (and Some Even Uglier Lies)
Beauty Is Only Two Rows Deep
Paris is often called “the most beautiful city in the world.” A subjective and categorical title to be sure, but nonetheless one with some logic behind it. In fact, most (not all, but most) of the city consists of beautiful … Read More
The Hollande Sex Scandal: Three Words Nobody Ever Expected to See in That Order
Pudgy, Balding, Middle-aged Guys Take Hope!
Everyone knows the story by now: about two weeks ago, a French gossip magazine revealed that President François Hollande has been cheating on his official partner, first lady Valérie Trierweiler, with the previously little-known actress Julie Gayet. Instantly relayed in … Read More
In the Finest French Tradition: Retail Rites and Rituals
Let the Buyer Be Patient
Is it the legacy of centuries of observing Catholic liturgy and royal court protocols? Millennia of evolving a language with no fewer than 82 basic verb conjugations? Hours of printing out “C’est Ironique” articles and running them page by page … Read More
Internet Service in France: Off-line and My Rocker
It’s More Like an Information Bike Lane
As regular readers of this column are already tired of hearing, I love just about everything about France. I adore the geography, the architecture, the food, the wine, the culture, the lax morals and (most of) the population. I even adore … Read More
Adults Only! The Lust for Life, and Vice Versa, in Pigalle
Let the Ogler Beware
Back when my wife Nancy and I were looking for our first apartment to buy in Paris, our real estate agent called one day and said that he had a wonderful place to show us. He was right: it was … Read More
Taxis in Paris: Supply, Demand and Refusal
All Hail the Parisian Taxicab!
Paris is often described as being a “magical” city, for its mystical beauty, its enchanting atmosphere and its miraculous ability to saw bank balances in half. But there’s another reason that it deserves this reputation: Paris actually performs magic. Or … Read More
Is France Turning into the United States? (Breaking News: No)
One Nation Under... Oh My Gawd!
First, a shameful confession: one of my favorite online news sources is the e-version of a French tabloid newspaper. Like most tabloids, it reports at lurid length on every sick, sordid or violent crime that happens anywhere in France. And, … Read More
Paris Shop Signs: From the Ridiculous to the Sublimely Ridiculous, Part Eight
Pathetic Puns, Myriad Mysteries
Even though it’s right in the middle of the Right Bank, the Sentier is probably the least famous, least popular, least visited district in town. Ask a thousand people to name their favorite Paris neighborhood (seriously — go out and … Read More