Paris Update What’s New in Paris
BACK IN WITH THE OLD
What do tourists love most about Paris (aside from the Eiffel Tower)? Its charming old-fashioned bistros and shops. Unfortunately, these old-timey treasures are disappearing one by one. A new book, Plaisirs Démodés de Paris, by Christophe Destournelles and Christophe Lefébure (Parigramme, in French) helps you find some outdated pleasures that have survived, ranging from the last old-style vespasienne in Paris (see David Jaggard’s article on the subject) to the last bougnat (firewood and coal seller), with the added attractions of plenty of handsome photos and relevant quotes from writers like Marcel Proust and Paul Morand. You can also find out where to get an old phonograph repaired and where to get your fortune told. Some entries are purely atmospheric, about snowy days in Paris, for example. A little more factual information and an index would have been welcome. Heidi Ellison
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