Bonjour Paris - Current Events, Politics and Debates

17 Dec 2008 2:17 a.m.

For those of you who didn't hear the news, this is an unfortunate one.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/16/europe/paris.php?WT.mc_id=newsalert

The police were there within minutes as were government officials. Will I stay away from Printemps? No way.

13 Apr 2006 5:03 p.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

Thank you Al for posting this article. Certainly the author's statement:
"That's the France where I live today. A country of culture, of liberty, of myths, of illusions about battling for something. A country of the past, passed by," is pause for thought.

The government -- whichever one -- is going to have to jump start the country into this century. The means will be the challenge.

13 Apr 2006 3:28 p.m.

Al Ross (3244 posts)

An interesting point of view on the Op-Ed page of today's NYTimes that is rarely presented.....a point of view from a Moroccan born novelist who chose to live in France.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/13/opinion/...r=1&oref=slogin

09 Apr 2006 6:34 a.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

QUOTE

I have missed all of you and missed all of the great information here on BP. Thanks for all of your nice remarks and I hope to be in here a lot more often.

We have missed you a LOT! Can't wait to hear about all of your travels and (hopefully) welcome home!

09 Apr 2006 2:26 a.m.

Teresa (811 posts)

I'm sorry I have been such a horrible BP poster ... life just seems to get in the way of getting online as much as I used to. My travels have been really fun and this coming week I'm going to be busy with finalizing my daughter's college paperwork, BUT, as soon as possible, I will post a report. Because I have been out of the country so much over the past three months (three continents in three months), plus traveling a lot within California too, I have a lot to catch up on. I am traveling again week and not sure yet if I'll be taking my laptop. I have missed all of you and missed all of the great information here on BP. Thanks for all of your nice remarks

and I hope to be in here a lot more often.

08 Apr 2006 8:03 p.m.

Al Ross (3244 posts)

QUOTE

Hi Teresa:

My time in Paris (Not as long as you three weeks) definitely was in parallel to your experience. The demonstrations in no way disrupted the usual flow of daily life and in no way diminished my trip. Too bad we all couldn't have gotten together. We could have traveled to the mainifestations together. Tommy

And where is your Trip Report???????

08 Apr 2006 7:57 p.m.

felicetti (361 posts)

QUOTE(Teresa @ Apr 7 2006, 08:21 AM)

Hi! I know it's been a long time sine I've been in to visit. Hope everyone is doing well. I was in Australia for three weeks (that's one of my excuses for not being here ) and just got back from three weeks in Paris. Just wanted to add my comments in that the unrest in Paris did not affect our time in Paris at all. There was a large police presence and they kept everythign under control. The police were very friendly and talked to me many times about what was going on. One day, we watched about 100 students in a peaceful demonstration and one very immature fellow laid down in front of the cars as they were driving by, but we never saw any violence. One day, we were on the bus and the bus driver stopped the bus and said we all had to get off because he couldn't get the bus through the street, so we just got off and took the nearby metro. For anyone planning a trip to Paris, I would tell you that you should not be concerned and go have fun! I know everyone doesn't feel the way I do, but I was glad I was there when all of this was going on... it made things interesting

I had a great three weeks in Paris.

Hi Teresa:

My time in Paris (Not as long as you three weeks) definitely was in parallel to your experience. The demonstrations in no way disrupted the usual flow of daily life and in no way diminished my trip. Too bad we all couldn't have gotten together. We could have traveled to the mainifestations together. Tommy

08 Apr 2006 12:36 p.m.

Stacy Smith (942 posts)

Teresa, welcome back! Tell us more about your trip.

Personally, I'm getting awfully tired of going out to do errands and finding out, when it's time to return home hauling a bunch of stuff, that my bus is no longer running due to impromptu demonstrations.

'

------------------
Disclaimer: Such issues probably wouldn't affect people walking or taking the metro (i.e., most tourists) much; I'm just griping due to frustration because four times in the last two weeks when I had a heavy rolling trolley full of stuff or a heavy bag to carry, I ended going quite a distance out of my way due to "perturbations" of my bus lines! But it's just an inconvenience, nothing more.

07 Apr 2006 10:13 p.m.

mimi taylor (1532 posts)

Mimi Taylor,

You may have gotten scared by the media reporting on the recent events in Paris.

Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com wishes to show you Paris as it is today.

Phil, your devoted editor, has another side of the story about these events, as
well as a short film to show you how Paris looked like yesterday.

A good occasion to see Paris again, under sunny skies!
http://paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/editori...ll-and-safe.htm

Respectfully yours,

The Editors' Team
www.Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com

07 Apr 2006 8:09 p.m.

ellencmog (863 posts)

QUOTE(BPAL @ Apr 7 2006, 09:39 AM)

QUOTE

I had a great three weeks in Paris.

Trip Report svp.

Teresa,

What a nice surprise to see your name pop up!

Bienvenue encore une fois!

What Al said. . .please post a trip report!

07 Apr 2006 11:24 a.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

QUOTE

I had a great three weeks in Paris.

Theresa! I concur with Al. We have really missed you. Please tell us more about your trip.
Where did you stay? Where did you eat?

How did you spend your three weeks in Paris? We want to hear ALL! wish you had called!

07 Apr 2006 9:39 a.m.

Al Ross (3244 posts)

QUOTE

I had a great three weeks in Paris.

Teresa....great to have you back....or do we? For a wonderful and prolific BP poster who always reminded other BPers to post their Trip Reports, to sneak into and out of Paris without a by your leave...Mon Dieu,tsk,tsk,tsk.

Trip Report svp.

07 Apr 2006 3:21 a.m.

Teresa (811 posts)

Hi! I know it's been a long time sine I've been in to visit. Hope everyone is doing well. I was in Australia for three weeks (that's one of my excuses for not being here ) and just got back from three weeks in Paris. Just wanted to add my comments in that the unrest in Paris did not affect our time in Paris at all. There was a large police presence and they kept everything under control. The police were very friendly and talked to me many times about what was going on. One day, we watched about 100 students in a peaceful demonstration and one very immature fellow laid down in front of the cars as they were driving by, but we never saw any violence. One day, we were on the bus and the bus driver stopped the bus and said we all had to get off because he couldn't get the bus through the street, so we just got off and took the nearby metro. For anyone planning a trip to Paris, I would tell you that you should not be concerned and go have fun! I know everyone doesn't feel the way I do, but I was glad I was there when all of this was going on... it made things interesting

I had a great three weeks in Paris.

04 Apr 2006 5:42 p.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

QUOTE(st.germain @ Apr 4 2006, 09:37 PM)

Karen - Your updates are great. There was some violence at the end of the march today. Was that near the place d'Italie?

St. Germain: You're ever so right. Two photographers took a hit and a few trouble makers ended up being carted off by the police.

Hardly a VIOLENT protest. Thank goodness.

04 Apr 2006 3:37 p.m.

st.germain (1274 posts)

Karen - Your updates are great. There was some violence at the end of the march today. Was that near the place d'Italie?

04 Apr 2006 2:16 p.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

QUOTE

It was an effort to keep in motion what has proved to be an interesting thread on our Forum.

Thank you Al! But please do read our editorial content as well. I have been out and seeing what there is to be seen .... as have others!

http://www.bonjourparis.com/Articles/Ask_K...ng_the_Streets/

Paris is NOT on fire!

04 Apr 2006 1:15 p.m.

Al Ross (3244 posts)

Bonjour Paris is more than a message board.

Based on the Title Bar of this thread and all that has gone before I would hardly think that my posting was anything less than in order. It was an effort to keep in motion what has proved to be an interesting thread on our Forum.

04 Apr 2006 11:52 a.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

QUOTE

HEY expats and other BPers in Paris....... I remember they wrote that "Today is Tuesday, This Must Be (was it?) Paris".

Dear Al:

Bonjour Paris is more than a message board.

Hitting the Streets

Based on the questions and emails Bonjour Paris readers have been sending, there are times that first-hand reporting is the only way to know what’s true and what’s not. Are the students rioting? Is there tear gas being jettisoned all over the city? Are travelers at risk if they come to the City of Light? Should they cancel their Paris plans? Even though the strike will continue, don't believe what you see on television. Be prepared to roll with a few inconveniences. Bring your best walking shoes and no, this isn't war. It's just so very French.

http://www.bonjourparis.com/Articles/Ask_K...ng_the_Streets/

39 Comments - Write Comment

04 Apr 2006 6:54 a.m.

Al Ross (3244 posts)

HEY expats and other BPers in Paris....... I remember they wrote that "Today is Tuesday, This Must Be (was it?) Paris".

What's happening to the "activity" scheduled for today?

04 Apr 2006 6:22 a.m.

ellencmog (863 posts)

Another good article in this morning's IHT:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/03/news/france.php

It's really interesting to me that a president would sign a bill at the same time calling for changes to it. Chirac must really be feeling the squeeze. . .

01 Apr 2006 10:05 a.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

From the Washington Post

This explains so much that foreigners don't understand about the French mentality.
The French in Denial

By Robert J. Samuelson

To anyone who cares about Europe's future, the French demonstrations and street riots protesting the government's new labor law must be profoundly disturbing. It's the French against France -- a familiar ritual that mirrors Europe's larger predicament. Hardly anyone wants to surrender the benefits...

To view the entire article, go to

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

Please post your impressions.

28 Mar 2006 6:59 a.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

QUOTE

Have you seen or heard any suggestions that the students may not be the ones doing the physical damage?

Sam: sorry for not have responded sooner. What started out as a peaceful march was disrupted by kids from the banlieues up to no good. Today (Tues.), there are police on the quai at the RER station at St. Denis and (profiled) kids wearing basketball shoes are being stopped and REALLY searched by the CRS police when they arrive at the Gare du Nord.

Paris is by no means the only city where manifs are occurring. 200,000 people participated in one this morning in Marseilles.

28 Mar 2006 6:33 a.m.

Al Ross (3244 posts)

Over the past couple of years...every now and then.... I sort of made remarks in this vein only to get my fingers slapped by a few honored posters who felt it was""anti-French".

28 Mar 2006 6:13 a.m.

ellencmog (863 posts)

Well-written article.

He says:

"Sooner or later France will have to adopt policies that lower unemployment, lengthen work hours, raise retirement ages and cut promised benefits."

I agree; it's inevitable. The US has been doing it, but with less public commotion than in France. Look at pensions being reduced or cut out altogether, retiree medical insurance is almost a thing of the past, Social Security raising the age for entitlement to full benefits, etc., etc.

The fastest growing decile in the 2000 census was 90 year-olds. Advanced medical research which enables people to live longer puts a premium on society in the form of higher health care costs, social security, pension benefits (where they still exist). People are working longer, reducing the number of available jobs.

It's a problem which isn't unique to any one country. France just has a unique way of expressing their dissatisfaction!

28 Mar 2006 3:42 a.m.

Karen Fawcett (5017 posts)

From the Washington Post

The French in Denial
By Robert J. Samuelson

To anyone who cares about Europe's future, the French demonstrations and street riots protesting the government's new labor law must be profoundly disturbing. It's the French against France -- a familiar ritual that mirrors Europe's larger predicament. Hardly anyone wants to surrender the benefits...

To view the entire article, go to

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

Please post your impressions.

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