Changing France
Doggie Bags and a Culturally Correct Lottery
A friend who is a historian and has lived in Paris for over 35 years was discoursing the other day about how much France has changed since he’s been here. He predicted that the country’s status would be going up … Read More
Bouquet of Tulips
Jeff Koons Offers Cadeau Empoisonné to Paris
It’s no news that not everyone appreciates the glossy work of art-world superstar Jeff Koons. Now the artist has caused an uproar in Paris by offering as a gift to the city a monumental sculpture, “Bouquet of Tulips” (with 11 tulips held in an … Read More
La Pêche, Local Currency
Spending without Guilt
“Paris a la pêche!” says the headlines in all the French newspapers. That means both “Paris is feeling great” (from the expression “avoir la pêche,” meaning “to feel peachy”) and “Paris has the pêche,” referring to the introduction of a new … Read More
Vélib’ Métropole
The Vélib’ Métropole Debacle
I am no fan of the company JCDecaux, which has littered Paris with advertising panels, but the city of Paris seems to have made a bad decision when it replaced Decaux’s subsidiary Cyclocity as the concessionaire for the Vélib’ bike-sharing … Read More
Short-Term Rentals in Paris
Paris Files Suit against Airbnb
The news has spread like wildfire: the city of Paris is suing Airbnb for not removing from its site listings that are not registered with the city. And Airbnb isn’t the only rental site to bear the wrath of Mayor … Read More
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