Friday, 13 September 2013

Dipping my Toes...


Today I braved the drizzle, (forgot my towel, headed back to my chambre-de-bonne, collected my towel), & made it to the swimming pool.

I'd promised myself that I would get into some kind of regular exercise routine, and buying a new swimming costume (it's not quite as bright as this in real life!) was the guarantee that I would have to get my money's worth in the pool!

At a 15 or so minute walk away, I picked a municipal pool which promised it would only be a €3 swim at the full rate, and about €1.70 for a student in Paris - one just off the rather lovely street of Le Boulevard St. Germain in the hope that the pool might be a little nicer! 


In the grey rain, I walked past two famous cafes, Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore which I've seen already on postcards during my compulsive browsing of papeterie shops & newspaper stands for cards to send home! Wikipedia does a better job of detailing the historical importance of this boulevard, but after my philosophy studies I was happy to see a square named after Sartre and De Beauvoir (this Haussmannian street was the centre of left-bank life and Existentialist thought - De Beauvour, Sartre, Hemingway & other literary heavy-weights frequented these cafes).

 


The swimming pool was great! The water wasn't too cold, the staff not too bemused when I asked if it was obligatory to wear a swim cap & then blurted out: “this is completely new to me, I'm English!”. After a shortish swim, I exited & the increasingly bemused staff told me that the swim was free. As to whether it was free simply for me, or free in general, I am still none the wiser.

I wandered back after a brief browsing round some 'librairies', 'papeteries' and Gap. The road has some lovely shops, from Emporio Armani to children's toy shops - so check them out if you have the chance.

Delighted with my new discovery!
More about the Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots when I (hopefully) pay them a visit!
À Bientôt! 
x

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