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Paris from the Water: A Writer’s View of the Seine

The view of Musee D'Orsey from the water taxi batobus in Paris

They say the best way to understand a city is to see it from its heart. In Paris, that heart is the Seine. Today, I took the metro and then hoped on a Batobus for a water tour. Seeing the Paris monuments glide by from the deck of a water taxi was amazing.


As a writer, I’m always looking for "perspective." From the street, Paris is a bustling metropolis. From the water, it’s a silent, stone masterpiece.


Floating Past History

The view from the water taxi batobus in Paris

There is a specific magic to passing under the Pont Neuf or seeing Notre-Dame rise up from the Île de la Cité. It's amazing from any angle, but from the river level, you truly appreciate the scale of the architecture. Plus, there were no bustling crowds.


The Riverside "Library"

One of the coolest sights near Notre Dame is the line of Bouquinistes—those iconic dark green boxes perched along the stone walls of the river. These open-air bookshops have been here for centuries. I bought some posters when I was on land. Seeing them from the water, you realize they are the "connective tissue" of the city.


I eventually hopped off to explore:


A Lesson in "Slow Travel"

In my books like Surviving Summer Camp, I often write about characters who have to slow down to survive. Today was a lesson in that. On the water, you can't rush. You have to take in the city at the pace of the current. Whether you’re in a boat on the Seine or a canoe in the Pacific Northwest, the water has a way of clearing your head and making room for new stories.


Paul’s Spring Break Reading Update:

I’m still working my way through L’Embrasement (Catching Fire). Okay, I haven't even cracked it open yet to be honest, but maybe tomorrow? The girls are goning to a purfumerie so I'll exclose Montmartre while they're busy.


A bientot!


Here's a nice video about the booksellers on YouTube. Bouquinistes.

 
 
 

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