The Wild Adventures of the Dawson Family in Paris

Our visit to Versailles Palace was marvelous. We spent the vast majority of our time in Marie Antionette’s play village. Seeing it in person really drives home how out of touch with common people she was. Gus kept asking when we would be rich enough to live like we were poor 💀.

The buildings were all absolutely stunning and almost every house had it’s own garden. If we could figure out how to live here we would do it in a second.

The Hall of Mirrors was less impressive than this little micro village. The village was also 1000% less crowded. I have learned that while I do love old buildings castles, palaces, and giant cathedrals aren’t really where I feel reverence. It’s in the common places, the used spaces, and the gardens. Definitely in the gardens…🌿🌱

Is this a vacation? Sort of. Although traveling with three kids in a foreign country by myself does not always feel like a vacation…

I came for a study abroad class to study architecture, city design, and historic preservation.

What I have learned so far…

1. the French have figured out what we Americans have not. That while we may not be here 50 years from now, and definitely not 100, 200, 500 years from now, the infrastructure will be and more importantly, other people will be here. What I mean by this is that the French invest in taking care of the people who will be here after us by investing in the infrastructure necessary to support future generations. They have invested in public transportation, public works such as the sewer system, underground electrical, and clean water, they care for their old buildings, build and maintain public green spaces (with lots of playgrounds), they are deeply invested in living an environmentally sustainable lifestyle, and they do things that other people will benefit from.
2. while the French may seem aloof at first, they really do care about other people. I almost never stand on the metro or train with the 2-year-old because someone ALWAYS enthusiastically offers me their seat. In Paris pregnant women, anyone with a small child, and people with disabilities have priority for seats on public transportation.
3. I haven’t seen many homeless people. There are a few sprinkled here and there around the city. There are tents under bridges, and one whole shanty town right on the edge of Paris by the highway but nowhere near the level that I see in Washington D.C. or even Fredericksburg for that matter.
4. life feels slower here. I don’t think it’s just that I’ve been away from home for so long that it feels like an eternity, I think that the pace really is just slower. The kids have been fantastic about embracing the lifestyle here too. People read books on the metro. Side note – there are as many book ads in the metro stations as there are movie ads (maybe more). We spend at least an hour and a half at restaurants when we eat out. The servers are paid a living wage and tipping isn’t a thing so they don’t have to turn tables around to make money. The kids actually have entire conversations during meal times here (they don’t want to be on their phones at the table lest they look like American tourists 😂). Even back at the Airbnb we spend more time together chatting than we do at home. We typically eat lunch out (super affordable at a local boulangerie-we can get pastries for $1/each and a loaf of bread for about the same) and then have charcuterie for dinner. It’s fantastic.
5. if I were 20 years younger I might not go back
6. I might not go back.
7. oh, I also learned a LOT about design and city planning. I’ll post more on that later.

I also look at textiles because secretly I am an 95 year old woman from the 1930’s. I have always loved tactile arts. I have been sewing clothes and quilts for as long as I can remember and have added needlepoint, felting, knitting, crochet, and weaving through the years. Visiting the local yarn and fabric shops was on my short list of things to do in France when we don’t have class, so of course I pay attention to the literal fabric of Paris.

My favorite materials are always the natural fibers, both animal and plant. There is a perception that high quality yarns and fabrics made from natural fibers, is more expensive than synthetic materials, which is (partly) true. One of the most expensive fabrics? Linen. One linen bath towel can cost as much as $115. EACH.

Knowing how expensive it is, it is surprising that just about everywhere I look in Paris I see a sea of linen. In our Airbnb for example we have linen bath towels, linen sheets, and linen dish and hand towels. When we’re out and about in Paris it seems like every other woman has on a linen dress. Men wear linen shirts and pants. I see kids wearing linen clothes and babies with linen stroller blankets. It’s literally everywhere.

So why are Parisians blanketed in this material? Well, spun flax, otherwise known as linen, has a beautiful drape, is durable, breathable, and lasts almost forever. It also keeps you cool in the summer, is easy to wash, and dries quickly. Drying quickly is an important feature for a culture that doesn’t typically have dryers. Linen dries on the line overnight. It also feels good on the skin. Basically, it’s the perfect fabric. Especially when you don’t have air conditioning or dryers.

I have also come to the conclusion that the French are WAY more environmentally conscience than we Americans are (I’ll probably blog about that later). Another benefit of linen? You can compost it when it’s worn out.

While linen is expensive up front, if you divide the cost over the number of years it will last, it is actually LESS expensive than other material and it feels better too. Will I be switching all of our textiles to linen when we get back home. Yes, but only one towel at time.

My favorite phrase when someone is complaining is “where is your shovel?”. Meaning, “what are you going to do about it?”. It’s the same philosophy I use for myself. Any time I find myself frustrated with the way things are I look for a way to initiate or influence change. Our recent excursions have left me feeling dissatisfied with the way we Americans prioritize our outdoor space (already a sore spot for me) and thinking about how we can change.

We recently spent an afternoon in La Jardin du Luxembourg, or the Luxembourg Garden. It is a fantastic place, truly, truly incredible. I love every inch of it. There is a formal garden, a pool to race toy sailboats, fancy fountains, a teaching garden, a 100+ year old carousel (built in 1879 and still going), a playground, and loads of beehives. We have already decided to make it a regular stop while we’re here. Even Gus wants to spend time racing sailboats.

Spending time out in nature is central to my being. This space fed every single part of that intrinsic need for me. It also made me enormously frustrated and sad. Sad that we just can’t have places that nice in the U.S.

It’s not just the Luxembourg Garden. There are parks EVERYWHERE in and around Paris. Some are simple shady green spaces with a few benches to rest on and some are complex, winding places that have playgrounds for different ages, bathrooms, and public vegetable gardens. The investment in green space is obvious here.

The French have declared that these spaces are a priority. They have done this not just by creating these spaces but by caring for them. You don’t have to wait long to see someone come by to empty the trash, vacuum the sidewalks, or wipe down a surface or two. The public is equally careful about maintaining the areas. I have seen very little litter (virtually none in the parks), no graffiti, no one tromping through the flower beds, no one even talking too loud. The green spaces are remarkably clean and well landscaped, even the tiny ones. They also feel very safe no matter where I am in the city, unlike the U.S. where parks can feel ominous in certain areas or certain times of the day.

The immense discontentI feel with the way things are in the U.S. has me asking myself over and over again. “What can I do about it? Where is my shovel?”.

The truthful answer is I don’t know if it’s possible to do anything. Back home everyone seems entrenched in the societal norms that put individualism over the community and open green space is just a place to sell to the next developer. But doing nothing is unacceptable to me. There has to be a way to prioritize green spaces and maintain them well. I don’t have any answers yet but once we’re back home you’ll find me in the shed, looking for the right shovel.

Before I left the States and all the way over, my number one concern was navigating the city with three kids. Getting lost by myself = no big deal. Getting lost with three kids = BIG DEAL.

Luckily, the city has been super easy to figure out. Public transportation is everywhere and is easily accessible. Yes, we have gotten on the wrong train (we were on the right line but on the wrong fork), but it was easy to hop off the wrong train and right back on the correct one. The kids have become experts at watching to make sure we’re going in the right direction now.

Another great feature of Paris public transit is that one Navigo card lets you on all the transit options, other than taxis. You just have to scan your card and off you go. The distance between metro stations is about a 5 minute walk and the distance between RER stations is about a 10 minute walk.

So far, if it is a 15 minute walk or less the kids have chosen to walk rather than hop on/off another transit option. I love that we can make a quick stop for a beignet and espresso (or more regularly, Orangina). The kids have enjoyed popping into different shops as we go.

My gratitude for today is that we have all learned how to navigate the city, not just how to use public transportation but also where we are in the space of Paris. We’re only a few days in but I’m already sad we have to leave.

We leave for Paris in 2 days. I’m in full panic mode now.

Do the kids have enough clothes? Do I have enough clothes? What are we wearing on the plane? How much yarn is too much? How are we going to keep the toddler entertained for the entire 12 hour travel time? What if we miss our connecting flight in Iceland? What if the AirBnB is terrible? Will Aaron remember to feed the cats? Do we have enough spending money? Is there Amazon Prime in France? What if I don’t pack enough yarn?

Holy cow. We’re going to Paris.

Katie: enjoys reading, radical kindness, tattoos, knitting, crochet, and chic fashion. Does not enjoy crowds or the patriarchy.

Gus: enjoys trying to make your mind explode, jokes that are moderately funny, ice cream, fishing, and adventures. Does not enjoy citric acid burning craters in his mouth.

Lark: enjoys eating just the ice cream cone, running away from Mama, reading books, the word “no”, and playing. Does not enjoy nap time or pooping in the potty.

Me (Amber): enjoys reading, knitting, sewing, asking why, and business-telling (I like to tell people their business). Does not enjoy group projects or presumed entitlement.