Monday 23 May 2011

A leisurely start to the day in familiar surroundings, the Cafe de Paris in Rue de Buci, on the pavement opposite the flower shop with its trompe l'oeuil of hanging fruit and vegetables and a toucan perched at the tip of each wooden strut that supports the end wall.

Lunch in Beaubourg with Fanou, her grandson Adrien and his copine Helene. Adrien has finished his exams and will be looking for a post in a bank, specialising in wealth management. Helene is studying Human Resources and has a particular interest in labour relations. Fanou spoke enthusiastically of the new Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris ("une merveille") and how it evoked for her a youthful fascination with Hemingway and Fitzgerald. In an unguarded moment, Jane confessed to surreptitious excursions with Marion in Tascon on borrowed velos. 38 years on, this was received with conspicuous alarm by Fanou, who imagined them on moonless nights on precarious paths among the inlets. Almost as surprising was an incautious remark revealing that Jane has experience of camping, though not recently.

The afternoon has passed easily in a pavement cafe in St Germain with orange presse and the hotel couttyard with tea.

Our flight leaves CDG at 2320. We might even find that Air France is showing Minuit a Paris.

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