The exodus began on June 24th when public schools in France closed for the summer vacations. Immediately, parents packed their children and boats to head out for the sea or to Spain.
“Would you like to sign up for the children movie and picnic?” The librarian asks a parent.
“No, we won’t be there.” she replies.
As I browse through books at the local public library, I hear the same scenario over and over again with the librarian asking and the parents announcing they’re going out of town.
Maybe it’s just French parents who are leaving Paris.
I take the train to Paris today. It’s a sunny day. I want to hang out by La Seine. There are a few artistic péniches there; maybe I will find some artists and interview them.
In front of la Péniche Anako, the poster of events shows a busy month of daily concerts. Anako is a floating cultural center, complete with an auditorium. I ask the barman about meeting some artists.
“They’re all leaving,” he said. “We’re leaving too.”
Their last concert is on Sunday and they’re leaving Tuesday.
“Try la Péniche Antipode, two boats down,” he adds. “Maybe they’ll be staying for the summer.”
At the designated barge, musicians are busy loading up la Péniche Antipode with musical instruments and sound system to gear up for tonight’s pop concert. Music is already blasting through the speakers. On the deck, I hold on to the railing as the barge waves because a tourist shuttle boat speeds by.
I approach the young man smoking near the bar; he has short blond hair, except for one dread lock dangling on the back of his head. He explains that they will be travelling on their boat, staying one month in a banlieue of Paris up north, then the next month, at another town. So no, they won’t be in Paris this summer.
I leave thinking that next time I want to do a story series on Paris, I will have to do it during the year when all Parisians are in town.
They say in the Summer, Paris is left to tourists.