Kids and dad walking to school in the am on Rue Perignon

mercredi 1 octobre 2025

Today was my second French language lesson with Aurelie. I woke up early enough to turn on the radiators in the living room, so it was much warmer this morning. Before she arrived at 9 am, I made coffee in the unfamiliar espresso machine and stood in front of the windows and watched children and parents walking to school. The daily costume here is practical and homogeneous, and according to my California standards quite formal. Adults and children alike wear pants or skirts, a shirt or blouse, and a jacket (there are variations here, which include a puffer, a blazer, a trench, or a wool or tweed coat). Very few people wear trainers (moms pushing strollers, kids, and tourists get away with it), and most people wear leather shoes, flats, or boots with a heel or without.  It is very charming for me to watch these miniature adults skipping, running, and walking to school in my residential neighborhood. In case you want to Google my quartier, I am living on Rue Perignon just steps away from the métro stop Ségur. UNESCO headquarters are around the corner and a very popular outdoor market, Marche de Saxe-Breteuil, is a 4 minute walk away. I will be going there tomorrow.