Bonjour From A Parisian Rooftop Terrace

It was our first morning after travelling back from Lyon. We had a view of the Eiffel Tower, and an array of those charming iconic grey roofs and red chimney pots. ‘You can’t get more Parisian than this!’ I said to Kent while soaking up some Parisian sun on our lovely hotel room’s outdoor terrace.

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‘Do you know, out of all the Parisian places I’ve stayed from my eight visits to the City of Light, this is my first rooftop balcony with such a view!’ After showing off to Kent during our first week by telling him ‘I did this’ and ‘I went there’ all over Paris; it was simply a little confession to him that this was something I had not previously experienced. ‘I still remember the first homestay family I lived with as a language student back in 2002…’ ‘No balcony there?’ asked Kent. ‘No balcony at all!’ I said. ‘But the cosy home was in a classically elegant 19th-century Haussmann-style apartment block. Warmly decorated by Madame and Monsieur Couturier.’ Oh yes, I still remember it even after all these years.

So, here I am checking out the view and rabbiting on a bit in excitement. Our room service breakfast would be at least 20 minutes away. During our wait, Kent went back to the laptop with his camera, while I stayed out on the terrace air drying my hair.

Once again, my memories took me back to that student I once was living on Avenue Ledru-Rollin, right next to Gare de Lyon. Three months in Paris, and when French courses finished at mid-afternoon, we – all the overseas students including myself – had plenty of time on our hands to discover her – Paris. And that’s the best part of being a student here! From popular must-see must-dos such as getting to the top of the tour Eiffel, queuing to see Mona Lisa at the Louvre; enjoying the views of la Seine from Notre Dame‘s towers, to lighting candles at Sacré-Cœur… To less touristy activities like spending an afternoon at Napoleon and Josephine’s love nest Château de Malmaison, visiting the National Archaeology Museum in Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye; sipping mint tea while indulging in delicious Turkish delights at the Grande Mosquée de Paris, the list just goes on and on.

In fact, there were very few things left for me to achieve since my very first stay. Three epic months and they appeared to stretch out like an eternity. The adoration I’ve had for the capital of France is tremendous, so much so that led me to another seven trips back for more! Judy, a clairvoyant in the Blue Mountains once told me that I was a Parisian in a very recent past life. I think that comes closest to explaining my enormous love for the city. And in a way, Judy’s words seemed to answer, at the same time unravelling and solving this intense longing aching inside me. As the years have gone by, I have finally accepted that in this lifetime, Paris and I would spend more time apart than together. That means I’ve learnt to be grateful for being just a humble tourist.

When our room service arrived, ‘Bonjour~ Laissez-moi vous aider.’ I offered my help to carry the breakfast tray. And of course, a chance to brush up on my French. Kent too offered up a bonjour as he does now with locals quite naturally. He had a quick sip of the coffee and was already getting the camera ready. Yes, we were about to do a Parisian terrace shoot with a full tray of breakfast delights. A cliché? Totally! Well, why not, when in Paris and all of that!! And our room service was complementary (there’s a reason for it, I will explain in my next post). So here we were, definitely making the most of this glorious sunny morning and the magnificent rooftop view while we could.

So, staying in an adorable Parisian loft room with a terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower… Would this be an enriching completion of my Paris sojourns? Perhaps! What else do I recall from that sun-filled matin? Well, Kent and I certainly enjoyed our alfresco breakfast. Though after three weeks on the road, we spent the afternoon doing laundry in a nearby laundrette. As for me, I felt pretty relaxed knowing anything beyond my old experience here is a bonus. I felt so refreshed that I could embrace this city with a tranquil attitude, no more box-ticking, just me indulging every moment with Paris my old flame…

Photography / Kent Johnson
Styling / Vivienne She

Outfit Of The Day

Roberto Cavalli sunglasses
Sydney Chinatown markets asymmetrical shirt

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