A new Parisian pal of mine talks about France in July and August, Paris mostly but because I asked him to. When I lived in Europe, I didn’t make it to Paris often enough, typically it was to stock up on wine or shop.
He writes about Marselle, the World Cup, and the response to it, beautifully giving me a visual to remember about European summers…..so much so that I easily travel back in time and remember so many wonderful moments about living and traveling there.
On Marseille: I’m here in a very popular neighborhood with a very large number of “Cafés-Terrasses” which are full of people crying and jumping… simultaneously, there is a strike by the local garbage-men. When will Marseille be a clean city?
Paris without cars. Paris without Parisians. Paris without stress. That’s Paris in August. So quiet. So smooth. So hot.
A kind of mirror. Good moment to think about ourselves. The weight of a great history appears so clearly against an individual. We have to be proud. That’s an invitation to innovate. History as a gift for another future, for other things, for improvisations, for games.
You know: in France, all things end in songs. But also in dances. As soon as sun appears, it’s possible to dance under it in the quays of the Seine river at the end of the day until nine or ten at night.
There is a large place for young people (rap, rock’n roll , …) and another great place for tango dancing. Just in front of the Arabic World Institute and the “Saint-Louis” Island. Paris downtown. And, because all serious things in France are business-less, the aristocratic touch of poetry.
I have to keep reminding myself that English is his second or third language. Yet, he has captured a few fabulous moments of France in the summer, at least for me. Thanks for the dance down Parisian streets on a hot July day.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
