Nonetheless, Dear Paris is a gem of a book for any Francophile or armchair traveler.
MacLeod addresses the Yellow Vest protests, various labor strikes, and the Notre Dame fire, so this omission stands out. From reading her letters over those months, it seems as though COVID-19 never reached France. But one thing is conspicuously missing in her book: The last section spans the whole year of 2020, yet there’s not a word about the pandemic and how it affected Parisians. Her vibrant watercolors show her love of the city and how she’s immersed into the quirks and perks of Paris. IN THE END: MacLeod presents a beautiful treatise on Paris. The two speak in French, their lingua franca, and live on a market street punctuated by bright citrus fruit.
When Christophe strolls down the streets of Paris, he thinks more about labor issues like wage disparities and fair hours, while MacLeod sees the beauty in the famous green water fountains and peeks into courtyards tucked behind unassuming apartment buildings. Yet MacLeod and her then-boyfriend, Christophe, see Paris differently: she as a typical expat he as an immigrant butcher. Scott Fitzgerald and sees herself in the same role of a struggling artist. She often reflects on the Lost Generation of Hemingway and F. Baguettes also play a large part of Parisian life, as do wine, cheese, and other pastries. She also searches for the perfect cup of chocolat chaud, but I won’t reveal that winner. Spoiler alert: she prefers the traditional vanille. MacLeod’s observations grant the reader an insider’s look into Paris, coupled with a non-native’s curiosity.įood is a huge part of Paris and MacLeod writes of the annual macaron day, and how this particular French pastry has evolved over the years. For consistency, her letters are mostly addressed to Áine, a long-term subscriber and friend. THE SETTING: MacLeod’s letters center on the changing seasons in Paris, from fairy lights in December to the explosion of bright flowers in the spring from the tourist-filled cafés in the summer to the changing leaves along the Champs-Élysées in autumn.
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