Il était là, le dernier des derniers. Depuis longtemps, sans doute. Depuis que je le connaissais, il avait ses réguliers; il y avait José, Michel, Patrick et quelques autres gardiens d'immeuble. Il y avait même une lycéenne du lycée catholique du coin qui lui rendait visite, de temps en temps.
C'était un être vivant. Il avait son carrelage orangeâtre, ses étalages vieillots peints en rouge et jaune et surtout son comptoir en laiton, sans fioriture. Deux ou trois chaises en plastique traînaillaient à droite à gauche, nonchalamment posées là, histoire de. Personne ne s'y asseyait jamais, pour quoi faire ?
Et évidemment, le patron. Jamais je n'ai su son nom; tout le monde l'appelait "patron". Il aimait à frimer un peu, raconter des histoires farfelues sur des stars en limousines qui auraient voulu réserver son établissement. Et lui les aurait renvoyées, ces "pétasses".
On s'y rendait pour commander une mousse, une noisette ou un petit noir, cacahuètes et mauvais vin. On s'y rendait pour y refaire le monde avec les autres.
C'était le dernier zinc du quartier. Il était vieillot, un peu sale, honteusement bon marché et fréquenté par ses piliers de bar quotidiens. Et c'était pour ça qu'il était magnifique. Il était le dernier témoin d'une vie autre qu'en Prada. Seul au milieu d'une rue commerçante, il résistait aux sirènes du panini à emporter et du cuba libre, vivotant de mois en mois, d'année en année. Jusqu'à la fin. L'espace d'une nuit, il a disparu, déjà oublié, racheté par du prêt-à-porter dont il y a déjà tant. Il a disparu comme il a vécu : silencieusement.
Maintenant, José, Michel et Patrick pourront s'habiller chez The Kooples.
Mais c'était réellement le dernier témoin d'une époque définitivement révolue, en tout cas dans certains quartiers Parisiens. Et je suis triste que les quelques derniers établissements de ce type n'arrivent plus même à survivre, tant le nombre d'habitués a fondu. C'était le rappel qu'un jour, il y a eu une vie de quartier, où les gens se (re)connaissaient et se disaient bonjour dans la rue. Maintenant, shopping - boulot - dodo, oui, et en Mini.
Et un de plus... C'est bien triste.
C'est hallucinant ce que Paris peut compter comme magasins de chaussures et de fringues. A croire que les gens ne vivent que pour ça.
C'est vrai que créer des entreprises qui donnent du travail aux gens c'est vraiment une mentalité exécrable.
Pour moi la mondialisation c'est nocif quand ca arrive, quand cela avait le caractère naturel et beau des choses.
Une fois que c'est en place (Paris en gros), qu'un bar miteux fasse place à un magasin de brouettes n'est pas un drame en soi (le ver est dans la pomme).
Effectivement. Ce qui me fascine, c'est qu'il y a pourtant énormément de monde qui vit à Paris, formant une clientèle potentielle colossale. Il faut croire qu'ils préfèrent passer leur temps à faire du shopping qu'à causer autour d'une bière. O tempora, o mores, comme dirait l'autre.
Dans le quartier, les seuls débits de boisson (et d'ailleurs les seuls lieux où il serait possible de se rassembler, de se croiser) qui ont l'air de prospérer sont ceux qui se sont tournés presque exclusivement vers une clientèle issue du tourisme, ou au moins des expats vivant à Paris.
C'est vrai que créer des entreprises qui donnent du travail aux gens c'est vraiment une mentalité exécrable.
Combien de salariés génère un énième magasin de chiffons ? Franchement...
Paris, c'est aussi (et surtout) des avenues entières de bureaux; c'est bien normal, et il est effectivement heureux que tant de monde puisse y trouver un emploi.
En revanche, qu'un dernier vestige d'une vie de quartier disparaisse est triste. Dans un endroit densément peuplé, je trouve surprenant qu'il n'y ait aucune volonté de vivre ensemble, ne serait-ce que de se saluer du regard. Dans le meilleur des cas, c'est un "bonjour" sec entre les mères qui attendent leurs enfants à la sortie de l'étude.
Pour moi la mondialisation c'est nocif quand ca arrive, quand cela avait le caractère naturel et beau des choses.
Qui a parlé de mondialisation ?
Un Starbuck's peut très bien coexister avec un bar irlandais branché et le bon vieux PMU crasseux. Je suis même le premier à trouver chouette la diversification des choix. L'inquiétant, c'est le désintérêt profond des gens pour ce qui constituait il y a encore peu un incontournable.
Une fois que c'est en place (Paris en gros), qu'un bar miteux fasse place à un magasin de brouettes n'est pas un drame en soi (le ver est dans la pomme).
Ça l'est, quand c'est le dernier. Mais effectivement, comme vous dites, le ver était déjà dans la pomme...
Oui dans ce sens de diversification, je vous comprend mieux.
Sinon "mondialisation" n'était pas forcément le bon terme, c'était plus l'idée de "constante progression vers le moderne" (par opposition au bar qui semble daté)
Dans cette rue un peu chic du 16ème, il y avait depuis des années une librairie à l'ancienne...
Quotidiens, hebdomadaires, mensuels, bi-mensuels, trimestriels... c'est fou quand on y pense, le nombre de magazines qui existent.
Des BD, de jolies cartes, des carnets...
Un rayon papeterie où on pouvait essayer les stylos... c'est fou quand on y pense, la variété de stylos qui existe.
Des livres... des best-sellers, mais pas que...
Et au fond du magasin, le rayon poches. Avec sur les nouvelles parutions des fiches "coup de coeur" sur lesquelles un amoureux des livres, d'une écriture un peu penchée... un peu illisible aussi... communiquait ses bonheurs de lecture.
Depuis quelques jours d'immenses affiches cachent les vitrines... "liquidation totale", "tout doit disparaitre avant fermeture définitive", "50% sur tout le magasin sauf sur les livres"...
Dans cette rue un peu chic du 16ème, la librairie où on trouvait Zadig de Voltaire va devenir un magasin de Hi-Fi...
Juste à côté y'a déjà... Zadig et Voltaire ! Mais il parait que c'est aussi de la littérature... alors... 😕
L'inéluctable marche du progrès. Aux Etats-Unis, le livre électronique représente déjà quelque chose comme un tiers du volume total de livres vendus et est en constante croissance.
Ce qui est sûr, c'est que l'Ipad n'aura jamais cette odeur merveilleuse du livre neuf.
Pour deguster une bonne biére belge, choisissez une bière qui ne fait pas partie de ces grosses multinationales...Un bon choix, les trapistes et les brasseries indépendantes, il existe aussi 1001 petites brasseries artisanales, mais dans café à Paris...ou ailleurs😕 Pas sur...
Pour deguster une bonne biére belge, choisissez une bière qui ne fait pas partie de ces grosses multinationales...Un bon choix, les trapistes et les brasseries indépendantes, il existe aussi 1001 petites brasseries artisanales, mais dans café à Paris...ou ailleurs😕 Pas sur...
Je suis bien d'accord, mais vous savez certainement ce que valent les bières dans les bistros parisiens.... Rien 🙂
Cela dit, il y a d'excellentes bières tchèques qui appartiennent à Inbev, même si celle-ci n'intervient pas dans le processus de fabrication. Comme quoi, ils ne font pas que des horreurs.
Hi, I'm Pierre and I've just finished a Master's in Earth and Environmental Sciences. But I don't feel like jumping straight into working life (permanent contract, big company, and all that comes with it...) and I'd love to travel for several months. It was a gap year during my first year of my Master's with a 6-month Working Holiday Visa (solo) in New Zealand that gave me a taste for travel and adventure.
This time, I'd like to make this project happen not alone but with my girlfriend, who's finishing her studies next September.
I have a lot of questions about returning to work after this and the famous "gap" in my CV. If this project goes ahead, I'd be applying for jobs about 1.5–2 years after getting my degree. In the meantime, I'd like to apply for short-term contracts in my field to gain some experience, but the opportunities are very limited, if not non-existent, with a Master's degree...
Personally, I'm convinced that these travel experiences are a plus, but I'm less sure about how recruiters see it...
I feel a bit lost between my deep desires and the reality of the job market.
If anyone has any feedback or a similar experience, I'd love to hear it! :)
In 1985, the film "Out of Africa" was released, which inspired me to visit Kenya for the first time a year later.
My passion for animals in their wild and natural habitat, and thus for safaris, was born while watching this film and appreciating Robert REDFORD’s acting.
Of course, the film’s director and Meryl STREEP also contributed greatly to this wonderful movie.....
In a way, I owe him this passion, and I thank him for it.
Sometimes, during safaris, when we had our breakfasts in the middle of nature, in one reserve or another in Kenya or Tanzania, I often thought of him.
May he rest in peace, far from our world of madness.
Thank you for EVERYTHING, Mr. REDFORD.
( In three weeks in Kenya, I think I’ll often be thinking of him....... )
Many of us have noticed that bugs have been making it difficult to navigate the forum lately.
I’ll let Kate and Ticapi explain the issue:
I went to your profile to check out the Thailand travel journal, and when I clicked on it, it brought me back here again. All week, I’ve been dealing with bugs like this—it’s really discouraging from continuing on VF.🙁
I had the same thing happen, and multiple times. For me, it was Montagnard’s latest journal that kept coming up no matter which discussion I clicked on.
Hello
In some Polish cities, seniors benefit from free public transport. My question is: does this also apply to EU foreigners? On paper, yes, but I know some travelers have run into unsympathetic inspectors in the past who refused to grant this discount to non-Polish people. That said, these situations are a few years old now. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
I left my heart’s country eight days ago and returned to my adopted one—or was it the other way around? Scotland-Morvan, Morvan-Scotland, I’m not quite sure anymore.
After a quarter without dragging my slippers around here, even though I’d loudly declared I had no interest left in this site, here I am again!
My imagination never stays fallow for long. Just enough time for my inner land to rest. It gets overgrown with fresh nettles, the kind you can pick without getting stung. Then, it’s time to till the fragrant earth and let the story grow.
I hesitated over where to set this story.
Maybe the Highlands, maybe the Hebrides, maybe the Orkney Islands, maybe the Shetland Islands. All of Scotland is myth—easy to embroider.
But in the end, no. I’d almost be too afraid to bare my soul.
The story will take place at home. Simple, practical.
1)
This morning, I was up well before dawn, feeling a bit grumpy, but nothing a bowl of coffee won’t fix. I love my bowl, and no one dares take it. It’s porcelain, edged with intertwined blue flowers. On the bottom, it says "Revol." The factory has existed long before the Revolution. It was my great-grandmother’s bowl. She drank roasted barley from it during the war, then her Leroux chicory.
Last year, a little guy dropped it. My bowl broke into three pieces. A black anger vibrated deep inside me. The little boy was so upset, on the verge of tears. How could I scold him!
I picked up the three pieces and took Little Boy in my arms. His hair smelled of the light, sweet sweat of toddlers. A gentle hug that healed—his budding sorrow and my anger—everything vanished, and time carried on.
Today, my bowl is even prettier. Man fixed it using the traditional kintsugi technique, except he didn’t use gold powder or lacquer but superglue, and he delicately painted the cracks with woad blue. And my bowl is even more beautiful now.
I’m lingering, I can tell—it’s just that a story wraps itself in life, and life can’t be told in the snap of a finger. Life is long. Like in architecture, you start with a rough sketch, called a "sous-cul" (the initial pencil drawing), then you make a tracing, which is the work itself, the one you later carefully roll up in a wooden tube.
Life is like that: you erase, you start over, you use the nub of the pencil until it’s tiny, but you keep going—dreaming, loving.
"Living is a full-time occupation, a unique adventure. Always a surprise and a wonder, which sometimes turns into astonishment. And, from time to time, happiness."*
Alright, enough digressing—this introduction is definitely too long.
Tomorrow, I’ll get to the heart of the matter.
(I hate that expression; it feels like I’m cutting into someone’s skin.)
Traveling by plane between Southern Corsica and Paris? Whether it's a one-time trip or regularly, accompany one of our kittens during the journey to their forever home. The repatriation of our rescued street kittens is made possible thanks to travelers like you. No worries: you'll be guided every step of the way to complete this mission.
The in-cabin pet ticket is covered by our association, and reimbursement for expenses is possible (depending on the kitten's drop-off location, so let's discuss this beforehand).
Available and motivated to make this one-way trip with a cat and change their life?
Contact us before your next trip: https://assopacci.com/contact/
Hi everyone, fellow travelers!
I’m looking for anyone who’s in Kyoto or planning to visit Nishiki Market! Here’s the thing: during our trip there in April, we discovered a jewelry artisan (highly recommended!) on the left when exiting through the west exit of Nishiki Market (which is a long covered east-west street). I bought a piece of jewelry for my daughter there, but she lost it. I’d love to buy her another one! In the photo, it’s the shop with the yellow awning to the right of the restaurant with the blue awning, "Sushi Sakai." Would any kind soul be willing to get the shop’s name, email, or phone number for me? Despite my Google/AI searches, it’s nowhere to be found. A thousand thanks to whoever can help me out! Wishing you all great vacations!
Sabrina
Hello everyone! 🙂🙂,
A BIG thank you to all the travelers who sent us postcards this year—my students are becoming real geography whizzes!!!!!!!! I’m renewing my call for your kindness this year! We’re also working on food, so if your postcards can make our mouths water with local dishes, traditional meals, or typical recipes, that’d be amazing!!
Here’s a quick recap of the project:
I’m reaching out to all travelers and globetrotters on this forum. I’m a teacher in Creuse, working in a ULIS program (which welcomes children aged 6 to 12 with disabilities into a mainstream school). This year, I’m starting a school journal project that will involve the kids in many different topics. A big part of the journal will focus on opening up to the world, diversity, travel, countries, culture...
I’m launching a call to invite as many of you as possible to send us a little postcard (from France or anywhere in the world!) to take us on a journey and help us discover new places, countries, and horizons—much more fun and exciting than a regular geography textbook! One section of our journal could be called "We received mail from " and would be an opportunity to research that location and share what we learn with our readers (a super enriching activity in class).
The project starts in September 2025 but has no real end date, as this journal and world discovery initiative will span several school years (the kids stay in my ULIS program for multiple years). Postcards can be sent anytime—throughout the year, across seasons, even during holidays! (The kids will find them when they return.)
I hope this idea appeals to as many of you as possible and that you’ll spread the word to your fellow traveler friends. Make us dream, take us on a journey!!!
For those who’d like to write to us in a language other than French, no problem—quite the opposite!!
Thank you in advance for your participation(s)! Below is our address. Feel free to leave your own address on a corner of the postcard if you’d like us to write back! 😊
The ULIS program students
Bonnat Elementary School
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Thank you, and see you soon, I hope! 😁
Julien
BOLIVIA: THE COUNTRY ON THE BRINK (What's Really Happening)
A dramatic saga is unfolding before our eyes in the Andes. Between suffocating blockades, clashes, an international airlift, and historic political decisions, Bolivia has just experienced 48 hours of rare intensity.
Here’s the full breakdown (economic, social, and political) of the last 48 hours:
For travelers and tourists: the article also includes an important note about the upcoming publication (starting tomorrow) of the precise status of roadblocks, route by route.
I’ll post the full update here on Voyage Forum!
Don’t miss this in-depth analysis. History is being written before our eyes! https://www.petitherge.com/bolivie-paralysie-et-ultimatum
I just discovered a great show on Arte.
It's called "7 en route": seven young European journalists travel around Europe in a fully converted bus, making reports on every city they visit. It's amazing! 🙂
Yesterday, for example, they were in Rome, Italy, and the reports included things like the world's smallest restaurant—a super romantic spot for two. There was also a report on the king of paparazzi in Italy.
They have to pick topics that let us discover the little quirks of each country. And at the end of each episode, we get to see the finished report.
It's such a great show, mixing journalism, travel, and discovery—basically, a must-watch!
It airs in the evening starting at 6:50 PM (I think), and it started this past Monday, July 14th.
If you watch it, let me know—we can chat about it!
I’m Yann, a 28-year-old TikToker who loves traveling!
Since I’ve been to several destinations, I’d love to get a flag from each one as a sort of trophy. But from what I’ve seen online, a lot of sites sell them with what looks like really poor quality...
So I’m reaching out to you all to share a site you usually use—help me start my collection! :)
hi there
I’d love to get some opinions—I’ve never used Airbnb before.
They’re offering a key handover via lockbox.
Any tips or advice?
Is it reliable?
Best,
Hi there, I’m Laura, and I’m looking for a few people to answer some questions so I can understand your travel wishes and challenges. It won’t take long—I can chat here, by email, or by phone. Don’t worry, I’m not selling anything! 😊
On this forum, we talk a lot about trekking in the Himalayas, but I’d love to share another side of Nepal: its spiritual, cultural, and religious atmosphere, especially in Kathmandu.
Nepal, much like Tibet and Bhutan, is deeply connected to the Himalayas—the ultimate sacred mountain range. This small country exudes a calming vibe, shaped by a strong spiritual dimension. What I loved most was the unique sensory experience you get there. Walking around temples and tantric monasteries, a distinct scent fills the air—aromatic plants used for ritual fumigation. Locals mainly burn Himalayan juniper, cedar, sandalwood, and other local essences. This fragrant smoke is a way to purify the space and reach the deities, and you’re constantly enveloped in these aromas.
Another striking aspect is the sound. As soon as you step outside, you hear bells ringing in front of temples. People ring them three times before praying to announce their presence to the deities. Nepal is also the birthplace of singing bowls and sound meditation practices. In Kathmandu, you can easily find meditation sessions or "sound baths."
The spiritual dimension is everywhere: a Hindu sadhu practicing asceticism, a lama in deep red robes with his mala, turning a prayer wheel while murmuring "Om mani padme hum." Newar Buddhism, Tantrism, and Hinduism coexist harmoniously in daily life.
For those who love exploring a destination through its culture and spirituality, Nepal is an unforgettable place. What was your spiritual experience in Nepal like?
Hi,
I’m landing in Quebec and then heading to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I’d like to rent a pick-up. My question is: does this vehicle come with a cover and is it secure enough to store luggage in? I’ve heard two conflicting opinions. Thanks
I just installed the Maps.Me app on my phone. I only recently found out about this app. I’m traveling in 2 weeks and a few days, and I’m a bit stuck on how to use it.
I’m from the Montreal (Quebec) area, and I’d love to know if there’s a kind soul out there who could help me get started and use the app at least minimally.
If there are private lessons available, I’d be interested in those too.
Like many others, I’m overjoyed to hear that VoyageForum is reopening! I’ve been waiting hopefully for this, and it’s wonderful that it’s finally happening!
I just couldn’t bring myself to actively participate in other French-language travel forums—their format and way of doing things never appealed to me as much. I really hope that VF’s structure, categories, and interface won’t change too much despite the handover, because I’m very attached to them. Through thick and thin, the site has held strong—it’s amazing!
In a previous message, François mentioned that there were positions to fill ahead of the reopening, including moderators...
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this and hoping to send in my CV.
Now, after reading the latest message, it seems like the team is already fully formed. But are there still a few spots left to fill?
I’ve been a VF member for 20 years (since 2004). I’d love to contribute to this wonderful adventure as a moderator if VF would trust me with the role. If the team is open to reviewing it, I’m ready to send my CV. Could you let me know the next steps?
I’m planning a 3-week trip to Japan in May with Voyage Privé. The package includes a 5 GB eSIM, but my phone isn’t new enough to support it. VP told me I could buy a SIM card when I arrive at the airport.
Sure enough, I’ve seen online that this is possible with different providers.
I only need it for checking routes, looking up addresses, train schedules, etc.—basically using Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and similar apps. No heavy downloads or major internet use. All hotels should provide free Wi-Fi for that, right?
Has anyone got any tips for me on this? What have you tried, and how much did it cost?
Thanks for your help!
I’d like to know if you can buy reef-safe sunscreen sprays at 7-Eleven. If so, how much do they cost? We’re traveling with backpacks, so we’ll either buy 100ml here or in Thailand.
I wanted to share a really unpleasant experience from our last trip booked with Promoséjours and organized by FTI.
We booked an 8-day/7-night stay in Egypt, from June 8 to 15.
The flight initially scheduled was changed a week before departure to take off at 10 PM from Paris CDG.
In the end, it took off with a 1-hour delay and included an unmentioned stopover in Marsa Alam.
We landed in Hurghada at 4 AM and arrived at the hotel at 6 AM.
So, we spent our first night on the plane.
For the return trip, surprise—the flight was moved up. We left the hotel at 10:30 PM on Friday the 14th to take off at 2 AM and land at 7 AM at Paris CDG.
So, we spent our last night on the plane too.
After sending a complaint letter to Promoséjours / FTI, they replied that the first and last days can be dedicated to transport (which I already knew) and that no matter how many nights you book, you’re not guaranteed to spend them in the hotel—it could just as well be on the plane.
I’m really questioning this.
Isn’t there a law that protects customers in cases like this?
Because when I do the math, the first and part of the second day were spent on transport, same for the second-to-last and last day. And I paid for 7 nights for a stay that only lasted 5.
Anyway, I just want to say thanks to them—thanks to their two sleepless nights in transit, I’m coming back even more exhausted from a trip that was supposed to be restful!
I also want to warn anyone booking through this agency about visas for Egypt.
At booking, they told me the visa was included in the price, then they sent me an email saying I’d have to pay for it on-site at 25 €.
Once there, we were directed to a special line for FTI customers, and guess what? They charged us 30 €!
Basically, they’re great at making sure you *enjoy* your vacation—mostly by enjoying your wallet!
If anyone has dealt with this kind of situation and won their case, I’m all ears.
Hi there!
I’m heading to Thailand for two months.
So I thought I’d get a Thai SIM card to use Google Maps for getting around cities, mostly.
Here’s my question: will this SIM affect my apps? Or will they work the same as with my Orange SIM?
Is there any setup I need to do, or can I just pop in the Thai SIM?
I’d also like to switch back to my Orange SIM now and then while I’m in Thailand—on the same phone. Will I need to reset the phone, or will it reconnect without any issues?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Best,
Huiclos
Hi, I’d like to know where we can buy beer or wine in Chefchaouen and around Merzouga. We’ll be doing a circuit and staying at the Parador Hotel in Chefchaouen and in a bivouac in Merzouga.
Thanks for any info you can share!
Hello everyone,
I’m reaching out to all travelers and globe-trotters on this forum. I’m a teacher in Creuse working in a ULIS program (which welcomes children aged 6 to 12 with disabilities into a mainstream school). This year, I’m launching a school journal project that will involve the kids in many different topics. A big part of this journal will focus on opening up to the world, embracing differences, travel, global cultures, and more.
I’m putting out a call to invite as many of you as possible to send us a postcard (from France or anywhere in the world)! The goal is to help us "travel" and discover new places, countries, and horizons in a way that’s much more fun and exciting than a geography textbook. One section of our journal could be called "We received a letter from ," where we’d research the location and share what we learn with our readers—a really enriching activity for the classroom.
The project starts in September 2025 but doesn’t have a strict end date, since this journal and world-discovery initiative will span several school years (the kids stay in the ULIS program for multiple years). Postcards can be sent anytime—throughout the year, across seasons, even during holidays! The kids will find them when they return.
I hope this idea appeals to as many of you as possible, and that you’ll spread the word to your fellow travelers. Help us dream and explore!
For those who’d like to write to us in a language other than French, no problem—quite the opposite!
Thank you in advance for your participation! Below is our address. If you’d like us to write back, feel free to leave your address on a corner of the postcard! 😊
ULIS program students
Bonnat Elementary School
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon! 😊
Julien
🙂
Hi there! I have to leave Ivato/Antananarivo on December 16th. I have a lot of ariary that I’d like to exchange for euros since I might not be coming back to Madagascar (after this 21st trip). I think the exchange office at Ivato also buys ariary back. If any of you have seen the rate for this buyback in advance, thanks a million!
Hi everyone, fellow travelers!
I’m looking for anyone who’s in Kyoto or planning to visit Nishiki Market! Here’s the thing: during our trip there in April, we discovered a jewelry artisan (highly recommended!) on the left when exiting through the west exit of Nishiki Market (which is a long covered east-west street). I bought a piece of jewelry for my daughter there, but she lost it. I’d love to buy her another one! In the photo, it’s the shop with the yellow awning to the right of the restaurant with the blue awning, "Sushi Sakai." Would any kind soul be willing to get the shop’s name, email, or phone number for me? Despite my Google/AI searches, it’s nowhere to be found. A thousand thanks to whoever can help me out! Wishing you all great vacations!
Sabrina
