by Tom Kando
I just watched the finish of the Tour de France in Paris. I do this every year. Two reasons: (1) I am an avid biker myself, and a fan of the Tour for the past 60 years, since the days of legendary giants such as Fausto Coppi and (2) I grew up in Paris. Went to elementary school and high school there. First times I fell in love was with little French girls. First friends I had were french boys. First time I had fisticuffs, played hooky, got honor roll grades, saw Western movies, went camping, disobeyed my parents, got scholarly awards, wrote noteworthy papers, ran through city streets, suburban woods and subway stations at night, all of this happened while I was growing up as a Parisian boy.
When I watch the final stage of the Tour de France, my nostalgia gets the better of me. The buildings, the city, the Eiffel Tower, the Concorde, the Champs Elysees, the Arch of Triumph, Versailles, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Tuileries. Those are magnificent, to be sure. But it’s more than that. It’s also the atmosphere.
I remember our high school teacher telling us that Paris was “the most beautiful city in the world.” I thought at the time, “sure, that’s what high school teachers tell their students in Omaha, in Cincinnati, in Stuttgart and in Ensenada, too...” I didn’t realize (then) that my Parisian teacher was actually telling the truth.
But my nostalgia is not just about buildings. Sure, I have taken my children and grandchildren back to Paris many times in recent years - to see the Louvre, climb up the Eiffel Tower, have coffee at a sidewalk café on the Boulevard Saint Michel. And a week later, we are back in Sacramento, driving down Fulton Avenue in search of a car dealership. So I’m not so sure about tourism - how it processes, what it accomplishes...
My nostalgia is more dignified: I was a French boy. I lived in one of the world’s greatest urban-cultural environments. Somehow, I ended up in Sacramento. No, Mayor Kevin Johnson isn’t right: “Sacramento is NOT a world class city.”
Moving back to Paris is not an option. I have been a Sacramentan for 44 years. Money, house, family, language, citizenship, old age, the usual.
If you are Zen (or Diogenes), you understand of course that happiness is not a matter of place. It is a matter of YOURSELF. Wherever you go, that’s where you take yourself. If you are wise, you understand that you can be happy in Iowa or in Yuba City. I know. It’s not a matter of place.
And one could do worse than living in the Golden State. I bet you many Parisians would like to trade places with me. There are probably more unhappy people in Paris than in Sacramento.
But I look at the City of Lights on the last day of the Tour de France, and I say: “Why on earth did we leave?” leave comment here
11 comments:
Fulton Ave and Champs Elysees pretty much sums it up.
How wise you are now, how lucky you were to grow up in Paris. I also enjoyed watching the Tour de France. It was fantastic from Corsica to Paris.
Paris is always a wonderful place to go back to.
It is wonderful that the core part of the city was not allowed to deteriorate,
as many American cities have.
There is always something new to see, always a new tribute to the arts, etc.
Enjoyed your reminiscence, Tom!
We're about to depart for Europe, and we're not leaving out our 'most beautiful city.'
...I was raised in Sacramento and it is light years away from being a "World Class City". Its only assets are its relative close proximity to San Francisco and the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the School of Music at Sac State.
Paris is the most magnificent city in the world and David McCullough's latest book really bring home the timeless attraction of the city you were most fortunate to grow up in.
Hey Tom, I watch every stage of the Tour every year, as much for the incredible cinematography as for the action. I think the cameramen who film the Tour are artists in their own right.
Hi Tom,
I am also missing Paris a lot what a beautiful City.. was there last year and did not want to leave.. Watched the Tour de France every morning sometimes got up at 4 or 5 to see it live.. my favorite did not do so well this year.. Andy Schleck from Luxembourg.. but wait until next year when his brother will be with him again. Hope all is well... Finished your book.. will write about it later
Thank you all for your comments - both about "the city of lights" and the Tour...
"Nostalgia for Paris" is a wonderful description of your youth and the freedom you had in a beautiful city. I find that many European cities provide a safe environment for children to reach adulthood. Our children enjoyed time in Florence when they were in their teens. The language and beauty of the city imprinted them forever. They had a childhood of leafy trees, animals, and friends in Sacramento which was equally formative. Mary
Thanks for your comment, Mary:
Florence would certainly also be on my “top 10" list of most beautiful cities.
You provide me with an opportunity to bring up an interesting topic and game - “name your top 10 favorite cities”:
Every year, studies come out ranking the world’s cities. Usually, the criteria have more to do with quality of life indicators than just “beauty,” which can be so subjective. So the studies I am familiar with include things like crime rate, employment rate, education, health statistics, pollution, etc. In such rankings, cities like Geneva, Luxemburg, Montreal, Quebec and
Scandinavian cities often rank near the top (apparently, bitter cold winters are not an important criterion, ha-ha).
But my piece about Paris (and your comment about Florence) are presumably more about “beauty.” This is more subjective...and equally interesting. When it comes to beauty, off the top of my head, my top 10 list would also include Venice, Rome and probably San Francisco...Beyond that I’m not sure...
Another interesting point is how “Eurocentric” these lists are - both the “beauty” lists and the “quality-of-life” lists: European cities appear to dominate both lists.
As far as the quality-of-life lists are concerned, I am sorry, that’s how it is. I don’t make up those lists. Just check them out for yourself (Google and Wikipedia).
As far as beauty rankings are concerned, I confess my bias: I am far more familiar with Europe than with any other area (although I have also been in Korea, Japan, Australia, North Africa, all over Russia, and elsewhere). On this (biased) basis, a majority of my favorite cities (not all of them, but a majority) are in Europe...I’m sure other cities (Rio? Kyoto? Singapore? Etc.) could be on someone else’s top ten list. But I haven’t been there...
...and then there are cities such as Detroit, sadly...
Dag Tom,
...Je bent opgegroeid in Parijs, bent volwassen geworden in Nederland en woont nu 44 jaar in Sacramento. En dan heb je heimwee naar Parijs? Hoewel het me wel opviel dat jij en Ata met elkaar Frans spraken. De periode moet een gigantische indruk hebben gemaakt en zeer bepalend zijn geweest. Blijf vooral schrijven, ik lees je teksten met veel belangstelling.
(= Hi Tom,
...you grew up in Paris, became an adult in the Netherlands and have been living in Sacramento for 44 years. And you feel nostalgia for Paris? It struck me that you and your mother speak French with each other. The period must have made a gigantic impression and been very influential. Keep writing, I read your texts with much interest).
Hello Elsje,
thanks. You got it right.
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