If you want to see an intimate side of Paris, pay a visit during the winter.
This isn’t the first time I’ve shared this sentiment. Last year I shared this post full of my favorite photos from our last winter living in Paris. Every time I look at those pictures, they bring back a sense of calm and peacefulness. Paris felt like it was ours, devoid of tourists and full of true locals hunkering down for a season of chilly weather and overcast skies.
Read moreNew series has begun! In the "Park it in Paris" series, I write about the city's parks - some of the best spots to relax, people-watch, and mingle with the locals.
Living in Paris has not only taught me about living abroad, but has shown me what it is like to live in a city. I now understand the need to seek out parks for relaxation and a healthy dose of nature. (Something I never considered doing before with a backyard in the suburbs.)
While most of my friends and family back in the US are caught up in the polar vortex this winter, the worst we can say about this season in Paris (knock on wood!) is that it is overcast, gray, and comes with a fair share of rain showers. When the sun does come out, I stop whatever I'm doing and run outdoors for a fleeting moment to stock up on my vitamin D.
Which is exactly what I did last Sunday, on an abnormally beautiful and quite mild afternoon. Days like this make me boldly declare that winter is one of my favorite times to be in Paris. I love how the city empties out (relatively) of tourists as you have to really want to be here during such unpredictable and often dreary weather. I imagine a sort of solidarity between fellow locals as we defiantly huddle near heat lamps on cafe terraces, sipping a drink and in most cases smoking a cigarette. Parisians are a hearty bunch and I feel more "authentic" logging weeks of winter under my belt to earn the fruits of spring ahead.
Thankful for an afternoon of sunshine, I went to Parc Monceau in the 8th arrondissement for a short walk.
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