Paris - Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 

'New stuff' is the new pool, named 'Josephine Baker.'  The other new stuff is the footbridge from Bercy on the right bank to the Quai de la Gare on the left bank.  It might not be the Quai de la Gare anymore.  The bridge, inaugurated on Thursday, is the 'Simone de Beauvoir.'  Both the pool, which was inaugurated last week, and bridge are defective.  I don't know what's wrong with either. Part of the bridge was closed and a security guy told me it wasn't shaking down right.  On it, I thought it jiggled quite a bit.

Just to make things really interesting, the line 6 métro is closed this summer - from Bercy to the Place d'Italie.  Means you can't take it to Quai de la Gare to go to the new pool, but you can walk across from Bercy - where nobody lives except the cinematheque.

The good news is that the Batofar is still there, still serving drinks and still has its quaiside terrace.  Same for the Priate and another one next to the Batofar.

Aside from the music - better at the place next to the Batofar tonight, with a white guy playing live rock piano - with bass and drums - singing like Joe Cocker cum Van Morrison, the terraces beside the boats are really cool.  Plain, funky, grass shack types, with deckchairs, crates and barrels, and not too much background noise.  A long, long ways from the Quartier Latin.  Desert island stuff.  Under these paving stones - the beach!  The Quai de la Gare is going to be good when it's finished, but it's probably better while it's still under construction.  There's a little grit underfoot.

__

The new bridge, inaugurated on Thursday, 13 July, the 'Simone de Beauvoir' -

The new pool, named 'Josephine Baker' -

Quai de la Gare - desert island stuff -

Text and Photos Copyright © 2006 - Ric Erickson, MetropoleParis