We started late – around 9.30am – with a walk over to another new swimming pool – Piscine George Hermant. The sat nav got confused between it and the other nearby pool, where we swam the day before.
While the housing was dense the courtyards within the complexes were fantastic spaces, mature trees, planting, seating – each a beautiful shared, private garden.
A reset brought us on a rather gloomy walk along the edge of the peripherique – an enormous slab of concrete encasing old Paris. We went into a dim underpass to cross under and into the 19th – Paris ‘proper’. At no point so far has anything felt remotely threatening. The neighbourhoods have all been clean, well kept, people clearly take immense pride in where they live. Families and children have been everywhere we’ve gone. While Pantain is not officially ‘paris’ it has felt more authentic than some inner districts.
The lockers were the same as those on day 1. George Hermat was another bloody 50m pool. For 2 people who haven’t swam in a few years we have put ourselves through a bit of daily punishment.
We clocked up another 1km – and felt all the better for it. We came here to leave bad habits behind and pick up some better habits. Thats the plan.
We took a lazy walk back along Rue Manin. The housing was incredibly dense but again more people on bikes and scooters gave it a lazy laid back feel. While the housing was dense the courtyards within the complexes were fantastic spaces, mature trees, planting, seating – each a beautiful shared, private garden.
We called into Le Clerc in Pantain and picked up some things for lunch and dinner that evening. I had follishly agreed to a job interview remotely for the following day and had to do prep work which went against the whole idea of the trip – but needs must and nothing ventured nothing gained.
That evening we strolled over to the Satin Martin canal. It was still plenty hot.
We went up the concrete spiral staircase and over the bridge to the far bank. A small playpark was bursting with life and noise on the other side. People were coming back from work along the canals on scooters and bikes – it was hard to know where to walk. We crossed back and onto Rue Hoche – people flooded the street walking and cycling home from work. Cars coming off the Ave. Jean Lolive were rare. The main form of transport was active. Shops were busy. Density has created something rare.
We crossed over toward [Au Général Hoche](https://www.google.com/local/p...) – a busy, typical working class café, full of middle age men sat and stood outside, drinking coffee, smoking, gesticulating, arguing and looking at the women passing. We continued toward Le Clerc and bought some fresh fruit, pasta and a baguette for the evening dinner. Back out on the street we sauntered down to the cinema, sat outside and bought 2 pints of Blonde and watched the world pass by for a half hour. I went inside and paid and tried a few words of french. No one passed any remark. That was good. We crossed the road and fobbed the gate and strolled back home. I’ve an interview tomorrow – that should screw up our plans.