La rentrée

n. the return
It’s September 1 and also the first Wednesday of the month. This means that at noon, an alarm will go off – a left over from the air raids of World War II. I’m not sure if I find it comforting or distressing that they still feel the need to keep this system in check. It’s a bit like the boy who cried wolf or fire drills though because if there were really an emergency, nobody would pay attention just as they do now when it goes off.

The beginning of September also signals the “rentrée” or the return from vacation. It’s not to be confused with another word for return, which is “retour” because this is much bigger. It’s a mass exodus in reverse as Parisians swarm back into the city. Lights in apartments that have been dark all summer come back to life. The streets are no longer sleepy and tranquil, but bustling with activity, as cars are unpacked and homes are filled again.

It’s fascinating to me how a culture can all but shut down for an entire month. Fascinating and somewhat annoying for those of us who haven’t shuttered up our lives. It reminds me of that time in the afternoon in New York when all the cabbies go off duty. Can’t they stagger it? Do all three butchers within close walking distance have to close down at the same time?

For the next few weeks, everyone will ask how your “vacances” or vacation was. It’s sort of the equivalent of the first few weeks in January when everyone keeps wishing you a happy new year. If you haven’t taken a vacation, it’s best to just lie and say you had a great time, lest not be judged.

Last year, I actually liked the solitude of Paris in August. There’s no traffic, restaurants are easy to get into, parking places easy to find. This year however, I found it more desolate and inconvenient. But I suppose that’s because now I’m getting used to the pattern of life here and being in Paris in August isn’t the natural order of things. I suppose in some way, I did actually follow the pattern myself as I didn’t write anything in August. But I’m back along with the rest and can assure more to come…