Aah to sleep in Paris. Including in the middle of the day--
Especially in the middle of the day.
Yes, I sleep in the middle of the day, in Paris, when I should be outside sightseeing. Or running errands. Like getting my brioche for the next morning. Or grabbing the newspaper for the New York Times crossword puzzle.
A report from the Paris based OECD has announced that the French sleep more than do the residents of eighteen other economically developed countries.
There is much to be made of this. None of it especially flattering. But as I have never personally seen a French person asleep in their bed (except in movies) I will desist (with effort) from adding to the fray.
What I will say is that the taking of naps, while in Paris, is one of my guilty pleasures. As opposed to taking naps at home which I consider sanity preservation necessities.
Two reasons. One is that night in an apartment in Paris brings about a sudden flurry of people, home from work, moving about on the floor above me, which I hate.
It also brings about much activity out in the stairwell, especially about 11 pm, which seems to be the time the er...younger crowd get home from work or cafe, singing or arguing. 11 pm is my not-to-be-messed-with bedtime. Je suis toujours tres pissed at 11pm, chez moi, in Paris.
Midday however, all is quiet. All is serene. And retreating to the boudoir (alone) this time of day has the added appeal of being something someone with true grit just wouldn't do. I am proud to be a person who doesn't bother with true grit while in Paris.
So I honor that the French sleep more than is seemly.
Makes my naps seem, well, quite...Colette...Toulouse Lautrec...the Eiffel Tower.
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