Spring in Paris Posted by Tim Hildreth on Apr 6, 2021 in Culture, Music
Easter was this past weekend, or Pâques, as it is known in France. Et qui dit Pâques, dit printemps1And when you say Easter, you say spring. But this printemps will be unlike any other as France is in the midst of a third nationwide Covid lockdown. Still, spring in Paris is something to be celebrated.
Un troisième confinement bis
A few weeks ago I reported on France’s third lockdown. At the time, the confinement only applied to those parts of the country that were hardest hit by the latest wave of Covid-19. As of today (le 6 avril2April 6), that confinement has been generalized to the whole country.
For the next quatre semaines3four weeks the couvre-feu between 7 pm and 6 am will continue and a new attestation pour les déplacements dans un rayon de 10 kilomètres autour du lieu d’habitation est disponible4declaration for outings within 10 kms of a place of residence is now available but now with the added restriction that il est désormais impossible de se déplacer entre régions sauf motifs impérieux5it is henceforth impossible to travel between regions without an urgent reason.
You can hear more about the specific restrictions announced le 31 mars6March 31st (and hear some first person reactions to the new restrictions) here.
Printemps à Paris
While this April in Paris will be dominated by the latest confinement – and let’s be honest, April in Paris can also be rainy, raw, and gray! – when le printemps arrive there is no better avril than one spent in Paris … one like the one that this little song (with a fun modern clip) from the French singer Jacqueline Taïeb evokes.
Viens avec moi | Come with me |
Je connais bien par ici | I know this area well |
Tu vois tout ça | You see all of this |
Pour moi c’est vraiment Paris | For me, that’s the real Paris |
Viens je t’emmène | Come along and I’ll take you |
Loin des voitures, loin du bruit | Far from the cars, far from the noise |
Goûter au rêve | To taste the dream |
Du printemps à Paris | Of springtime in Paris |
On va s’assoir | We’ll take a seat |
Sur les marches du Sacré Cœur | On the steps the Sacre Coeur |
Et tu vas voir | And you will see |
C’est presque ça, le bonheur | That it’s almost this, happiness |
Prends ta guitare | Take your guitar |
Chante un air de ton pays | Sing a tune from your country |
Tu peux me croire | Believe me |
Tu ne déranges personne ici | You won’t bother anyone here |
Lève la tête | Lift your head |
Et vois, déjà c’est la nuit | And look, it’s already night |
Ce serait bête | It would be too bad (lit. dumb, stupid, silly) |
De ne pas rester ici | To go (lit. to not stay here) |
Entre tes doigts | In your hands (lit. between your fingers) |
Qu’il est joli, cet accord | How beautiful, that chord |
J’aime ta voix | I love your voice |
Chante donc un peu plus fort | Sing a bit louder |
Un gars s’arrête | A guy stops |
Une femme qui passe nous sourit | A woman going by smiles at us |
C’est jour de fête | It’s a holiday |
Le printemps à Paris | Springtime in Paris |
Prends une orange | Have an orange |
Tu disais que t’avais soif | You said you were thirsty |
Si tu la manges, | If you eat it |
Te salis pas | Don’t get yourself messy |
Paupières closes | Your eyelids closed |
Tu mords à pleines dents le fruit | You bite into the fruit |
C’est peu de choses | It’s a small thing |
Le bonheur à Paris | Happiness in Paris |
Le printemps à Paris | Springtime in Paris |
- 1And when you say Easter, you say spring
- 2April 6
- 3four weeks
- 4declaration for outings within 10 kms of a place of residence is now available
- 5it is henceforth impossible to travel between regions without an urgent reason
- 6March 31st
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