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Paris: The city's sweet seduction
Entranced by all things Parisian, are Canadians in the grip of a Gigi complex?
By Patricia Robertson
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I may live in Wakaw, Sask., but in my daydreams I stroll the streets of Paris. I think of Leslie Caron sitting patiently through her great-aunt's courtesan lessons in the 1958 classic Gigi. I visualize Gigi's creator, the legendary Colette, whose hypnotic, kohl-smudged gaze and subversive sensibilities made her the toast of the town. When I'm feeling blue, listening to Édith Piaf's raspy rendition of "Non, je ne regrette rien" lifts my mood. And, whenever possible, I add a French accent to my life -- whether it's a bijou Hermès silk scarf or lavender sachets for my lingerie.
I have a Gigi complex -- but I'm not alone with my obsession. For centuries, bohemians and bourgeoisie have arrived in Paris in search of their inner coquette or artiste, ultimately discovering the city as their muse. The backdrop for films such as An American in Paris and Moulin Rouge!, Paris has inspired a recent wave of Canadian memoirs, from Jeremy Mercer's Time Was Soft There to Gordon Cope's A Paris Moment. So why the enduring allure of the City of Light?
Heather Mallick, Toronto-based New York Times columnist and author, says that "Paris has a grand beauty, with its majestic architecture and history. But it also has a tiny, personal beauty -- the way your purchase is wrapped so it looks impeccable or the stylish delivery of a bill in a restaurant." Mallick visits every year to revive her Gallic self. "In Paris, I am the woman I want to be," she says, "a combination of intellect and sensuality."
Looking beyond the city's obvious attractions -- sipping a café américain at Café de Flore, window-shopping on tony Avenue Montaigne -- Australian writer Lucinda Holdforth portrays Paris as a charmed locale with a distinctly feminine culture and history. In True Pleasures: A Memoir of Women in Paris, she recounts the lives, loves and losses of style-setters like Marie Antoinette, Napoleon's Josephine, Nancy Mitford, Edith Wharton, Colette and Coco Chanel. As Holdforth walks in their footsteps through the streets of Paris, their stories provide her with the emotional boost every woman needs from time to time.
Marseille-born Astrid DesLandes thinks Parisian women are the Southern belles of Europe, with their steely toughness offset by a feminine allure. Now living in Calgary, DesLandes teaches women about style and good living in her seminar called "Chocolat" at The Bow Valley Club. "There is a certain ease that Parisian women have about themselves," explains DesLandes, who lived in Paris when she was a student. "They are confident and don't care about what other people think. When it comes to fashion, they also know how to ‘make do' with a few pieces of clothing." And they know how to find the silhouette that flatters their shape. Parisian women cultivate their intellectual lives as well. "The best accessory to have in your purse is a book," says DesLandes. "The way to make friends is to be interesting. Parisians value ideas. They created salon culture. In North America, there is more emphasis on status. I'm asked 'What do you do?' when I'd prefer to talk about what I think."
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