Oh Canada!
Fête du Canada à Paris!
Fête du Canada au Paris
For the first time ever, the Canadian Embassy to France hosted a celebration of Canada Day in downtown Paris. The street in front of the Embassy was closed for the event, which is an impressive feat on its own considering the high density of businesses and connecting roads. When my good friend (and Ocel’s colleague) Dana asked if I’d like to join him for the event, I said absolutely. I had been contemplating going alone, but the idea of navigating the metro and the big city on my own was a bit daunting. No need to fear, Dana is here! He planned the transportation and I brought the snacks.
What do you do to start celebrating Canada Day in France? Well of course you slap on a Canadian fanny pack, slam down a G&T, and head for the train!
Memories of Canada
Fasbourg Street was lined with wonderful everyday items symbolic of Canada. These included red Canada Post boxes (theirs are yellow), stop signs that said “Arret” (funnily enough, stop signs here just say “Stop”), and the iconic green Trans Canada Highway signs posted above the main entrance to the Embassy. Floral displays of poppies and blueberries were placed along the way, and full-dress Mounties on horseback rode throughout the crowds.
Familiar tunes played by a small brass marching band could be heard, and someone was tickling the ivories of a grand piano. A renowned opera singer gave a couple of casual performances, and a DJ stage was set up for later evening festivities.
Along with the food, drink, and music, there were cultural and visitor stations set up as well. An Inuit booth was teaching some basics of the Inuktitut language, and the guides from Vimy and Beaumont-Hamel were chatting up visitors about the Canadian War Memorial sites in France.
Food & Drink
As you might expect, there was a selection of classic Canadian food stations along the street. Two lobter roll trucks, a poutine cart, a full BeaverTails kiosk, and this cute little sliders station. A way-too-classy-for-sliders French chef manned the bbq, churning out platters of mini burgers. I was surprised to bite into mine and find it completely raw! That is, until I realized I had a beef tartare slider. Not always my first choice, but I couldn’t resist the topping of an orange cheese slice cut into a maple leaf. If that doesn’t say Canada, I’m not sure what does.
Although I was sad not to get a free poutine, I was happy to get some free champagne! Some of the local businesses were either selling or giving away various food and drink items, and we were lucky to stumble upon a ritzy real estate firm doling out free Champagne. Now THAT is the Canadian spirit I like to see.
Canadian Memorials
One of the wonderful displays of Canadiana was from the lovely folks of Veterans Affairs Canada – European Operations. They rolled out the red carpet for a beautiful and informational tribute to the Canadian Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel NFLD Memorial. A piece of stone from the Vimy monument was on display, along with some pieces of the new Faces of Freedom exhibit. The friendly and knowledgeable guides chatted up the crowds of interested visitors, and encouraged them to also check out the other memorial locations throughout Europe. By the time we arrived, they had already each spoken to over 500 people! (Click on the photo to see a gallery of their display.)
Street Hockey:
Canada vs. France
In a moment of simultaneous patriotism and nostalgia, we paused to sing O, Canada before the official puck drop of the street hockey game. The crowd chimed in with vigor, and I was glad to know at least a few phrases from the French version. In true sportsmanship, a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise followed, met with the cheers, hoops, and hollars of a true sporting event. Ahh, the sweet sweet sounds of slapshots ringing off the boards on a hot summer day in Paris.
Classic Canadian Tourists
Photo booth with props? Yes please! They were even giving free printed versions, so now this photo is proudly displayed on my fridge at home.
We took the opportunity for a short visit The Eiffel Tour, because, when in Paris! While it’s certainly a very touristy site, it also still has the grandeur and iconic status to make it a worthwhile stop. A massive green park, Le Champ de Mars, stretches the lenght of multiple football fields in front of the structure, providing a great place to sit and take in the view without being swarmed by people. It was incredibly hot on this day, so we plunked down in the shade of a tree and popped a mini bottle of champagne to toast our great country.
Once we left the Canada Day event, we made our way back on the hot sweaty metro to the train station and found it was delayed by an hour. Just across from the Gard du Nord, countless pubs, cafes, and restaurants line the busy street. We picked a cute spot to pass the time while people-watching, sipping vino, and eating charcuterie.
And while yes, technically we ended up missing the last train to Arras, we KNOW it was not our fault. Pro tip: when the train says there’s a 50 minute delay, just stay in the station and wait. Because if it arrives in 30 minutes, it’s going to leave your sorry butts behind.
Pin This!
Comments
What do you think? Would you like to know more about anything I mentioned? Let me know in the comments below.
(I love comments!)