Ici c’est Paris
A historic moment
Hello friends!
I have long said that I am the world’s greatest bandwagon fan. I don’t follow sports in anyway, shape, or form—save the 3 years I had a fantasy football team to have something to talk about with my Men’s Choir. If you need someone around to start cheering when you do, I’m your girl.
So, when my friend Emeline suggested we go to a rooftop bar to watch the Europe Cup finals of Paris Saint-Germain vs. Inter-Milan, I didn’t hesitate. Especially since that seemed to be the only thing to do on Saturday night as over 3,000 bars were showing the match.
We decided to get to our chosen bar right when it opened…4 hours before the match. Unfortunately, so did nearly 300 people before us. Spending about an hour in a slow moving line, I kept asking Emeline if we should go to one of the other 2,999 bars instead. She astutely reminded me they would all be this crowded.
I’m glad I listened to her. When we finally (finally) made it in, we found ourselves in one of the largest, most beautiful rooftop terraces I had ever been in. It didn’t hurt that it was looking over the Seine.
One of the major differences I have found between US and Paris bar culture is how easy (or not easy) it is to meet people. Whereas in the US, we might easily strike up a conversation with whoever is around us just trying to order a beer, that is not going to happen in Paris.
Saturday was an exception. As we were waiting for food, we struck up conversations with people around us. I’m not a huge fan of small talk, but it was nice to exercise that muscle again and exchange niceties while waiting too long for pizza.
When the match finally started, projected on one big screen on the patio and many smaller TVs inside the bars, the mass of spectators crowded around, jockeying for a view, leading to many yells of the French equivalent of “down in front”, which a large group of people listened to, to my surprise.
Watching the match was electric from the moment it started. Paris had been dominating all season, and it was easy to see how. The crowd sat with rapt attention, applauding each attempt on goal. One enthusiastic onlooker behind me added “Bien Joué” (well played) at every shot. When PSG finally scored their first goal, it was unlike anything I have experienced. People started singing, jumping and throwing their arms around me in a celebratory embrace. Leave it to football to get rid of any standoffishness.
The rest of the match continued with the same electricity and excitement as PSG racked up a 5-0 victory, and the team’s first ever Europe cup win. Immediately, songs of victory and fireworks from every direction filled the air. Including that old French favorite, We Are the Champions.
The celebrations continued as we left the bar, as groups of people were dancing in the streets, honking car horns, and waving PSG flags. Astutely, Emeline suggested we head home early before things devolved (I will never understand why people become violent and destructive because of sports), but it was exciting to be a part of the victorious energy on the way home.
I think the reason why I am a good bandwagon fan is that I love to be a part of moments. As strangers through their arms around me and jumped with me in celebration, I was where I belonged. Cheering on my city with my fellow Parisians.
Ici c’est Paris!
À la prochaine,
Melanie