Cityorkers

What makes you a real Paryorker? I was born and grew up in Paris. But it is New York which has totally defined me culturally. Hip hop, street art, skating, clubs… everything that makes me “me” comes from there! What’s more, I already felt very New York before I ever set foot there.

How did you become one? I started to visit New York regularly at the start of my professional career, when I was a journalist. The city became crucial to me very quickly. I took any opporyunity to go there. Nowadays, I go a lot for my work, but especially for pleasure. In any case, as often as possible.

Which other Paryorkers do you know? A lot of them have already been interviewed on this site! Like Claude Grunitzky, the editor-in-chief of Trace Magazine, with whom I share this love of New York’s energy.

How are the two cities important in the balance of your work and/or personal life? New York is a real source of inspiration. It is a city of excellence, which inspires me and makes me want to do a thousand and one things. It is the second biggest American city for the internet. Thanks to what they call "Silicon Alley", I stay up to date with the latest news on the web, advertising, media, etc. While in Paris, I take time to reinvigorate myself, to enjoy being with my family and friends.

What differences are there between the Parisian and the New Yorker in you? I go out a lot more in New York. I visit museums and galleries, I listen to concerts, I watch dance shows … All those cultural activities seem to me to be a lot more accessible there. There is such an abundance, such diversity in New York. And most importantly, it is one of the rare cities where you can go out in the evening aged over 30 without feeling like you’re too old!

What metaphor can you think of for the two cities? For me, New York and Paris are two living beings. Two people, which operate independently and have specific codes. Contrary to popular belief, I find Paris to be a very hard, very demanding city. New York on the other hand seems to me to be more generous and welcoming.

What is your best memory of Paris? All the times I have sat on the terrace of a café for a drink with friends before dinner.

What is the first thing you do when you arrive in Paris? As soon as I get home, I turn on the radio or buy a newspaper. I want to know straight away what is happening in France. The way news is handled abroad is so different… I like coming back to really French news!

And the last before you leave? I always make time to sit down on a terrace to drink a coffee.

What is your favorite time of day in Paris? I love walking in Paris very early in the morning, between 5am and 7am, when the city is deserted and dawn is just coming up. I feel then as if the city is offering itself to me and nobody else. That is the best time to admire Parisian architecture, as you can look at the monuments on their own, not at the people walking around in front of them. I also like to drive along the riverbanks at night. I think the lighting is magnificent - it makes Paris look really beautiful. Whenever foreign friends come to visit me, I always take them for a drive on the banks. They are guaranteed to be blown away.

Do you have a ritual intimately associated with the city? I grew up in the Marais, and I go back there whenever I return to Paris. I sit in the Place des Vosges, and take the time to admire all the redbrick houses around the edge of the gardens. I have so many memories there… That was where I made my first sand castles! Every time I ask myself why I really love Paris, I come to the Place des Vosges and the answer is immediate.

What about Paris do you love/get excited about? The architecture, the terraces, the little restaurants and… the Marais!

And what annoys you about it? I get the impression that Parisians still find it hard to work for other people. In New York, customers are always treated as if they are right. Here, that is less obvious. Waiters aren’t always friendly and neither are store owners…

What is your best New York memory? During my first stay in New York, I was lucky enough to go to a really unforgettable party. I must have been about 15, and I ended up at a completely “arty” party with Basquiat and loads of other stars. There were famous names from street art, pop art, hip hop, etc. All these cultures, all these styles were intermingled. Only in New York can you see that! I think I really grasped the New York state of mind that evening.

What is the first thing you do when you get to New York? I buy the New York Times. I love seeing how the news is treated. Then I go to Union Square, one of the city’s nicest parks. Then I go down Broadway to Soho, to see all the new boutiques, the charming little stores…

And the last before you leave? I look closely at the view out of the window of my taxi. I don’t answer the phone, I don’t read the paper, I simply wait for the moment I will be able to admire the view of the whole of Manhattan.

What is your favorite time of day in New York? Twenty-four hours a day! I have no favorite time, every moment is delicious!

Do you have a ritual intimately associated with the city? I buy the Sunday edition of the New York Times. I think that paper's so profound… It may seem incredible coming from a huge fan of the internet, but I think it is a luxury to be able to handle the paper edition of the newspaper, rather than reading it online.

What about New York do you love/get excited about? Its smell and noise. I think I would recognize New York with my eyes closed thanks to that smell... which is difficult to describe however. And its horns, its sirens… All the noises which set the pace of the city.

And what annoys you about it? Absolutely nothing! I must say that I have never lived in New York. Each time I stay a fortnight at the most. Perhaps if I moved there properly I would find faults… But until now, everything about it seems marvelous.