On rue Vavin

 Strolling down rue Vavin is a good way to experience a slice of a Parisian maman's life. Get out at Metro Vavin (ligne 4), cross bd Raspail and head down.

 Try not to get run over by the pousettes/strollers or better yet avoid the late afternoon stampede home from la creche. But then where would be the fun?

 I can never resist a pistache/framboise cone at Amorino at #4 and neither can anyone else.

 Paris dads come to browse on rue Vavin -the Avenue Montaigne of kids clothes. It's lucky the street is pedestrian, since you'll be zigzaging to look in all the windows of the best children's shop in Paris.

 Jacadi, Petite Bateau, Catamini, Berlingot, Chattawak, Marese...

 Will keep you enthralled.

 And only the best stuffed animals/doudous.

 For maman lovely ballerinas by Jaime Mascaro at #15

 Two very good neighborhood boulangeries...

 Plus superb chocolatier Jean-Paul Hévin at #3. You will never go hungry on rue Vavin.

 Two or three papier shops like Marie-Papier at #24.

 A huge kids book store with cahier/notebooks to practice French cursive  at FNAC #19.

 Keep heading down the street and you'll hit one of many entrances into.

 Jardin du Luxembourg or 'le Luco'
Once inside you may catch some French kids/les gosses misbehaving/mal élevée 

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Dimanche in the park

If I'm staying with M. in the 6th arrondissement, she usually walks me to the RER St.-Michel station other side of Luxembourg gardens. If it's a Sunday/dimanche... There's no nicer way to depart Paris... Everyone is out in the park on Sunday...

Taking in the last of the Fall leaves...

But mostly relaxing...

 Very few are working.

Decontracte is the word for the day.

Very few are reading the Sunday papers. This is not Central Park.

All Paris babies are out showing off.

The small fry get to take.

 Luxembourg's poney rides.

Jam-packed on a Sunday.

To get to the RER station you walk by the pond.

Perfect for small boats and small fry.

You don't see many eating in the park. These girls are excused.

I can tell from their red striped paper bag.
They came from the penny candy stall at Odeon Metro.

Les bonbons are always allowed in Paris.

BONJOUR PARIS FALL!
 

Piscine St-Germain Glacée

There are other ways to keep cool besides eating ice cream.
 You can take a dunk in one of Paris' public pools. But NOT in the Jardins du Luxembourg Fontaine Médicis. That's artwork.

There are many superb public pools in Paris and throughout France. The Bordeaux community pool is not to be believed. Actually 5 pools under 1 sunroof.
 You don't have to be a citizen or resident to use the pools. Just pay the fee (tarif - 2,60 euros).Or buy a carnet of 10 entrées just like on the Metro and pay even less.
You say you'd love to go swimming but you left your cap, your goggles, your bathing suit at home. Not to worry.

There are POOL VENDING MACHINES!

They sell all this stuff and more at the entrance of the Piscine Municipale Saint-Germain in the 6ème . I bought a pair of swimming gloves (lower right) and one of those little cloths that dry you off quickly (not shown). Everything is 10 euros and most items are 5 euros and under.True the hours are limited depending on the day. Weekdays the scolaires(students) get the most access.
Weekends are open all day to everyone. The schedule can change too, holidays etc. But there's a printed leaflet explaining all. The pools have private changing cabines. You turn in your clothing and valuables to the clothes check and receive a red rubber bracelet in exchange. Showers are unisex. No big deal. The St.- Germain pool is huge, very clean and refreshing.
My only gripe is the French don't swim in an orderly fashion. They haven't heard of circular swimming. Nor waiting to take your turn in a lane. It's a free-for-all. I do water exercises rather than laps.

I HEART WaterGym.

I was happy to find a cheap flotation belt at GO SPORT.

Back in my Astoria pool I watch the clock constantly.

In Paris I'm too busy watching for flailing arms and legs, so time goes faster. This is a plus. Well sort of...Please read Put Your Flare On says about French swimmers here.
You can still get some crème glacée after your swim. Hey you've earned it and already worked off the calories. Well sort of...BTW www.France2.fr is a terrific site to sharpen your Fr. speaking skills and comprehension. At this link click on the Vidéo to see the latest glace fashions in French restaurants.
 

Jardins du Luxembourg

At the end of my street, rue Vavin, is the Jardins du Luxembourg in the 6th."TAILLE HUMAINE" of artworks integrated into the park was on-more here.
A mystery nose emerging from the Fontaine Médicis by Jacques Brosser.I've no idea who these legs belong to... No matter how idealic and perfect the gardens are...You always hear the patter of jogger's feet on the gravel.Still the artists keep drawing. For all events and exhibits going on in the gardens.

rue Vavin 75006

If I go out my front door on 33rd street in NY, walk 3 minutes I can catch the N train.If I go out my door on rue Vavin in the 6th arr. walk 2 minutes I could be inside Jean-Paul Hévin's chocolate shop.The display cases seem lite from within.On the opposite wall there are giant Royal blue tea tins as in many chocolate shops in Paris. Most chocolatiers have their own distinctive brand colors. Hévin's colors are a combination of Royal Blue and a soft Marrón brown.
Here I can buy lunch - a salmon quiche and a framboise petit-four. Plus deliciously intense chocolates. I walk across the street and buy an ice cream cone from Amorino. A few steps further down and across rue d'Assas and I'm in the Jardin du Luxembourg (nicknamed Le Luco). 

Before I go catch the N train in the morning I have a cup of chocolat chaud from the Royal blue tin.
Add 2T of Hévin chocolate powder + 8T of hot milk.
= My 'madeleine'