Pret a Manger, Rue Marbeuf, Paris

A week shy of my 59th birthday, and it was my first time in Paris. We arrived at the hotel feeling tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a shower, after the overnight flight. Our room wasn’t ready so, in lieu of a nap, we asked where we could find a good cup of coffee.

“Mais oui,” said the friendly woman at the front desk, “Pret a Manger is just a few blocks away.”

It was damp and cool in late May; early afternoon on a Monday and the streets were fairly quiet. As we approached the recommended spot, we sensed that we were in for a treat. The signs promised “handmade, fresh, and natural food,” and as we opened the door, the heavenly scent of bread baking and coffee brewing wafted under our nostrils and pulled us in.

The glass case displayed an orgy of flaky pastries, filled with fruit and spice, and dusted with sugar. We stood a few moments, marvelling at the selection. I hadn’t eaten bread or sugar for several months, but this was my first day in Paris. I wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass by.

“Café crème et brioche, s’il vous plaît,” I said, stretching the limits of my French language skills.

We sat at a patio table outside with our coats on, facing the street and savouring the sweet taste of the bread, with our steaming coffees providing warmth. We heard horns honking and the lilting sounds of a language we didn’t understand. We watched as young, fashionable people walked by.

Our spirits slowly revived. We were in Paris!

This post was inspired by Tanya Taylor Rubinstein and her daily free writing prompts. This was day 23, but you can sign up and start at day 1 immediately.

Make a list of five sensual images from your own life, that are not as focused on narrative, as they are an evocative set on images, sensations, smells, feelings and sights. Take it moment by moment as you write out one of your sensual images into a paragraph or two. Let your reader be there with you. Take her into this moment with you, image by image, sensation by sensation.