David Downie is an American writer based successful Paris. His caller publication ‘Paris to the Pyrenees: A Skeptic Pilgrim Walks the Way of Saint James’, to beryllium released successful April, is some an escapade communicative connected the century-old pilgrimage roadworthy and a much idiosyncratic introspection into his ain journey.

David took the clip to talk with MaVieFrançaise^® about his escapades, caller book, and plans for aboriginal adventures.

Personal

David, however would you picture yourself successful 3 words?
Curious, pig-headed, passionate.

Where bash you deliberation your archetypal involvement successful France came from? What fascinates you astir astir France and French culture?
My archetypal involvement came from literature – Flaubert, Sartre, Camus – and the movies – ‘The Red Balloon’, ‘La Grande Illusion’ and ‘That Man from Rio’ (an escapade drama starring Jean-Paul Belmondo).

I accidental what fascinates maine astir astir France and the French is the fraternal nexus with America and Americans which nary different state oregon federation of radical look to have, contempt the kinship among the Americans and British, oregon the French and Italians, for lawsuit (they are, successful essence, cousins, arsenic children of Gaul and Rome).

It is astatine times a love-hate relationship, a precise complex 1 based connected centuries of communal admiration, imitation, and rivalry.

Having lived successful Paris since 1986, bash you deliberation you tin ever go a existent Parisian arsenic an expat?
First I don’t see myself an expat but alternatively idiosyncratic who lives successful a world that goes beyond nationalist boundaries. I’m a dual national, and I’m told that I talk adjacent to flawless French. However the French bash not presumption maine arsenic French and ne'er will. That’s fine.

National individuality is not a taxable that I dwell on. Personality, culture, learning, wit and quality are amended measures, if you inquire me, than a passport.

You and your woman tally personal, backstage tours of Paris. With truthful galore circuit operators successful the 1 city, what sets yours apart?
Our tours are truly extensions of ourselves, not pre-packaged, predictable tours. I’m an author, my woman is simply a photographer. We stock the metropolis we cognize and emotion (and are sometimes mystified oregon enraged by, I would add). Everything is personalized, customized, and hands-on. We don’t assertion to beryllium perfect. We tin lone amusement you and archer you what we cognize intimately, and what galore others miss oregon take to neglect.

After your latest adventure, wherever bash you deliberation you’ll beryllium heading next? What does the aboriginal clasp successful store?
Well, we walked 1,100 kilometres (750 miles) crossed France and survived to archer [the tale]. We locomotion 10 kilometres a time successful Paris. Our adjacent adventures impact a nationwide U.S. publication circuit successful April-May, and caller books (including 1 connected Romanticism and romance successful Paris).

Professional

In your latest book, ‘Paris to the Pyrenees’, you chronicle your experiences arsenic you trek the ‘Way of Saint James’: an past pilgrimage crossed France.

Tell america astir the infinitesimal you archetypal decided that you were going to locomotion 750 miles crossed France. What was your archetypal motivation?
The information was many-fold: carnal regeneration, a quest to grapple with the large (and little) questions I’d neglected since adolescence, a boundless curiosity and tendency to ‘own’ the state by crossing it connected foot, not the aforesaid happening arsenic doing it successful a car oregon train.

How did everyone other respond to your decision?
Most radical thought I was crazy! A fewer understood. Some envied us. Many volition present spell retired and springiness a try, and that’s wonderful!

What is it astir pilgrimages that intrigue you successful particular?
The ancientness and timelessness of the pilgrimage tradition: it reaches backmost earlier Christianity, and is precise beardown to this day.

Pilgrimage isn’t lone (or adjacent primarily) astir religion. The archetypal meaning of the connection is astir wandering, traveling, exploring (as successful peregrination). It’s human nature. That’s however we got retired of Africa!

Favourites

Tell america your favourite spot to eat…
Café des Musées successful the Marais successful Paris (pictured left).

Tell america your favourite spot to drink…
Willi’s Wine Bar, adjacent the Palais Royal successful Paris.

Your favourite spot to play (nightclub, park, depository etc.)…
The Luxembourg Gardens oregon Père-Lachaise Cemetery.

Your Day travel location…
Senlis, a gorgeous, historical municipality northbound of Paris.

Thank you, David, for speaking with MaVieFrançaise®. We look guardant to the merchandise of your caller book.

Image credits:
All photographs by Allison Harris.
Except for Cafe des musées, by Mark and Allegra connected Flickr