Paris After 8 Years: A Lesson in Karmic Returns as a freethinking Black feminist woman
- Shapel LaBorde
- Jul 30
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 8
Eight years is long enough for a city to rearrange itself, but not long enough for Paris to stop feeling like Paris.
You know I love symbolism so let's unpack the number eight and what it represents. The number 8 is revered because its shape forms the infinity symbol (∞) when turned sideways, representing endless abundance and the continuous flow of energy. The number 8 holds special significance because it perfectly balances the material and spiritual worlds.
That was the strange comfort of returning. I expected the first coffee, the first metro ride, the first glimpse of the Seine to feel like a reunion. They did and I must admit that they also felt like rupture for healing. I expected to recognize my old routes without thinking because it would feel familiar. I did not. Some streets had bike lanes where I remembered cars squeezing past. Some restaurants required reservations weeks ahead, while others were now a thing of the past like eateries of the Third Republic. I did not get to see Notre-Dame and see her and her wounded silhouette I had seen in photos after the fire. The Right Bank felt cleaner in places, louder in others, and more global in its food. Where is Paris? Where is me? Am I experiencing a sort of coming home?
Paris after 8 years felt less like stepping back into a memory and more like meeting an old friend who had changed jobs, learned new habits, and kept the same coat. Paris was special to me then of course and this visit was special to me for many reasons but the primary ones was my reclamation of my womanhood...again. I was so much different when I was last here.
If I had to to time travel to 2018, things were much MUCH simpler, my friends were my friends... were my sisters. My relationship was toxic but I was free to choose and to move.. I actually was very much BROKEN up with my ex. I was not a mother. I had just received my first Master's from Hunter College School of Education. I mean I was 26 years old and going to a Beyonce Concert in Paris for my Summer vacation as a teacher. What can get better than that?
In retrospect, while I had a great time in Paris, I also was still discovering and defining my womanhood. A bit of me and that was insecure in taking up more spce nd setting boundaries. Unfortunately, while on my trip, my VERY toxic situation, took up a lot of time in Paris. I could have had a true Parisian romance ( French one night stand?) j/k. I spent a lot of time on calls and texting someone who was jealous and obsessive with my time and energy while I was away. I navigated the city Paris with a childlike wonder, a growing curiousity, a delight about uncovering histories and soaking in so many sensations. I stayed in Sarcelles the first time I came to Paris. I had a very local and embodied experience walking around and commuting to the city from Sarcelles.
The city feels familiar and new as always.
The first change I noticed was movement. My movement as a more refined scholar and educator, as a mother, as a caretaker and a lover of life and learning. Paris still has traffic, impatient scooters, delivery bikes, and horns at all the wrong moments. Yet the city feels a bit more intentional than it did on my last visit. I had a plan to make my time count and to not let it be taken up with too many things or people that are not in the space with me. I did make a few phone calls but outside of that I really just leaned into the experience of having a "Parisian" (what I mean here is doing all the things that one would do in Paris) ordinary day. I got to sit in the some of the space of whimsy and linger in the city that has drawn so many people, so many of my people, Josephine Baker, Richard Wright, James Baldwin and thats to name a few.
For my day trip, I felt how much Paris has leaned into public space. People sit longer. They picnic more openly. The river has become part of the daily rhythm. How silly of me to think before it was just scenery from a bridge. It is an integral part of the space and what I breathe while being in Paris. Dinner and drinks always spills onto sidewalks. Friends gather around tiny tables. A late glass of wine has become easier to find without chasing a famous address.
I am so grateful to pop in into Paris. It means the world to have build more walking time into my day with no real place but just being. Do not plan Paris like a checklist of monuments. The city now rewards slow wandering more than ever.
The big attractions have changed in meaningful ways
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is one of the world's most famous monuments. Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, it honors those who fought for France. Located at the western end of the Champs-Élysées, it houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame.
The Hôtel de la Marine on Place de la Concorde is another standout. For years, many visitors passed the building without knowing much about it. Now it offers a polished look at decorative arts, power, and Parisian interiors. It pairs well with a walk through the Tuileries or an afternoon near the Champs-Élysées, especially if you want something grand but not as crowded as the Louvre.
And of course I just had to visit Tour Eiffel and it was just as beautiful as I remember it. I even took some overpriced photos with a man. As well as some cute selfies to put in the album and reflect on in a few years.
L'Étoile 1903 is ideally located at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. This is such a gem that you can stroll right into and see the French history of the 1900s on the walls of this timeless place. I had fried calamari and the Instagram drink.
Where to go now if you are returning to Paris
A return trip should not ignore the icons, but it should not be ruled by them. Here is a balanced way to see what is new, what is timeless, and what sits just below the obvious.
Emily Restaurant, located on Avenue de la Bourdonnais, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. I was originally looking for 21 Av. de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, France but it does not exist. The taste at Emily was exquisite but a little overpriced. I had a cute little drink that was exceptionally refreshing for the heat wave Paris is experiencing. Life in Pink with Fords® Gin, Chambord, lemon. I also got an Iced Cappuccino. To eat, I opted for Salmon Tartare.
At Al Bacio, located at 36 Avenue de la Motte-Picquet in Paris I ate some divine rum raisin gelato and sipped some cold ice water.
Practical tips for a return visit
Paris is easier when you accept that the city has become both more convenient and more crowded.
Book key meals ahead
For popular restaurants, reserve earlier than you think. Keep a few casual backup options on your map.
Use public transit, but walk when you can
The metro is still the fastest way across town. Walking is still the best way to understand where you are.
Do not overpack the day
Two planned activities are enough if one is a major museum. Leave room for cafés, shops, and detours.
Stay in a neighborhood you want to explore
The 3rd, 9th, 10th, 11th, and parts of the 5th and 6th work well for repeat visitors. Choose atmosphere over proximity to a single monument.
Check opening days
Museums, shops, and restaurants may close on different days. Always confirm before crossing town.
Learn a few French phrases again
A simple “Bonjour,” “Bonsoir,” and “Merci” still matter. Courtesy has not gone out of style.
Bring comfortable shoes
The city is more walkable than ever, which means you will walk more than planned. But if you're like me , pack the heels for a cute flick!
The best way to return is with old memories and new plans
The mistake would be trying to recreate the Paris I once knew. That version still exists in pieces, in a café mirror, a museum hall, a streetlamp reflected in wet pavement. But the living city has moved on, as it should. As I should, as a freethinking Black feminist woman.
I implore you to go back to the places that mattered to you. Then give the rest of the trip to the Paris that has arrived since. See the restored landmarks, try the new restaurants, ride the metro to a neighborhood you skipped before, and leave time for nothing (that is everything) in particular.
After eight years away, I found a city that felt cleaner in places, younger in others, more global at the table, and more generous to walkers. I also found the same Paris that makes a simple morning feel like a scene you will remember for years.
That is reason enough to return and be free.
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