notes about each new destination.
Elise has the entirety Paris in her
scrapbook, from an old factory near
Saint-Martin Canal where locals
sell second-hand goods on Sunday
mornings to a grocer that sells
African fragrances, or the opening
of an exhibition of metal jewelry
made by her old friend. Indeed, this
girl possesses a treasure of the most
interesting places to go shopping
and have fun in Paris, which is
already full off great destinations.
And Le Pavillon des Canaux is one
of these places. It's a favorite cafä
in "Elise style".
A PAVILION NEAR THE
CANAL
I
THE ENTIRETY OF PARIS IN
ELISE'S SCRAPBOOK
Though we are all
strangers here, everyone
can find a little space
to call their own while
here.
118
TRAVELLIVE
f someone asks me
about the first days
I set foot on this
land, my memory
will flash back to
the image of my
apartment behind
a closed gate and a
hidden courtyard
where I could listen to the echo of
church bells of Saint-Laurent every
hour. Right from that small cold
apartment, I encountered Paris for
the first time when Elise, my sisterin-law, showed me her scrapbook
filled with postcards, newspaper
cut-outs, leaflets, and some quick
We could translate the cafä's name
as "pavilion near the canal" or "chai
ven kenh" in Vietnamese. The cafä
is located at 39 quai de la Loire,
Paris 19äme. From the nearest
metro station, walk past a few hair
salons, laundry shops, the buildings
along the sidewalk, and the little
roadside fruit stalls. Then, cross
a bridge to the residential area,
turn right, and go straight until
you come upon a wall covered in
graffiti.
Le Pavillon des Canaux, which
is much more than just a coffee
shop, overlooks the canal. As luck
would have it, it was drizzling
that afternoon so I decide to sit
inside the coffee house. It's not
recommended to sit in the outdoor
area here!