MY SECOND WEEKEND IN PARIS

It’s Memorial Day weekend in my country and everyone I talk to is having barbecues and parties and it makes me a little homesick. But Tulea and I went for an extra long walk along the Seine this morning. What’s nice is that after a week, I recognize certain people with their dogs and joggers and just familiar faces. Some store owners, like where I get the International Herald Tribune and fruits and vegetables recognize me. Not Jane Fonda, because they don’t know who I am (which is such a relief) but the lady with the cute coton (Tulea).

After reading last night’s blog, I want to say more about Sylvia Perry and her musical instrument company, Peripole, because the way I wrote about her setting up an office in the garage of her place in the retirement home makes the company sound like a mom and pop store or something with Andrew Perry just her “helper.” In fact, the garage/office is large but just her place to work at home. There is a real office and warehouse the size of an airplane hanger and Andrew Perry is her business partner and President. People have said that Sylvia has done more than any single person in the United States to bring music into schools. Just felt the need to set the record straight and pay proper respects.

I bought groceries this morning and remembered how much I love shopping for food in France. While there is the occasional supermarket, mostly people shop for vegetables and fruits in markets that only sell that; fish in fish markets, meat at butchers, bread in bakeries, and so forth—each store with its own specialty. Fortunately there is an excellent butcher and bakery on Ile St Louis and I have found a wonderful (teeny weeny but wonderful) produce shop although the proprietor seems impatient with me when I take too long to decide what I want among the surfeit of splendors and it’s hard for people not to step on Tulea.

I will write a little on my book and Catherine Schneider (Vadim’s wife after me in whose St Tropez home my daughter’s wedding will take place) and I will go over guest lists and discuss wedding plans.

Yesterday was my grandson, Malcolm’s, birthday. Vanessa sent me this photo of him in the back seat of her car coming from school where a film that he was working on as a school project had just been shown which is perhaps why he’s wearing a special Movie Mogul-ish hat. I wonder if this film augers future career choices although the last time I checked he still wanted to be an architect. He has a tremendous ability for deep concentration; reads vociferously, asks many questions, already has an abundant knowledge in many areas, especially about the environment, the natural world and things scientific.

Tomorrow I will spend most of the day memorizing my French dialogue because Monday my filming of the movie (as opposed to makeup and hair style tests) begins for real. And tomorrow night I will have dinner at Catherine’s along with Vadim’s sister, niece, sons Christian with his wife and newborn and Vanya. I will for sure take photos of that soiree.

See you next time.

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19 Comments
  1. So sad that America no longer emulates the French dedication to food shopping. Nothing quite like visiting a boulangerie, patisserie, fromagerie and possonniere to find the best ingredients for dinner!

  2. Thanks for posting Jane. I read your bio a few years back and by reading your post today I see your life is great in this ‘act’. I thought your daughter lived outside of Atlanta? Have a great holiday!

  3. Boun jour, est ce que tu aimme la france? LOLOLO!!
    I read your blog, but i started in the Paris trip, so have to read a bit before that….
    For help u in your french, try listen all the time the TV, dont watch if you dont want, but keep hearing the voices and the sound, that help a lot, i love your standing in paris, is such a wonderful place, i cant wait for see the movie.
    I start to love you, because you was very close of michael jackson as a friend, and i saw your movie with Lohan, “Giorgia Rule”, it was wonderful and pretty inteligent movie, i love it!…I know you are Huge Actress and American good cinema simbol.
    With all my love.
    From Caracas-Venezuela.
    Gaby.

  4. It is nice to shop for real foods .Unadulterated and unprocessed, that is what I liked about Amsterdam. It been about a year from the last time I’ve been in France. You sound like this part is interesting , a social comment of our times, a generational realness. and the question is how are we aging?
    Or in there a Equity, not just in money , but in the stage of descent from a common point in time.
    You and Brother Peter are close in age ,but have a not so close view of the world, I think or you may have said. We are body of living beings constituting a single step in the generational line, or more than the sum total of our views.The multi-generational American family household is staging a comeback, maybe that household has been multi-generational in Frence or the culture of europe for some time. In the States we are adulterated and processed, that is our culture.

  5. After all that work, I hope the director won’t suddenly change his mind and decide to turn Paris into Stockholm and that the dialogue will be in Swedish, just as he changed his mind about the tango.

  6. I so enjoy reading your Blog. I feel as if I’m “friends” with you. I truly admire that you have remained friends with your ex’s and still maintain close relationships with them and their families. You are one classy lady!

  7. It’s wonderful to see this picture of Malcolm! Love the hat! He’s so adorable! I know he’d hate hearing that, but I can tell you! I can’t believe it’s time for him to have another birthday! What fun it was to read that he had been involved in doing a film project at school! I know children would love getting involved with a project like that! Thank you for sharing this special picture and info with us!

    I enjoyed reading about how much you love shopping for food in France! I can see why you enjoy doing that! Sounds like fun!

    I know Tulea must have enjoyed walking along the Seine!! You sound like you’re having a wonderful time there! I’m so excited you’re in that beautiful city and working on such an interesting film!:)

  8. Bonjour Jane,
    Whenever you feel like taking a promenade outside Ile Saint Louis, you can go to the Palais Royal : Tulea would certainly enjoy the garden, and you can check out a magic place, perfumer Serge Lutens’ shop “Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido”. I always try and go whenever I come to Paris and usually come back with an enchanting fragrance…I’m hooked!
    Enjoy your parisian sunday and best wishes for the first shoot tomorrow.
    Best regards from a rainy Chamonix.

  9. Dear cheri~malcohm is adorable! He “looks” smart as a whip – most gemini children do live in a world of ideas. I love how you EAT, ms fonda-esp on location. No starving yourself. This is a good, healthy msg to send-everyone. I never saw an obese french person for exactly the reasons you stated-I believe. The french seem to have a v healthy relationship with their food. Thank goodness-a lesson to be taken in america, hopefully, eh? Happy memorial day thoughts to you & miss adorable tulea! M&lb

  10. Just reading about your time in France is making me excited for my month-long stay in Côte d’Azur this August. I’m not well traveled, so I’m a little nervous. But I can imagine strolling markets, drinking fabulous wine and grazing on delicious food. So I’m focusing on that and letting the rest fall into place!

  11. Jane, i’m wondering if Malcolm put that outfit together himself? He looks so dapper! Love the style! Stacye

  12. The photo of your grandson is priceless!..and worth enlarging and placed for all to view!! I love your description of his love of reading ‘vociferously’or voraciously…if he combines both, there’s a lot of noise as he reads!!lol
    Your description of shopping for food in Paris is wonderful and reminded me of how strangely awkward it felt to go into a ‘supermarket’ there. Loved the individual specialty shops. Have been reading your blog since its’ inception and have traveled with you! Hope your book and movie will deal with how to manage being alone as you age as one’s husband and friends leave this planet before you.

  13. well , hope it will be sunnier in paris, for me on an egoistical way, living there, and for you, appreciate to read a french girl on your blog from France from Chamonix, where it’s rainy too, a town, very dear to my heart, as my grandfather lived from there, i was raised up, a great deal there, always a pleasure to read you, nice picture of your grandson, if i didn’t misunderstand, fter rehearsal , monday , will be the first shooting day of your movie, so have a great monday!!!

  14. Glad you wrote more about Sylvia Perry and her musical instrument company, Peripole. It DID sound like a “Mom & Pop store” inside a garage, and when I went to their website I couldn’t put the two images together. So glad she has brought music to the schools. What specifically has she done to do this? I donated my own unused instruments but would like to do more.

    Love reading your blog, since there is so much interesting, pleasant and useful things in here. It sounds like such a wonderful life, and such a close wonderful family. You’ve done so well in so many areas, in spite of any opposition. This is something for us all to strive for. Wish I could do as much, and the same.

  15. The photo of your grandson is priceless!..and worth enlarging and placed for all to view!!
    Did you really mean he reads “vociferously” or do you mean voraciously…if he combines both, there’s a lot of noise as he reads! lol
    Your description of shopping for food in Paris reminded me of how strangely awkward it felt to go into a ’supermarket’ there after having experienced their individual specialty shops.

  16. That photo of Malcom reminds me of my brother when he was small. My mom went to a Tom Hayden fundraiser luncheon in 1982 and sat next to you. When my dad brought us to pick my mom up we were invited to meet you. I was only 8, my brother was about 6. You told him he looked like Luke Skywalker and changed his life forever. Then when E.T. came out, my mom took us to it right away because you told us your kids had seen it and liked it. Interesting how a moment can touch a life.

  17. This is nice way to keep in touch with the people.The way you update happening in your life on blog is like sharing lively events and moments with the people near ,dear and for and beyond who would like to know about you that what are doing nowadays.What is notable is that you are in love with France and with Paris particularly.You like the ethos and great monuments in Paris.

  18. Chère Jane,
    Nous avons été très honorés de passer une excellente soirée, en votre présence à la Brasserie LIPP à PARIS avec Andrew Perry, Président de Peripole Bergerault USA.
    PERRY FAMILY est notre famille américaine depuis
    40 années. Nous avons partagé ensemble bien des évènements heureux et malheureux. Bien que toujours dans nos pensées, nous regrettons beaucoup que SYLVIA ne puisse plus se déplacer en FRANCE, elle est toujours présente dans nos coeurs et j’ai beaucoup d’admiration pour sa très grande personnalité. Nous n’oublions pas les instants de bonheur passés à LOS ANGELES avec RICHARD (qui, comme SYLVIA, a une grande personnalité).
    J’étais l’invitée, hier à la radio ” FRANCE BLEU TOURAINE” pour honorer la distinction qui m’est accordée : ” la LEGION D’HONNEUR.”
    Pendant 1 heure j’ai évoqué l’histoire, cette belle histoire ” BERGERAULT PERCUSSION FRANCE”, j’ai également parlé de notre rencontre, de ce que j’ai ressenti : votre écoute, votre sensibilité et votre gentillesse,
    j’ai évoqué votre biographie, qui ne m’a pas laissée indifférente.
    j’ai parlé de votre caractère de ” militante “,
    je suis admirative et je partage ces mêmes valeurs.
    J’aurais aimé vous recevoir en TOURAINE lors de
    la grande fête organisée le 29 AOUT pour la
    remise officielle de l’insigne de la LEGION D HONNEUR en présence de Monsieur NOVELLI Secrétaire d’Etat et de Monsieur DESCAMPS Maire de Loches mais vous m’avez dit que vous repartiez en JUILLET aux USA.
    Je vous invite à visiter la Touraine, qui est une très jolie région de France au riche patrimoine historique et où il fait bon
    vivre, en présence de RICHARD lors d’un prochain
    voyage en FRANCE. (je serai absente tout le mois de Juillet).
    Mon mari et moi vous adressons toutes nos amitiés
    sans oublier RICHARD.

    COLETTE FERGEAU/BERGERAULT

    • Merci beaucoup, chere Colette, pour l’invitation. Mallereusement, je quitterai la France debout Juillet pour tourner un autre film , donc, impossible d’etre ici en Aout pour votre fete, maids brava pour tous ce gue vous avait faites. Amities, Jane

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