Sunday in the local park

[Deleted]

The closest park to where I live is extremely basic and not very pretty at all. It doesn't even have any flowerbeds, but it does have lots of grass for the children, playground equipment, basketball and mini football courts, picnic areas, places to walk and run and kick balls.

It is called the Jardin d'Eole. Eole was the Greek god of wind and it might be interesting to know that the windmills for generating electricity in France are called éoliennes.

However, this is not really the Eole that we are talking about. The name comes from the RER E rail line, which was built under the code name of EOLE for Est Ouest Liason Express (for East West Express Link). The garden was merely built on top of it.

In any case, a garden for the children was sorely needed in this poor part of Paris.

One thing that I find really excellent is "arena seating" above one of the playgrounds so that parents can keep watch on their children without hovering too close.

Everybody seemed happy in the spring sun.











And then the municipal employees came to see me.

"Hello," they said. "Do you know that it is forbidden to take photographs in public parks?"

"No, I did not know that!"

Actually I know the basic stupid rules about not photographing children (as if that were possible) or people in general without written consent forms. Of course there are conflicting rules about being able to photograph people in public places "for private use." In any case, I wasn't going to start arguing when I was outnumbered 3 to 1. However, I was determined to tell them if they asked me to delete my photos, "Take me to the police station." This is something that I knew they would not do, so we just went into the "oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know; thanks for the information" routine.

They walked away, and my camera went back into action, but I was careful not to be caught as I really did not fancy being hauled away anywhere as the "park photo perv."

Maybe I'll get better pictures next time.

[bixaorellana]

I don't see how you could get better pictures -- this is a wonderful thread!

Sure, that park could use some shade trees, but it's nice and big, has some of everything, people are obviously encouraged to use the heck out of it, and it's such a happy place.

The very few (& small) park areas here sometimes have flowers, but whatever grass there might be is off limits.

I love how all the playground equipment is sort of free form and meant for all ages. Really, thanks for bringing us this -- super pictures.

Oh yeah ~~ despite my innocence of French, I actually knew what eole meant. That's because of one of those useless scraps stuck in my brain, of the eolian harp.

[bjd]

Is it really forbidden to take pictures in parks?

[Deleted]

I think the rules are completely contradictory and unenforceable. Every single family in the park was taking pictures with their phones or normal cameras. It was the fact that I was alone that made me the suspicious character. Good thing I was not wearing a long black raincoat or something like that.

[tod2]

Terrific Kerouac! It seems well supported and I bet many a kid looks forward to meeting their little friends on a regular basis. The children certainly appear to be having the time of their lives!
The 'No photos in the park' is news to my ears but admittedly when we were near the childrens playground in Parc Monceau two years ago, my husband used his camera very unobtrusively. It was at a re-interest in the little Madelaine abduction - The nannies were so busy chatting amongst themselves they did not even notice.
(But then the kid doesn't have to be in a park.....just on it's own somewhere and vunerable)

Yes, better leave that long trenchcoat at home

[patricklondon]

I must admit, I did wonder from your first few photos if you'd get into trouble. It can be a sensitive subject in the UK too, and not something I'd do - just long views (and I've inherited my parents' "I do wish those people would get out of MY picture" attitude).

Looks like your area could do with another park or two, judging by the numbers!

[Deleted]

Yes, the population of the 18th arrondissement warrants much more park space, which is why this park was created on a relatively thin railway strip.

As for my photo taking, I guess I will continue to live dangerously. I have only been confronted one time and obliged to delete a photo. A young hothead at a Halal butcher wanted to impress his friends, so I obliged.

[nycgirl]

Nice photos! It sure looks like a fun park and the kids seem to be having a ball. It's nice that Paris has public spaces like this.

I have to admit, I like taking candid photos but I get so nervous about annoying people. My husband reinforces that nervousness, he thinks I'm being intrusive. It's something I want to get over, because I want to get better.

[lugg]

I love seeing pics of parks in cities (or better still visiting them.) They always seem so well used . By contrast here where I live in a rural county they often seem sad and under used.