How to Survive Paris in the Summer

Coming from Florida, aptly nicknamed the Sunshine State (that’s roughly 250 days a year of shorts, flip-flops, and a good tan), I just can’t get enough of the sun. When cloudy Parisian skies deign to let it through, I beam like a lighthouse. Par contre when the gray days stretch on and on I shrivel like the jealous heart of a wronged lover. Fortunately Summer is right around the corner and there are few things more gorgeous than Paris dazzling in the sun that doesn’t set until 10:30pm.

Do I sound enthusiastic? That’s natural for the season. In Chinese medicine (where organs, meridians, emotions, and seasons all correspond to each other) Summer is the ascendance of the Heart, and Joy. The Heart is the Emperor. It belongs to Fire, to the color red, to Yang. A balanced Heart means your mind is sharp and clear. Your spirit rests well at night and walks easily on the earth during the day. Your body moves freely in the warmth. Happiness pools in your footsteps.

An imbalanced Heart can go in two directions. Too much Fire turns joy into mania. The mind is unable to rest in its natural state. Poor decision-making, overactivity, restless sleep might plague you. Fire might also flare out in the body, leading to heartburn, a flu with high fever or diarrhea, or rashes and urinary disorders. In the other direction, a Heart lacking in Fire cools into depression, lethargy, lack of connection and compassion. You might be nervous, have insomnia, feel chilly.

Neither of those extremes is where the Emperor wants to be. And frankly, why would it? There is way too much fun to be had here. Parisians know how to get down in summer. The picnics alone are priceless. You’ve seen the French basking in the parks, along the banks of the Seine, gathered around the Canal St. Martin. The fresh salads, the bottles of wine and laughter. Soaking up the vitamin D and the camaraderie.

So here’s how to let your Heart flourish in its favorite season.

Do
Go outside and have fun. If you’re new here and don’t know people yet, or everyone in your perfect circle of friends moved away for work/love/expired visas, it’s time to get social. It might be a chore in the beginning but the Emperor will reward your persistence. A great place to (re)start is Meetup. It’s free to join and there are groups for every kind of interest and activity, from mommy clubs to club nights. Plenty of picnics will be on the calendar.

Be giving. You are the best thing you can offer someone. Lend a helping hand, a listening ear. It nourishes your inner Fire. If you’re looking to reach out beyond your social circle, you can investigate volunteer opportunities here.

Eat
Healthy. Chinese medicine is all about coming into balance with the seasons. In Winter, avoid cold foods like salads and iced drinks. In Summer, cooling foods assuage the body’s raised temperatures. For Chinese ingredients, you can’t miss by wandering around Belleville. I love perusing the large and small groceries around Boulevard de Belleville near the Belleville metro stop. There’s also Tang Frères at 48 Avenue d’Ivry, 75013. For Korean ingredients, K-mart at 8 Rue Sainte-Anne, 75001 is excellent.

Fruits: Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Apricot, Peach, Orange, Lemon

Green Vegetables: Asparagus, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, Snow Peas, Spinach, Watercress, Seaweed

White & Yellow Vegetables: Sprouts, Bamboo, Corn, Cucumber, White Mushroom, Summer Squash, Mung beans

Herbs: Cilantro, Mint, Dill

Drink
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. France doesn’t know about a tall glass of sweet tea filled to the brim with ice cubes but you can make your beverages even more refreshing with a few simple additions. Add lemon or cucumber to your water. Put mint in that juice. Bring water along with that bottle of wine for those endless picnics you’re attending. This list of 25 refreshing drinks will satisfy kids and grownups.

Sleep
A little less. I know, I know, everyone always says you have to rest more. But sleep, like everything else about our health, is seasonally dependent. In the cold it makes sense to sleep a lot, to let the body gather its energies without expending as much. That’s why bears hibernate in the winter. But like bears, we can let the sun clue us into what we need. The long days of summer are the signal to go to bed later and get up earlier. Working on your tan until 10:30pm? Yes, please.

Play
France couldn’t have captured the spirit more perfectly than with its crazy list of summer music festivals. You can’t move without bumping into another mad line- up of electro, rock, jazz, etc. Check out the free Fête de la Musique on the solstice, the first day of the season. Until midnight there’s every kind of music all over the city, from gospel to classic French to electronic, rock and roll and more. Here’s the whole program in French, and you can also search by genre and arrondissement.

I think you know what I’ll be up to while the sun is smiling on Paris this summer.

Art by Marie Kremer, canal photos by Ajiri Aki, vegetable photo by Cupcakes and Cashmere, and drink photo by BackToHerRoots