Postcards from Paris

Carol Pucci is in France this week. Wish you were there? Look for her daily communiqué from the City of Light.

Part 1- Monday, Feb. 5
A warm winter
The French are serious about the new international scientists' report released in Paris last week saying that human activity is directly responsible for global warming. The lights were turned off at the Eiffel Tower for five minutes as a symbolic call to action, but more to the point are the unusual warm February temperatures. ... More

Part 2 - Tuesday, Feb. 6
Monsieur Felix and his bicycle tricks
Here's an entertainment tip if you're in the vicinity of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Go to the back of the church and find the Pont St. Louis, a pedestrian bridge that connects the Ile de la Cite to the medieval Ile St. Louis, one of the most exclusive residential areas of Paris. ... More

Part 3 - Wednesday, Feb. 7
A friendly flea market
A visit to a "marché aux puces'' - a Paris flea market - is a wonderful way to spend a few hours, especially on Sundays when most shops are closed and the museums are crowded. Most of the guidebooks suggest the big Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen, with its 2,000 stands and 10 miles of walkways, much of it inside a maze of covered arcades. ... More

Part 4 - Thursday, Feb. 8
Meeting a sculptress in Montmartre
I'm always on the lookout for different ways to get beyond the monuments and museums and get a feel for real Paris. Reading through the free section of www.bonjourparis.com, a subscription newsletter for people who love Paris, I noticed news of a program called "Meeting the French," (www.meetingthefrench.com) organized by Laurence Monclard, once a university student in Pennsylvania. ... More

Part 5 - Friday, Feb. 9
The new, electric T3 tram
Like most big European cities, Paris has excellent public transportation. Its subway (Metro), in-city rail (RER) and bus systems are extensive and efficient. Now comes the first new tram to run within the metropolitan area since just before World War II. ... More

Part 6 - Saturday, Feb. 10
Beyond Rue Rick Steves
Paris is a collection of neighborhoods, and on certain streets, life goes on as if this were a country village instead of a big city. Anyone familiar with Rick Steves' Paris guidebook knows about Rue Cler ... More

Part 7 - Sunday, Feb. 11
Eating well, from couscous to oysters
Everyone comes to Paris with high expectations when it comes to eating, yet many leave disappointed. Maybe it's because the guidebook recommendations are outdated or the "research" amounts to opening the door to see how full the restaurant is ... More

Part 8 - Monday, Feb. 12
Feeling the love in the City of Light
Valentine's Day is approaching and the City of Light is living up to its reputation as the City of Love. One-hundred-and-eighty electronic reader boards posted around Paris will flash more than 3,000 Valentine's Day messages on Wednesday ... More

Photo: View of the I.M. Pei pyramid and the Louvre Museum. Claude Paris / The Associated Press