I visit Paris differently

→ I discover hidden treasures of Paris’s rich history

→ I make it easier for those without a job to find work

I had always thought that changing the world was a boring task, and that those who fight for the Planet had to live in caves eating roots in the candlelight.

There are literally dozens, hundreds of opportunities to do great things for society while going out, meeting new people, or discovering your hometown with new eyes.

That’s just what I did thanks to a charity that’s called “The urban alternative”. This charity offers themed visits of secluded Paris neighborhoods while helping jobless persons, some of them homeless, too, to structure their lives with the goal of finding employment. Indeed, these same persons are the ones “scouting out locations” and guiding tourists for a 2-hour walk, sharing the stories of neighborhoods that they often know amazingly well.

That’s what I discovered yesterday, since I went around the 13th district of Paris with Stéphane, who was actually born there. He let us discover the different atmospheres that collide in this Paris neighborhood, combining street-art, architectural quirks, slices of century-old history merging into the naturally evolving city. It’s a great way to spend the day and learn interesting things while serving a cause.

A great initiative where everybody comes out with something positive. I hope it will be replicated across the country, so that more and more persons can discover the marvels of our French past, and also have the chance to meet warm and impassioned persons who really deserve our attention.