Bonjour, Kristi here. If you’re new to this blog, bienvenue! I’ve been sharing stories online since 2002. Lately, I’ve had the joy of reading my daughter Jackie’s posts here—while quietly playing editor behind the scenes. I’m also at work on Volume Two of A YEAR IN A FRENCH LIFE. Wish me luck! For now, enjoy today’s lively update from Jackie!
TODAY’S WORD: le perron : the stoop, the steps leading up to a building entrance
PRONUNCIATION: [luh peh-ron]
📍 Example sentence:
Les habitants laissent souvent des objets dont ils ne veulent plus sur le perron.
Locals often leave items they no longer want on the stoop.
An inconvenient yet convenient story by Jacqueline Espinasse
In a previous story, I talked about the inconveniences of living in a wealthy neighborhood—like the high prices at grocery stores. But honestly, that’s the only real downside, c’est inconvénient. The rest is quite literally a treasure hunt!
So now that we’ve swept that away, let me tell you about the joy of living in Brooklyn. One of them is what Vinny calls “stoop finds.”
For those who don’t know, a stoop (le perron in French) is simply the steps that lead up to a home or apartment building. It plays a big part in the culture and history here in New York. In the 1800s, streets were full of horses, and with them came mountains of horse poop. The streets were dirty and smelly. By raising the main entrance above street level, stoops helped residents avoid stepping directly into, pardon my French, la merde. To show you how big of an issue it was, they even had boot scrapers, little metal fixtures near the stoop where people would clean their shoes before going inside. Convenient, right? Those metal fixtures are still here today as a historic emblem.
225 years later, I can stroll almost barefoot through the streets on a September Sunday, keeping my eyes peeled for my next trouvaille. Whenever a New Yorker has had enough of something they own, they just leave it on their stoop, and that has become my greatest joy: la chasse aux trésors.
It can be as small as a book or as big as a closet. I’ve found glassware, a coffee machine, strollers, shoes, tons of kids’ toys, and even furniture. Last spring, in the West Village, I saw a big, gorgeous, minimalist black leather couch left right in front of me. At that time, if I hadn’t been living in my tiny shoebox room in a co-living space in Bed-Stuy, NY, I swear I would’ve dragged that baby across the Brooklyn Bridge with my bare hands.
My first find back in June was a suitcase. This was serendipitous as my old one had broken in two pieces after trying to pack 27 years of life into it for my move to New York. Now, three seasons into my new life in Brooklyn, everything I’ve needed has somehow found me on a stoop: a beautiful basket for my fruit, fabulous bowls, and just yesterday, a yoga mat!
I’ve probably saved more than a hundred dollars by treasure hunting. But I promised Vinny I would only take what I really need. And, entre vous et moi, I was tired of eating taco salads in his little Ikea bowls. That was inconvenient.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
c’est inconvénient = it’s inconvenient
le perron = stoop, the steps leading to a building entrance
la merde = droppings
une trouvaille = a find
la chasse aux trésors = treasure hunting
entre vous et moi = between you and me
REMERCIEMENTS
Thank you to the following readers for your donation this past week to this journal!
Ellie J.
John O.
Bonnie H.
Suzanne R.
Whether you’ve been reading for years or just stumbled upon this little corner of France, thank you for being here. These stories continue thanks to reader encouragement. If you’d like to help maintain this journal, here are a few simple ways:
🌿 Zelle – to Kristin.espinasse@gmail.com
🌿 PayPal – Click here
🌿 Credit card – Click here
Gift the book A Year in a French Life to a friend. It’s packed with colorful photos and vocabulary.
Jackie and I wish you a lovely rest of the week. You can follow along with daily photos and snippets of life on my WhatsApp channel, where I’m sharing short voice clips and practicing how to talk about my day more spontaneously—while sharing favorite French words and expressions. Click here to follow my channel.
Discover more from French Word-A-Day
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
How delightful! I never knew that about NYC. It has been a pleasure reading Jackie’s stories as she transitions into becoming a New Yorker. Both of you have an easy style of writing that invites readers into a slice of your life. I have travelled to the city many times, but never had the desire to settle there. Her posts give a look at what that is like for someone in daily life. Thanks to both of you and thrive where you are planted.
Hello Jo-Anne, Thank you for your positive words, always. They are more helpful than you’ll ever know!
I loved this story! I love treasure hunts! What a fun way to help each other. We need more of this. Á bientôt 🇫🇷
Hi Kristi and Jackie,
Thanks for the fun story Jackie! I first encountered treasure hunting in Germany. I forget the German word but it we Americans called it “Junking”. It was fun to walk the neighborhood looking for treasures.
Have a great week!
Hey Kristin – would Jackie like me y tu o take her to lunch next time I am in Brooklyn? Or does she get too many adorers of her mother wanting time? You were just so generous many years ago with my students allowing them to print and exhibit your work that I would love to give back. I go regularly to see my grandchildren in Carroll Gardens. Also my godson’s sister ( a French ballerina) often lives there. About the same age – I could invite them both. If not, no problem. Just let me know xxxx Ginger
Hello Ginger, I am always happy to meet new people in the city, email me whenever you want. Looking forward to see you !
I love reading about my home town. But I want to warn Jackie about the risk of bringing bed bugs home in her stoop finds. Furniture (like the couch she loved) and clothes are a particular risk.
Thank you for your warning Georgette, I will surely be careful !
Hi, Kristi! I think that I am finally getting your communications again. I have missed reading about your family and their activities.
Mike Pearson
Charming post! A pleasure to read 🙂
Bonjour….one question…..is Jackie writing her blog in French also? I would enjoy reading it in French and it would bring my reading ability up a couple of grades!
Dear Kristi,
Who would have guessed that you would be sharing your weekly journal with Jackie some day! I hope the flow comes easily to you as you put together your new book.
And Jackie, what a gift you also have for relating a story. It’s fascinating to learn about New York in a personal way through your eyes. It’s such a great perspective! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
I love the the fact that you both have a similar life experience but reversed…
During the 17 years I would spend some lunch hours walking through the streets of Brooklyn Heights when I worked at Brooklyn Law School, I never knew why all the Brownstones had all those steps to the front door and the boot scrapers. What I did notice was all of the seasonal decorating around autumn and Halloween and also during the Christmas holidays. And of course, the beautiful planters and pocket gardens. Each stoop has a personality of its own. So glad you are enjoying Brooklyn Heights and finding treasures.
As a lover of Bklyn so happy to hear and see Jackie’s adventures!!
Merci!
I’m so glad that you have not only found useful items, but kept them from being thrown away.
Years ago, my husband and I had gone to the apartment dump to dispose of something that was truly beyond repair. On top of the mound was a wooden two-drawer filing cabinet. It was perfectly clean, and seemed fine, except that the front of one drawer had come loose from the rest of it. We decided to take it. We took it home, wiped it off, and re-glued the front onto the top drawer. I used that small file cabinet for about 25 years, finally donating it when I decided I needed more than two drawers. I encourage everyone to use what you can and to pass on what you no longer need – sur le perron, si c’est possible.
Vicarious adventures, always appreciated and savored! And eclectic responses, so valued! This blog is such a treasure and I could not love it more.
Merci Merci Merci
🙌❤️👌
Merci, Jackie! I lived in Brooklyn what seems like a lifetime ago, and your charming story made me smile!
De rien Louise, that is a beautiful French name !
Our dears Kristi and Jackie,
What ( another!) totally lovely (and imaginative!!) post today! And what fun!
I admit I have not had experience with leaving giveaway things on the stoop( back in my day–long ago!–I’d be afraid of being accused of stealing!) but it is such a good idea– not to mention beneficial to both giver and recipient!
My chere Kristi! Always(always!) our absolute pleasure to read your gifted words too.Please put me down for the 4th copy( after Jean Marc ,Jackie, Max ,and Jules!!) of the latest edition of your wonderful book!
Blessings in abundance.
Arms tight around you all.
Love
Natalia xo
Very interesting. I’m learning things about my own country here😀. I guess one has to be careful about leaving anything on the step unattended even for a minute. Other places in the country we leave things by the curb. I suppose in the city there is not that sort of space. Leaves me wondering about what people do in France with things they want to get rid of or give away.
The house my parents built in a new suburb after WWII had a boot scraper. It was meant for children with muddy shoes.
Later, when my garden had clayey soil, I wished I had a boot scraper.
In Chicago and most of its suburbs, we have alleys, between the rears of homes or stores, where trash is collected. Second hand treasures are often found by walking the alleys. The lack of alleys in Manhattan startled me on my first trip there, with trash bags on the front sidewalks!
Been New York a number of times but never made it to Brklyn only the bridge. So fun to get a taste of that Life thanks a bunch.
In California, we have benefit shops which take in discards and re-sell them for a lot less. These shops generally donate their proceeds to cancer, animal shelters, or other worthy causes.
And a generation later, moving from the apartments of Queens (just north of Brooklyn) to beachy Suffolk county, the front porch steps are still called the stoop. We leave our ready-to-be recycled tresors on the curb, sometimes announced on the neighborhood social media site. If it’s on the curb, its fair game. You snooze, you lose. And I do recall some lively stories of the old days in NYC when my native New Yorker dad would get a delivery from the local horse farm to enhance our garden soil. Among the blessings I count is the absence of …droppings…. I have to walk through.
Loved reading Jackie about the Brooklyn stoops! Very interesting and so very pretty your neighborhood as well. It looks like the stoops get decorated with pretty pumpkins too. And I’m guessing that no one steals them?
OH, OH, OH, I would go mad with treasure-hunting on doorsteps!! And that basket is simply a beautiful container for all of your joys!