Lac Inférieur

The lake, looking north along the east side, in the afternoon.


I live in the 16th arrondisement, near the Bois du Boulogne. The trail around the lake has become my new Catfish Trail or Hudson River Park; it’s my go to place for running. The lake is about half a mile away and about a mile around. The combination of other runners and empty path is perfect. The sun falls on the east side late into the day and the water, though seaweed filled, is always pretty while reflecting the trees, clouds, and small rowboats floating around. At night the Eiffel Tower lights up the sky to the east, competing only against the full moon for attention. The tower’s searchlights arch across the sky slowly and seemingly as serenely as the stars (which you can actually see in Paris!) which dot the night sky.

I’ve been told I shouldn’t run in the Bois at night (there’s scary things like prostitutes) but I figured I knew the lake well enough. I’m glad I ran there last night, it’s as beautiful at night as in the day and reminded me of running around the trails and cemetery back in DeForest. The people who were running were on the upper trail, away from the lake, so I had the lakeshore all to myself. I think a few bats swooped around but they seemed content to merely fly by to check at what was going on. What I loved most was the scene above but also how trails, unlike roads, become something entirely different at night, full of shadows and mysteries that don’t exist under the sun. Stairs become sloping hills and the path is suddenly closer to the trees which have somehow become larger than a few hours hours before. A puddle becomes a silver reflection of the moon’s beams and the lake shines softly, like mercury, under the stars’ gaze. It’s easy to get back into running with landscapes such as this, especially when they’re almost just outside my door.