13.42 - The Wonder of Walking: health, creativity - plus Paris and the Camino
Walking can be both; a challenge and an opportunity. To me 'a walk' can mean exercise, a mental health tool, an aid to creativity, a convenient way to live & the way some master the Camino...
*I’m taking a break from late October until late November - read more in ‘5’ below
The Wonder of Walking - Walking and Me - Creativity & Walking - Cognitive Walking - How far do French people walk each day - Is Paris yet a 15-minute walking city? - Walks in Paris - A Remarkable Book - Walking the Camino with the INSPIRATIONAL Jennifer Andrewes
Recently published articles: MyFrenchLife™ Magazine
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Bonjour,
It’s Judy here, the Fondatrice of MyFrenchlife.org. I hope that you enjoy today’s le Bulletin, which is all about Walking and why I love it so - do you, I wonder?
I really enjoy walking. Do you? I try to average 10,000 steps a day, meaning some days I walk lots more, and then there are other days where I don’t move a lot at all. But walking is an important part of my life.
I walk in parks, I walk in the sea, I walk on beaches, I walk in the countryside. I walk listening to music, to podcasts, and to the radio. I walk listening to English, I walk listening to French. I especially like to walk listening to nothing at all, to walk in silence!
Some of my most constructive and creative thoughts come when I least expect them or when I simply take my mind off my challenges, if only for a brief moment.
Does simply putting one foot in front of the other help create ideas that might not have surfaced if it wasn't for a simple walk?
For me, it often does. When walking, I very often come up with creative solutions for things I didn't know I even needed to solve. A walk also gives me the space to think about something that’s been bothering me or that I need to work on. Repeatedly over the years, a good walk has helped me make an important decision or generate a creative strategy or solution to a troubling challenge. Movement and a bit of time to let thoughts come and go can be the best therapy there is…
I feel like when I walk in silence, my senses are on high alert,” said a creator in an April TikTok clip. “I smell everything, I hear everything, I am seeing everything, and it’s so grounding for me.”
Creativity & Walking - Cognitive Walking
Doing our best creative work sometimes means tricking ourselves into leaving our minds alone.
Image: Walking helps us balance between focused and diffuse forms of thinking - by Adrian H. Raudaschl
History is filled with famous walkers. Charles Darwin claimed to do his best work, not in his study, but outside on a d–shaped path at the edge of his property called the Sandwalk.
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking,” said German philosopher Nietzsche, who walked with his notebook every day between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Dickens, the mentalist that he is, preferred to take long walks through London at night.
60% of people who walk are more creative than their non-pedestrian counterparts claims a recent Stanford study. Walking has been found to promote new connections between brain cells, staves off ageing brain tissue, increases the volume of the hippocampus (associated with memory and learning), and even stimulate the growth of neurons, according to Adrian H. Raudaschl.
Anyone can achieve a cognitive walk, and it can be done almost anywhere, but just popping outside for a quick jaunt is not enough. The goal is to enter a diffuse mode of thinking, like a daydream, where ‘unthinking’ helps cut through our daily overthink. We need walks that both physically absorb and mentally free us long enough to trick us into leaving our minds alone.
“There is something about walking which stimulates and enlivens my thoughts. When I stay in one place I can hardly think at all; my body has to be on the move to set my mind going.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau, French philosopher.
Cognitive walking is so good because it forces us to mentally recover and get out of what philosopher Walter Benjamin called in 1935 a “constant state of concentrated distraction”.
Let’s look at how far French people walk each day
It’s often spoken about that people in France walk a lot. Let’s look into that.
As an indication of the entire population in France:
With an average of 7,578 steps, French women are far from the 10,000 recommended to keep fit and preserve their health (World Health Organization recommendation). 57 percent take less than 7,500 steps a day and 32 percent do less than 5,000 steps, according to Statistica
Is Paris yet a 15-minute walking city?
What is a '15-minute city' and how is it working in Paris? by The Local France, 15 Feb, 2023 & Updated: Thu 5 Oct 2023 14:56 CET
Paris was one of the early adopters of the concept of a '15-minute city' which has been strongly championed by city mayor Anne Hidalgo - but what exactly are they and how is the idea working out in the French capital?
What is a 15-minute Walking City?
First things first, 15-minute cities are nothing new. Hidalgo and her campaign team didn’t come up with the idea, although they did talk about it a lot during her successful re-election campaign in 2022.
The idea is simple - that anyone living in an undeniably urban environment, like Paris, should have all their daily needs - shopping, education, health, leisure, even work - within an easily reachable 15-minute walk or cycle ride.
That would mean that each neighbourhood would have amenities like food shops, a health centre or GP surgery, sports facilities, schools and nurseries, and an option to socialise like a bar, café or restaurant.
Paris is going ahead with the [ 15-minute city ] concept. It has been doing so since 2020.
The French capital had something of a head start in that most neighbourhoods do already have a decent range of shops - especially food shops - in addition to regular markets, cafés, and schools. In fact, a study from 2020 showed that 94 percent of Parisians live within a five-minute walk of that staple of French daily life - the boulangerie.
However the city does have a notable shortage of green space, healthcare is an issue in many areas and the 'work' part of the 15-minute city is another challenge, as many people have a longer commute to their jobs.
The options for change are twofold; either create more amenities at a local level or improve walking and cycle routes so that facilities further away become accessible in 15 minutes.
The most obvious and visible change relating to the 15-minute city is the increasing number of cycle lanes crossing the capital.
Walks in Paris - A Remarkable Book
I found a remarkable book ‘Walks in Paris’, by Augustus J. C. Hare. in 1888 - 558 hundred pages of fascinating detail. Here is the PDF.
Walking the Camino with Jennifer Andrewes
Allow me to introduce Jennifer Andrewes, a member of MyFrenchLife Global Community. Jennifer lives in Wellington New Zealand. She’s walking the #vialemovicensis Camino. This is not her first Camino. She’s due to finish this ~1000 km walk on October 24! She’s nearly there!
Jennifer walks long distances each week at home and she walks the Camino because she loves walking, and she loves France, but importantly because she has Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease.
Jennifer is regularly involved in raising money for Parkinson’s, and in January 2024 she’ll join the next 42 km fundraising walk in Wellington. Donations have just opened and you can donate here.
I’ve delighted in reading her stories. She’s been so generous in posting on our @MaVieFrancaise (our Instagram account). I’ve found Jennifer to be very inspiring. It’s clear that this pilgrimage has not been easy, to say the least. And some of her posts make this abundantly clear but she continues to be buoyant. I take my hat off to her. Merci mille fois Jennifer!
Here is one of Jennifer’s most recent posts, but don’t miss the photos - they’re superb.
Day 41: Beyries to Orthez 18km. Total 931km. By my calculations I have about 70km left to walk, so I think I’m going to hit 1,000km.
After a pretty decent sleep on our camp beds, and no problem with mosquitoes, Roel left in the dark at 6.30am to make Orthez before the rain. We said our goodbyes as he was planning to stay at a hotel before catching train home tomorrow. I took my time enjoying my breakfast from the supplied provisions and left after 8 when it was just getting light. As it happened, I think the worst of the rain may have been about 7am, so I got off lightly with just heavy drizzle and some quite wild and gusty winds. I was pleased to make it through the forested sections alive, though I did cop an acorn in the face. The weather didn’t detract one bit from the joy of walking today. After so much flat walking over the last 900km, with only the occasional slight incline, the undulating country walking with some rougher and steeper inclines is good for the muscles and for the coordination. More clear views of the Pyrenees (before they succumbed to mist). Cows (moo-ve along please) and sheep (What ewe looking at?!)
After a long period of constant dogs barking and off lead on this pilgrimage, I’ve had none at all in the last while, which I was reflecting on over the last 24-48 hours. My feeling is that each Camino I have done forces me to face a particular fear of mine - and presents it to me in the company of dogs. Typically the classic ‘black dog’ of my inner demons.
The Le Puy route [last year] was all about my fear of no longer being able to express myself, speak or perform in public - communication is one of my top traits and I’d been worried that Parkinson’s would rob me of it.
The Camino kept forcing me to face it - I had to do readings in churches no fewer than four times, through no choice of my own. It was like I had a mark on my forehead. And on those days the Camino invariably put an actual black dog in my way. One day there were two of them. By the end I was no long afraid of being asked and I no longer shook when I did it. I’m ruminating on the idea that this path might be about independence.
I am fiercely independent and I am worried that Parkinson’s will take my freedom of movement- literally and generally. I’ve not yet quite had the courage to do a pilgrimage fully alone - company, if not strictly necessary, is a comfort blanket. This pilgrimage has sent me constant challenge and at the same time constant examples of strong women of all ages walking solo. And endless aggressive dogs off the leash in the first half of the trail. But since I diverted down the Bergerac Variant by myself to see a friend, got out of synch with the main trail and have since been mostly walking by myself, without seeing a single pilgrim, I keep getting unsolicited positive reinforcement of my independence.
And I feel good. My thoughts have cleared.
A passing local who observes I’m walking by myself - oh, vous êtes courageuse. A hospitalière who shares her various experiences of walking by herself and with others - and the confidence with which she now walks by herself to her own tune.
A fellow pilgrim who compliments me in walking well.
Several refuges where I am the only pilgrim staying overnight. And no dogs. Not one. I reflected on it quite a lot last night and came to the conclusion that I have nothing to fear. I am strong and independent and if I want and decide to walk alone either in part like this time, or completely in future, I can.
And today, the Camino sent me no fewer than four dogs off the leash in three separate incidents (including one where two of them bounded out of a property and over the road into the path of a car, which I narrowly avoided). And I simply stuck my head down, avoided eye contact and walked on.
And had no fear. And all was well. At least today!
And I must admit, I like walking by myself during the day, but it can be a little lonely in the evenings. Things to ponder on.
Separate post to follow on Orthez, a cute little town with a historic pilgrim hostel in a beautiful old building. Discovered Roel here so unexpectedly have another night in his company. He preferred this hostel experience to the impersonal hotel. Which I’m happy about as the wind is making howling noises round the stone tower… still got some work to do on those fears!
Playlist: ‘Both Sides Now’, from Love Actually. As Stephen notes, poignant not for the pain, but for the decision to go on in the knowledge of it. And also, I think for me, reflects the fact that I have now walked happily in company and without and can have the confidence to knowingly choose either.
“Thank you so much for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’. I appreciate the support you’re all offering across the 67 countries, and 47 states of the USA, in which le Bulletin is read.” Judy MacMahon
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PPS: I’m taking a break until late in November to visit my family in the UK. It’s been too many years! The girls are growing up far too fast and I need to spend some real (not facetime) time with them. I’ve worked to prepare and schedule a number of newsletters for you to enjoy whilst I’m travelling. I hope there are no technical glitches ;) Cross fingers - thanks Judy.
PPPS: The little granddaughter in the above photo has just started highschool - all the more reason why I need to visit.
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This who take for granted the casual walk any time they choose cannot imagine the sense of wonder, the sense of gratitude of those who regain that pleasure after a time when it was lost.
Let's all form a cheer squad! On instagram right now
Just a little note to thank Jennifer Andrewes, who is walking the Camino and about to finish, maybe tomorrow or the day after, having walked ~1000km through France... I'd love it if we could all cheer her on - You'll be able to do that my visiting our @MaVieFrancaise Instagram account which she's been guest hosting for the last 41 days! https://www.instagram.com/p/CvrOCy3t9hr/ Bravo Jennifer!
This who take for granted the casual walk any time they choose cannot imagine the sense of wonder, the sense of gratitude of those who regain that pleasure after a time when it was lost.
Let's all form a cheer squad! On instagram right now
Just a little note to thank Jennifer Andrewes, who is walking the Camino and about to finish, maybe tomorrow or the day after, having walked ~1000km through France... I'd love it if we could all cheer her on - You'll be able to do that my visiting our @MaVieFrancaise Instagram account which she's been guest hosting for the last 41 days! https://www.instagram.com/p/CvrOCy3t9hr/ Bravo Jennifer!
Judy