France’s last newspaper hawker gets Order of Merit after 50 years

He’s France’s final newspaper hawker; perhaps the final in Europe.

Ali Akbar has been pounding the pavement of Paris’s Left Financial institution for greater than 50 years, papers beneath the arm and on his lips the most recent headline.

And now he’s to be formally recognised for his contribution to French tradition. President Emmanuel Macron – who as soon as as a scholar himself purchased newspapers from Mr Akbar – is to brighten him subsequent month with the Order of Advantage, one in all France’s highest honours.

“Once I started right here in 1973 there have been 35 or 40 of us hawkers in Paris,” he says. “Now I’m alone.

“It grew to become too discouraging. Every thing is digital now. Folks simply need to seek the advice of their telephones.”

Lately, on his rounds through the cafés of trendy Saint-Germain, Mr Akbar can hope to promote round 30 copies of Le Monde. He retains half the sale value, however will get no refund for returns.

Again earlier than the Web, he would promote 80 copies throughout the first hour of the newspaper’s afternoon publication.

“Within the outdated days folks would crowd round me in search of the paper. Now I’ve to chase down purchasers to attempt to promote one,” he says.

Not that the decline in commerce remotely bothers Mr Akbar, who says he retains going for the sheer pleasure of the job.

“I’m a joyous individual. And I’m free. With this job, I’m fully unbiased. There isn’t any-one giving me orders. That is why I do it.”

The sprightly 72-year-old is a well-recognized and much-loved determine within the neighbourhood. “I first got here right here within the Sixties and I’ve grown up with Ali. He is sort of a brother,” says one girl.

“He is aware of everybody. And he’s such enjoyable,” says one other.

Ali Akbar was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and made his approach to Europe within the late Sixties, arriving first in Amsterdam the place he obtained work on board a cruise liner.

In 1972 the ship docked within the French metropolis of Rouen, and a yr later he was in Paris. He obtained his residency papers within the Eighties.

“Me, I wasn’t a hippy again then, however I knew a whole lot of hippies,” he says together with his attribute snort.

“Once I was in Afghanistan on my approach to Europe I landed up with a bunch who tried to make me smoke cannabis.

“I informed them sorry, however I had a mission in life, and it wasn’t to spend the subsequent month sleeping in Kabul!”

Within the as soon as mental hub of Saint-Germain he obtained to fulfill celebrities and writers. Elton John as soon as purchased him milky tea at Brasserie Lipp. And promoting papers in entrance of the distinguished Sciences-Po college, he was acquainted with generations of future politicians – like President Macron.

So how has the legendary Left Financial institution neighbourhood modified since he first held aloft a replica of Le Monde and flogged it à la criée (with a shout)?

“The environment is not the identical,” he laments. “Again then there have been publishers and writers all over the place – and actors and musicians. The place had soul. However now it’s simply tourist-town.

“The soul has gone,” he says – however he laughs as he does.