France's final newspaper hawker will get Order of Advantage after 50 years

[ad_1] Hugh Schofield Paris correspondent

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0a85/live/b0857f80-738c-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="BBC Ali Akbar holds aloft a copy of Le Monde in front of a café in central Paris" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> BBC Ali Akbar, now 72, has spent 50 years promoting newspapers on the Left Financial institution

He's France's final newspaper hawker; possibly the final in Europe.

Ali Akbar has been pounding the pavement of Paris's Left Financial institution for greater than 50 years, papers underneath the arm and on his lips the newest 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, certainly one of France's highest honours.

"After I started right here in 1973 there have been 35 or 40 of us hawkers in Paris," he says. "Now I'm alone.

"It turned too discouraging. Every little thing is digital now. Folks simply wish to seek the advice of their telephones."

Nowadays, 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"Within the outdated days individuals would crowd round me searching for the paper. Now I've to chase down purchasers to attempt to promote one," he says.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9c1e/live/b1a73140-738e-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Ali Akbar, in a grey flat cap and black shirt, sells a copy of Le Monde to an elderly man in glasses and a checked blue shirt on the streets of Paris" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters Mr Akbar (proper) now sells far fewer papers than he did within the days earlier than the web

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 utterly impartial. There isn't a-one giving me orders. That is why I do it."

The sprightly 72-year-old is a well-known and much-loved determine within the neighbourhood. "I first got here right here within the Nineteen 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 Nineteen Sixties, arriving first in Amsterdam the place he received work on board a cruise liner.

In 1972 the ship docked within the French metropolis of Rouen, and a 12 months later he was in Paris. He received his residency papers within the Eighties.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/71a5/live/01e619a0-738f-11f0-a52b-2f1937b0af42.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Ali Akbar, wearing a grey flat cap and a black shirt, stands with a paper held high in his right hand in front of the Cafe De Flore in Paris" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters The 72-year-old is well-known and well-loved within the neighbourhood

"Me, I wasn't a hippy again then, however I knew loads of hippies," he says together with his attribute snigger.

"After I was in Afghanistan on my approach to Europe I landed up with a gaggle who tried to make me smoke cannabis.

"I advised 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 received to satisfy celebrities and writers. Elton John as soon as purchased him milky tea at Brasserie Lipp. And promoting papers in entrance of the celebrated 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 duplicate of Le Monde and flogged it à la criée (with a shout)?

"The ambiance 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.