Going to visit Mairie Les Lilas, the area where my paternal grandmother (Ama) lived as a little girl, was a process of decoding an overwhelming montage of visual information. 131 rue de Paris, the building where her grandparents and cousin lived, still stands with a very sleek-looking McDonald's on one side, an Asian general store (aka "Mega Affaires") set back from the street where her family's bronze workshop used to be, and "Nicole Lingerie" at the base of the building. A lot has changed and I was lucky to have Francois (my excellent guide, and distant cousin) along to tell me what was old and what was new, and that there used to be a pond with fish where there is now a concrete slab.
The Mairie, with a restored front, still showed the pockmarks of WWII. Saw the church where the family was baptized, married, etc. just before it is scheduled to be demolished (a large "modern" church has been built next to it and the belltower will exist where the old church still stands). Also stopped by the cemetery to see the family tomb.
Ama's school which should look about the same as when she attended (as confirmed by Cousine Denise).
Chez les Mauvoisins, la Garenne-Colombes.
