Two days after scenes of chaos and looting swept through Paris, the smell of smoke still hung over Rue Beaurepaire on Monday, rising from piles of burned rubbish, charred bicycles, and shattered storefronts.
Among the hardest hit was La Barrique, a neighborhood bar-tabac that serves as a café, bar, and tobacco shop. The establishment was burned down by rioters.
Its owner, Aline Li, a middle-aged immigrant from Zhejiang province in China, stood outside overseeing workers as they boarded up the ruined building. Cuts and bruises from Saturday’s attack still marked her face, yet she smiled warmly while greeting neighbors who stopped by to check on her.
“I’m fine,” she said. “What matters is that you are all okay.”
