Parc fermé – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Benjamin Biolay, Adé
• Album: Grand Prix

Lyrics & Translation

Discover "Parc fermé," a captivating French song by Benjamin Biolay and Adé that uses the evocative setting of Paris to explore themes of lost love and emotional stagnation. Through its poetic lyrics and melancholic melody, the song offers a glimpse into the complexities of heartbreak and memory, inviting listeners to connect with the emotional landscape of the song.

[English]

Closed track

Too bad, I’ll drift toward Notre-Dame, burned out

Too bad, I stay on the asphalt, paved

It’s almost nothing, but I make it a big deal

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

Too bad, I’ll try to have a drink, icy

Among thousands of loners, I know

I only love the sea when I’m on land

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

Is it an avalanche, an unexpected turn

I could feel from the start that the earth was tilting

We were wearing mittens

In the good old days of Samaritaine

...

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

I dreamed of finding that old steel bench

Watching life pass by, passing

And under the scorching Sun, turning white hot

That we’ll touch

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

I’ll just imagine the effect

The effect of kissing you

I know

Nothing will ever replace you

Nor your mouth

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

Is it an avalanche, an unexpected turn

I could feel from the start that the earth was tilting

We were wearing mittens

In the good old days of Samaritaine

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

On the Pont Neuf, only old folks

On the Pont Neuf, only old folks

On the Pont Neuf, only old folks

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

I no longer know where to go, I’m helpless

We were supposed to meet there, in front of the roses

I was waiting for you, but I lack the courage

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Closed track

Return to the start to move forward

I want to sail away

Walk all day long

I left you a note

Yeah, yeah, yeah

...

[French]

Parc fermé

Tant pis je vais flâner vers Notre-Dame, brûlée

Tant pis je reste sur le macadam, pavé

C'est presque rien mais j'en fais tout un drame

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Tant pis je vais tenter de boire un verre, glacé

Au milieu de milliers de solitaires, je sais

Je n'aime la mer que lorsque j'suis sur terre

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Est-ce une avalanche, un imprévu

Je sentais bien que la terre penchait dès le début

Nous portions des mitaines

Au bon temps de la Samaritaine

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Je rêvais de retrouver ce vieux banc d'acier

De regarder passer la vie des gens, passer

Et par le grand Soleil chauffé à blanc

Qu'on se touche

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Je vais me contenter d'imaginer l'effet

L'effet que ça ferait de t'embrasser

Je sais

Que rien n'pourra jamais te remplacer

Ni ta bouche

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Est-ce une avalanche, un imprévu

Je sentais bien que la terre penchait dès le début

Nous portions des mitaines

Au bon temps de la Samaritaine

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Sur le pont Neuf y a que des vieux

Sur le pont Neuf y a que des vieux

Sur le pont Neuf y a que des vieux

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Je n'sais plus où aller, je suis désemparée

On devait s'retrouver là, devant les rosiers

Je t'attendais mais j'n'ai plus le courage

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Parc fermé

Retourner à la case départ pour avancer

Je veux prendre le large

Marcher toute la journée

Je t'ai laissé un avis de passage

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
flâner /flɑ.ne/ B1	verb - to stroll, to wander aimlessly
brûlée /bʁy.le/ B2	adjective - burned, caramelized
pavé /pa.ve/ B1	noun - cobblestone
drame /dʁam/ B1	noun - drama, ordeal
solitaires /sɔl.i.tɛʁ/ B2	noun - lovers, solitary people
sais /sɛ/ A2	verb - to know, to be aware
mer /mɛʁ/ A2	noun - sea
terre /tɛʁ/ A2	noun - earth, ground
avalanche /a.vɑ.lɑ̃ʃ/ B2	noun - avalanche
mitaines /mi.tɛn/ B2	noun - mittens, gloves
passer /pɑ.se/ A2	verb - to pass, to pass by
vie /vi/ A2	noun - life
passage /pa.sɑʒ/ B1	noun - passage, crossing
temps /tɑ̃/ A2	noun - time, weather
large /laʁʒ/ B2	adjective - big, wide, spacious

Key Grammar Structures

• je vais flâner vers Notre-Dame

  ➔ Futur proche (near future tense)

  ➔ The structure "je vais + verb" indicates an action that is going to happen soon or plans to do something.

• je sentais bien que la terre penchait dès le début

  ➔ Imperfect tense (l'imparfait)

  ➔ The "sentais" is in the imperfect tense, used for ongoing or habitual past actions, or to set a scene.

• on devait s'retrouver là

  ➔ Imperfect of devoir + infinitive

  ➔ The phrase "devaient s'retrouver" combines imperfect of 'devoir' with an infinitive to express an obligation or expectation in the past.

• Je veux prendre le large

  ➔ Present tense of vouloir + infinitive (expressing intention)

  ➔ The phrase "je veux + verb" uses the present tense of 'vouloir' + infinitive to express a desire or intention.

• je t'attendais mais j'n'ai plus le courage

  ➔ Imperfect of attendre + passé composé of avoir + negation

  ➔ The imperfect "attendais" indicates ongoing past action; "j'n'ai plus" is a negative form of past perfect.

• Je t'ai laissé un avis de passage

  ➔ Passe composé of laisser + indirect object pronoun + direct object

  ➔ The "ai laissé" is the passé composé tense, used to indicate a completed action in the past.