Honoring a Paris Legend
Frances last newspaper hawker, Ali Akbar, will soon receive one of the nation’s highest honors. President Emmanuel Macron, once a regular customer during his student days, will award him the prestigious Order of Merit next month.
Frances last newspaper hawker, Ali Akbar has been walking the streets of Paris’s Left Bank for over 50 years, delivering headlines with passion. In 1973, there were dozens of hawkers like him. Today, he stands alone, facing a world that has gone digital.
A Career Built on Passion
Despite selling fewer papers now, Ali continues out of joy and independence. On a good day, he sells around 30 copies of Le Monde. Decades ago, he could sell 80 within the first hour.
Born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Ali came to Europe in the late 1960s, working on a cruise ship before settling in Paris. Over the years, he became a beloved figure in Saint-Germain, known for his cheerful spirit and friendships with locals.
Memories of the Old Saint-Germain
Ali recalls when Saint-Germain was filled with writers, publishers, musicians, and actors. Today, he feels the neighborhood has lost its artistic soul, replaced by tourism. Still, he cherishes his encounters, from Elton John sharing tea to meeting generations of future politicians, including Macron.
For France’s last newspaper hawker, the recognition is not just an award, it is a tribute to a way of life that is fading, but never forgotten.
