I Was on French TV

Because of my phone (or lack thereof)

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes... including you.” —Anne Lamott

Last week, I unexpectedly ended up on French TV—not because of a professional achievement or personal milestone, but because of something that’s been quietly transforming my life: spending less time on my phone.

Since joining The Offline Club Paris last fall, I’ve been on a slow but steady journey toward a more analog lifestyle. With chapters in many global cities, the Offline Club hosts events where phones are locked away for over two hours, allowing everyone to be fully present. In those precious screen-free pockets of time, I’ve finished books, written dozens of poems, and simply sat with my thoughts, uninterrupted—something that feels increasingly rare.

And it turns out that M6, one of France’s largest television channels, found this interesting. A journalist covering digital detox culture in Paris came to an event in early February, and suddenly, there I was on-screen, talking about how reading became my only option without my devices.

Me, reading my book at The Offline Club Paris event in February.

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Paris, Unfiltered

Paris is one of the most photographed and filmed cities in the world. I constantly see people angling for the perfect Eiffel Tower shot, tourists setting up tripods, and café-goers scrolling en terrasse. The irony is that the best way to experience Paris is not through a screen, but through the senses: the satisfying crunch of a baguette tradition, the musicality of the French language, the cotton candy colors of the sky at dusk.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be truly offline in Paris, not just in the technical sense, but in a cultural one. The city invites slowness, and I believe that some moments don’t need documentation. Instead, they ask for presence.

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How to Disconnect, the Parisian Way

If you’re looking to reclaim your attention span, here are a few Paris-inspired ideas (no airplane mode required):

Read in public – leave your phone at home and bring a book to a café. There’s something wonderfully old-school about sipping a café noisette while flipping through a novel.

Wander without Google Maps – get lost in the Marais or along the Canal Saint-Martin. See what you discover when you don’t have a set destination.

Visit a museum solo – without taking photos. Just look. Really look.

Have a phone-free apéro (happy hour) – next time you meet a friend for wine and cheese, leave your phones in your bags. Notice how different the conversation feels.

Spend a screen-free afternoon at a park – the Jardin du Luxembourg is perfect for this. Sketch, journal, or just sit and watch the world move around you.

Women reading in the Luxembourg Gardens.

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Resources for Digital Mindfulness

Here are a few things that have helped me throughout my digital minimalism journey:

· The Offline Club – I can’t recommend their events enough.

· The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt – a fascinating look at how smartphones and social media are reshaping childhood and mental health.

· Stolen Focus by Johann Hari – a deep dive into why our attention spans are shrinking (hint: it’s the phones), and how to reclaim them.

For me, going offline isn't about rejecting technology entirely; rather, it’s about choosing when and how I engage with it. And sometimes, putting my phone away leads to the most unexpected experiences, like finding myself on French TV.

Have you ever tried a digital detox? Or do you have favorite ways to disconnect? Reply and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

Merci beaucoup for reading!
—Victorine