Aixperiences: “Operation Monsieur Chapeau” — my classmates are stalking the man with the paper animal hats

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Last night at apéro near La Rotonde, I saw him again—gliding down Cours Mirabeau like a very calm comet, except instead of a tail he had… a fox. Or was it a lynx? (My A2 vocabulary panicked and just whispered “un animal mignon.”) Anyway: Monsieur Chapeau! Our class WhatsApp exploded. Half my classmates claim they “almost” got a photo; the other half have blurry shots of a shrub. Reader, we are terrible paparazzi—but enthusiastic ones. (I'm waiting for them to post their photos in the comments!)

Who is “Monsieur Chapeau”? What’s with the creatures on his head?

Local outlets have profiled him: he’s an Aixois who hand-crafts 3D paper animals and wears them on a simple hat frame as he strolls the centre-ville. He started doing it a couple of years ago with one very French mission statement: spread smiles. That’s it. No merch table, no QR code—just whimsy on legs. (Facebook)

Where to spot him

Your best odds: Cours Mirabeau and around La Rotonde, where the evening promenade is prime people-watching (and fox-watching). Even if you miss him, a sunset wander under those plane trees is peak Aix. (French Moments)

Does he have Instagram? And who’s the partner/friend?

We looked. A lot. We found local media reels/posts about him (great for glimpses), but no verified personal account for “Monsieur Chapeau.” There is an unrelated @monsieur_chapeau account from years ago—different person. If he or a friend has a handle, it’s not clearly public. If you know otherwise, drop it in the comments so we can update this! (Instagram)

Media you can watch now:
La Provence posted short videos and clips that capture him wandering Aix with his menagerie-on-a-hat. Worth a peek to see the vibe before you go hunting. (Facebook)

Why the paper hat parade?

According to those same local bits, it’s a passion project to craft the animals and simply delight passers-by—no manifesto, just gentle street theatre. Frankly, it works: our table stopped bickering about tu/vous and started smiling in unison. (Public service!) (Facebook)

How to be a kind fan (and not a weird one)

  • Ask before photos: “Bonjour, puis-je prendre une photo, s’il vous plaît ?”

  • Don’t touch the art (it’s paper!).

  • If he’s chatting with someone, wait—Aix is slow on purpose.

  • Compliments welcome: “C’est superbe !” Then keep it moving.

Mini language toolkit (A1 → Advanced)

A1

  • Spotting line: “Regarde ! C’est Monsieur Chapeau !”

  • Photo ask: “Excusez-moi, une photo ?”

A2

  • Small talk: “Vous les fabriquez vous-même ? Depuis combien de temps ?”

  • Location: “On est près de la Rotonde / sur le Cours Mirabeau.”

B1

  • Retell the sighting: “Hier soir, je l’ai aperçu pendant l’apéro. Il portait un… (renard ? lynx ? débat éternel).”

  • Polite buffer: “Je ne veux pas vous déranger…”

B2

  • Cultural finesse: choose vous by default; switch to tu only if he invites it. Frame a compliment: “Votre travail crée un moment de poésie urbaine.”

Advanced

  • Micro-interview prompt: “Qu’est-ce qui vous a donné envie de faire entrer ces animaux en papier dans la vie quotidienne des Aixois ?” Write up 150–200 words for the blog—bonus if you weave in sensations of the Cours (lumière dorée, rumeur des terrasses).

Classmate field guide (totally scientific)

  1. Time window: early evening and weekend flâneries along the Cours. (Also: hydrate. Apéro is a contact sport.) (French Moments)

  2. Team tactics: one person politely asks, the other takes the sharp, non-shrublike photo.

  3. Reward: calisson. For you, not the fox. Sticky paws are a conservation issue.

What we found (so far)

  • Profile: local paper-animal hat walker aiming to spread smiles. Doing it “for about two years.” (Facebook)

  • Socials: no confirmed personal IG/TikTok; media clips exist (La Provence). Unrelated vintage handle @monsieur_chapeau is not him. (Instagram)

  • Partner/friend: no verified public info yet. If you’ve chatted with someone who accompanies him, tell us below so we can credit properly.

Your turn 👇

Seen Monsieur Chapeau? Where, when, and which animal? Got a polite phrase that worked—or a photo tip that didn’t end in a picture of a hedge? Drop it in the comments and help future stalkers (the wholesome kind) succeed. If you somehow know his or a companion’s public handle, share the link so we can add it here. Merci !

(PS: if we’ve missed a reliable source, we’ll update—scout’s honor and a round of calissons.)