The Last Newsboy of Paris Retires After Decades - Paris's beloved newspaper vendor honored with France's Legion of Honor after 50 years
Ali Akbar, a familiar face in Paris's Quartier Saint-Germain, has been awarded France's highest honour. The 72-year-old newspaper vendor, known for his wit and resilience, received the Legion of Honor from President Emmanuel Macron for his half-century of service to the city's cultural life. Akbar has spent decades selling papers—and occasionally inventing headlines when the real ones bored him.
Akbar first began selling newspapers in the early 1970s after arriving in France. His journey started on a cruise ship, where he met local newsboys who helped him find work. For years, his routes wound through Saint-Germain, the heart of Parisian intellectual life, where he watched young students—including a future President Macron—study in cafés.
Today, he sells around 30 papers a day, barely enough to get by. Yet he refuses to stop, valuing the independence and the laughter he brings to passersby. Once one of many vendors, he is now among the last in Paris—and possibly Europe.
Despite decades in France, Akbar still awaits citizenship after more than 40 years of waiting. The Legion of Honor, however, recognises his unique place in the city's fabric. Whether spinning tall tales or sharing real news, he remains a fixture of the streets he loves.
The award highlights Akbar's enduring presence in a changing city. His daily routine, though no longer profitable, keeps a piece of Parisian tradition alive. For now, he continues to greet customers with a smile—and the occasional made-up headline.
