Dans les parages
When something or someone is “dans les parages” it means they’re nearby. But did you know that this expression, like so many others, comes from seafaring vocabulary?
Originally, the word “parage” (in the singular) was a naval term dating back to the 15th century, meaning “a defined stretch or expanse of sea.” The term corresponds to the Spanish “paraje,” a mooring place, which gave rise to “place where a boat is,” derived from the verb meaning to stop, parar.
The word first designated the stretch of sea bordering the coast. Initially used in the singular, the plural became established in the 19th century. Today, it is used in the common sense of “vicinity, neighbourhood,” especially in the phrase dans les parages.