Last day at the TOUR

Of  course, nothing starts without coffee........

 ...........and then you turn around and see this!

'Allo Wiggins. The Poms invaded Paris for today.

Cathy texting on Pont Alexandre III

The Police are coming. There seem to be hundreds of police vans.

A couple of Aussie fans on the Champs Elysees

Is it Wiggins?

Bloody hell, they've cloned him. No, it is just one of the preliminary rides. 

The beginning of the caravan

Other photos of some of the caravan.

 

 

 

And then, Hincappe leads the peleton onto the Champs Elysees. His last Tour. Must admit the lens misted up a bit at this point.

 

The peloton, 1st time 'round.

The breakaway, coming down the hill.

The peleton in pursuit.

Last lap.

Sadly we couldn't see the finish live, although they had a giant screen.
 A typically French touch to the day was that , along with superb food and drink outlets, great audio commentary and well set up viewing, THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO PUBLIC TOILETS. 

An afternoon at the Opera

After walking for miles, we lobbed at the Opera Garnier. Guided tour ready to start. Only another 5 miles walking. Great to see, but Oh! my feet.
I put this photo in as an example of the opera at its dullest. See below.

Hate to pay the light bill.

Apparently the heat and smoke when all these lights were gaslights, was tremendous

 .
The circle and boxes. The middle seats were the 'amphitheatre' and the front ones the 'orchestra'.

The chandelier that occasioned Phantom of the Opera. When we saw it, it had been lowered to about 1 metre above the seats, to change the light bulbs.

The dome that the chandelier is drawn  up in to. (you can see the support wires) Painted by Chagall.

I think this was some kind of foyer. Reminiscent of Versaille's Hall of Mirrors.

A 'fireplace' in the foyer.

The Grand staircase. Marble and gold everywhere.

From the inside, looking out.

The marble stair-rail

Cathy is in this photo of the front balcony. Somewhere. 

Place de la Opera

No, it's not the Phantom and whats-her-name. 

A sudden glimpse of Sacre Coeur from Blvde Hausmann.

Memories of a lovely lunch, and Paul Keating. (Ask Anne) 

July 19th to 21st

We loved the deep shade for a lunch in Roax. Not so good for the camera, though.

The restaurant was called, as you can see, The Ace of Hearts. 

Paul filling in his tax return (or something). 

Making essence de lavende

The guy in red trows the lavender down and the other guy catches it with his pitchfork and puts it into the still.

Lunch at Mirabel aux Baronnies. Cathy, as usual, photographed every dish. I have promised her a food blog when we return to London.
Now to Val's Provencal garden .....

....with the cemetery wall in the background.

 

 and the boule court ......

.... and Ventoux in the distance.

Cathy beginning a rose

Cathy apres rose

Paul in a sad moment, before the pastis

At last, to Paris Place de Clichy.. 

Apparently the sculptor thought the world owed him something.

Cathy on Blvde Porte de Clichy

Bloody aussies everywhere

Eglise Trinite

Cathy shopping.

Resting, waiting for the tour of the Opera Garnier. This will surely follow.