Sunday 1 May - Paris - Model Railway Exhibition

  Monoprix had some Epoise so breakfast was a treat.

Today is the first of May which is the Fete des Muguets (Lilly of the Valley).  Lilly of the Valley are given to loved ones to wish them well and to welcome in the spring.  We saw many people carrying small posies of lilly of the valley.

Bill and I went out to do some sight seeing.  Metro line 2 has new trains with wide connections and maps with lights. We walked via Place des Vosges to La Bastille then across to Isle St. Louis and Isle de la Cite to Boulevard Saint Germain.  Three young people were falling down drunk (this could have been a scam) on St. Germain and we were able to avoid a pickpocket attack at St. Michel.

Place des Vosges

 Cheese, cheese everywhere - a wonderful selection of Loire Valley goat cheeses on the Isle St. Louis.

 Paris City Hall

After coffee we decided to visit the railway model show Ferrovi'art at the Espace Charenton.  It was in a pretty small space and contained only trade tables, there were no layouts at all.  The items on display were magnificent, especially the O scale steam and electrics.  The french railway modeler is well served provided he has the money.  Although there were no layouts there were several dioramas used to display products.

 

Some of the brass models were amazing

We came back to Europe Metro stop where I upset a black guy who was trying to get into the Metro through the gate I was using to get out.  I told him to pay just like everybody else - and he swore at me.  Paris doesn't change!

At the traffic circle at Europe we watched the trains in the Gare St. Lazare.  We could see about 11 or 12 but they were coming and going all the time.

 Gare St. Lazare

Came back to the apartment along rue de Rome with its collection of shops selling musical instruments and workshops repairing and making musical instruments.