#  >  > Non Asia Travel Forums >  >  > Travel the World Travellers Tales Forum >  >  A walk in Paris

## Butterfly

I wanted to try my new iPhone 3G camera so I had a small walk in Paris and took a number of pics. Hopefully the pics will be good as the camera seemed a bit unreliable.

First, in my street, I can see this, it is the "Sacre Coeur" where they keep Napoleon bullocks in a golden safe (no joke)

see the students having a romantic picnic as the evening comes,

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## Butterfly

it's 10pm, the night is falling and testing the new cam, guess what is the tall structure at the end  :Razz:

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## English Noodles

> guess what is the tall structure at the end


A ladyboy lying on his/her back with a raging erection?

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## Butterfly

next, the "Tuileries" and the "Louvre"

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## Butterfly

this is the "Grand Roue de Paris", but it's actually not the real one, the real one is somewhere in Singapore or Shanghai

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## Butterfly

another angle to the "Louvre", quite empty, little tourists, usually this is a crowded area

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## Butterfly

then the view on the fountain as the evening comes, not sure which pic is better

notice the 2 large buildings far in the background, quite famous, guest what they are ?  :Razz: 



and without the chairs

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## Butterfly

another angle,

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## Moonraker

I went to Paris once.

Asides from the cool architecture and stuff it was really, really, really shit. The Parisian's were rude, ignorant, arrogant, obnoxious cnuts.

I left early.

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## Bobcock

Aaaaaahhhhh....wonderful wonderful Paris....

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## Bettyboo

A tad harsh Moonraker.




> The Parisian's were rude, ignorant, arrogant, obnoxious cnuts.


I love Paris, had some great times up on the top of the hill, by urm, can't remember, but there's a big church and it's very nice. Great restaurants, good place to have a beer; try to speak a word or two of French and the locals will quickly answer in English, and be nice (I've heard that they give Americans stick, big time...)

Paris is great, and only a few hours from London. Makes, you really appreciate home when you get back to Waterloo...  :Smile:

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## Bobcock

Post One is not Sacre Coeur......

Sacre Coeur is the church on the hill mentioned, it's white.....

I forget what it is that holds Napoleons bits....Les Invalides?

Funny, I've never found Parisiens rude at all, certainly no more than Londoners....

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## Smug Farang Bore

Why are there so many trees in Paris?

To keep the sun off the Germans heads as they marched in.

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## The Muffinman

> Aaaaaahhhhh....wonderful wonderful Paris....


You're absolutely right, a simply stunning city. 

The Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Champs Elysees, Montmartre, L'Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower...I could go on and on.

Without a doubt the most beautiful city I've ever been to. (Closely followed by Istambul)

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## Loy Toy

I love Paris and never had a problem with the locals.

Hope to get back there one day soon.

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## Butterfly

> Sacre Coeur is the church on the hill mentioned, it's white.....
> 
> I forget what it is that holds Napoleons bits....Les Invalides?


damn, I think you are right !!!  :Smile: 

it is the "Invalides", and for some reasons thought it was the "sacre coeur", even though I live right next to it

Most tourists probably know more about those monuments than I do, even though I lived there most of my life  :Razz: 

more to come, with some Eiffel tower shots

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## Bobcock

I thought you were a Walloon? (sp?}

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## Jet Gorgon

Seen this already many times. Last I went, Sacre Coeur was on a hill with a bunch of bldgs around it. C'mon, show us pics of the immigrant gangs torching cars and some Metro photos with scratch & sniff decals.

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## Perota

^ What the point ?

We know that when it comes to senseless gang related violence, America is far superior to us.

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## Perota

The best way to discover Paris is driving through the empty boulevards at 5 am in August, after a night of partying.

Then you find a nice place, my favorite spot used to be on the terrace near the Palais de Chaillot, over looking the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars. You open your last bottle of Champagne and  enjoy the romantic moment with your girlfriend.

Then you sit at the terrace of a cafe, have a coffee and a croissant and watch the people going to work.

Decadent life Parisian style ....

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## Jet Gorgon

^ Nah, they don't work in August, do they?

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## Butterfly

since we were talking about the "Invalides", here are more pics of that monument on the other side

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## Butterfly

time to take a break at a nearby cafe,



and having a few Leffe,

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## Norton

Great pics BF. Paris one of my favorite cities. No problems with the locals.

A little musical accompaniment.

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## Butterfly

walking to the Eiffel Tower

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## Butterfly

getting closer to the "big iron lady" as she is called locally, notice the crowd, it was a slow day

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## Butterfly

and here we are,

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## Butterfly

at the bottom of the thing, you can rent a small horse cart for 150 EURO a trip, 

no shortage of tourist idiots here,

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## Butterfly

you don't realize how big it is until you come very close to it

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## Butterfly

now going under it,

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## Perota

> getting closer to the "big iron lady" as she is called locally


???  


"big iron lady" ?

_

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## Butterfly

^ t'es nouveau ou quoi ? t'as jamais entendu de la "dame de fer" ?  :Confused:

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## Butterfly

a few crappy souvenirs to buy

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## Butterfly

a big line to wait, about 45 min, like I said, a slow day, it's usually 1h30 wait

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## Butterfly

underneath the Eiffel tower

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## Butterfly

from a different angle,

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## Butterfly

and right under it,

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## Butterfly

and one last shot,

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## Orroz

Nice shots although I thought for a native you'd show us some different parts. Not the usual hot spots

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## sabang

Nice pic's BF. Why don't you do a prowl in that huge park where all the prossie's hang out, and get some sneak pic's.  :Smile:

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## Perota

> ^ t'es nouveau ou quoi ? t'as jamais entendu de la "dame de fer" ?


Thatcher ?




> Nice shots although I thought for a native you'd show us some different parts. Not the usual hot spots


Right. When I left (20 year ago !) the really "hot" places were around Bastille. 

Where do the "natives" hang around nowadays ?

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## sabang

I stayed in some modest B & B near Invalides, nice part of town. Not too touristy and quite close to all of the attractions.

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## nidhogg

> I went to Paris once.
> 
> Asides from the cool architecture and stuff it was really, really, really shit. The Parisian's were rude, ignorant, arrogant, obnoxious cnuts.
> 
> I left early.


I am sure they missed you.

Brilliant city Paris.  Awesome food everywhere, great wine, museums (prefer the Musee d'Orsay to the louvre).  History everywhere.

I found that with the french, you gotta _try_ to speak french.  Most of them speak better english than I do french, but you gotta _try_.  Even sit there with your phrase book and give it a go.  The reception is completely different 90% of the time.  yes, some of the waiters are arrogant, difficult fucks, but it helps to realize they are exactly the same with the french patrons...

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## wefearourdespot

> it's 10pm, the night is falling and testing the new cam, guess what is the tall structure at the end


Ain't it that old rusty metal structure whose demolition expenses the municipality never could afford ?

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## wefearourdespot

> notice the 2 large buildings far in the background, quite famous, guest what they are ?


I easily recognize the arc where Hitler's troops paraded on June 1940.

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## wefearourdespot

> I went to Paris once.
> 
> Asides from the cool architecture and stuff it was really, really, really shit. *The Parisian's were rude, ignorant, arrogant, obnoxious cnuts.*
> 
> I left early.


 Having read Butterfly's posts, you should have expected that and saved you the trip since start.

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## wefearourdespot

> at the bottom of the thing, you can rent a small horse cart for *150 EURO* a trip,


 :Eek2:  and we moan about Phuket tuk tuk scammers

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## wefearourdespot

> and right under it,


so it's exactly as I expected it, ugly and claustrophobic

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## Butterfly

> Nice shots although I thought for a native you'd show us some different parts. Not the usual hot spots


good point, but those "usual hot spots" are really nice to take pics, the other "obscure" parts have to be seen in real, not through shots

the camera is not doing much credit to the "feeling" of the place, it really has to be seen. However, I would hate to be a tourist in Paris, it's easy to get lost and be stuck with a crowd of "average" tourists and be taken into an unoriginal "tour".

Going to the hot spots is still nice as a break from my usual places, it almost feels like a different Paris for me, as strange as it sounds.

I haven't gone up the Eiffel Tower in 30 years  :Razz:

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## Butterfly

> Thatcher ?


 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  not a real Parisian, aren't you ? "La Grande Dame de Fer" is what she is called.




> When I left (20 year ago !) the really "hot" places were around Bastille.


yes a nice place full of suburbs Algerians and tourists, and that was already the case 20 years ago  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  It has actually improved recently, new bars, better clientele, and "Republic" has also become the new "chic"




> I stayed in some modest B & B near Invalides, nice part of town. Not too touristy and quite close to all of the attractions.


this is actually my favorite part of town. A lot of nice restaurant, residence, ambassadors residence. This is the area where Obama went to dine in a small "bistrot" with his family. Some will say too quiet, but by far I like it the best. This is one of the most expensive part of town btw, very residential, the "true" residential Parisians.

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## Perota

> Originally Posted by Perota
> 
> Thatcher ?
> 
> 
>  not a real Parisian, aren't you ? "La Grande Dame de Fer" is what she is called.



I was born in the XV arrondissement  branleur  :Smile: 

Honestly I don't know how it's called in tourist guides, in Paris we just call it "Tour Eiffel".

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## Mr Earl

> I wanted to try my new iPhone 3G camera so I had a small walk in Paris and took a number of pics. Hopefully the pics will be good as the camera seemed a bit unreliable.
> 
> First, in my street, I can see this, it is the "Sacre Coeur" where they keep Napoleon bullocks in a golden safe (no joke)


That's Les Invalides, it was once a hospital. Sacre Coeur is up on the hill behind Montmartre

Not far from Les Invalides is the Musee Rodin. You'd like that, one my favorite places in Paris.
Also down the street is the Musee Maillol (lovey nude sculptures too). If you like Monet Musee Marmotant which is near the cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried

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## Butterfly

> Not far from Les Invalides is the Musee Rodin. You'd like that, one my favorite places in Paris.


yep, that one up the road, visited that one long time ago. I might visit "Le Louvre" again, it has been almost 15 years since I did last time  :Razz: 




> Also down the street is the Musee Maillo


actually Maillot is up the road, you can see it in the background in the Eiffel tower pics




> If you like Monet Musee Marmotant which is near the cemetery


never went to see that one, 

didn't take you for quite the "cultural" type Mr Earl, but you surely know your Parisian museums, 

come on, you googled it, didn't you ?  :Razz:

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## Jet Gorgon

> That's Les Invalides, it was once a hospital. Sacre Coeur is up on the hill behind Montmartre


I tried to tell him that about the church. But, he's the Frenchie.
Hey, how about a snap of Gertrude Stein's place? Or the two maggots? Bon Marche? The Opera joint?

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## Mr Earl

> come on, you googled it, didn't you ?


I did to refresh my memory. I couldn't remember Maillot and Marmotant.
I've been the musee Rodin several times. And the Musee Maillot at least twice.
And a couple of visit to the Musee Marmotant.
The Musee Marmotant is fun because it takes you a very pretty relatively untouristy part of Paris. Don't forget Jim Morrisons' grave. It's a really beautiful cemetery.

Musee Picasso is also very worthy of a visit or two. 
There are a lot of new artists there too.
The artistic scene in Paris is like no other.
I spent the better part of a year playing art dealer between Minneapolis an Paris.

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## Perota

> Hey, how about a snap of Gertrude Stein's place? Or the two maggots?


I guess you mean faggots ...

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## Jet Gorgon

^ More than two there.  :Smile: 
Love the Picasso museum, but think my fav is Muse d'Orsay. The space is magnificent as are the collections.

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## Butterfly

Yes, Orsay is quite nice. Have you tried the "Petit Palais" across the street ?

http://maps.google.fr/maps?hl=fr&cli...ed=0CC4QnwIwAw

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## tom4u

> I went to Paris once.
> 
> Asides from the cool architecture and stuff it was really, really, really shit. The Parisian's were rude, ignorant, arrogant, obnoxious cnuts.
> 
> I left early.


Get out in the French country side and the French folks there will tell you that the only foreigners they have trouble with are Parisians.

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## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Originally Posted by Mr Earl
> 
> Also down the street is the Musee Maillo
> actually Maillot is up the road, you can see it in the background in the Eiffel tower pics


actually my mistake, it was "Palais de Chaillot" in the background, not "musee maillot" which I have no clue where it is, maybe near "Pte Maillot"

not used to those strange name anymore,

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## Jet Gorgon

> Yes, Orsay is quite nice. Have you tried the "Petit Palais" across the street ?


Sadly, no. That's why I love to live in a city for a year or two. You can see places at leisure and find the small cafes, theatres, galleries, etc, that you always miss as a tourist. Had a chance to work in Paris, but passed it up. Regret it now.

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## Butterfly

for those who love nice and expensive French restaurants, there is the 2 star Michelin "Le Jules Vernes" on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, 

2 months waiting list and about 150 EUR per head,

last minute tourist looking at the menu and expensive prices are not welcomed  :Razz:

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## Butterfly

nearby the French police doing what they do best, fuck all. The police woman was actually very cute, hence me taking her picture  :Smile:

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## Butterfly

next a walk on the Champs Elysees,

as you can see quite busy with tourists, hate the fucking place

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## Butterfly

here a pic of the very busy Peugeot store, they are having a twin expo of the shop in Shanghai

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## Butterfly

for our resident gay friends  :Razz:

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## Butterfly

a nice angle shot of the "Arc de Triomphe", a reminder of France courageous victories  :Razz:

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## Butterfly

and looking back,

guess where that long road takes you to ?

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## Butterfly

it takes you back to "Le Louvre" of course,

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## Traveler123

Last time I was in Paris, I walked up to a well-dressed guy and asked in poor French if he spoke English, as I was looking for directions (Parlevous Englis?).  He looked at me and said in a perfect London accent "I'm sorry, I don't speak English."  I thanked him, found my way back to my hotel, and checked out.  That was in 1994.  I have not been back to Paris since, but several times to other sites in Europe, including the French countryside.  Just not to Paris.

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## Butterfly

^ you sound like a right wing American loonies with a thin skin ?  :Confused:

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## Jet Gorgon

Restaurants...ever been to La Tour d'Argent? I went to the Tokyo venue several times for biz reasons. A bit too old-style swishy for my tastes in decor, but the service and food were impeccable.

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## Farang Ky Ay

Here are some aditionnal pics from Paris, I tried not to put pictures of touristics spots, but in Paris it's barely possible (jokin')

First, transportation:






The louvre (sorry!), and by the way I agree with another Member, Orsay museum is much nicer (or may be the piece of arts are  easier to tackle, no need to be an art expert to enjoy it)



A detail of an alley :

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## Farang Ky Ay

Paris in summer is not too bad :



I can't resist posting another picture of the Triumph Arch:



Finally, young people hang around in many places in Paris, just try Les Halles at ground level, St Denis street ... but tourists usually don't like so much becaus they tend to be nervous with youngsters around ... and if they feel you're afraid they may bite you.  :Smile:   I can give some places : batofar in the riverside (F.Miterrand Library station), Bastille area rocks at night, The marais area is nice to have a drink, and if you're adventurous you can try the pigalle area, there is a few large venue to dance ... In all this places you will find french going around, but I can't say if it's a good thing for tourists :-)

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## Mr Earl

^^^ Photos are getting better!



> Yes, Orsay is quite nice.


Some of the most exquisite impressionist works I've seen are in a little room at Orsay with some really lovely pastels by Pierre Bonnard, I had to go back a couple of times to get my fill.

The Van Gogh room is great. Actually all of Orsay is incredible especially the building itself.

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## Mr Earl

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Originally Posted by Mr Earl
> 
> ...


I spelled it wrong. Musee Maillol. It's 61 rue de grenelle, alas it's closed through September.
Aristide Maillol, one of the great sculptors. 


Almost as good as Rodin. Rodin was something very special


Interesting sidenote to the musee Mailol. The model for much of his stuff was the one running the museum, interesting older lady. I wonder if she's still alive.

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## Butterfly

> Musee Maillol. It's 61 rue de grenelle,


damn, not far from where I live now, never heard of that one  :Razz: 

I might know the building though,

they even have a website and a wiki entry

http://www.museemaillol.com/

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_Maillol

it seems to be more of an art gallery than a full museum

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## Butterfly

> Paris in summer is not too bad


that stupid idea of "Paris Plage" by our "Notre de Dame de Paris", that is our gay mayor, is an absolute disgrace

traffic jam everywhere,

it has been raining quite heavily for the last 3 days, quite miserable

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## Farang Ky Ay

Thanks Earl




> Originally Posted by Farang Ky Ay
> 
> Paris in summer is not too bad
> 
> 
> that stupid idea of "Paris Plage" [...] is an absolute disgrace
> 
> traffic jam everywhere,
> 
> it has been raining quite heavily for the last 3 days, quite miserable


Hum maybe you're not a true parisian? :Smile:  We never use car to wander in the town in daytime, it's either bike/moterbike, metro or bus...
Giving so much space to cars in this town is a mistake, I'm glad that they try to give back some life to the riverside, at least in august when parisians tend to go on holidays... 

Don't worry for the weather, the sun is comming back this WE.  :mid:

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## Butterfly

> Hum maybe you're not a true parisian? We never use car to wander in the town in daytime, it's either bike/moterbike, metro or bus...


encore un Parisien BoBo,

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## Farang Ky Ay

> Originally Posted by Farang Ky Ay
> 
> Hum maybe you're not a true parisian? We never use car to wander in the town in daytime, it's either bike/moterbike, metro or bus...
> 
> 
> encore un Parisien BoBo,


Je l'attendais celle là! C'est mieux que beau-beauf c'est déjà ça  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Butterfly

a small update, nice pictures from the country side for a change

small streets with locals in a French village

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## Butterfly

with the village church,

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## Butterfly

and the village Chateau  :Razz:

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## Butterfly

a plate of cheese,

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## Butterfly

and fine liquors,

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## Butterfly

in an authentic local Auberge,

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## Butterfly

and more cheese  :Razz:

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## Cujo

Great stuff BF, just great, lost myself for a while there.

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