Today to save our feet and wallet we decided to use the Metro to get around. It was absolutely fantastic – fast, cheap and easy! We started the day at Notre Dame and proceeded to Sacre Coeur. The boys were truly sick of cathedrals by that stage so we had a lovely picnic lunch (yes baguette and cheese again!) in the sun and watched some Africans scamming the tourists (the scam involved grabbing a tourists hand, asking them to hold some string while they plaited it, tying it around the tourists wrist so that it couldn’t be undone and then demanding payment!). It was very interesting watching the reaction of all the victims – no two responded the same way.

After lunch we explored Monmatre, which is the medieval and bohemian heart of Paris where the great French artists like Renoir lived. It was unbelievably gorgeous!

Our exploration included the Moulin Rouge which logically, but disappointingly, is in the heart of the red light district with tall building on either side overshadowing it. (And Ewan McGregor nowhere to be seen). Despite the kids pleading to go home after that, we couldn’t resist torturing them some more by dragging them to the Museum D’Orsay to look at some beautiful Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh paintings (actually both boys sat on a chair and refused to walk around the gallery with us – but Chris and I got a great culture fix). By that stage we had run out of money so we walked (dragged ourselves) home and collapsed. Dinner was purchased on the way home at our local artisan boulangerie – pizza, quiche and four different tarts to sample. Chris and I will finish with a glass of wine at the cafe across the road. Bon Soir.