Sculpture of Parisian women, with the epitaph: "Damn, now it's raining." A realization of the french soldiers during the First World War, when they were refugees in this quarry called Chauffours.

The sky train, the train on air cushion. Bertin The company developed several prototypes of this type of train. The test tracks were built in 1965. The smallest to the Gometz Chatel and the largest near Orleans, over 20 kilometers long.

The concrete track is shaped like an inverted T. The world record speed for a vehicle air-cushion was established March 5, 1974. The record speed is 430 km / h. In June 1974, the company Bertin sign a contract for the construction of a high-speed line between the town of Cergy and business district "La Défense". A few months later, the French government reversed its decision and abandon the project.

The failure of the project has several assumptions:
- The oil crisis of 1973.
- Lobbying by the company National Railways (SNCF) and the metallurgic industry.

The engineer Jean Bertin died December 21, 1975. In 1978, the permanent cessation of testing. The prototypes are still 14 years in the hangar. Then the hangar is the victim of arson. The test track Gometz le Châtel no longer exists. It has been replaced by a tunnel bypass to relieve the downtown traffic jams.

Orleans-Saran line still dominates the fields of the campaign. That would be too expensive to demolish it, especially since it nobody.

source: Wikipedia

The great market (bon marché) is emblematic of all famous stores in Paris. Established in 1838, it wont last to be the first big store, a new commercial concept where the selling volume prevail over gross margin. The LVMH consortium bought the great market in 1984 and started to make agressive ads, coupled to a new commercial target: High luxury.

When the same consortium bought the Samaritaine, the intention wasn't the same...

note: Emile Zola, a famous french writer inspired from this universe to write "Au bonheur des dames".

A poster from the CGT / FSM found in the basement of the former stronghold of the press 37 rue du Louvre. Say NO to gravediggers of printing. French Federation of Workers of the book.

Quarries of Paris - The tomb of Philibert Aspairt

On the tomb is inscribed:
In memory of Filiberto Aspairt lost in this career 3 November 1793 after eleven years and found buried there April 30, 1804.

Philibert Aspairt is probably the porter of the hospital of Val de Grace. Was found on him a bunch of keys. But this time it was the French Revolution and its disappearance has troubled person.

Philibert was found 50m from an exit.

The new restaurant of the French college, completly new, air conditionned and a very nice view on Paris. Lucky guys!

The construction of the castle Regnéville-sur-Mer dates from the ninth century. The castle was the witness of many battles between French and English during the Hundred Years War. In the 17th century, the fortress was destroyed by order of Cardinal Richelieu. One wall of the castle flew to the bottom of the church. Today, there are only very little of the original castle (there is a tower collapsed at half) but this crypt is still beautifully preserved.

An old chemical factory in french britanny.