5 for a Euro

Today was 14 degrees out and very sunny. We got up early-ish to go food shopping at a market we'd been recommended at Barbès Rochechouart, which is quite near Montmartre. It ran underneath the elevated metro line for about five blocks. We squished through the crush to the middle, where we'd been told the best bargains were to be had. We've done some serious stocking up; we haggled over mint, and got two specimens of a mystery root vegetable. It was definitely cheaper than our local posh market at Place Monge.

Poivron, anyone?

Richard gets a bargain on broccoli.

Me looking weirdly coy with our spoils. I'm standing in defrosting fish ice here.

We brought home our haul and then went out to walk in the Jardin du Luxembourg, via every opticians we passed. There are millions of them here, selling chic French glasses ranging from geek chic through Sartre through surreal, enough to convince me my glasses could be improved on. An optician got me to try on a pair with one round lens and one square lens - ho ho! In true children's book ending style, my favourite pair was lurking in our most local opticians. They're the lunettes for me!

The Jardin du Luxembourg was heaving with people. They don't go in for grass so much in their parks - they seem to be more gravel-based, and what grass there is is protected by low fences and left to be admired. It's a beautiful park and a lovely walk, with lots going on to see and to do - boules, donkey rides, puppet theatres, chess games, ice cream and more. In the big pond in the front of the palace there was a large piece of iron grating supported by mostly submerged chairs, and the entirety of the pond's fish population was huddling underneath. It was hard to work out why - perhaps it offered them protection from the sun? I'm no fish expert (truly), but it seemed odd behaviour.

Check out my gravel pit

Admiring the grass

Perverse fish behaviour

One of the many chess games being played and watched

Our local square, Place de la Contrescarpe, was looking beautiful in the sunlight. There was a travelling pianist and lots of people sitting outside the cafes. This picture doesn't quite show it off, but it's a super place and one of the nicest things about our area.