Do not be wearing Yellow today

In the aftermath of a day in Paris where the yellow vest or gilets jaunes protests continued in earnest where 1400 people were arrested, Paris was in lock down in a way we had never experienced after many visits here. After seeing many, many places being hoarded up Friday, it was our decision to be away from the Centre of Paris on Saturday. As Saturday provides a good day to visit the Clignancourt flea/antique/weird stuff Market area where K was looking for some vintage coup style champagne glasses.

On the way.....

Freeway blockages

We were allowed to proceed on our way after only a few minutes, the gilets jaunes had made their point and by that time the amazingly patient and supportive drivers had had enough and were starting honking earnestly. Support has been overwhelmingly high for the core cause here in Paris as numerous we have spoken to reflect the dissatisfaction with their personal cost of living right now. Support has started to wane in the wake of last Saturdays violent rather than passive demonstration where it is felt that people not central to the cause are using the opportunity to behave poorly or leverage other agendas.

Paul Bert Serpette (110 Rue Des Rosiers) and Paul Bert market (18 rue Paul Bert) are the central pieces in an area where there is much to see as mentioned regarding flea/antique/weird stuff Market shopping.

We got to the area before many of the shops were open in order to see some of the interesting artwork shown on the shutters.

There is plenty of artwork here, some paid and commercial and others more organic.

Some of the great street art is close to the side street entrance to Paul Pert and on the walk there from the Metro station.

We didn't end up getting the Coup glasses since many of the Stores we had seen before they opened.....never ended up opening at all. It may have been the riot concerns or maybe its just a winter thing.

The 16th Vintage Clothes Mecca

Rue De La Pompe

K and I have been here before and yes, its the motherlode of Women's Vintage Clothes shopping. Another shop has some Menswear yet its not much. So many amazing clothes from every conceivable designer. Wow, its endless including shoes and bags.

We have been in this shop before yet not when they close all the shutters and freak out about being attacked. It was about then that we realised that people outside didn't seem as concerned as the people in our shop..... maybe we are in the wrong place at this moment.

OK, could you please ring up the sale for this gorgeous Hermes scarf. K doesn't let protesters get in between her and the most divine scarf ever made. We got an Uber and all ended well, particularly for K and her scarf.

There is a happy Girl

To bookend the day and our interaction with the gilets jaunes, safe and snug in our apartment we heard escalating noises coming from the street, sirens and then what seemed like hundreds of gilets jaunes running down our quiet street toward the Champ de Mars and the Eiffel Tower beyond. There was quite a noise and the frantic sounds of shopkeepers pulling down their shutters and restaurants bringing in their tables. It was over in a minute as they ran through pushing over parked motorbikes and throwing projectiles randomly at shops. I see all this from our 5th floor balcony and felt for the shopkeepers, waiters and the butchers from the Boucherie across the street. Don't pick on them, they have big knives in there! This mob was just a bunch of boys behaving badly, they didn't do anything to the Bank right between the Boucherie and multiple restaurants. Please don't attack the very people who are supporting the protest. Its very complicated! I chose not to show any photos/footage of the gilets jaunes mob doing naughty things.

Part of the entourage