\nI landed at the Charles de Gaulle airport and made my way to Gare Montparnasse, from where I was going to take the train to Le Mans, about 200 km away but a journey of under 1 hour thanks to the high-speed train. I had some time which I used for a walk around the neighbourhood. The Montparnasse station has an impressive fa\u00c3\u00a7ade with names of the main destination cities:
\n
![\"DSF4363\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n11_2<\/strong> 11_3<\/strong> 11_4<\/strong> 11_5<\/strong> 11_6<\/strong> 11_7<\/strong> 11_8<\/strong> 11_9<\/strong> 11_10<\/strong> 11_11<\/strong> 11_12<\/strong> 11_13<\/strong> 11_14<\/strong> 11_15<\/strong> 11_16<\/strong> 11_17<\/strong> 11_18<\/strong> 11_19<\/strong> 11_20<\/strong> 11_21<\/strong> 11_22<\/strong> 11_23<\/strong> 11_24<\/strong> 11_25<\/strong> 11_26<\/strong> 11_27<\/strong> 11_28<\/strong> 11_29<\/strong> 11_30<\/strong> 11_31<\/strong> 11_32<\/strong> 11_33<\/strong> 11_34<\/strong> 11_35<\/strong> 11_36<\/strong> 11_37<\/strong> 11_38<\/strong> 11_39<\/strong> 11_40<\/strong> 11_41<\/strong> 11_42<\/strong> Then I went to the airport and flew home to Alicante.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I had meetings at the OECD in Paris on March 16th and 17th, so I had to travel there on the 15th. I decided to take an early morning flight and spend Wednesday visiting my uncle Joseph in Le Mans. All the photos in this week’s blog are from the 3 days in France. 11_1 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3855,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3926"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3926"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3936,"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3926\/revisions\/3936"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fotocycle.dk\/paws\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nOld and new, side by side:
\n![\"DSF4351\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nGlass and reflections:
\n![\"DSF4354\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nTour Montparnasse:
\n![\"DSF4356\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nA small chapel is being set up at Montparnasse:
\n![\"DSF4362\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_5.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nFrance is currently affected by a wave of strikes to protest against the increase in the retirement age from 62 to 64, still absurdly low compared to other countries, but the French do not like to give up their privileges. My trip was not affected much by the strikes, except for a small delay in my return train from Le Mans to Paris that evening, and of course the piles of garbage accumulating in Paris due to the garbage handlers’ strike (good thing this is happening in March and not in July!):
\n![\"DSF4360\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nI arrived in Le Mans and walked to Joseph’s house. On the square in front of the train station, one of the trade unions had set up a tent to recruit members and to explain its side of the pension dispute:
\n![\"DSF4364\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_7.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nLooking on:
\n![\"DSF4365\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nWhile walking to Joseph’s house, I passed the Boucherie de la Gare, where they make the delicious local specialty, Rillettes du Mans<\/em>. Sadly, I did not know if I would have a fridge in my hotel in Paris (and rillettes do not keep very long at room temperature), so I could not buy any to take home and had to settle for a photo of the sign:
\n![\"DSF4366\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_9.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nI spent most of the afternoon talking with Joseph at his house. For a man who will turn 92 in June, he is in good shape, still giving talks about his wartime experiences, still taking care of his big house, including chopping wood for the fireplace seen here:
\n![\"DSF4367\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_10.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThen it was time for me to take the train back to Paris, and Joseph walked with me to the station:
\n![\"DSF4370\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_11.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nNo more photos on Wednesday evening; I took the train back to Montparnasse, picked up my suitcase that I had left in the lockers there, and made my way to my hotel, near Porte St-Cloud. The neighbourhood turned out quite nice, and there was a good Korean restaurant across the street from the hotel. On Thursday morning it was time to go to work at the OECD. While walking to the metro station, I looked at the traffic on the P\u00c3\u00a9riph\u00c3\u00a9rique, the infamous Paris ring road, and was grateful that I did not have to deal with it. In the background is the national stadium, Stade de France:
\n![\"DSF4373\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_12.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nI arrived at the OECD around 8 a.m. The main hall was still largely empty. It had been a year sine my last visit; I always enjoy being here:
\n![\"DSF4380\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_13.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThis is the meeting room where I spent most of Thursday and Friday:
\n![\"R007687\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_14.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nCoffee break:
\n![\"R007690\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_15.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nA breath of fresh air in the OECD courtyard:
\n![\"R007706\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_16.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe OECD facilities are dotted with art donated by the member countries, like this sculpture from my native Poland:
\n![\"R007709\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_17.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nAnother work of art, an appetiser in the excellent Nations restaurant at the OECD, some kind of carrot flan:
\n![\"R007703\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_18.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe meeting ended, and we moved on to this magnificent building, Ch\u00c3\u00a2teau de la Muette, for a cocktail reception. The Ch\u00c3\u00a2teau was the original OECD (or OEEC, as it was then) building when the organisation was founded in the 1940s. Today it houses some ceremonial rooms and the office of the Secretary-General:
\n![\"DSF4393\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_19.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe main hall of Ch\u00c3\u00a2teau de la Muette:
\n![\"DSF4386\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_20.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4382\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_21.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe meeting rooms in the Ch\u00c3\u00a2teau are named after the great statesmen of the post-war era:
\n![\"DSF4384\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_22.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe reception:
\n![\"DSF4389\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_23.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4391\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_24.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nI left the reception and passed the modern part of the OECD facilities on my way out:
\n![\"DSF4394\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_25.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nI decided to go to the Trocad\u00c3\u00a9ro area to look for some food and drink. One of the attractions of that square is the magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower:
\n![\"DSF4403\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_26.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe souvenir vendors were out in force:
\n![\"DSF4401\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_27.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4395\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_28.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nOn the side of the Trocad\u00c3\u00a9ro square is the Mus\u00c3\u00a9e de l’Homme<\/em>. I have walked past it many times, but have never been inside:
\n![\"DSF4402\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_29.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nFriday morning, again on my way to the metro, I passed by a small park where people were playing with their dogs. I hung around for a few minutes, taking in the action:
\n![\"DSF4414\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_30.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4415\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_31.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4413\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_32.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4407\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_33.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4406\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_34.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4411\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_35.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n![\"DSF4409\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_36.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nOnce again, I admired the traffic heading into Paris:
\n![\"DSF4416\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_37.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nDuring the lunch break, I went for a walk in a nearby park, Jardin du Ranelagh:
\n![\"DSF4423\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_38.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThere are several statues in the park, like this one, Vision du po\u00c3\u00a8te\u00c2\u00a0<\/em>by\u00c2\u00a0Georges Bareau\u00c2\u00a0(1902), a tribute to Victor Hugo:
\n![\"DSF4418\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_39.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nP\u00c3\u00aacheur ramenant dans ses filets la t\u00c3\u00aate d’Orph\u00c3\u00a9e<\/em> (1882) by L\u00c3\u00a9on-Eug\u00c3\u00a8ne Longepied:
\n![\"DSF4424\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_40.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nBesides the art, there are several installations like this one, designed to promote biodiversity by providing a home for a variety of insects:
\n![\"DSF4422\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_41.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe OECD is located in the 16th arrondissement, a very posh area that is home to many embassies and expensive residences. But even here, the garbage strike was evident:
\n![\"DSF4428\"](\"uploads\/2023\/11_42.jpg\")
<\/p>\n