Here’s a photo showing the newly militarized face of Paris. This is in a quiet street with no major tourist attractions (a 10-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, though).
The city hadn’t lost its magic during our July visit (though given the 93-degree high temps I wish that the French did not consider air conditioning to be an unproven novelty), but rifle-toting soldiers were a regular sight.
Nothing new really. I remember visiting 30+ years ago and there were automatic rifle toting soldiers patrolling the Marais near Jo Goldenberg’s restaurant where there had been a terrorist incident not long before. It really stuck in my mind because you never saw troops like that in pre- 9/11 America.
Nice juxtaposition.
The Plan Vigipirate was first devised during the mid-nineties wave of terrorist attacks by the Algerian GIA, and Paris was arguably better prepared than London or Madrid for the current wave.
The Ministry of Education is nearby at 110 rue de Grenelle, which probably explains the reinforced presence. I saw them at department stores and tourist attractions as well.
it’s lost its magic because of immigration. but that’s racist to say. i’m sorry.