Call in the Cavalry

I was crossing Pont de l'Archeveche after spending a lovely morning visiting Notre Dame and wandering about the beautiful boutique shops along Rue Saint-Louis en I'lle when the usual hum of the city was smashed with blaring sirens. Up to 10 Police vehicles full of armed Police sped across the bridge heading towards Town Hall.

I thought the worst and decided to scarper back to my unit in the Latin Quarter - in the opposite direction to where the Police were heading.

The problem must have been so bad that the Police had called in the Cavalry, and down Quai de la Tourelle following the Police came the Cavalry. A kilometre long line of horses and riders in full traditional regalia.

Just like a scene from Blazing Saddles the Cavalry stopped at the traffic lights and I spoke with one of the riders. They were off to a special parade for the President and he thought “the Police were a little exuberant in their approach”.

Obviously, if you have a lot of horses there will be the need for a bit of a clean up operation and true to form following the Cavalry were 2 street sweeping machines collecting all the droppings, and a water truck to flush the road clean.