We were chasing around looking for a different hotel for our last two nights -- frankly a stay in the area of Gare du Nord was not in the cards. I suspected as much when I made the original reservation, but now that we've been at the area of Opera Garnier and stayed in St. Germaine des pres I realize that I've worked too hard for too long to stay in a dodgy area.
On the hunt, we ended up traversing an area where there were truck drivers with loads of antiques and art from all over France (you can tell the origin of the truck or car by the last two digits of the license plate). The goods were destined for this area that I think is called Rue de Drouote. It's an area of back alleys and covered walkways from medieval times that house art and antiquity dealers. Since I am ignorant of what would qualify as worthy, this was a journeyman's tour through what is probably a most interesting area for dealers and visitors who have a knowledge of this world. Nonetheless it was fun to see what what was being unloaded and watching the jostling for position by the drivers and the dealers.
The dealers seemed to take no precautions, doors and windows were open to the street. Of course, there were only three tourists wandering this area - I guess we were off the beaten path for tourists. No photos, we didn't think that would be appreciated...
