Ah, the Bastille, that bastion of royal reactionary military might at the end of the reign of King Louis XVI of France.

The fortress-like prison is long gone, but the Place de la Bastille is still a busy place. A column topped with a gilded statue has been erected in its place, and a half dozen or more streets run into the circle. The strikingly modern Paris Opéra is to one side of the great circle formed by the place.

There are several interesting things to see and do nearby, among them the Canal St-Martin, with its canal boat rides and many graceful foot bridges, and the Promenade Plantée, a lovely elevated garden built on an old railroad viaduct.

Column and new Paris Opéra in
Place de la Bastille, Paris.

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