Bonjour mes enfants. Forced ourselves up to Sacre Coeur yesterday. Lovely morning , church and Montmarte very busy with tourists and souvenier salesmen. Allows for some interesting observations on the economics of souvenier retailing. The common denominator is a very cheesy Eiffel tower key ring. Darranda has a challenge to return with suitably tacky souveniers from the various European capitals we are taking in so long as the cost less than one euro each. After a couple of hours of casual searching this looked like it might be a problem - however we were rescued by the Eiffel tower key ring. From one 'Tabac' close to Notre Dame we secured a 50cent version - thus comfortably beating the ceiling for Paris. As soon as this was completed we could no longer move around Paris without seeing the same thing sold at much lower prices by the street vendors who are pretty much ubiquitous at all of the main tourist spots. For example at the Eiffel tower itself prices seemed to vary based on the proximity to the Tower and the various Metro stations. Close to the Tower where competition was fiercest prices got as low as four for one euro. Away from the Tower and closer to the Metro stations prices rose somewhat between three for one euro and back to retail level of 50 cents each.
The same variation was observed at Sacre Coeur - bottom of hill more expensive, top cheaper.
Lowest price from some rogue trader outside Notre Dame who was offering 10 for two Euro! 20 cents each!
Comments invited on possible whoelsale price assuming the guy at Notre Dame was selling above cost...
And finally...L'Arc at night
Should be a pricing algorhhtym in all that - ha! I'm suspecting that the 4 for a euro items fell off the back of the lorry carrying stock to the other locations
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