• Paris is both culturally and historically one of the most impressive cities on earth. I was swept away with the sheer brilliance of the city. The people were both kind and friendly and always willing to assist us with directions
• Visually: stunning. I can only sum it up in such a way. Even our great capital, London. doesn’t have monuments to compare to either the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe.
• The police force appears quite ‘out-dated’. Their cars have a singe blue light or simple roll-bar, and their siren is monotone. It’s really disconcerting seeing this when in the UK we come to expect a whole variety of emergency vehicles all lit up by their livering and flashing assortment of lights. France simply does not have this – i am sure it is through choice
• There is no surveillance. Seriously. Even the Eiffel Tower only has a few CCTV cameras. The roads were completely free of cash-cameras and speed limits in no way appear to be enforced. Cameras were hardly present, even at Paris’ most famous and prestigious locations. The ‘lack’ of cameras just highlighted further to me how deeply the UK has sunk into a surveillance society, bordering on police state. Did I feel any less safe? No.
• The French are excellent drivers. Always using the over-taking lane only when over-taking. Their roads are both well maintained and quite plentiful. Though, the presence of toll-roads is an unwelcome sight.

In short – Paris is one of the most beautiful and historic places I have ever visited. I was truly impressed.

On a road-traffic related matter, I wonder how long us UK drivers will still have our relative impunity from speeding when abroad? At present, fixed penalty notices from UK drivers are not sent out from European countries, as the DVLA will not present your details to foreign governments. Quite right too! I, and many others, have experienced the shoddy and down-right lies our own government’s ’safety camera partnerships’ have fobbed us off with, the last thing we want is the DVLA revealing to other governments (without any UK checks) our details. The Labour Government here now plans to do this, egged on by the EU. At university I never advocated leaving the EU, but the more I experience ‘real-life’, the further I realise that leaving the EU holds a strong argument for many. Good luck fighting your (often incorrect!) fixed penalty notice after Labour ram-rails this bill through parliament!