A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 9: 13 years old

After three days in Belgium the children said farewell to Rose Marie, as this was also the owners name, and climbed on board a coach to take them to Paris in France. When they arrived in Paris the hotel was in the "red light district". This was very interesting to the child (it was like being back home).
The Worlds Trade Fair in Paris (1960) was our first visit in Paris followed by a trip up the Eiffel Tower. This was very scary as there was only a small handrail to stop you falling over, but what a view over Paris. All the sights of Paris were to be seen; "the Arc de Triomphe" at the western end of the "Champs-Elysees". This all the children went to see, with the "Unknown Warrior" and flame in the centre. Back to the hotel they all went for their evening meal. After the meal all the children were only allowed out for a short time because of the district they were in.
However at bedtime the child found out there was a girls school staying in the same hotel, but better than that, five of them were on the same floor? After an invitation was pushed under their door in the dead of night the five girls slowly opened the child's bedroom door (why do girls have to giggle?). The giggling got worse and then there were footsteps heard on the stairs. The girls shot back to their own bedroom and then a teacher appeared to check on them. Phew, a near miss. Everybody stayed where they were and then Mr. Douglas slowly opened the child's bedroom door, shone his torch around only to hear everybody snoring. He knew, the child knew, nobody was a fool so no more invitations were sent (but almost?).

After breakfast it was onwards to see Notre-Dame. While on their tour not one child saw the Hunch Back, much to their disappointment. Then it was onward to the Palace of Versailles. This was very interesting for the child, for one of the rooms they were shown into was the Room of Mirrors. When the door was shut behind them nobody could find the door because it was a mirror. Then to the famous gardens so the child could have a quick fag round the back of a hedge. Back to the hotel they went for the evening meal and as a treat the pupils could all stay out until 9pm as it was the last night.

The children all went to the main street as this was where the ladies of the night were. They were well dressed and young (unlike Hillfields) and spoke to the children. A good laugh was had by all, these ladies were very pleasant. At 9pm they wished the children "bon voyage", the children said "goodnight". (The child cannot say what the laugh was about, this is a clean story).