We'd like to SEE the Pari Roller while in Paris. Where is the best place to be and how early should we be there to find a place to sit and relax? We're not interested in participating at all.

The route isn't announced until a day or two beforehand. They all start from outside the Gare Montparnasse at 10pm (unless cancelled for the weather). The one time I went down there, it wasn't particularly crowded with spectators, but you'd have been hunting for a bit of wall to perch on if you wanted to sit and wait.

Another option is to wait until the route for the next Friday is announced, and then look for a metro station near any spot on the route about a kilometre or so into the run (i.e., very soon after the start, so you won't have to wait too long). Anywhere near a main intersection on the route is likely to have a café or bar where you could wait, and there won't be too many (if any) spectators. Once the police roll up to close off the intersection to cars, you know everyone's on their way and you can dash out of the bar to see them pass.

The route is announced at

http://www.pari-roller.com/index.php?p=18

I always love the look of amazement on people's faces when they encounter the group of several thousand people in a random area of Paris near midnight, taking over the major boulevards with their own monitors as well as the very athletic roller blading police.

Unfortunately I never seem to have my camera with me when I encounter the group (but it would be very difficult to get good pictures without careful planning anyway).

I had an apt. one summer that overlooked one of their routes so saw them from my window (and couldn't sleep due to the noise). That was rue de la Convention. This has been going on for so many years and the route is so long that I don't think there are crowds lining up in advance to see them. I don't know what you mean about sitting and relaxing, most of their route is just a street.

Bear in mind, they do tend to pass through pretty quickly - perhaps 15-20 minutes from what I remember. Even if your viewpoint is some way from the start, I'd suggest getting yourself there about 9.45pm to be on the safe side.

They been under my window a few times, but they generally don't come this far north.

They = They've