We understand certain streets in Paris are closed on certain nights so thousands can go rollerblading. Can someone tell us where this takes place and on what night or nights?

Hi Al, <BR> <BR>The bladers congregate at the Place d'Italie about 9:00 on Friday nights and leave from there. They do get a police escort and if you are in a car you might get backed up for a time. We were having a drink with friend at the Danton just off the Bld. Saint Germain when the blader went by, it seemed to go on for almost 1/2 hour, and after the bladers were the bikers. It looked like everyone was having a great time. I would think that if you are a decent rollerblader it would be a wonderful experiece. My wife and I just bought an apartment on the bld St. Marcel, and were sleeping(almost),when we heard them coming back up the Ave. des Gobelins, I think it was about Midnight. <BR> <BR>I have heard another, maybe a younger group leaves from the Place de la Bastille, I'm not sure of the schedule. <BR> <BR>I also heard that Bastille day this year I think there were approximately 10,000 or more. <BR> <BR>I would like to hear more about this. It looks like great fun. <BR> <BR>Sincerely, <BR> <BR>Randall Smith <BR> <BR> <BR>

Randall: I saw a TV story about this on Lonely Planet with Justine Shapiro. As you said, it looked as if they were having a great time. At 73, I asked this question in order to avoid this sort of thing! We will do our pub crawling in another part of town on that night.

Randall- If you want more info on this go to www.pari-roller.com <BR> <BR>The skating goes from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM on fridays if it doesn't rain. Each time it is a different route. They usually leave from the front of Primtemps Dept. Store.

Fodors <BR> <BR>I'm not sure, but rather think that the current pagesof http://www.pariscope.fr have notes on rollerblading. Certainly, as well as their usual full listings they have special notes on outdoor Paris just now. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR>

We were in Paris last summer. We were getting out of a Metro stop in Latin Quarter on Sunday night around 5pm, near BlVd St. Michel, we heard a roar of people approaching. We rushed out of the Metro stop to see if we got out in the middle of some kind of demonstration. We first saw a street with no cars, then just a block away, we saw this mass of people in 20-30s roller blading down the cleared street. It was a quite a sight. It went on for at least 15 minutes. The drivers from the side streets just sat there in qood spirit, as though it was just a part of life in Paris.