My son and I are heading to France in 3 weeks; he is an avid collector of militaria, especially from WWII. I remember there are a couple of shops in the Palais Royale and I checked out Clingnancourt on my last trip. We wondered if anyone knew of any places in Paris that might appeal to him. We'll also be in Bayeux for the opening of the Juno Beach Centre on June 6 and then we'll be on the Riviera (based in Cannes)as well if you know of any places there either. Last family trip he picked up a French WWI helmet.

I believe there's a store right on the Place des Vosges that sells medals and such - don't recall seeing any large items like helmets in the store window, but I've never gone in.

Message: St.Cirq Think you responded once before about a shop near Invalides...was that you? If so, could you repeat. Thanks.

Oh, yes. It's on the Avenue de Tourville, just before it intersects with the Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg, on the right-hand side as you are walking up the Avenue de Tourville from Place Ecole Militaire. Again, it has lots of small items in the window and doesn't seem to have regular opening hours, but it's there.

Thanks St.Cirq once again for your help; we're really looking forward to our trip. One thing, I read what you said about seeing into the back of Cafe Marche...and I was looking forward to eating there again!!! Aaaaach!!!

Oh no, Baker, don't do it. I am still mystified why this place gets so much good press. I think it's gross. OK, maybe, to sit outside and have a glass of wine and watch the shoppers on the Rue Cler, but for dinner, noooooo waaayyy. Paris (and the 7th arrondissement) is too full of reasonably priced places to eat to bother with this place.

Why is it so gross? Is it because you saw into the kitchen and we didn't?

Yes, we were there two years ago (it's a few blocks from the hotel we always stay at in Paris) after were turned down at a favorite restaurant of ours in the neighborhood (Le Florimond) because we didn't have reservations (it's very small and has become very popular) and so ended up at the Cafy du Marchy. It was a crowded evening and we were led into the dark recesses of the place, and a young waitress with a bloodied apron took our order. The food was awful, the place was overheated and foul-smelling, and glimpses into the kitchen revealed a less than sanitary situation. (I actually walked over to the door into the kitchen and peered in for some time as I was wondering what was taking so long for our dinner to arrive - it was not pretty) As I said, this place gets a lot of good press because Rick Steves, I believe, promotes it, but it's off my list permanently. Paris has too many good offerings in the food department for anyone to have to resort to a dirty establishment like this.