So first thing you notice is that these are live sewers, you can hear the 'water' gushing under your feet (great rivers of sewage!) and most of the displays show signs of being eaten by the sulphiric acid, it didn't really smell that bad, but you knew it was sewage!
The next ingenious item were these massive steal balls that used to clean the sewers with, basically they work by creating a 'dam' behind them of sewage and then the pressure of the water forces it to go under the ball at a very high velocity, in effect scouring out the grit which then was deposited into specially built grit holders (basically deep pools where the grit settles). These were emptied out every now and then. Such a simple solution and yet doesn't use any extra water or energy...very smart!
This is a phot showing the guys from Les Miserables walking through the sewers (I forget the whole story), but basically they escape through the sewers because they are all interconnected. I really should do more research...
The vast majority of the old sewers are not used anymore, they do still run the majority of cabling/water mains etc along them as it makes it so much easier to maintain becuase you can get access to them.
By the time I emerged from the dark, it was a picture perfect day in Paris, so off to Tracadero for a few shots of the Eiffel Tower and then I walked all the way to the Arc de Triumph and up went all the way to the top, was an excellent view and stood in line for 10 mins max (compared to the Eifell Tower that is nothing), here are a few snaps...
Looking straight up from underneath the tower.
A cute little flower shop on the corner of a 'wedge', wedges are really common in Paris with its spiralling streets.
Spiralling staircase going up the Arc.
Looking towards the Eiffel tower.
Me, with the Champs Elysees in the background.
Looking towards La Defence
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