The Society's last trip to Paris, made in early March 1998, was a great success and so we were delighted that our President, Paolo Brenni, and two of our French members, Philippe Conquet and Michel Morizet, were willing and able to organise another visit to the French capital. This time we visited in the late spring, with longer daylight hours and, so we hoped (!!!!), pleasanter weather. A full report will appear in a future issue of the SIS Bulletin.

One of our members snapped this big telescope at the Paris Observatory

Programme:

Monday 25 May

Arrival. Evening welcome drinks at the hotel Opera Celte La Fayette

Tuesday 26 May

Musée des Arts et Métiers (CNAM; it was closed for renovation in 1998). The day's programme included a group lunch at the Museum, an afternoon visit to the CNAM's magnificent purpose-built stores in St Denis, north of Paris followed by a return to the Museum for an informal gathering with the Society of Friends of Musée des Arts et Métiers

Wednesday 27 May

Musée de la Marine followed by a group lunch next to the museum

Observatoire de Paris

Thursday 28 May

Musée de la Renaissance (in Le Chateau d'Ecouen) followed by a group lunch in the museum restaurant

Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace (at Le Bourget)

Informal gathering at private home of SIS member Anthony Turner, with viewing of instruments and books

Friday 28 May

La Bibliothèque National The Bibliothèque Richelieu with, among other things, its Coronelli globes. (Optional Visit: Extra fee may apply)

Musée Branly featuring the instruments used in the experiments of Edouard Branly, the inventor of the cordless telegraph.

Group lunch at Tolbiac in South East Paris

La Bibliothèque National The Grand Bibliothèque at Tolbiac

Viewing of the machine rooms of the Eiffel Tower

Conference dinner on a cruise boat on the River Seine

The registration fee of £310 included the Conference Dinner, four communal lunches, coach/metro transport and all entrance fees except the optional visit to the Bibliothèque Richelieu, where a small additional entry fee applied.

The Society reserved hotel rooms for five nights, arrival Monday 25 May, departure Saturday 30 May, in the 9th Arrondissement near the Opéra.