Windy City

"Risk of violent winds, falling branches"

Not usually the scene I'm used to here, but the wind has picked up and has been banging the French door windows in the apartment since last night.  Strong rain, too.  No, I'm not in Chicago.  There's a storm blowing through France from the ocean (Atlantic, for those of you not into geography), named Tempête Joachim that's apparently doing some real damage closer to the sea.  

Here a bit of local scenery to provide a better idea - 

These chairs are not lying down on purpose.

In fact, on my walk today, I got stuck in the Luxembourg Garden and realized there were no other people around me.  There seemed to be just one entrance open on each side of the park, and no others.  I'm not quite sure how that helps prevent anyone being hit by a flying branch, but I suppose it's Paris's way of saying, "We'll let you in the Jardin, but only if you really make an effort to find an open gate, and then it's your problem if after you've given it that much thought, you have decided to take the risk."  Kind of passive/aggressive, if you ask me.

And then there's that sign at the top, which is located at the open entrances, to make the point extra clear.  I can just see a lawyer (working with an Impressionist artist) having thought that one up.