As the City of Lights strives to become Europe’s ‘greenest’ city, its burgeoning rodent population is shocking tourists
It was an idyllic night a few summers ago. I had spent the evening with friends on the banks of the Seine, sharing a bottle of rosé in the balmy Paris heat. I unchained my bike, hopped on, and started to make my way home.
As I approached the huge courtyard in front of the Notre-Dame, I gazed up at the twin medieval towers, thinking how lucky I was to have this world-famous monument all to myself.
I was then shaken from my reverie by a sudden movement under my front wheel, and the brief but unmistakable feel of clammy fur.
There’s a video here, in French, but that is a lot of rats.
