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Site of Tuileries Palace. John, age 21, between the Musee du Louvre and the Jardins des Tuileries. Photo taken in the summer of 1976. The Eiffel Tower is at John's back. Along with a friend, the two of them rode across the battlefields of the First World War and into Paris. They traveled on bycycles from western Germany during the summer of 1976.

The Tuileries derives its name from the location of a roof tile factory that was once located near the site. A simple name for a building with a complex history.

The gardens of Tuileries Palace were extended to include the site of the palace in the foreground after the building was torched by arsonists in 1871. They were said to be anti-monarchist and supporters of the 2nd Paris Commune then disrupting the order of the city. The massive palace was built for Catherine de Medicis, widow of Henry VI, and once formed the western wall of what was the interior quadrangle of the Louvre Palace.

Now the Louvre Museum is open to the gardens of the former palace which extend to the west. The Tuileries Palace which once stood as the western flank of the Louvre complex, remained a burned out ruin for 12 years before the French government finally pulled it down in the 1880's. During the period, several governments had replaced each other in rapid succession during very unstable times in French politics. No official from any of these weak administrations wanted to assume responsibility for either the cause of the destruction of the palace or its removal. So for over a decade the charred ruins marked the center of the city as city life went on around it.

What is almost as interesting as the palace now gone is the story of what led up to its demise. The second Paris Commune, one of the several other infamous French revolutions that attempted to repeat the great one, lasted long enough to force the collapse of yet another French government. While much of France ignored the protests and anarchy of Paris during the reign of the Commune they had other concerns, not the least of which was a disastrous war with Prussia that brought further instability and humiliation to the French nation. This was just as the last French monarchy came to an end. The nation and the city were suffering from a malaise associated with a decade of poor leadership. As only the French can do as well, they demonstrated that in certain times it is best for the people and the nation to be seen separately. The decade of the 1870’s was one of those times.

Against this backdrop a World's Fair managed to be staged in the middle of it all. The tower in the distance is a lasting reminder of that international fair's wildly popular success with virtually everyone at the time despite the social upheaval going on in the city that surrounded it. A very egalitarian event, it was no small irony the same people who raved over the exhibits also represented every side of the other issues that had virtually brought France to its knees in the 1870's. In spite of it all, the fair went on.

The study of man's character and the history of the societies he attempts to create offer few examples to better illustrate one of the ironies of human nature: the ability to maintain a level of order and optimism in the midst of chaos and collapse. The critics ranted against the crassness of the fair; the people of all classes loved it. Paris was a wreck as a result of mob rule and a failed attempt at yet another revolution. The nation had just been invaded and defeated by a foreign power. The monarchy was finished for good except in the minds of those few who pretended its return. Yet Paris put on what turned out to be one of best world’s fairs ever staged celebrating science and the future. Some would call this insanity; others would call it hope. Where better than Paris would this surreal contradiction have taken shape and be held in balance so well?

As human nature and history go, they can be described as a slowly progressing cycle. Some might suggest it’s a cycle that wobbles forward. That's one interpretation of the hypothesis of human progression by German historian, Georg Friedrich Hegel. With enough revolutions already, Parisians today will simply recite the motto of the first without invoking a new government or another revolution. One revolution was more than enough, merci beaucoup. It’s much more civil to argue over ideas across a cafe table instead of across street barricades.

Unlike the palaces of the monarchy, the tower which anchored the Paris Exhibition arguably had no specific function except to demonstrate the engineering skill of its builders when it was constructed as the focal point of the world fair. Regardless of its minimal function, the French, specifically the Parisians, have embraced it as a beloved symbol of the city. It lasted longer than the fair and the times which gave rise to it. Perhaps the tower is a reminder of the famed Paris Exhibition, the one event worth remembering from the decade of total cha

"Sold" ?10,600

Brightwells description:

Launched way back in 1964, the Ford Mustang has gone on to become one of the most iconic names in US motoring history. See one rumble by today and you immediately think of Steve McQueen's Lt Frank Bullitt hurtling through the streets of San Francisco in the greatest car chase ever filmed. The car went through four generations of development up to 2004, getting progressively heavier and uglier as time went on.

However, in 2005 Ford decided to return to the spirit of the original ‘pony car’ concept of a long bonnet, short rear deck and powerful engine in a move that vice president of design, J Mays, called ‘retro-futurism’. The result was a fabulously muscular looking car that echoed the fastback styling of the original but was packed full of all the toys and safety features that the modern driver expects.

Two engines were initially available, a 210bhp 4-litre V6 and a 300bhp 4.6-litre V8. Transmission was either by Tremec 5-speed manual or by Ford’s own 5-speed auto ‘box. A Shelby GT 500 model was also launched shortly afterwards with a massive 5.4-litre supercharged V8 that produced 550bhp.

This particular car was first registered in January 2005 and has the more economical 4-litre V6 engine and automatic gearbox. A convertible model with a power hood, it has been fitted with the Shelby GT 500 styling kit, massive 20” alloy wheels and an extremely fruity stainless steel sports exhaust that sounds just like a big V8.

Said to be in excellent condition throughout and to drive beautifully, it had covered just 29,800 miles from new at the time of cataloguing, although the vendor was planning a touring holiday in the car shortly after our visit to take these photos. He states that it has always been well maintained in his ownership, including two services within the last year at Minerva Garage, Llanidloes, although there are no bills for this.

Fitted with air conditioning and a CD player, the car is taxed until September and MOTd until April 2012 and is ready to drive away today.