An important event for Christians, meaningless to a lot of other people, but either way it's an event; Benedict's first trip to Paris since being made pope in April 2005.

On 12th September 2008 the Pope will meet the President, go to the Collège des Bernardins in the 13th arrondissement to give a talk, then zip along to Notre Dame to give vespers before giving a special message to the youngsters outside.

The next day he will give mass on the esplanade of Les Invalides before leaving the city for Lourdes where he will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the apparition there. After some more masses and meeting sick people, he'll be flying back to Rome on 15th September.

In a shameless Pope-related plug, may I remind you that all our hotels are Rive Gauche, not far from Les Invalides ?... ;-)
Hotel Paris
photo (c) prepster96