Secrets of Paris

On Friday I was on my way to the Marché aux Fleurs on the Ile de la Cité and decided to pass through the Place Dauphine on the way there. It's usually quite a lovely little square (well...triangle), but I was a bit shocked by this sight:

Here's the view towards the western tip of the island (the statue of Henri IV in the background), showing the bare Place Dauphine. A sign explained that the olf chestnut trees were removed because of disease, and will soon be replaced.

Here's the view towards the Palais de Justice. The trees at the far end are a different variety so they didn't get the dreaded leaflminer disease that has run rampant through the horse chestnuts in the Ile de France region.

Sigh. Let's hope the new trees arrive soon. It's just too sad.