The French Circus, Arlette Gruss, just happened to be in Bordeaux at the same time we were there (I think the season runs from 16 January to 8th February, 2009). The tent looked magnificent, particularly in the late afternoon sunshine, in the Place des Quinconces- the huge square in the centre of Bordeaux.

The monument was erected between 1894 and 1902 in memory of the Girondists who fell victim of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. These sculptures (below) sit around the base of the column in two large basins.


And because a Messy post isn't (usually) complete without a stranger, here is a lovely gal and her new puppy I photographed in the Place des Quinconces.