Hollywood stars, Auvergne style

Embedded in the sidewalk here and there around the city are metal plates celebrating native sons and daughters. At first we thought they were (very cool) drain plates, but they're just public art.

There's one of the founders of the city--she lived in 1195!

And the Gaul commander who defied the Romans for years (1200 years before Comtesse G!).

Pope Urban II who opened the first crusade in Clermont-Ferrand in November 1095.

And finally, that Johnny-come-lately, Blaise Pascal, who was born in Clermont-Ferrand in 1623 and helped to develop geometry and to defend the scientific method.

Sometimes living in Europe reminds me just how very, very young the United States is.

Happy Fourth of July!