while the cat's away

While most Parisians were out of town for the big long weekend of the 15 August, the pigeons were making the most of it. As I crossed the road from the Metro Havre-Caumartin I was reminded of a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, and started walking a little faster.... Then I began to wonder: Do pigeons go on holiday? Was this in fact a large tour group of pigeons? Do pigeons visiting from China and Russia coo and gush at the thought of all those brioche crumbs falling on pavements? all those forgotten crusts from Croque Monsieurs, all the butter and honey dripping from carelessly nibbled crepes?
Perhaps this was in fact a pigeon gourmand's tour of Paris.