Day 3198 (Wednesday) 11 th March 2026 This is the palace in Monaco and this is the Old Port in Nice. It was quite overcast again today, the sun tried to come out and succeeded from time to time and it was warm enough to eat lunch outside, which we did in Bobbie’s in the square. Town was very quiet with very few tourists around, really can’t wait until spring comes. Here are some more unusual facts about France… French Inventions that Changed the World Marcel Bich (Bic Company) created the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen in 1950, offering an affordable and reliable writing tool. Maurice Lauré introduced the Value Added Tax ( VAT ) in 1954, providing a more efficient tax system that has been adopted by many countries. Le Fardier de Cugnot 1771 model is a steam-powered vehicle designed by French engineer Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, regarded as one of the earliest self-propelled mechanical vehicles, often referred to as the world’s first automobile. France introduced the...