Designed by Jacques Hittorff and built between 1861-1865, Gare Du Nord receives over 180 million visitors a year making it the busiest railway station in Europe and third in the world. The eight most prominent statues on its roof represent the international destinations at the time, with the twelve beneath representing other french cities.

Count Marc Gaston Le Baret, painter, architect and local tunnel rat of Paris. Saying his abilities in persuasion are good is an understatement. His skills with the ladies are as smooth as his head. The dirty rotten scoundrels refer to him as master and the Jedi's as Yoda. But how is the silver tongue of Marc relevant to the site at hand you ask?

Our location that night had a keeper, a protector of its skyward secrets. While you wont know its name, if you've walked the area before you may have caught a glimpse. Hair like straw, breath like fire and an oder that could turn milk sour. Although seemingly defenseless, to venture forth without its blessing would result in a bitter end of blue and red flashing lights.

While many a brave man would shy away at the challenge, Marc stood firm. With a flick of the tongue the deal was done. The clatter and clangs of four silver pieces enough to earn us the nod. Permission now granted the creature faded from sight into the darkness, our path now clear, our mission easy to complete

That's the long version, the short version is Marc bribed a hoboess 3 euros to look the other way for a few minutes while we climbed up and took some pictures, but that doesn't sound quite as interesting.

Bonus 360